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1.

'Master, they wait, statue still, watching the sky.'

'Wait!' shrieked the Nightmare, raising the twelve-tailed whip. 'I will teach them to wait!'

With both hands on the twisted black handle he brought the whip down across Elionbel's back, cutting through the fabric of her cloak and bodice. Twelve iron whip tails tore into her skin, making her scream out, sending an echo of her pain rippling through the City of Night.

Krulshards raised the whip again, hesitated and tossed it aside. 'One cry is enough from my lure, that will draw Thanehand to us!'

Turning to Kerzolde he grasped him by his iron collar and pulled him into the malice. Secretly he drew the baby out of the folds of his cloak and kissed him, dribbling black bubbling spittle across the top of his head.

'I cannot risk Kruel, he is not strong enough to defend the darkness or enjoy my revenge, you shall be the guardian of my seed,' he said, pushing the baby, Kruel, through the narrow opening in Kerzolde's armoured jerkin.

'If Thanehand comes too close to me or the Archer threatens my life, kill both the Marcherwomen and escape with it. Take it far away into a darker place and make it

strong; feed it on dark meats and carrion flesh for it is the new Power of Darkness that will blacken all Elundium.'

'Master, I hear footsteps,' Kerhunge cried, tugging at the hems of the malice. 'Thanehand and the two followers have entered the City of Night.'

Elionbel heard Thane's distant footsteps and shook her mother's shoulder urgently, desperately trying to wake her from the dark dreams she had sunk into. But the Nightmare birth and the greedy feeding of the infant as he sat astride Martbel's belly had almost drained her life away. Wearily she mumbled, half opening her eyes.

'Mother! Mother! Thane has come to rescue us!' Elionbel shouted fiercely, slapping Martbel's sunken cheeks. 'Mother wake up!'

aKrulshards laughed, pulling Elionbel away behind the folds of his malice.

Beyond the door crack, mumed by the darkness, Thane heard the single tortured scream and took a giant stride towards the mountain wall.

'Elionbel!' he cried, clenching his empty hands.

Turning, he once again searched the dawn-bright sky.: 'Fate has abandoned me,' he whispered, his face drawn into tight lines of despair. 'I cannot wait any longer for a sword to use against Krulshards. I will go with nothing in my hands other than the dagger blade that Duclos gave me on the lawns of Gildersleeves.'

'You have the great Bows of Orrn and Clatterford and the crystal-tipped arrows forged with the light of the sun,' Eventine said, quietly necking her pledge arrow on to the string.

'No! You are both pledged to end Elionbel's torment; do not weaken my purpose. There is no room for doubt or a second arrow strike if I am to charge straight at the Nightmare. In my moment of despair let me hear the sweet music of your bows and know that you have ended Elion's pain.'

Silently Eventine and Kyot locked hands with Thane, the two pledged arrow-shafts and the blade of the dagger touching. 'It will be done,' Kyot whispered as they walked towards the black door crack.

Eventine paused beside Tanglecrown, putting her hand into the centre of his antlers, touching the velvet-soft crown. 'Guard the entrance, watch over the daylight until we return.'

Stumble and Sprint reared, neighing, while Tanglecrown lifted his glittering antlers towards the rising sun and roared out a challenge at the dark shadows in the valley below. Kyot trembled and cried out as the darkness swallowed him up but Eventine reached out her hand and comforted him in the dark.

'Remember the dark chamber at Clatterford; reach out and touch the darkness and put your fear behind you.'

306.

Thane walked two paces ahead, his left hand outstretched against the rough rock wall. Before them the stench of Krulshards grew stronger and stronger, filling the dark road.

'Thanehand!' taunted a cruel voice, whispering them forward. 'Come to me, Thanehand, and see how the Elionbel dangles on my life thread, chained in my high chamber!'

Thane swallowed his fear, shutting his ears to the Nightmare's taunts and forged ahead. Twice during the long morning climb up through the darkness Eventine called out, begging Thane to ease the pace. 'Kyot has no sight in the dark; he stumbles and trips with each footstep.'

Thane halted and waited, taking Kyot's hand into his own to help him forward. 'I am a burden without Rockspray's sharp eyes at my shoulder,' Kyot muttered, gritting his teeth against the darkness. 'A useless blundering blind man who slows you up.'

Thane squeezed Kyot's hand. 'Only a true friend would have the courage to step into the darkness and I love you for it.'

Kyot stumbled on in silence, his bow arm locked through Eventine's, his arrow hand gripping Thane's sleeve.

The walls on either side of them suddenly fell away, the dark road had reached a vast low-domed chamber. Thane stopped, choking on the rotten stench.

'Thanehand!' shrieked a voice.

'Nigh/stealer!' sneered another.

'Welcome, welcome, Thanehand,' whispered Krulshards, raising his bone black fingers for silence, and shaking the chains that bound Elionbel's wrists.

Thane took a step forward and saw that the chamber walls were lined with Nightshards; huge shadowy figures that dryrattled as they turned their blind faces towards him. In the centre of the the chamber Krulshards waited beside two long loops of chain. The folds of his malice and the outer edges of the hems had been spread in the shape of a black fan, each tuck and twist cleverly piled on top of the next. Beside

307.

athe Nightmare on either side crouched his Captainbeasts, Kerzolde and Kerhunge. Kerzolde spat Thane's name on to the dusty floor, leaving a trickle of bubbling spittle dribbling down his scaly chin.

Krulshards laughed, his skinless face bloated with victory.

'Thanehand,' he hissed, slowly drawing aside the hem of his.

malice to reveal Elionbel. 'Here is your Elionbel, the lure that

brought you into the darkness,' he shrieked with delight, grasping her wrist and pulling her forwards, tripping her on the black folds of the malice.

'Thane! Thane!' she began to shout, stumbling on to her knees, fighting with both hands to stop the glistening life thread from choking her.

Krulshards snarled, sweeping the other hem of the malice aside and kicking Martbel out on to the dusty floor. Thane reached for the dagger but froze as Elionbel screamed, her face blackened and distorted by the choking thread. The Nightmare laughed.

'Touch me, Thanehand, or even move one little finger and the thread tightens!'