Chapter 36

Bartz tried not to think about an exhausted Falca being tossed about by dogmen. As always when he was on the verge of some really desperate thoughts, he turned to his dreams of Opal. She was able to get through anything. She had passed her knight school exams with flying colors. She had resolved fights between Tata and Cara when a town full of potatoes instead of people had seemed a real possibility. Surely if she were staked to the ground beside Bartz, she would remain optimistic. She would probably think of a way out of the situation. Bartz had to do that now, without her.

While Bartz was buried deep in thought, a couple of older dogmen appeared, Falca perched on the shoulders of one of them. Bartz breathed a sigh of relief. Falca had survived and come back for them.

“See,” Tomas said as Falca and the older dogmen approached. “I knew that bird would turn sides. Animals always stick together.”

“Nonsense. Falca would never betray us,” Bartz said.

“I agree,” N