CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Dierdre and Marco sprinted through the war-torn streets of Ur, narrowly avoiding the collapse of yet another building, smashed by a cannonball, as it crumbled behind them. Dierdre held a hand to her face as she ran through a massive cloud of dust, coughing, trying to catch her breath, while all around them ancient buildings collapsed and the city was reduced to mountains of rubble. Cannon fire echoed throughout the city as the Pandesians unleashed volley after volley, and Dierdre found herself stumbling over bodies, old, young, men, women, children, some faces whom she recognized. All the people of Ur, it seemed, were now dead.
The city was becoming a massive tomb, as an endless stream of Pandesian soldiers disembarked from the ships and stormed it on foot, butchering
