He blinked, took her hand —

— and found himself standing to one side of what he could

only describe as a desperate scrum in the snow. Arms and legs

and heads appeared and then disappeared, axes flew, blood

spattered about, and howls of rage and frustration wrapped the

entire fracas.

SpikeFeather looked about, desperate to find someone to help him in aiding Urbeth's daughters.

And saw them, standing slightly to one side, their arms folded, their faces smug.

SpikeFeather, one said in his mind, we have thrown our shadows in for the Demons to chase.

What will happen, he said, astounded to find himself able to reply in the same manner, when they realise the trick?

Both ice women shrugged, and their smiles deepened, but they did not reply.

SpikeFeather turned back to the fray, and then stumbled several steps towards the safety of the avenue.

The Ravensbund were still there, lined up with spears at the ready.

"Hello, Qeteb, Barzula," DragonStar said, and he nodded behind them. "I believe you have met my father?"

Qeteb hefted his axe.

"No," DragonStar said, and his voice darkened and became heavier. "No. You cannot hurt what is protected by these trees."

"Not until you are dead," Qeteb said.

"Quite," DragonStar agreed, " If you can kill me."

Qeteb's eyes slid towards Urbeth. She had somehow grown stronger in the last few minutes, and now she stood straight and tall, her eyes hard, her figure implacable.

Her hands, so recently ice, now turned into the furred claws of the ice bear.

Suddenly Urbeth's mouth opened in a vicious snarl, and she completed the transformation and crouched to spring.

"The war is between you and me," DragonStar said, "and between yours and mine."

"Ah, DragonStar," Qeteb said, his voice even now. He, as Urbeth had, raised himself to his full height and assumed his true form of black, invulnerable armour. "You cannot begrudge me a pre-dinner nibble or two, can you?"

DragonStar shrugged. "Your nibble has done you no good. What matters is the Hunt through the Maze. That is what you and I both know."

The Dream grabbed both of them. They were hunting through a Maze of stars,dipping and swaying with the interstellar Star Dance.

All existence held its breath, awaiting the outcome.

DragonStar urged his Star Stallion forward, the Alaunt streaming out to his flanks like thetwin tails of a comet, but, despite their speed and power, the great dark beast behind him wasgaining, and DragonStar could sense the weapon Qeteb lifted above his shoulder.

Qeteb took a step forward, and half raised the axe he still held.

The Dream shifted slightly, and DragonStar knew that Qeteb was as much in control of theDream as he was in control of the Hunt.

"The weapon I wield," Qeteb screamed through the universe, "is not of metal or even ofpower. It is the weapon I will fashion from your weakness! See! See!"

And, despite himself, DragonStar turned to see what it was that Qeteb wielded.

Faraday — or what was left of her.

DragonStar felt a cry tear itself from his breast, and the Star Stallion faltered, and the Alauntmilled in confusion, and the next instant Qeteb was upon him.

As Qeteb moved forward, Axis shifted to urge Sal forward as well, but DragonStar shook his head almost imperceptibly, and Axis stilled.

"Neither of us can escape what has been foreordained," DragonStar said, and none failed to note that his voice trembled slightly.

Everyone watching could feel the amusement radiating out from Qeteb.

"No," he said, "we can't. But since I have given your witches such a good head start, I thought it only fair that I amuse myself with this convoy in the meantime. Fair's fair, after all."

The sense of amusement — almost joy — radiating out from Qeteb increased tenfold until both Axis and Urbeth were forced to back away several steps.

"And I find," the Demon continued, "that I have enjoyed myself so much I may well be back for another nibble."

Qeteb hefted the axe, then hurled it into the ground before the Star Stallion.

Belaguez's ears flickered, and his eyes rolled slightly, but he did not flinch.

"Don't bother," DragonStar said. "This column is invulnerable."

His only reply was laughter, and DragonStar flinched at its virulence.

Qeteb's laughter slowly subsided, then, with a final chuckle, he lifted into the air, and was gone within heartbeats, Barzula behind him.

Axis lowered his head from watching the Demons fly away towards the other end of the avenue and looked at his son.

"Tell me you can defeat him," he said. "Tell me ..."

Chapter 46

South

Qeteb strode into the still squabbling fracas of four Demons and tore them apart. He was in a high good humour — surely he had forced DragonStar's hand to the point where the starry idiot would try and move the sixth elsewhere ... an elsewhere that might be more vulnerable than the column — and thus he did the four no permanent injury. The abrasions and tears he did cause healed themselves within the moment.

SpikeFeather, as Urbeth's two daughters and the Ravensbund warriors, straightened in alarm —