DragonStar still stared at WolfStar, but his eyes were far, far away. Caelum must have turned in the Field of Flowers and seen RiverStar. He had spoken to her, not Qeteb.

But what he'd said had driven the Demon ... "crazy"?

DragonStar refocussed his eyes on WolfStar. "I apologise for what I am about to do to you," he said, "but methinks you have used it on many a soul before now."

And DragonStar forced the memory of Caelum's death up from WolfStar's subconscious into the full light of consciousness.

Caelum, turning, smiling, holding out his hand. "Oh, how I do love you."

And Qeteb going crazy with ... what? Hate?

Or ... fear?

"For thousands of years you have roamed about doing nothing but mischief in the name of ultimate good," DragonStar said, "but finally I think you may have done this land a service. Come on, stand up."

DragonStar got to his feet, and — once again — WolfStar found himself being hauled upwards by his hair.

He shouted with rage and squirmed about, but DragonStar's grip did not loosen.

DragonStar turned to DareWing. He was annoyed with the birdman for leaving the Field of Flowers, but for the moment that annoyance could wait. "None of the Demons are about, and I think this place safe enough for the time being. Watch Belaguez and the Alaunt for me, will you? I think I know just the place for WolfStar ... if it can bear the shock."

And, so saying, DragonStar unsheathed the lily sword, drew his rectangle of light, and stepped through Spiredore as quickly as he could into Sanctuary, dragging WolfStar with him.

Chapter 16

Fischer

DragonStar moved briskly through Spiredore — gods alone knew how dangerous it was getting now — while dragging WolfStar behind him. The birdman was muttering something incoherently about StarLaughter and the tower and his hair, but DragonStar paid him no heed.

His mind was full of jumbled thoughts and images, and they were all to do with Caelum's smiling, love-filled face, and the mystery of the Enchanted Song Book, which, somewhat unbelievably, for he had not been aware of it for some time, DragonStar still clutched under his free arm.

Suddenly they were tumbling through the doorway of light onto the approach to Sanctuary, and DragonStar briefly wondered how he'd managed it with his hands full of the Song Book and WolfStar.

"Where are we?" WolfStar gasped, rubbing his head as DragonStar finally let him go.

"Somewhere I imagine you thought you'd never see," DragonStar said. "Somewhere safe.

Sanctuary."

"What?"

DragonStar did not answer. An Icarii birdwoman was spiralling above them in the sky, and DragonStar beckoned her down.

"This is WolfStar SunSoar," he said, and the birdwoman paled. "He is injured. Can you arrange that he be taken where his injuries can be healed? But, ware! Do not trust him."

She shook her head violently.

"I ask also that Axis and Azhure supervise his care," DragonStar said.

The birdwoman nodded soberly and rose back in the air. DragonStar waited impatiently — refusing to respond to any of WolfStar's taunts or answer any of his questions — until he could see Axis and a group of four or five men draw near with a stretcher. He nodded to the group and smiled to his father, then he stepped back into Spiredore without further ado, the Song Book still in his grasp.

DragonStar had someone he needed to talk to.

Someone who could confirm what DragonStar had finally realised was probably the true purpose of the Enchanted Song Book.

The bridge at Spiredore was in mourning. Her sister was gone — a necessary precaution — but the bridge still missed her.

She was immensely grateful when she felt DragonStar's feet upon her back.

"StarSon! You have come home!"

"Only briefly, bridge. I admit myself glad you still stand."

"I can resist the Demons a while longer, StarSon."

He nodded, looking about. Sigholt was still standing, but it looked wan, as if its life was draining away.

"None of us will last for much longer," the bridge said, sadly.

DragonStar's attention re-sharpened on the bridge. "None of you? What about Spiredore?"

"She also will die," the bridge said. "The Enemy's heritage has passed into you, StarSon, and none of us have much purpose left."

Spiredore would die? But what would that mean? He'd be trapped either in Sanctuary, or in the wasteland.

And either would be fatal, both to him and to his witches, and, eventually, to Tencendor.

"Do you feel strong enough for a last request, bridge?"

"A conversation?" she said hopefully.

DragonStar smiled, but it was sad. "Yes ... but not with you, bridge. I would like to speak to the trap you harbour within you."

"That effort will kill me," she said, and DragonStar felt tears spring to his eyes.

"I know," he said.

The bridge hesitated. "I will do it for you. StarSon?"

"Yes?"

"Win for us."

"I will," he whispered. "Bridge ... bridge, know that you go with the love of many."

She did not speak, but he could feel her emotion shuddering through her, and he stepped onto the roadway that led into HoldHard Pass.

"Goodbye," she said ... and transformed.