the twin pulled back his bowstring and loosed his arrow in one fluid motion。 The shaft looked like a gradually swelling dot； which meant it was speednoting straight at its target。
Ryld dodged back。 The arrow whizzed past； and the archer shouted； 〃Here！ I've got him here！〃
The weapons master scowled； feeling the pressure of passing time even more acutely than before。 He didn't want to be there when the rest of the enemy arrived； and the only hope of avoiding it was to dispose of his presnotent opponent quickly。 The longbow simply had his hand crossbow outnotclassed。 He needed to get in close。
He drew Splitter； sprang out into the open； and strode toward his foe。 The archer sent one arrow after another winging his way； and he knocked them out of the air。 The defense was considerably more difficult advancnoting across the irregular surface of the roof than it would have been standnoting still on the ground。
Ryld began to sweat； and his heart beat faster； but he was managing。 There came another shaft； this one aglitter with some form of enchantment； and he swatted it down。 Rattling； it rolled on down the pitch of the roof。
He took another step； slapped aside another missile； then heard somenotthing…he didn't know what； just an indefinable change in the sounds around him。 He remembered that some enchanters created magical weapons capable of more than flying truer and hitting harder。
He spun around。 The sparkling arrow had launched itself back into the air and circled around behind him。 It was streaking toward its target and was only a few feet from his body。
Ryld wrenched Splitter across in a desperate parry。 The edge caught the arrow and split it in two。 Spinning through the air； the piece with the point hit his shoulder； but； thanks to his armor； did him no harm。
He lurched back around with barely enough time to deflect the next shaft； then marched on。 Four more paces brought him to the end of the roof。
The gap between this house and the next was five yards across。 He took a running start； made himself nearly weightless； and jumped。 The twin tried to hit when he was in the air； but for a blessed change； his arrow flew wild。 Ryld thumped down atop the same structure his opponent occupied。 It felt as if it had taken forever to get this far； even though he knew it had really been less than a minute。
Not that he was done running the gauntlet。 The arrows kept hurtling at him； including one that gave an eerie scream； filling him with an unnotnatural fear until he quashed the feeling； and another that turned into a miniature harpy in flight。 Yet another struck two paces in front him and exploded into a curtain of fire。 Squinting at the glare； he wrapped his piwafwi around him and dived through； emerging singed but essentially unscathed。
After that； he was close enough to the tower to cancel most of his weight and leap up to the top。 He sprang into the air like a jumping spider and alit on the platform。 The twin hastily set down his bow and drew his scimitar。
〃Do you have any healing magic？〃 Ryld asked。 〃If so； give it to me； and I'll let you go。〃
The other warrior smiled unpleasantly and said； 〃My rades will start arriving any second。 Surrender now； tell me where Pharaun is； and perhaps Princess Greyanna will let you live。〃
〃No。〃
Ryld cut at the warrior's head。 The other male jumped back out of range； sidestepped； and slashed at the weapons master's arm。 Ryld parried； beat the scimitar aside； and the fight was on。
Over the course of the next few seconds； the Mizzrym warrior gave ground consistently。 Twice； he nearly stepped off the flat； round tabletop that was the apex of the tower but on both occasions spun himself away from the edge in time。 He was a good duelist； and he was fighting defennotsively while he waited for reinforcements to arrive。 That made him hard to hit。 Hard； but not impossible。
Pressing； Ryld feinted high on the inside to draw the parry； swung his greatsword down and around； and cut low on the outside。 Splitter sheared into the Mizzrym's torso just below the ribs； and he collapsed in a gush of blood。
Magic trilled and flickered through the air。 When Ryld spun around； the other twin and Relonor popped into being on the rooftop below。 Obnotviously； House Mizzrym's mage could teleport on his own； without the aid of the brooch Pharaun had pilfered。
His voluminous sleeves sliding down to his elbows； Relonor lifted his arms and started to cast a spell。 The newly arrived twin nocked an arrow and drew back the string of his pale bone bow。
Ryld threw himself down on his stomach。 He was ten feet above his adversaries； and he hoped that they couldn't see him。 Sure enough； no magic or arrow flew in his direction。 He scuttled across the platform…enchantments in his armor deadening the sound of his footfalls…and grabbed his previous opponent's bow and quiver； then scrambled to his knees。
The twin and the wizard rose above the platform； the former levitating； the latter soaring in an arc that revealed some magical capacity for actual flight。 The archer loosed an arrow； and mystical energy flashed from Relonor's fingertips。
The Mizzrym's magic reached its target first。 A ghastly shriek stabbed through Ryld's ears and into his brain。 He cried out and flailed in agony。 The warrior's arrow plunged into his thigh； and the razor…edged point burst from the other side。
After a moment； the screaming stopped。 Ryld could feel that it had hurt him； perhaps worse than the arrow had； but had no time or inclination to fret about it。 Quickly as few folk save a master of Melee…Magthere could manage； he loosed two shafts of his own。
The first took Relonor in the chest； and