The Iron Throne Room had descended into utter chaos.
The noblewomen's screams nearly lifted the roof off the Red Keep.
Several timid courtiers collapsed outright, a foul stink of urine rising from their breeches.
Even the usually arrogant Lannister guards had gone pale with fright, barely able to hold their swords steady.
They had never seen such a bizarre monster!
Its arm had been severed, yet its ferocity had not diminished!
The severed hand on the floor still clawed at the hard flagstones with all five fingers, making a scraping sound, as though even its limbs had lives of their own!
None of them had ever seen a creature so unnatural. They were all stunned with terror.
"Burn it! Hurry, burn it!"
Ned had learned from Lynn how to deal with these dead things and was the first to react. He drew his sword, placed himself in front of Robert, and shouted at the guards around him.
But fear had already robbed the guards of their ability to think.
"Everyone, stand aside."
Lynn pushed aside the guards blocking his way and took a burning torch from the wall.
He walked slowly toward the wight, which was still battering the iron cage.
The wight seemed to sense the threat of the flames. Its eerie blue eyes fixed on Lynn.
It suddenly thrust its remaining hand through the bars and clawed at Lynn's face!
Lynn neither dodged nor retreated.
He simply poured the lamp oil he had prepared beforehand over it.
Then he gently brought the torch in his hand toward it.
Hiss!
The instant the flame touched the wight's withered skin, it flared up like hot oil struck by a spark!
Black flames raced along its arm and swallowed its entire body!
The wight let out a piercing, inhuman shriek, twisting