The Raven Collection

The doors crashed open and more than half a dozen people spilled in, guards with swords glinting and mages with hands free for casting. They pulled up short at the sight of their brother, head a mass of brain, blood and shards of bone. A beat later, they saw the Familiar. It laughed, a cold sound delighting at the death and mayhem it had created. Then it was among them, talons outstretched, wings beating around heads, saliva flying, tail flashing, roaring with mirth as they ducked and scattered, shouting alarm and fear.

It paused to see its handiwork, took in the bloody faces and the expressions of confusion and disbelief, turned a loop and stormed down the central stairwell, laughter echoing from the portraits hung at every level.

Jandyr stepped back into the street as Sol powered his horse through the protesting Dordovans. He ignored them, reining in by the elf and dismounting.

‘Go to the i

‘What’s going on?’ called Jandyr after him.

‘Trouble.’

Jandyr shrugged, mounted up and hurried back to the i

Erie

‘The ward, Erie

‘Too late to worry about it. That idiot’s already seen to that.’

‘Who?’

‘You know who.’ There was disappointment in her voice but sympathy in her mind. Her LightGlobe triggered the ward, setting off a clarion call that echoed through the Tower and battered at Will’s ears. Behind him, Thraun yelped and accelerated past, bounding up the stairs and overtaking Erie

The hallway was empty, but as the alarm faded away, the sounds of angry voices and movement came from all quarters. Thraun chased to the front doors and pawed ineffectually at the handles with Erie

He had glanced around to check for enemies and had just seen Erie

‘Come, come. Out. Out to the gate.’

Will opened his mouth and screamed.

Denser saw it all unfold. As Jandyr rode for the city centre, Sol strode up to the guard and felled him with a single punch. He ran into a College which had woken to mayhem.

Erie

Erie

‘No, no!’ hissed Denser, and dived for the path. Mages, guards and acolytes were coming from everywhere, giving Erie

‘See her out,’ he shouted above the rising noise of discovery, anger and organisation. ‘And find my Other. I’m going to help Jandyr.’ Sol nodded and Denser flitted back into the sky, trailing the elf astride Sol’s fast-moving horse.

Erie

‘What’s happening?’ asked the mage, making to chase her.

‘There’s a Xeteskian in the College.’ She ran on into the house, sliding to a stop at the scene that greeted her eyes.

Thraun and what she assumed had to be Denser’s Familiar circled each other in the centre of the hall, loosely ringed by a group of four disbelieving mages. The winged beast darted left, right, up and down while Thraun lashed claws and bit at empty space. He already sported a deep cut on his nose. She couldn’t see Will.

The only thought in Erie

‘Thraun, no!’ she ordered over her shoulder. ‘Friend.’ It was the only word she could think of that he might understand, but one more inappropriate she couldn’t imagine.

‘And you stop it now!’ she spat at the demon. It gri

‘Leave him, it’s Thraun,’ she warned.

The demon backed off immediately, grin replaced by an expression of surprise. ‘Shapechanger—’ it said, expelling breath in a hiss.

‘Yes, now get out after your master and never presume to defile the grounds of this College again.’

‘Yes, mistress,’ said the Familiar, and powered out of the door.

Erie

‘You know these . . . things?’ one asked. All of them had read the mana trails to identify her as Dordovan.

‘Acquainted, certainly,’ said Erie

A hand was laid on her arm. ‘I think you’d better come with us. That was a Xeteskian Familiar you spoke to. It called you mistress.’ The man holding her arm was middle-aged. His greying hair was receding and thin but his eyes, dark and brooding, were strong as they bored into her face. Erie

‘Yes, and as you can see, I have ordered it from the College. And now I’d like to help my friend.’ Her heart was begi

‘A commoner in the Tower after nightfall,’ he said, at once dismissive and threatening.

‘Never mind that, he needs help. Look at him,’ urged Erie

The mage did not trouble to look. ‘It isn’t that simple, as you must be aware.’

‘Let go of my arm.’

‘No.’ The grip tightened and the rest of the mages began to close in.

Erie

‘Do it,’ she said. ‘Please. I can’t control him.’

‘We can take them both,’ said another of the mages. ‘You know what to do.’

‘Gods,’ said Erie

The wolf didn’t hear her. Man-packbrother was hurt and the woman-friend was under threat. He removed the source of the threat.

The mage’s shout of alarm was cut off abruptly, Thraun’s jaws clamping around his neck, bearing him to the ground hard. Erie

Erie