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of the surviving students； turned the tide。 Ryld cut down his fellow Master of Melee…Magthere； whirled to do the same to a young spearman； and the fight was over。
Pharaun surveyed the battlefield。 Though burned and incapacitated； some of the warriors…in…training were still alive； but that was all right。 The important thing had always been to murder his fellow instructors。 That was what would impress the rogues。
He floated back down to earth。 〃That wasn't too difficult。 Looking back； it's a pity we didn't slaughter Greyanna and her allies in the same fashion。〃
Ryld grunted； pulled up the hem of a fallen fighter's cloak； and wiped the blood from Splitter。
〃Can you shatter Gelroos before we decamp？〃 Pharaun asked。 〃Othernotwise； he'll eventually revert to flesh and blood。〃
〃If you like。〃 Ryld hefted his blade。
C h a p t e r
F I F T E E N
Wrapped in a plain； dark piwafwi； the cowl drawn over her head； Quenthel tramped south across the city。 The experience was strange； unique in her personal experience。 She was on foot； not mounted on a lizard or enthroned on a floating stone disk。 She was alone； not acpanied by a column of guards and servants； and most strangely of all； no one paid her any real attention。 Oh； slaves scurried out of her path； and males ofnotfered her a cursory show of respect； but no one feared her or cringed in awe of her。 Indeed； she herself had to offer obeisance to the noble fenotmales she encountered along the way； lest their soldiers chastise her for insolence。
It was galling； unsettling； and somehow tempting as well。 In her most private thoughts； she'd imagined herself simply running away from the imnotplacable foe who worked so assiduously to kill her。 It might be the only way she could survive。 If she opted to flee this minute； she was already off to a good start。 She'd managed to slip away from Tier Breche with no one； she hoped； the wiser。
Flight was a cowardly notion； though； unworthy of a Baenre； and it annotgered her when she entertained it even for a moment。 Until the attacks began； she never had before。 She turned a corner； and Qu'ellarz'orl； came into view。 Her destination was nigh； and she focused her thoughts on the task at hand。
Sneaking away from the Academy had been a little plicated。 First； she'd had to surreptitiously lay hands on nondescript outerwear that would allow her to pass for a moner。 Such a piwafwi certainly hadn't existed among her own garments； all of which were costly and bejeweled； but she'd found it among the effects of one of the kitchen staff。 After disposnoting of the cook lest the missing garment be reported； she had to exit Arach…Tinilith without anyone realizing it was her； including her own watchful sentries。 Finally； she needed to skulk to the edge of the plateau and float down to the cavern floor below without the guards at the top of the staircase noticing。
She'd managed it； though； and she was confident of her ability to sneak back into the Academy； even after the plateau had been put on a state of heightened security。
A road ran up the eminence that was Qu'ellarz'orl to the castles of Men…zoberranzan's greatest families。 It wasn't off limits to moners。 Mernotchants and supplicants used it all the time； but they were subject to search and interrogation by House Baenre patrols。
Quenthel started up the twisting road and made it better than halfway to the top before she heard the distinctive grunt and hiss of a riding lizard。 She scurried off the path into the forest of giant； phosphorescent mushnotrooms； where she crouched behind a particularly massive specimen。
The patrol； a mounted offi