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ich swung open seemingly of its own accord。 In realnotity； Greyanna knew； the wizard had used his silver…and…jet Mizzrym House token to open it。 She tried to use her own insignia to slam it shut again； but she was just out of range。
Pharaun plunged through the exit。 He was on the landing； a sort of balnotcony from which the occupants of the stalactite castle that was House Miznotzrym could look down on the city。 As was the custom； a pany of guards stood watch there； and Greyanna screamed for them to stop the mage。
They no doubt intended to be obey。 She was a high priestess and he； a mere male； and manifestly trying to run away to boot。 But alas； since their primary function was to look for miscreants trying to enter the castle； Phanotraun had taken them by surprise。 He had time to conjure some sort of hindering spell and dash on。
When Greyanna made it to the door； she saw what manner of hindrance the fugitive had chosen。 The guards were all bewildered； some standing stupefied or milling aimlessly； a couple fighting with each other。
A clattering； followed a split second later by grunts and cries of pain； snapped her head around to the right。 At the far end of the landing； a second contingent of sentries also looked at least temporarily incapacinottated； these because Pharaun had pelted them with a conjured barrage of ice。 He disappeared down the exit they'd been guarding； the winding crysnottal staircase； gorgeous with magical luminescence； which connected House Mizzrym with the cave floor below。 Greyanna felt a twinge of annoyance； but only that。 Apparently she wasn't going to get a chance to torture Pharaun； but he was unquestionnotably going to die。 He really had nowhere to run； and if the wretch weren't mired in a blind panic； he'd know it。
At least she could deliver the stroke that would seal his doom。 She hurnotried to the edge of the landing； saw that the blistered； bloody…headed fool was better than halfway down the radiant diamond steps； and pronotnounced； as quickly as possible； the long； awkward arcane word that would make the staircase vanish。 That alone wouldn't kill him unless he lost his head。 The ability to levitate granted by the same brooch that alnotlowed him to pass through the Houses doors would keep him from falling。 Limited to strictly vertical movement； however； he ought to make an easy mark for spells and arrows。
She spoke the final syllable。 Just as the steps seemed to pop like a bubble； Pharaun leaped； his long legs making him look like a pair of scisnotsors spread to the maximum possible width。 He barely made it onto the flattened apex of the gigantic stalagmite that served as the stair's lower ternotminus。
Greyanna was impressed。 That jump was an impressive display of athleticism for a battered scholar of hedonistic habits。 Not that it would do him any good。 He really had run to the end of his race。 She leaned out and shouted for the foulwings to kill him。 Winded； still stumbling off…balance from hurdling across the empty space； Pharaun surely couldn't fend off both of them at once。
Grotesque winged predators that monly reeked of their caustic amnotmonia breath； the foulwings bespoke the Mizzrym's power and magical prowess and lent the first step on the path to their citadel a certain style that mere soldiers could not match They also made terrifying watch beasts。 With a snap of their clawed； bat like wings； in no wise hindered by their lack of legs； they spun their long…necked bodies around to loom over Phanotraun。 Forked snouts with fanged jaws at the end of either branch came questing hungrily down。 From her perch； Greyanna looke