Free The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett Page A

into the wards around their alcove. Silver magic spiderwebbed from the point of impact, and the clay demon was thrown back. It moved back up to the wards immediately, though, digging its talons into the cliff face as its head shot forward repeatedly, hammering at the wards and sending magic rippling through the air.
    Jardir took his spear and thrust it at the demon's maw, as he had seen the dal'Sharum do on the trek across the desert. But the demon was too fast, and caught the point in its jaws. The metal speartip twisted like clay as the demon shook its head, tearing the weapon from Jardir's grasp and nearly pulling him out of the safety of the alcove. The demon whipped its head aside, sending the spear spinning over the wall and into the darkness.
    Hasik saw the exchange from his alcove farther down the terrace. He was stationed as a Baiter, and would soon emerge to lead the demons to their doom.
    'Waste another spear, rat,' he cried, his s 's still whistling after all these years, 'and I'll throw you over the wall after it!' Jardir felt a burst of shame and bowed, withdrawing farther into the alcove to wait for commands.
    The Krevakh Watchers, balanced atop their ladders, could move from one level to the next in seconds. They surveyed the battlefield from above and gave signal to the kai'Sharum, who blew the Horn of Sharak, beginning the dance.
    Hasik immediately stepped from his alcove, yelling and cavorting about to draw the attention of the demons nearby. Jardir watched in fascination. Whatever his feelings about Hasik, the man's honor knew no bounds.
    Several clay demons shrieked as they caught sight of him, leaping to give chase. Their short, powerful legs pumped with terrifying speed, but Hasik stood unafraid, letting them commit to the chase before taking off himself, running for the ambush point up ahead, past the first barriers. The clay demon on the wall by Jardir's alcove leapt at him as he went by, but Hasik twisted and brought up his shield, not only deflecting the attack but also angling the shield so that the magic sent the demon hurling over the wall and shrieking all the way down into the pits'the first kill of the night.
    Hasik sprinted into the maze of debris, dodging around the barriers with a speed and agility that belied his heavy frame. He moved out of Jardir and Abban's sight, but they heard him cry 'Oot!' as he approached the ambush pocket. The call was a traditional one for Baiters, signaling to the dal'Sharum at an ambush point that alagai approached.
    There were shouts and flashes of magic as the hidden warriors fell upon the unsuspecting demons. Alagai shrieks filled the night, and the sound sent a chill down Jardir's spine. He longed to make demons shriek their suffering, as well. One day'
    As he mused, a Watcher, Aday, popped up over the wall right in front of them. Their twelve-foot ladders were just enough to make it up the wall from one level to the next.
    Aday pulled on the stout leathern thong attached to his wrist, drawing the ladder up after him. He moved to set it to scale the next level, but a growl above halted him. He glanced up just as a clay demon leapt at him.
    Jardir tensed, but he need not have worried. Quick as a snake, the Watcher had his ladder turned crosswise to catch the demon at arm's length before it struck. Aday kicked cleanly through the rungs, knocking the alagai down to the terrace floor.
    In the time it took the clay demon to recover, Aday skittered back several feet, extending the full twelve feet of the ladder between them. The demon leapt again, but Aday caught it between the side poles and lifted the ladder with a twist, easily hurling the small demon over the wall. In seconds he was back to setting his ladder.
    'Bring extra spears to the Push Guard in the courtyard,' he called to them as he sprinted up to the next level, his hands never even touching the rungs.
    Jardir grabbed a pair of spears, and Abban did likewise, but Jardir could see the fear in his eyes.