Inside, Ninzu sat close to Maravelle, her hands glowing faintly with protective magic. The queen was lying pale and still on the soft seat.
Then suddenly everything changed.
There was a loud bang.
All four Lycans leaped off their horses and shifted mid-air, their bones cracking, their muscles stretching and fur bursting through skin.
Through the fog the sorcerer stepped out.
Before he could strike, Marcellus lunged at him with a roar, claws flashing. The guards attacked from both sides.
But the sorcerer was too fast.
He vanished and appeared behind them, blasting them with black fire. The force threw them against the rocks. Dain skidded across the dirt, shaking his head, then charged again.
The sorcerer flicked a hand and a dozen rogues came out of hiding, attacking them.
The sorcerer turned toward the carriage. Ninzu stepped out, trying to shield Maravelle with magic, but he struck her with a bolt of dark energy, sending her crashing into a tree.
