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FARRENDEL GRIPPED thehilts of his swords, their weight comfortable in his hands. A frigid breeze prickled against the bare skin of his chest and back. If this were up to him, he would not have chosen to go into battle in this state of undress yet again, but he had done worse. At least this time, he wore his boots.

Across the way, Drurvas and his two hand-picked troll warriors were also striding toward the center. All three were smeared liberally with the black paint, with dark circles smudged around their eyes. With their white hair and gray skin, the black paint made them look even more like wraiths intent on death.

Drurvas had his battle-ax resting on his shoulder, his stride such a confident swagger that Farrendel was almost jealous that Rharreth had already claimed him. Farrendel would have liked to wipe that smirk off his face.

Though, the other two trolls were also smirking, also sauntering. One hefted a large, single-edged sword much like Rharreth’s and clutched a dagger in his other hand. The second troll carried one of the large, square shields on his arm and lightly gripped the handle of a mace in the other. A short length of chain connected the handle to a large, metal ball with sharp spikes protruding from it. The mace swung in time with the troll’s steps.

“Keep an eye on that mace.” Farrendel flicked a glance toward Julien keeping pace beside him.

Julien hefted his shield higher, flexing his fingers on his sword, as his gaze remained fixed ahead of him. “I see him. I bet it packs a punch like a cannon shot.”

Most likely. Farrendel eyed the length of the chain from ball to handle. Between the length of that chain and the troll’s arm, that troll would have a longer reach than Farrendel would. It would be a close thing, trying to get past that mace and shield to kill that troll, especially since the other troll with his sword and dagger would keep up a constant attack.

Rharreth tilted a tight nod toward Farrendel. “I never thought I would fight with you at my side, Laesornysh.”

“Nor I with you.” He had thought he would be more uneasy, going into battle with a former enemy by his side. Yet, for all Rharreth had once been a part of so much misery, no anxiety tightened Farrendel’s chest at that moment. Rharreth had done what he had done out of loyalty to his people and his kingdom. Farrendel could not blame him for that.

Though, he was not yet ready to consider him a brother nor did he feel the same sort of forgiveness for Rharreth that he did for Melantha. Some things took time.

Rharreth and Drurvas halted two yards away from each other, and Farrendel came to a stop facing the other two trolls with Julien at his side.

Farrendel dropped into a crouch, waiting for the signal. He drew in steady breaths, his heartbeat a normal rhythm. Any tension faded into a cold iciness that strengthened his muscles. He was ready.

Drurvas swung the flat of his ax against his shield with a ringing clang. “So let it begin.”

“So let it end.” Rharreth clanged his sword against his shield in reply.

With a roar, the trolls charged toward Farrendel. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Drurvas closing with Rharreth, swinging his large battle-ax.

Farrendel launched himself forward, ducking under the swing of the troll’s large sword and blocking the troll’s dagger with one of his smaller, elven swords. He stabbed with his other sword, aiming for the troll’s chest.

Before he could connect, the other troll was there, his massive mace swinging at Farrendel’s head.

Farrendel changed his stab to a swing that sliced a cut along the troll’s sword arm. Then, Farrendel threw himself into a roll to avoid the hurtling mace. As he came up, Julien was in front of him, taking one troll’s sword across his shield and pounding the other troll’s shield with his sword.

Julien bought Farrendel the heartbeat he needed to hop safely to his feet. With a running start, Farrendel gripped Julien’s shoulder, keeping his sword clear of Julien’s neck, then launched himself off Julien’s back to give himself enough height to clear both Julien’s and the troll’s shields.

With a flip, Farrendel kicked the troll’s sword out of the way, then stabbed downward as he angled toward the troll’s chest.

Once again, the other troll swung his mace. The metal ball came whistling toward Farrendel’s side, and he was forced to change the direction of his momentum so that he kicked off the sword-wielding troll’s face and flipped back to land safely behind Julien’s shield.

Julien’s shield shuddered under another strike of the troll’s sword, even as he parried first the dagger, then the other shield. The mace had a longer reach, but it was slower to change course, and so far the troll had been saving it for fending off Farrendel.

Several yards away, Rharreth gave ground beneath Drurvas’s furious attack with his massive battle-ax.

This time when Farrendel used Julien to launch himself into the air, he could feel the tension in Julien’s muscles as he strained to hold back the troll’s onslaught.

Farrendel kicked the sword aside as he came up and over the shield, hopefully giving Julien a moment to recover.