She moved away from it while she walked.

"Interesting," he said. "Is the ogre really that strong, to be bound that way?"

"He's escaped a few times in the past, before we started using the iron," Shard replied, looking pleased with herself. "Smashed the club to bits, and ate a few patrons before we stopped him. I thought drastic measures were called for. Now he behaves himself."

"It is killing him." Grimalkin's voice was flat. "You must realize this will considerably shorten his life span."

"Don't lecture me, Grimalkin." Shard gave the cat a disgusted look and stepped through the door. "If I didnt keep him here, he'd only be rampaging somewhere else. The iron won't kill him right away. Ogres heal so fast."

She sauntered up to the ogre, who glared at her with pain-filled yellow eyes. "Move," she ordered it, pointing toward the pile of straw in the corner. "Go to your bed, Grumly. Now."

The ogre stared at her, snarled feebly, and shuffled to his bed, the chain clinking behind him.

Shard opened the door. A long hallway stretched beyond the door, and mist flowed through the opening into the room. "Well?" she called back to them. "Here's your trod to the Winter territory. Are you going to stand there or what?"

She heads through.

She follows Isiea through.

"Wait," Grimalkin muttered. Grumly staring at the girls, drool dripping to the floor from his teeth. On the other side, Shard was smirking at them. As soon as the girls had stepped into the room, there was a sudden clatter on the stairs, the sound of many feet skipping down the steps. Over the railing, a wrinkled, evil face peered down at them, shark-teeth gleaming. Grumly roared, surging to the end of his chain, raking the ground with his claws.

She turns to look.

She turns around and looks at the stairs.

The ogre snarled and slashed at the air, straining to reach the girls. His huge fists pounded the floor not ten feet away, and he bellowed in frustration. Grimalkin had disappeared. Shard's laughter rang in the air as a dozen redcaps swarmed into the room. "Now," she said, leaning against the door frame, "this is entertainment."

Isiea takes out her knife, glaring.

She moved away from the ogre, staring down at the little redcaps. She was not going to to be earen here. She refused to be.