DAEDILLION
The passage ahead of us suddenly filled with blinding light as magical wards flared to life, triggered by some alarm we hadn't anticipated. Behind the light came the thunder of armored footsteps and the metallic rasp of swords being drawn.
"Back!" I shouted, pushing Aiko and her mother toward an adjoining passage. "Ryuji, with me!"
Ryuji stepped forward, dragon fire already building in his throat. I summoned my shadows, pulling them around me like armor as the first guards rounded the corner.
"Intruders in the lower passages!" one shouted. "Alert Lord Kiyoshi!"
I didn't give him time to say more. My shadows lashed out, whip-like tendrils of darkness that wrapped around his throat and pulled him into the gloom. The others hesitated just long enough for Ryuji to exhale a
