The Skraeling grinned. "He has no idea."

The other Skraelings did not share his amus.e.m.e.nt. "Then what are we to do? The One has gone, we have no direction. No one to tell us where to go and what to do. Should we go home? Home to the frozen northern wastes?"

A great murmuring arose among the Skraelings.

Home to the frozen northern wastes.

"No," said the Skraeling. "We wait a while, and watch, and see. I think . . . "

"What?"

"I think there is something coming."

Chapter 8.

Elcho Falling.

"The last thing you need to do," Georgdi said as he rubbed a little more dirt into the lines of Axis's newly shaved face, "is to look like the StarMan setting off to save the world. The Lealfast are sure to see you wandering along, so you need to look as much like a shepherd as possible."

Axis did not reply. He was already in a foul mood, and the fact that Georgdi remained resolutely cheerful was driving him even further into ill-temper. He'd had his hair dirtied and dyed so it looked a faded brown, his beard was gone, he'd been forced to dress in clothes that bore more than a pa.s.sing resemblance to rags, he had no weapon apart from a small eating knife, and Inardle was leaning against the far wall watching him with an expressionless face that Axis was sure hid amus.e.m.e.nt.

"You do realise you won't be able to use your power, don't you?" she said.

Axis glared at her.

"Any Lealfast within a league will feel it," Inardle said. "Don't use your power, don't touch the Star Dance."

"I understood you the first time," Axis said. "But I still am not sure how you can hide us from the Lealfast. I thought you could still see each other when invisible."

"There are two ways of invisibling," Inardle said. "The second way will also hide us from Lealfast sight. It is difficult to accomplish; thus, the reason I can only take one other with me."

Axis gave a small shrug, as if indifferent to her response.

"Be careful, Axis," Georgdi said, the humour gone from his face and voice.

Axis nodded. "And you be careful of Elcho Falling, Georgdi. Don't take any nonsense from your underlings."

The others in the room -- StarDrifter, Egalion, StarHeaven and Insharah -- managed to smile at that, although their humour faded quickly in the tense atmosphere.

"Travel down the coast to begin with," said Georgdi, "then strike inland. Hopefully, you will run across Isaiah and his army soon enough."

"And, hopefully, it is before you run into Kezial," Insharah said. "Maybe stick to the coast for four or five days, Axis. Kezial will be inland." He looked at Inardle. "You will stay invisible?"

"For the most part," she said. "I can hide myself better from my fellows that way . . . materialising to walk with Axis would be catastrophic."

Thank the stars for that, Axis thought. At least he'd be travelling virtually on his own. There would be little opportunity for them to ever speak, let alone look into each other's eyes.

"It is dusk," Georgdi said, glancing at the window. "Time to go, soon."

"The Strike Force are ready with a diversion to take the Lealfast's attention from the entrance to Elcho Falling and its causeway," StarHeaven said.

"Just remember that it can't look like a diversion," Axis said. "Otherwise the Lealfast will be ignoring you and feeling their way along the causeway with their fingertips to discover what is trying to escape from this d.a.m.ned tower."

Axis had not felt this edgy for an extremely long time. Trying to escape Elcho Falling under the noses of the Lealfast was a ma.s.sive risk, and one which could easily see him dead.

He didn't care a jot about Inardle. If it came to it, Axis knew he'd have no problem tossing her to the Lealfast and escaping while she was being torn apart.

That made him remember how his daughter Zenith had died, and he looked at his father, knowing that the connection with StarDrifter was so close that StarDrifter would catch his thoughts.

StarDrifter gave a small nod, then came over and embraced his son. "Stars shine on you, Axis."

"I have talked to Josia," Axis said, "and he will contact Georgdi or you if there is anything you need to know."

StarDrifter nodded. "I have got used to the idea of having two sons, Axis. Make sure you do come back."

Axis and Inardle stood just inside the great arched entrance to Elcho Falling. They were very close, and Axis was extremely tense. He hated that all he could think about was Inardle when all he should be thinking about was how to survive the next few minutes and then hours.

