Fassn reaches for him but it’s Berstuun that lays a hand. His eyes meet Cang’s, and for an instant there’s a connection there, a recognition of the lich’s foul powers. Berstuun, grunting with the effort of grabbing Cang from over Fassn’s shoulder, lets a bit of purple light leak through his teeth. Cang sees it, his heart hammering. He feels that his own teeth are purple, too.
Shyan grabs Fassn, heaves him back into the corridor. Abia stands facing the slack-jawed creatures, her hand aloft. It sparkles with an icy blue flame, a gentle distortion of reality’s field. Nothing appears abnormal about it at all. The creatures fear it and won’t go nearer.
Ulxurix’s voice booms through the castle. “Get them, you jibbering fools. You won’t like it if I have to come down there myself.” This sends the things into a scurry of unco-ordinated behaviour. They bump into one another. One tumbles out the window.
Cang massages his bloody palms, says, “Perhaps we could try another way.”
