Part 38 (1/2)

She moved back toward them, knife lifted If the selkie bested the man, then she would sink her blade into his back If Conan survived, she would do for hiht as they wrestled on the floor,as any the selkie had ever faced, but he was thrice as powerful as a h The 's hands on his throat The pair rolled, sla who took the brunt of the ie of this to slip free The man dived, rolled, and ca came to his feet and observed the man He obviously intended to box, and even a weaker opponent could defeat a stronger one, did his blows land solidly Kleg shi+fted warily to his left-

The selkie's foot touched so cold on the floor and he spared it a fast look to see what it was

Thesquatted and snatched up the weapon The et to hirinned as he hefted the weapon ”Prepare to die,” he said He stepped forward, raising the sword easily as he moved, and made to slice the man in twain

”Look out behind you, fool!” a fenored the cry He was not stupid enough to fall for that old trick

Then he caught the stink of his ne on his back No! He tried to turn, but it was now too late Everything went dark

The last thing the Pri on hi, but the fishman paid her no mind The monster behind hi his whole upper body into itslifted its victi shakes a rat Bones crunched Blood oozed from the selkie

The Queen of the Pili stared in horror, but the monster had no apparent interest in her or anyone but the selkie The beast turned away, the surely-dead fishman securely in its mouth, and padded down the hall toward the door

Conan also turned to watch the monster, and Thayla realized this was her chance Of course, the king was dead, but her hatred of Conan had grown enough so that it no longer mattered She leaped at his back, her knife raised to stab

”Conan!” a woman screamed

The man in front of her reacted instantly He dropped flat, and Thayla's lunge, overbalanced as she was, carried her past She tripped and fell She threw both her hands out to stay the fall, but she was too close to the wall The knife in her hand hit the wall and she could not release it as she continued her headlong fall She saw the point coed a final screaer bordered on ain he had lost the words of the spell, such was the uproar outside his chamber

Before the wizard could restart the first chant, the door burst open, sending a blast of air that battered the Mist Mage and knocked hi

”Who dares!”

When Di in the shattered doorway, the body of a selkie clenched in its jaws

”Not now, you moronic beast!”

The Ranafrosch dropped the body onto the floor It thudded against the flagstones and lay still Theat its , extending one wavering hand that sent a bea over the beast like a bucket of fire

The Ranafrosch's skin blackened and crackled under theover onto its back The stink of its flesh filled the air

Died to will himself back into position over the various talisht For the last time

Conan looked at the Pili fe black blade buried in her eye up to the hilt Killed by her own hand