Egalion and Georgdi stood to one side. The Strike Force were due to stage a distraction in the next few minutes -- but as none of the Enchanters risked using their mind voices lest the Lealfast pick up their thoughts, Axis needed to depend on others to let him know the best time to leave.

He looked at Georgdi, who looked toward one of his men positioned on the great staircase.

"Not yet, StarMan," Georgdi said, looking back to Axis.

Axis repressed a sigh, shifting the pack he had on his back. It didn't contain much -- a bit of food, a rough bridle, a bed roll, a few coins, flints to make a fire should he be fortunate enough to find fuel .

Nothing else to aid him or to identify him.

Suddenly the man on the staircase looked upward, then turned to Georgdi and gave a signal.

"Now!" said Georgdi.

Axis wanted to say something, share one last moment with Georgdi, but Inardle grasped his wrist and Axis gasped as frost penetrated deep into his arm until it felt as if the bones had been frozen.

"Now," Inardle whispered, and pulled Axis forward.

Axis found it difficult to do anything but think about the pain in his arm. He stumbled slightly, then found his footing.

Everything about him seemed grey. Even Georgdi, staring in his general direction with a surprised expression, seemed cloaked in grey hues. Axis looked at Inardle, and found that he could barely make her out. There was a faint gleam from her eyes, and he thought he could see the rime of frost on one shoulder, but if it had not been for her painful grip around his wrist, Axis thought he'd miss her completely with any stray glance.

"Move!" she hissed, and Axis started forward.

They slunk out a side door set deep into the arch -- not even the keenest eye would see it open briefly before closing again. There was a sound from high above, some mocking laughter, the beat of wings, which Axis a.s.sumed was one or two members of the Strike Force hovering close to the boundary of Elcho Falling's protection zone and taunting the Lealfast.

It was almost full night outside and Axis and Inardle started their way down the causeway, sliding their feet through the thin covering of water over the causeway's surface so that splashes would not attract any attention. They remained very close. Axis could feel Inardle with every move, feel her hand on his arm (and, stars, now that cold ache was gnawing into his shoulder), feel her hip brush against his, feel her breath from time to time across his cheek.

There was movement in the air above them, a Lealfast swooping low, and Axis' heart lurched in his chest.

Inardle's hand tightened even more -- if that were possible -- and Axis felt understanding seep into his mind. Not words, just understanding. Don't look up. Don't use your power.

Axis wanted to hiss and snap at her, but couldn't, so he kept on grimly, one careful slide of foot through water after another, every muscle in his body tense, his heart thudding in his chest.

And again, the feel of another winged creature in the air above him, the sweep of wings, the swish of their pa.s.sing.

Axis could feel Inardle growing ever more panicky. There was something happening that he could not discern, something going wrong that she understood, but could not (or would not) share with him.

d.a.m.n it! Axis wanted to shout his frustration, or at least ask Inardle what had gone so wrong, but he could do nothing.

They were halfway across the causeway now, drawing closer to the deserted Isembaardian camp.

Then Axis saw a figure walk out from behind one of the tents, and stand, looking down the causeway toward Elcho Falling.

It was Ravenna.

Axis prayed to every G.o.d he had ever known or had heard vague rumour of, that Ishbel had indeed stripped Ravenna of her power, because otherwise Ravenna would be able to see them as clear as day. He glanced at Inardle, wondering if she had spotted Ravenna, but saw by the gleam of her eyes that she was staring into the southern skies. She intuited Axis' look and caught his eye, then tipped her head once, twice, to the sky in the south.

Axis had no idea what she was trying to say. He wished she would communicate with him as she had a few minutes ago, but apparently Inardle was too scared to even use that means.

Again she tipped her head south and now Axis thought he could see pure panic in her eyes.

He stared south, hating to take his eyes off Ravenna, and suddenly his stomach dropped away in horror.

The stars in the southern sky were obscured by a moving cloud.

