"As there were five Sentinels."

The others looked among themselves, their faces reflecting varying degrees of shock. None of them had realised the connection.

"In this game I do not believe in coincidence," DragonStar said, watching them carefully, "and I will not ignore the signs posted along our torturous route. DareWing and Goldman, despite your different temperaments, you work well together, and you will make a team —"

"Ogden and Veremund," Faraday said softly. "Cauldron Lake."

"Yes —" DragonStar began, but was interrupted by Goldman.

"Are you trying to say that DareWing and I are Ogden and Veremund?"

"No. The Sentinels still exist, but are far distant, drifting among the stars. What you are is simply another aspect of the Enemy's plan that the Sentinels once represented."

"And I... I represent Yr," Faraday said, her eyes far distant.

DragonStar smiled at her, and she did not look away, or frown. "Yes. At Grail Lake."

Now she shuddered, and averted her eyes. "The Maze."

"I am sorry, " DragonStar said. "But at least I will meet up with you there."

"You will meet Qeteb in the Maze?"

DragonStar nodded. "The final hunt must be conducted within the Maze."

"And which Demon must I meet?" Faraday asked.

"Sheol. Despair."

Faraday's eyes widened. She, who always despaired of her own future, must confront despair?

DragonStar held her eyes, and eventually Faraday nodded. "Very well, I will meet Sheol at Grail Lake." Mother, how would she manage this task!

And at the Maze, she would also be close to Qeteb, for Qeteb would surely gravitate there in order to meet DragonStar.

Close to Qeteb. Close enough to be snatched.

Faraday shuddered again, and lowered her face into her hands.

DragonStar pitied her, but could not comfort her now. Time was too short, too precious.

"AndI?"Leaghasked.

"You," DragonStar smiled, a beautiful, loving gesture, "carry life within you. You are life, and so your place will be Fernbrake Lake, the Mother of all Life. You represent Jack, for you share the same strength and determination. At Fernbrake you will meet the Rox-Niah."

"Why?" Leagh's face showed no fear, no denial, only acceptance and courage.

"I cannot put my knowledge into words," DragonStar said. "I can only say that this is where, and this is the Demon, that you must meet."

She nodded.

"Gwendylyr," DragonStar said, and took her hand.

"There is not much left for me, is there?" she said, and her face was as determined as Leagh's.

DragonStar thanked every star in existence for the strength and trust of these five.

He glanced at Faraday. Of them all, she was both the weakest and the strongest link.

"I represent Zeherah, and I will meet Raspu, Demon of Pestilence, at the Lake of Life," Gwendylyr said.

"Yes."

DragonStar looked down at his hands, hesitating before he told them of what was at stake, resting on their success. That he bad to tell them, DragonStar had no doubt, but he also had no doubt of the frightful pressure the knowledge would place on every one of them.

"DragonStar?" Faraday, concerned and frightened, because knowing him as well as she did she knew he was concealing something.

DragonStar raised his face. "There is more," he said quietly. "Whether or not you are successful will directly affect whether or not I can defeat Qeteb."

As his witches watched, their eyes riveted on DragonStar's face, he explained the "legal niceties" of their confrontations.

"Thus," he finished, "if three or more of you fail —"

"Then you must inevitably fail," Goldman said, "for the balance will have tipped irretrievably in Qeteb's favour."

DragonStar nodded, watching the pale faces before him, more concerned about how the knowledge would affect them than whether or not they could succeed.

"Then," Goldman said, "we will do our best for you."

"DragonStar," Leagh said. "How do we confront these Demons? They are so powerful...

and we ..."

DragonStar managed a smile for her, but included all five in his response. "Qeteb is so confident of his overall victory he has 'magnanimously' given us the choice of weapons and place —"

"I know nothing of weapons!" Leagh cried, sounding suddenly panicky, and DragonStar spoke quickly to reassure her.

"These confrontations will have no need of lances or pikes, Leagh. We will, I think, employ a little trickery, along with a touch of love, and we are going to employ some information that StarLaughter gave me in order to choose our 'weapons'."

"What do you mean?" Goldman said.

"Listen," DragonStar said, and he spoke low and intensely for a very long time.

Both the frigid night air and time itself had closed in about Spiredore. Demons ringed it, whispering and shrieking of death, but Spiredore was made of stronger stuff than Sigholt had been, and it caused the Demons even greater angst.

Here again Roxiah stood with its head thrown back and arms and legs spread wide, bringing to bear all the power of the Enemy that it could upon the obstinate tower.

But Spiredore was holding out: grimly, painfully, and using every last bit of strength and resistance it had.