Sloan's hard brown face cracked, in a derisive smile. "That's fine," he said. "I hope you're more use to him—"
Van Voss fired from under the table. The shot thundered and rang from the high glassy walls in ricocheting echoes.
Li Kin dropped his weapon, put both hands over his stomach and sat down with an expression of surprise on his face. Then he slumped forward. Sloan's voice went calmly on, after that pause.
"— than you were to me," he finished. Then, jerking around, he yelled, "Watch him, Piet!"
Nelson was already in mid-leap, his wolf-body going like an arrow for the Dutchman's throat.
His teeth met in the flesh of the man's forearm, flung up to ward him off. They fell to the floor in a crashing tangle. Sloan stooped swiftly to pick up his gun.
Suddenly, from nowhere, Tark came like a leaping shadow. His charge knocked Sloan rolling. Shan Kar turned and ran from the room.
Above the yells and the curses and the worrying, growling sounds Nelson caught Tark's mental cry.
"There is no time now, outlander! Others come and Shan Kar is raising the alarm. The palace is a trap!"
He turned and raced for the door with Nelson after him. Behind them, Sloan and Van Voss, bleeding and half-stunned, were able to muster only one wild shot before the two darting wolf-shapes had vanished down the long dark corridor.