Oh dear G.o.ds! It was the Lealfast Nation about to arrive!

Then that horror was eclipsed by a sudden rush of wings as Eleanon alighted on the causeway some ten paces in front of Inardle and Axis.

They stopped dead, staring at him, barely able to breathe.

Eleanon turned about slowly, his eyes narrowed, looking about.

Axis held his breath, fighting pure panic at Eleanon's arrival, and the sudden dramatic increase of pain in his arm as Inardle intensified the power she used to cloak them.

Axis hoped Eleanon could not see through it.

Then he thought . . . what if he can see through, but will pretend not to? What if this is all a fabrication on Inardle's part? What if this is all a plan she and Eleanon had devised long before to trap me?

But Axis could feel Inardle trembling and feel her heart beating alarmingly fast through the touch of her hand on his arm. If she could pretend this level of terror, then she was far better than Axis thought.

Before them Eleanon had stopped to look south. He raised his arms, waving them slowly, and sent out a long, soft undulating call to his approaching fellows.

That call prompted Inardle into action. She started forward again, slowly pulling Axis with her.

She wanted to get past Eleanon and through the camp on the other side of the causeway before the might of the Lealfast Nation dropped down around them.

Axis knew their disguise was good, but it would not save them amongst a quarter of a million bodies b.u.mping about the Isembaardian camp -- and Axis had no doubt the approaching Lealfast were heading straight for it.

Why not? It had all the tents and beds and cooking equipment they could need.

Axis and Inardle were very close to Eleanon now. The causeway was not particularly wide and they shrank together as they drew level with him.

He moved, turning slightly, and from the corner of his eye Axis saw Inardle look downward, removing the gleam of her eyes from possible detection.

Axis hurriedly did the same.

Stars, if Eleanon reached out now he would touch them.

They edged past, every movement minutely careful, and so terribly, terribly slow. Eleanon was looking just to their left, when his eyes began to slide their way . . . and then, so suddenly it made both Axis and Inardle jump slightly, there was the rush of wings overhead and Bingaleal landed in the spot where Axis and Inardle had been standing just a moment previously.

Inardle's grip tightened more, and Axis had to bite his lip to avoid groaning with the pain of it. It felt as if the bones of his entire arm, shoulder and now some of his upper ribs had frozen solid. Even breathing was painful.

"They are almost here," Eleanon said, and Axis had to remind himself that Eleanon was speaking to Bingaleal, and not to himself or Inardle.

"It is a shame they will not arrive in the daylight," Bingaleal said. Both of the Lealfast men were turning to stare south again, and Axis allowed himself a small measure of relief as he and Inardle picked up their pace.

"It would make a grand showing for Axis if they had," Eleanon said. Then, "What was the fuss with the Strike Force . . . or whatever happens to be left of it."

Bingaleal laughed. "Several of the Icarii came out to taunt us . . . and then one of the stupid arrogant idiots got caught within one of the revolving rings . . . she was lucky she didn't get herself killed."

Axis made a mental note to reward the Strike Force member who had been that brave. StarHeaven, he thought.

He and Inardle were moving faster now, drawing away from Eleanon and Bingaleal and close to the sh.o.r.eline. Ravenna still stood waiting by one of the tents, but all her attention was on the sky rather than the causeway.

Then, gratefully, they were on firm ground and able to move faster. Her power still cloaking them, Inardle pulled Axis into a half trot, leading him through the deserted encampment on an angle to take them southward.

There was a heaviness in the air. Axis could almost feel the weight of the Lealfast Nation approaching, and could also sense Inardle's increasing anxiety.

"My arm," Axis risked murmuring. It now felt as if it were on fire, and he did not think he could bear the pain for much longer.

"Not yet!" Inardle hissed. They were running now, almost at the boundary of the camp, and it was not a moment too soon, for behind them Axis heard a soft roar of beating wings and excited greetings.

The Lealfast Nation had arrived at Elcho Falling.

Chapter 9.