On the shoreline, Peck jumped back as the lake's frozen surface smashed like glass, shards flying high; the ice flashed with a brilliant light that made him squint and shield his face.

The light dimmed, and silence fell as the shards scattered on the ice.

He lowered his arm, staring at the scar in the ice -- and he waited. Somehow he knew she was okay.

In the lake below, the shadows had dissipated in tendrils of oil; the eyes were gone, the teeth had vanished, at the first touch of the light-borne blade.

The sword was warm in Anise's hand; a bright glow resonated with her heartbeat, pulsed in the symbols on her hands. The ice above her had begun to melt, and the healing gold shimmer of the Lake returned to the gentle current.

A low rumbling, a quiet ripple under the water, was the only warning before a dozen huge spikes of jagged rock pierced up out of the lakebed with incredible speed, one after another, with the intent to impale the Lady of Light upon their sharpened points. The coffin was violently destroyed as a spike ripped through from beneath it, striking through the previous Lady's corpse in a bid to surprise Anise enough to end her.

The entire Lake began to ripple and rumble; the ground beneath the water cracked.

In the distance, the Dragon howled.