"About half a league back," StarDrifter said, and Axis thought he must have turned Sal's head around to come back to the head of the column just before he would have reached WolfStar.

"And?" Axis said.

StarDrifter took a deep, distressed breath. His eyes suddenly, horrifyingly, filled with tears, and he looked at Azhure, unable to speak any more.

Azhure briefly closed her own eyes, summoning the courage to speak. How much of this was her own fault? If only she'd taken more care, more damned time with her children!

"Azhure?" Axis said, his voice tight, angry and fearful.

"WolfStar has got Zenith," Azhure said.

"What?" Axis exploded. "He's stolen her again?"

"What damn right have you got to say that?" StarDrifter shouted, stunning Axis into a shocked silence. "What damn fucking right? You abandoned Zenith when she needed you most —

curse you\ You encouraged WolfStar to pursue her, and to aid Niah in her frightful conquest of Zenith's body and soul. How dare you now stand there and pretend an indignation that WolfStar has her again?"

There was silence.

Axis glanced at Azhure, then looked down to the ground, studying the shine on his boots with a deep intensity.

Feelings of anger, resentment and horrifying guilt flowed through him. Anger at WolfStar, resentment at StarDrifter for putting the truth so baldly, and such deep guilt at how he'd treated Zenith that Axis thought he could hardly bear it.

Eventually he raised his eyes and looked steadily at StarDrifter.

"Tell me," he said quietly.

StarDrifter took a deep breath, steadying his own emotions. "I fought so hard for Zenith," he said.

"Fought for her and loved her when no-one except Faraday would do the same for her. Faraday and I saved her from Niah and WolfStar — and, dammit, no-one fought harder in that battle than Zenith! —

and, oh gods, the joy when we succeeded!"

StarDrifter had to turn away for a moment, his chest heaving, gulping down his tears.

When he finally had himself under some control, he turned back and continued. "Zenith and I became close after that. Very close."

Axis narrowed his eyes. "You fell in love." It was not a question. More than anyone, Axis understood the SunSoar attraction each to the other. Stars! He could remember the leap in his own blood when his grandmother, MorningStar, smiled at him with seduction in her eyes.

"And so you became lovers," Axis finished, and his tone was hard. His daughter had slept with his father. As with Azhure, his Acharite blood rebelled at the images now tumbling through his mind.

StarDrifter laughed, low and harsh and bitter, noting well the expression on Axis' face. "No. We have never slept together. Zenith could not ... could not bear me to touch her." StarDrifter paused, his eyes locked into those of his son. "For the same reason you now wear such blatant disgust on your face, Axis. She could not lie with her grandfather, despite what she felt for him. Every time I laid a finger on her, she would shudder with revulsion."

Such relief flowed through Axis that he could almost manage some sympathy for StarDrifter's frustrations.

"That must be —" he began.

"But she can overcome her revulsion enough to sleep with WolfStar!" StarDrifter screamed.

Horror overwhelmed Axis. "But... but..."

He felt Azhure take his hand, and finally understood the depth of anguish she, too, must be feeling.

"How?" Axis finally whispered. "Why?"

"She says," and StarDrifter's voice was as cold and impersonal as the interstellar wastes, "that she does not view WolfStar as her

grandfather. She says that she finds some comfort with him. Him! Her rapist!"

"I'll put an end to this!" Axis said, and half turned away.

"No." Azhure stopped him. "No. I must. This must be said woman to woman. Besides," her mouth quirked with utter sadness and a guilt far deeper than Axis', "Zenith is paying for my sins, not hers. Stay here, Axis, StarDrifter. Let me do this."

And she was gone.

Chapter 42

Of Commitment

Zenith sat on the small stool by the fire and tried to let some of her companions' good cheer raise her spirits. She and WolfStar were sharing a fire with three Ravensbundmen and a farming couple from northern Ichtar: Zenith suspected they had some Ravensbund blood in them as well, for few Acharites were ever comfortable in the presence of either the northern hunters, or two Icarii Enchanters.

But as the Ravensbund cared neither way about their companions, so Zenith presumed it was with this couple. Not even the reputation of WolfStar appeared to concern them.

The Ravensbund were sharing a pot of Tekawai tea, turning the pot its ritual three turns to honour the sun, then pouring the fragrant tea into small porcelain cups that carried the emblem of the blood-red sun.

Maybe that is why they are so comfortable with us, Zenith thought, for we are of SunSoar blood, and the Ravensbund are pledged to the StarMan.

The peasant husband was strumming a small lute — badly. His wife was singing some rollicking peasant ballad to his accompaniment — equally as badly.

Zenith could feel WolfStar's irritation grow, and she placed a hand on his arm to forestall his otherwise inevitable blast of sarcasm. She had discovered that she had a gentling affect on him. This amazed Zenith, for she had not known that anyone could gentle the otherwise self-consumed WolfStar.

He would stay his voice and his hand for her, when otherwise he would let fly, and for her WolfStar would sit still and bland when otherwise he would prefer to pace and fidget and bemoan the fates that had brought him to this sorry, useless and utterly magic-less pass.

Zenith had no idea of the depth and professionalism of WolfStar's manipulation.

A small movement caught Zenith's eye, and she turned her head slightly.

WingRidge CurlClaw was talking quietly to another member of the Lake Guard just at the outer limits of the fire's warmth. There were always at least three or four of the Lake Guard about WolfStar, or standing guard at the door and window of whatever chamber he lay in.

WingRidge caught Zenith looking at him, and he nodded a silent greeting.

Zenith smiled, then looked back to WolfStar. He was, at least to outward appearances, dozing. His physical condition had improved markedly, but he still tired easily. The flight from Sanctuary, and the subsequent hours spent in the frigid storm, had wearied him to the point where he had slept on and off during these past five hours since the Skraelings had taken root and sprung into this magical avenue.

Zenith let her eyes slip down his body. Did she love him? No, but she felt a closeness to him that she could not achieve with StarDrifter; a companionship almost. WolfStar had shown her a gentler side to his nature that she'd not known existed.

She and WolfStar shared the same night, the same experiences and pain and humiliations, and even though WolfStar had been responsible almost entirely for her pain and humiliation, she nevertheless now felt such a bond with him that she knew she could not leave him.

Certainly not now they'd again shared a bed.