The ropes of the ballista were drawn taught. The elephant-mounted gunners stepped back.

"Fire!" Zechariah cried.

The gunner threw a lever. The arms of the contraption sprang forward, and its payload whizzed through the air. The cythraul was in mid-roar as the harpoon connected with its head, passed between its open jaws, and jutted out from the back of its skull. It stuck there, leaving the fanged mouth wedged open.

Reinvigorated, Gunnar let his aurym flow. He willed the ...