She turned back to see what she could do. Across the square, much too near the still ruddy fires and the giant who’d killed Lharis, she couldsee Mibya and her nearest sister. They’d scooped up four of the little ones, andthe sister bent her head over the two children she held, letting dark cloth hide her white hair as she edged cautiously sideways. With a sudden spurt of movement, the woman turned and ran between two huts and vanished into the night, but Mibya stared up, frozen in place.

The wisewoman yelled at her, but Mibya either didn’t hear orwas too terrified to move. The giant flung back a hide cloak, sheathed his sword, and bent down to shove a finger in the still nearly full pot of soup.

That’s boiling, Gran thought, stunned. But if it burned him,he gave no sign. He licked broth from his finger, then smiled, baring yellowed teeth the size of shields, and moved with appalling speed, slapping Mibya aside with the back of his fist. With one swift bound and a snatch, the giant scooped up the children she’d been carrying and dropped them into the boiling soup. Heclapped a round shield over the open top, holding it down with one huge hand.

Gran could hear Mibya shrieking. Her own legs wouldn’t holdher. Mibya’s voice died suddenly. Probably the woman had as well. Gran squaredher shoulders and crawled to where Lhors still knelt and caught hold of his ear. She tugged. Finally, he crawled after her into the dark. She kept a pinch-hold on his ear. He whimpered and flailed ineffectively at her. “Stop it!” shehissed. “There is no time! Stay out of the light and gather up as many of thewomen and children as you can without being seen!”

“But…” He couldn’t manage anything else.

Gran slewed around in front of him to pinch his other ear as well. “Listen to me!” she ordered in a furious whisper. “We will lose many ofour dearest ones this night. It’s too late to stop that! All we can do now isrescue every single soul the gods permit us to save! Do you understand me?”