As one the Warhorses slowed and halted before Willow.

The leading horses trotted up to him and stretched their necks and snorted in greeting. Evening Star neighed and trotted forward, brushing her soft muzzle against his cheek.

'Willow,' a calm gentle voice whispered in his head, 'wehave crossed Elundium to your call, without rest. Night and

day we have travelled.'

Willow stepped back and let his hands fall to his sides. 'But, I haven't called for you,' he cried. 'You have been in my thoughts with each waking moment and I have watched the 'I Greenway each night and every daylight ever since Nevis

foretold that you would come to the city when it was newly built; but I did not send word.'

Star snorted and pawed at the ground, nudging her foal forward.

'Fate draws you together,' laughed a voice from the Greenway's edge.

'Nevian!' Willow gasped, spinning round and shading his eyes against the bright colours in the rainbow cloak.

'It was my voice in the wind. It was I who tugged at the threads of your fates, drawing them once more together.'

Willow reached out and touched the rainbow cloak, feeling its soft warm colours. 'But why?' he asked, turning his head towards Evening Star. 'Why did Star and her foal have to travel through great danger to come here?,Was it to shelter in the safety of the newly-built city? Is Elundium too wild for her to roam in?'

Nevian smiled and shook his head, and taking Willow's hand he placed it on Evening Star's shoulder. 'Because there is a bond of love between you that grew out of the despair and darkness of the City of Night. A love so strong that not even Krulshards, the Master of Nightmares, can tear it apart.'

Willow nodded, but his face paled at the Nightmare's name. Star snorted, arching her neck and pushed her foal towards the Warhorses.

Nevian put his hand on Willow's shoulder and turned him towards World's End. 'Krulshards has turned towards the City of Night. He has taken Elionbel and her mother in

revenge for Thane entering the city. They are helpless lures tied on to the end of his life thread.'

'Lures?' interrupted Willow, drawing his eyebrows together. 'What are they?'

Nevian lifted the rainbow cloak and carefully drew out a fine silver shimmering thread. 'If I tie you to my life thread, Willow, you are a part of me, and suffer each and every one of my hurts. The Nightmare uses Elionbel and her mother to draw Thane into the darkness. There he will take him and

peel his skin back to the bones, destroying him slowly, and if he dies I fear Elundium will fall into the shadows.'

'But how are we to help?' Willow asked, looking up into Nevian's face.

The magician smiled, his face crinkling into a thousand wrinkles. 'I know not, Willow,' he whispered. 'It is beyond my sight, but I fear that Thane will be powerless against Krulshards while Elionbel suffers hurt and I would ask you to be at Thane's side in the darkness, because you know of the Nightmare's weakness. You know of his shadow.'

Willow frowned and looked out across the green rolling countryside and asked quietly, 'What if Thane cannot destroy the Nightmare? What if even he fails?'

Nevian lifted his hand and pointed at the sun. 'Your time of freedom in the daylight will be nothing but a brief moment to treasure in the darkness that will come.'

'And the foal? Must he travel back into the darkness?'

'No, he will stay with the Warhorses, they will protect him.'

Willow smiled and as he moved among the Warhorses he reached out to put his hand upon the foal's shoulder. The foal squealed and reared, boxing the air above Willow's head.

'Easy! Easy!', he cried, jumping backwards clear of the thrashing hooves.

'He is a Lord of Horses,' laughed Nevian, 'and is not yet ready to come quietly to the bridle.'

Star snorted and pushed her foal deeper among the Warhorses, scolding him for being so savage. Turning she trotted quickly back to Willow and stood quietly while he mounted her.

Nevian picked up the heavy metal stone searcher that Willow had dropped on to the Greenway when he first; greeted Star and placed it in his hands. 'Far sight tells me that you must carry the stone searcher to the City of Night.

Beyond that I can see nothing but darkness.'

'Lord, what of my people now that the Granite City is rebuilt?'

268.

iAn,

Nevian smiled, casting back the rainbow cloak. 'The city is theirs until a new King comes to claim it, but you must turn your mind to the road to World's End or there will be no more Kings. Ride hard and fast to reach the City of Night before Thane enters the darkness.'

'Where shall we meet? Mantern's Mountain is a rambling wilderness that almost touches the stars,' cried Willow. Star pawed at the Greenway, neighed fiercely and sprang forward.

'I know not,' Nevian shouted against the thunder of her hooves. 'But Evening Star was once a great relay horse and knows all the secret ways to World's End. Give her her head, she will find the way!'

Willow waved his hand in salute to Nevian and then wound it tightly into Star's mane and clung on for all he was worth as they left the Greenway and cantered into a long avenue of young sapling trees. The sun flashed and flickered behind the trees and he laughed, remembering a dream from long ago when he lay, a prisoner in the City of Night, and he had watched the sunlight behind a forest of shafts. And he galloped forward to this dream.

269.

Gla.s.s Arrow Blades

Thane awoke to the b.u.mping clatter of the rough-made stretcher and looked out at the grey gra.s.ses bent beneath the.

pouring rain. He shivered, trying to remember what had; happened as he twisted his head to see who was pulling him along. 'Kyot!' he shouted, looking past Sprint's rain-soaked flank up at his friend's shoulder where a quiver of featherflighted arrows swung from side to side.

Kyot heard Thane's weak cry and eased Sprint to a halt.

He dismounted and knelt beside the stretcher, a frown o worry creased his forehead as he tucked his cloak more firmly i around Thane's shivering body.

'Where is Stumble?' Thane asked in a broken whisper, trying to shake the raindrops from his eyes, 'Where are you taking me trussed up like a prisoner?'

Kyot laughed softly, 'I'd let you walk if you could stand bu you are fevered, bird thin and near to starvation. Lie easy on the stretcher until we get to Clatterford. Eventine has gon before us to warn theme and then you will be hot-fed and a

warm fire will dry out your rain-soaked bones.' ,

'But Stumble . . .' Thane worried. ~

Kyot pointed back into the trampled gra.s.ses along the two broad lines the stretcher had left. 'He is following our treacle at his own pace. He is as weak as you after the ordeal in the marsh gully but the Border Runners are guarding him an they will keep him safe.'

Thane struggled against the bindings that held him to the

stretcher. 'Krulshards has Elionbel. I must follow him, I must.'