RIOLLA BROUGHT FORTH HER LITTLE |EWeled dagger and flashed it before Claria's golden, unflinching eyes.
"You think we will need this to remove the ring?" asked the Schreefa.
Claria shook her head, her gag still in place.
"Good. Now you take it off."
Claria held up her bound hands.
"Nice try," said the Schreefa, bringing the dagger closer.
"Riolla!" Saelin came crashing into the dense undergrowth like a falling boulder. "Gather yourself. There is no time. We must move to higher ground immediately," he puffed.
"Ah… well done, my esteemed empress. Is this a special treat for your honored servant?" He brought his hand to his face, tracing the raw, red scratch lines of Claria's comb.
"What are you talking about, Saelin? Why do we have to leave here now? And where is Rotapan?" Riolla replaced her dagger.
"When the melt began, there was no time to dispense with him as you had planned. But I am sure he
is dead. I left the Wyrvil in the palace's corridor. Do not fear-he'll never find his way out, and the Wyrvil tribes will continue to remain hostile to the ice queen. He was blindfolded and the walls were melting. I am sure the corridor has fallen in on him. He delivered your message and Drufalden has summoned your sabers. They will await you at the Curtain."
Saelin kept looking up toward the mountain. "Schreefa, there is a wall of mud ready to come down on us. We must move now."
Riolla kicked at Claria to get her on her feet. "The old coot must have used the selkies' stone," she muttered. "Never mind. We need to move fast anyway, but I wish your dagger had found Rotapan's heart instead of leaving him to chance. No matter, he is out of the way, and I don't have to pay him. Perhaps, Saelin, you would do well in his old position."
The assassin bowed and smiled under his dark mustache. It was enough to make him forget all about the lost chroniclave.
Ogwater bounced along atop Womba's massive shoulders like a bag of melons. The orcess had not slowed her pace since she had thrashed her way out of the jungle and into the forest that surrounded the selkies' river. Og had no idea where she was taking him, but wherever it was, he thought it was too far.
Until he saw Dunsan. The sentry ran toward them, his face hot with exertion.
"Where have you been? We have been searching for you at Wiggulf s most urgent order. Do you not know that the mountain falls also? This place will likely remain dry, but you could be trapped here until the river recedes."
At the sound of Dunsan's voice, the battle frenzy departed from her, and Womba looked at him as though she did not comprehend his words. But