1564024802

another, swords rising against each slashing
blow.
Yielding only those few steps, and nothing
more.
Because Manon with conviction in her
heart, with utter fearlessness in her eyes, was
wholly unstoppable.
The Yellowlegs Matron pushed Manon
close enough to the line that her heels nearly
touched it. The other two witches had fallen
back, as if waiting to see what might happen.
For a hunched crone, the Yellowlegs witch
was the portrait of nightmares. Worse than
Baba Yellowlegs had ever been. Her feet
barely seemed to touch the ground, and her
curved iron nails drew blood wherever they
slashed.
Manon’s swords blocked blow after blow,
but she made no move to advance. To push
back, though Dorian saw several chances to do