My Kindre senses give me a flicker of warning. One moment the tunnel beyond the secret door seems empty. The next there are a dozen minds in there, burnished with determination and the copper tang of violent intent. I shout a warning—
And the door explodes from its hinges, shattering outward in a blast of wooden fragments. A figure in black armor rolls forward, chain veil jingling. Immediately behind it, an identical shape raises both hands and sprays bolts of flame.
Everything turns to chaos in an instant. Eric, John, and I are standing behind the makeshift barricade, and we duck instinctively at the sound. Blasts of Myrkai flame hit the pile of sacks, detonating with a roar and spraying rice everywhere. The rest of Eric’s people, spread out around the room, aren’t as lucky. I see a boy
