Sperling followed Ulric as he continued down the hall. The walls here were paneled with expensive gravewood. Sperling’s sensitive nose found the astringent odor of the wood overpowering. Suddenly, he heard a huffing sound around the corner ahead.

       A monstrous bear turned the corner, its long claws clicking on the marble floor. Its muscular body bore the scars of many battles. It wore a spiked iron collar. Strands of spittle hung from its bared teeth. When the creature roared, the hallway shook, and Sperling felt the bear’s hot breath.

       Sperling whimpered, preparing to run. Then he saw Ulric extend a hand to the bear. Sperling paused, remembering that Ulric was the Bear King, and served the Bear God, Vele. Perhaps this angry bear, which had clearly been abused in the pit, would recognize Ulric as its savior.

       Sperling let out a breath as Ulric stroked the bear’s scarred muzzle. The creature had been instantly tamed.

       Without explanation, Ulric continued down the hallway, passing a glass-paneled door that opened into an atrium. The bear followed at his side like a loyal hound. Sperling had wondered why the halls were so wide. Now he knew. They had been built to accommodate Parthenia’s beasts.

       An old woman turned the corner at the end of the hall. Her hair was wrapped in a dun scarf, and she held a wooden cup in her ringed hand. She looked exhausted, and her eyes were red, as if she had been crying. She stared at Ulric in shock, her voice trembling as she spoke. “Why are you in me Lady’s manor?”

       Ulric spoke in a threatening tone, his voice muffled by his visored helm. “Where’s Parthenia?”

       The old woman took a step back, nearly tripping on the hem of her nightgown. “My Lady is abed. I bring her a calmant.”

       “Take us to her,” Ulric demanded.

       “Do you mean her harm?”

       Ulric lied. “Nay. I just need to speak with her.”

       The old woman bit her lip. “I suppose I have little choice. Follow on.”

       Sperling put a hand on Ulric’s shoulder. “Hold. Look at her raiment. Her gown is silk, and I believe that’s an emerald on her finger. Hardly the clothing of a servant.”

       Ulric’s eyes widened as he stared at the woman. “Parthenia!” He motioned for the bear to attack.

       The old woman sighed, then spoke a phrase of Brimic. “Shǔltlǒ úgrār.”

       The air around the bear visibly warped, and the animal flew apart in great, meaty chunks, knocking Sperling and Ulric against the walls.

       Parthenia tilted the wooden cup in her hands and cast its contents. A dozen angry wasps set upon them. The insects had yellow bodies and orange eyes. Sperling knew for a certainty they were arcane wasps, conjured from base insects. He shouted to Ulric, “Flee!”

       But Ulric had no intention of running. He hefted his hammer and rushed Parthenia, who dashed into a nearby room, slamming the door behind her.

       Ulric found the door locked and tried to kick it in. But the sturdy door held.

       Sperling felt the wasps stinging him. It didn’t hurt as much as he had expected. He raced over and grabbed Ulric. “We must withdraw!”

       Ulric pointed at the door. “Help me knock this down.”

       Sperling saw a wasp squirm into Ulric’s visor slit. Ulric raised his visor to bat it away.

       Sperling tried to pull Ulric from the door. “We’re being poisoned!”

       Ulric kicked the door again, this time more weakly. “She’s in there. Help me.”

       Sperling knew that Ulric had lost all sense, if he ever had a whit. It was time to leave him to his fate.

       As Sperling reluctantly turned away, his gladius fell from his twitching fingers, and he tumbled to the floor. He lay supine, his arms and legs leaden, and a terrible chill in his chest and head.

       Ulric also collapsed. He lay on his side, facing Sperling, and spoke in a voice filled with anger and regret. “We came so close!”

       Sperling, fighting panic, had no response. The wasps had flown away, having delivered their paralyzing venom. He felt certain he would die now. What a strange way to quit this world, in the lair of a rogue Beast Mage.

       Parthenia opened the door, calmly stepping over them. She crouched beside Ulric, her voice curious. “How did you subvert my bear? Are you a practitioner?”

       Ulric spat in her direction, but the gobbet fell short.

       She clucked her tongue. “Killing the bear, I could forgive. And I had no fondness for those mercenaries. But you slew my beautiful minion, Nightwing, and I keenly grieve that loss. For that, you must suffer. The paralytic may have stilled your limbs, but it won’t dull the excruciating pain you will feel when I perform the procedure.”

       She removed Ulric’s gauntlets and gloves and examined his hands. “I’ve found it’s best to remove any rings, before the fingers begin to swell.”

       Ulric had no rings, so she repeated the search on Sperling. Her brows rose when she saw his signet ring, and she spoke with a wicked glee. “Oh my, I’m so pleased to add a noble to my collection!”

       Sperling groaned. Just his thrice awful luck, another noble-hater. They had been coming at him in waves.

       She tried to remove the signet ring, but it wouldn’t budge. “Ah well, I’ll cut it off later.”

       Sperling knew he shouldn’t ask, but he had to know. “What is to be our fate?”

       She smiled, enjoying his fear. “You will be taxidermized, while still alive. Then I’ll mount your preserved body in the basement, amongst my collection of hominids. I just need a few tools first.”

       Parthenia scurried down the hall, leaving Ulric and Sperling helpless on the floor.

       Sperling spoke to Ulric, unable to keep the terror from his voice. “You must extricate us from this frightful situation. Can you use the magic of your god?”

       Ulric replied with his eyes closed. “I’m trying. You must delay her.”

       “Delay her? How?”

       Ulric didn’t answer, nor did he open his eyes.

       Sperling had to think of something, and he knew he didn’t have much time.