Crusader. Novel by Sara Douglass

of years they revelled in their immortality. It is no wonder they find it difficult to adjust. For Azhure and

myself,” he lifted a hand, and briefly touched his wife’s hair, “the shock was less, although still profound.

Our mortality was still close, and…”

“And we have slipped the more easily back into its restrictions,” Azhure finished for him.

“The other once-gods now tend to keep to themselves, hating their uselessness.”

“And now,” Zared said, looking at Axis, “you have a use once more. Get us out of here,

Axis!” Zared’s voice rose, and he stepped three or four paces towards Axis. “Get us out of here! Leagh

is up there somewhere,” he gestured impotently towards the sky, “and I need to be with her.”

“I will do what I can, Zared,” Axis said quietly, and stepped close enough to place a hand on his

brother’s arm. “But we can do nothing —”

“Axis!” It was FreeFall, pointing to the sky.

Eight Lake Guardsmen and women were circling high above their heads, and one by one dropped

lower towards the balcony.

WingRidge was the first to land. “StarMan,” he said, and saluted.

Axis’ heart gave a lurch at the title. It had been years — years! — since anyone had called

him that … and to use such a tone of respect…

“Yes?” he said.

WingRidge waved an arm helplessly, and Axis felt despair wriggle its vicious way through his body.

Nothing, then.

“Nothing,” WingRidge said.

“Nothing?” Azhure said.

WingRidge sighed as the other members of the Lake Guard unit settled about him. “We overflew all

of Sanctuary that we could,” he said.

“But not all?” FreeFall queried.

“Then why are you back here?” Zared said.

WingRidge shot him an irritated glance. The groundwalkers always thought they knew everything!

“We are back because we have overflown all of Sanctuary that anyone possibly could even in an

infinite number of years,” WingRidge said, turning so that he talked exclusively to Axis. At least this man

had some patience!

WingRidge paused, gathering his thoughts, and trying to find the phrases he needed to explain what

was almost unexplainable.

“If there were only twelve people who needed Sanctuary,” WingRidge finally said, his voice soft and

reflective, “then Sanctuary would make itself big enough for twelve people. If twelve million needed

Sanctuary, then it would make itself big enough for twelve million. We … we flew as far as we could …

but we will never be able to reach Sanctuary’s limits, Axis, because —”

“Because Sanctuary simply keeps expanding itself as you fly towards its current limits,” Zared said.

“It is merely being helpful, and expanding to fit the perceived need.”

WingRidge blinked, reassessing his previous ill-tempered thoughts regarding the man. “Yes. As we

flew outwards, we could see Sanctuary expanding itself in the distance. New vistas kept expanding

themselves. Continuously. The faster we flew, the faster the vistas unfolded before us. There is no end to

Sanctuary, and no back wall. It’s too damn helpful and far too cursed accommodating!”

“Stars,” Axis said weakly. He turned away and walked a few steps, trying to sort out his thoughts.

Very well, so there was no physical back door, but surely there must be something else they could do,

something they could find …

“Axis!” he heard Azhure cry in a panicked voice, and he whipped about.

Everyone on the balcony had scattered, most diving for whatever cover chairs or balustrade could

offer.

Axis lifted his head, and, in the next instant, instinctively flung himself to one side.

Something very large and black was tumbling out of the sky.

“Well,” said Urbeth, picking herself up off the gaudy turquoise-tiled floor of the balcony, “someone’s taste

is absolutely awful.”

Behind her two other icebears were rolling into a sitting position, their faces scrunched up in scowls

as they combed out bits of disarranged fur.

And behind the three bears sat a very disgruntled and immensely old woman, clutching

a terracotta pot. She was mumbling something under her breath, and from what Axis could hear of it,

he was rather relieved she wasn’t saying it louder.

Old women weren’t supposed to know such gutter oaths.

“Urbeth?” Azhure said weakly, rising to her feet. Katie rose with her, and for the first time in hours

she was looking far more relaxed … almost cheerful. She stared at the pot the old woman was holding

and, without further ado, let Azhure go and walked over to Ur, sinking down beside her.

Katie reached out a tentative hand and touched the pot, and her face broke into a sunny smile.

Ur stared at her, then relaxed and smiled herself. “What a pretty girlie,” she said. “Do you know if

there is anywhere about here that a grumpy old lady could get a cup of tea?”

