62
You give Dorian a sideways glance. “Don’t even think about it,” you say as he opens his mouth to speak.
Instead, Tarquin draws his sword. “Right, then,” he says and leaps into action.
Ashur, who until that moment looked like he might have been going to try to say something, simply shrugs and begins flinging bolts of fire and ice and force magic. So do your enemies, whose ranks are clearly filled with mages. It makes for a difficult battle—one in which you and Tarquin, who appear to be the only two combatants using physical weapons, are having a hard time seeing through the flashes and bangs to work out who’s on your side and who isn’t. In the end, you place your trust in the law of averages to stop you from accidentally murdering two of the most prominent members of the Shadow Dragons.
As you thin their numbers, visibility improves. They’re not all dead, but the only one left standing is the attractive man you saw at the entrance. Dorian is about to cast a final spell, the magic crackling between his fingers, when the man pulls out an amulet—and Dorian instantly freezes.