“Order in the court,” snapped Hawkwind.
“You know I can’t control these dragons,” Keriya said when the muttering subsided.
“We understand you cannot control them as you did Thorion Sveltorious, with whom you forged a bond,” the inquisitor replied. “But you wield incredible arcane magics—it’s time for you to use them. You will force the dragons into action, or you will be sacrificed to Necrovar. What is your decision?”
Keriya drew a breath and looked Hawkwind dead in the eye.
“Inquisitor Hawkwind, are you familiar with the term ‘Spider’?”
Hawkwind stared at her as though she were a squashed spider on the underside of his favorite boots. “I should hope so.”
“I mean in reference to Necrovar’s network of shadowbeasts.”
The man’s icy blue eyes narrowed. “Explain it for the court.”
“A Sp