Zared and FreeFall together with the members of the Lake Guard had retreated to the palace wall,

and were watching the proceedings carefully. Hands rested on weapons, but as Axis and Azhure did not

seem too perturbed, they did nothing else.

Besides, Zared was sure the two icebears still irritably combing out their fur looked

surprisingly familiar. Somehow.

“Urbeth,” Axis said, in a tone of voice that he was immensely relieved to hear was firm and strong.

“What is going on? How did you get here? Who is that?” he said, pointing to Ur.

“Well,” Urbeth said politely, “could you tell me where ‘here’ actually is?”

Axis glanced at Azhure. She shrugged, and so Axis turned back to Urbeth. “Sanctuary.”

“Ah,” Urbeth said, and paced about, looking this way and that over the balcony. “Useless, useless

Sanctuary. What are you still doing here? Looking about at the view?”

“We’ve been seeking a way out,” Axis said. “A back door, perhaps, as the front entrance is denied

us. But…”

Urbeth heaved a great sigh and sat down. “Can no-one accomplish anything without my aid? Ah!”

She rolled her eyes.

“Can you help?” Azhure asked slowly.

Urbeth grinned, frightening and malicious. “That depends,” she said.

“Depends on what?” Axis said.

“On how you feel about a renewed acquaintance with the Skraelings,” Urbeth said.

Chapter 31

StarLaughter’s Astonishing

Turnabout

“Talk,” DragonStar said.

They were gathered in the lowest part of the basements of Star Finger. Here it was that

Faraday had finally found the child whose cries had been haunting her dreams; here that Caelum and

DragonStar had made their peace.

Now, it was slightly more crowded and far, far more uncomfortable.

StarLaughter and StarGrace had seated themselves in the centre of the chamber. StarLaughter’s

scarlet robe was again carefully arranged to display it and her body to their best advantage.

StarGrace had hunkered down on her haunches, a beautiful, sad, gloomy, ugly girl-woman, whose dark

gown alternated between material and feathers, and whose hands were always slightly blurred as they

shape-changed from claws to plump innocent fingers and back again.

So long used to the visage of the hawk, StarGrace was finding her old form uncomfortable.

About them were grouped DragonStar and his five witches, plus two wings of the Strike Force. The

ethereal bodies of the Strike Force members, their vivid plumage undulled even in this dank cellar, drifted

this way and that, creating a silvery jewelled backdrop to the central drama.

The rest of the Strike Force lined the corridors outside the basement.

“Talk about what?” StarLaughter said, widening her eyes disingenuously.

DragonStar gestured impatiently, and walked away a step or two. Faraday and Gwendylyr sat

slightly to one side, supporting Leagh between them. Leagh still looked exhausted, but her face was

calm, and she wore a light smile. Goldman and DareWing stood just behind them.

“StarLaughter,” DragonStar said, “you drifted for thousands of years with the Demons. Their

revenge was your revenge. They were your friends.”

“They were yours once, too.”

“I do not trust you, StarLaughter.”

She laughed, a pretty, light sound. “And for that I cannot blame you! I was as much to blame for

your horrific handling by the Demons as they.”

DragonStar’s eyes shifted to StarGrace. And what was she doing here?

“The fact is,” StarLaughter continued, “StarGrace and myself have become somewhat disenchanted

with the Demons.”

StarGrace shifted slightly, but said nothing.

“They promised us revenge —” StarLaughter hissed the word “revenge”, “— and yet what have they

done? Nothing! They had WolfStar within their grasp, and let him slip away. I, as StarGrace and all the

other Hawkchilds, have come back to Tencendor for only one purpose: to kill WolfStar.”

StarGrace suddenly spat, flinging her arms up as if they were wings.

Black material billowed out behind.

“We want him dead! ” she said.

Gwendylyr caught Faraday’s eyes, and raised her eyebrows in an expression of wondrous distaste.

Faraday inclined her head slightly, but immediately returned her attention to DragonStar and

StarLaughter. What had DragonStar told her about StarLaughter? Not a great deal, when she

thought about it.

Faraday narrowed her eyes.

“What StarGrace is trying to say,” StarLaughter said, rising in a sinuous movement, “is that