Malick laughed and the loud thrumming began again. It pounded with an intensity that forced Katelina to the ground, first to her knees, and then to her stomach. She threw her hands over her ears and tried to see through aching, tear filled eyes. It felt like everything under her face was stretching and pulling, ready to tear apart and shatter like a china doll.

She saw a flash of something red and black and then for a second she saw Verchiel hanging from the edge of the ragged ...