And the maniacal people crawling about, he almost said, but could not. But even with the thought unspoken, DragonStar could see the knowledge in everyone's eyes anyway.
"Which first?" Goldman said.
DragonStar hesitated, and ran the tip of his tongue over his lips. "Ideally, the Demons first," he eventually said, "but we, you five as well as I, need to be stronger before we can attempt their destruction."
Katie lifted her head at the latter words and stared briefly at DragonStar, then she dropped her face back into Faraday's lap. Her shoulders shuddered slightly.
No-one noticed her reaction, save Faraday, who assumed Katie had shivered with the gentle breeze blowing through the orchard. She pulled a section of her skirt around Katie, far more concerned at DragonStar's words.
Faraday and the other four had shared concerned glances. "Talk to us," Faraday said. "What do you mean?"
DragonStar took a deep breath. "I am StarSon, and Qeteb will be my battle," he said. "But the other Demons —"
"Ah," Goldman said, understanding, "as you will be responsible for Qeteb's destruction, so will each of us be responsible for one of the other Demons."
"Yes. It is preordained. Five of them, five of you."
"But, how can each of us contend with one of the Demons!" Leagh said. Her face was almost panicked, and she'd placed both her hands protectively over her belly. "I can't -—"
"Right here and now," DragonStar said, his tone and eyes gentle as he regarded Leagh, "you can't. No, I agree. We need experience and perhaps even some more knowledge before we can dare the Demons. But eventually each of us will have our task to do, and for each of us that task will be a particular Demon."
"But there are only four Demons left," Gwendylyr said, "not counting Qeteb. Sigholt's bridge destroyed Rox —"
"Evil cannot be destroyed," Katie whispered into Faraday's lap, "it can only be transformed."
No-one heard her.
"— so surely that means only four of us need to confront a Demon. Leagh must wait it out in Sanctuary. We can't risk her."
DragonStar looked Gwendylyr steadily in the eyes, and then shifted his gaze to Leagh. "We will all be needed in the wasteland," he said. "Leagh as much as anyone else. Her pregnancy cannot excuse her. And as for Rox, well... all I know is what I feel. The balance will be restored."
"How?" asked Goldman.
DragonStar lowered his eyes, remembering his long disquiet about Niah, but not knowing why he was so disquieted. "Niah," he said. "Niah will become the fifth Demon."
Everyone stilled, dismayed at the thought, and yet instinctively feeling the truth of it.
Niah would become the fifth Demon ... and yet ... yet all felt that peculiar, edgy dissatisfaction that DragonStar did.
There was something else about Niah. Something else they should all know and understand.
StarGrace entered Spiredore, and hungered. She had been a SunSoar Enchanter once, and heir to the throne, if StarLaughter's child had not survived.
And he hadn't really, had he?
So, theoretically, she — StarGrace — should now be Talon.
If only WolfStar hadn't embarked on his murderous ambition.
WolfStar, WolfStar, WolfStar!
StarGrace ran the name in a litany of hate through her head. WolfStar! When would Qeteb throw them at WolfStar?
Ah! She calmed herself, remembering the instructions Qeteb gave her. There would be time enough for WolfStar.
StarGrace cocked her bird-like head to one side and regarded the interior of the tower. This was the first time she'd ever been inside. During her lifetime in this land only Icarii Enchanter-Galons had been allowed to know Spiredore's secrets.
Above her the tower seemingly rose into infinity in a misfit collection of stairways and crazily-canted balconies. Nothing made sense — no stairways linked to balconies, and no balcony gave way to any room.
There was, apparently, nowhere to go.
Except that Qeteb had given her a destination, hadn't he?
"Spiredore," Star Grace said in chirp-like tones that she thought might please the tower, "take me to Tencendor's lost peoples."
And she folded her black wings neatly at her back, and set her clawed feet to the first steps of the stairway that led upwards from the floor of the tower.
"You said that you and I must return first, DragonStar?" Dare Wing asked.
"Yes," DragonStar said. "For two reasons. One, I need to know if Spiredore is still useful."
"Is it our only link with the Field of Flowers?" Leagh said. She was still trying to come to terms with her spurt of fear at the idea that she'd be needed to battle one of the Demons. Her? What of her child? In what danger would she place it?
"We can only approach the Field through the wasteland that was Tencendor," DragonStar affirmed.
"And unless I can find another route, or unless we want to climb the stairs through the Keep, Spiredore is our best way to reach the wasteland. But I don't want to risk everyone in the finding out whether the Demons have penetrated Spiredore yet —"
"Would they manage to enter Sanctuary?" Faraday asked. Gods, if they managed that...!
