Pilgrim by Sara Douglas

beyond words that he had. Had she found the man she could love beyond any other? Yes, she

had, and she‘d known it for a very, very long time. Why else had she been so frantic to know if

he‘d survived the Demons‘ push through the Star Gate?

―Yes,‖ she whispered.

Strange, StarDrifter thought, strange that I do not feel overwhelming triumph at this

moment. Ever before when a woman has looked into my eyes and whispered ―yes‖, all I have

felt was triumph. Now? Relief. Sheer relief.

He leaned forward to kiss her.

Zenith jerked her head away, her eyes round and fearful, and StarDrifter pulled back as if

he‘d been burned.

―Why let WolfStar ruin your life? Love does not have to be what he showed you. Zenith,

do you want WolfStar to colour your perception of love for the rest of your life?‖

―No,‖ she whispered, and StarDrifter nodded slightly.

―Good.‖ He leaned forward, very, very slowly, giving her every chance to move away if

she wanted, and then, having hesitated as long as he was capable, he kissed her.

Zenith tensed as his lips touched hers, but he was so gentle, and so tender, that she forced

herself to relax and to accept his kiss. Feeling her muscles lose their rigidity, StarDrifter drew

back slightly, his eyes searching Zenith‘s face, then he drew her close and kissed her again, this

time with more passion, and more insistence.

The kiss of a lover.

Zenith‘s initial reaction was absolute immobility. She‘d admitted that she loved him, but

Zenith still found this sudden metamorphosis of grandfather into lover a profoundly unsettling

experience. She was shocked by the warmth and taste of his mouth, a potent mixture of

sweetness and maleness, and she was shocked by his insistence.

It reminded her far too much of—

―No!‖ she said, and pushed him away.

StarDrifter stared at her, remembering himself. Remembering the feel of Azhure in his

arms, and the delight of her mouth, when he‘d kissed her in the training chamber of Star Finger

so many years ago.

She‘d pushed him away, too, and he‘d acquiesced.

And lost her to Axis.

What would have happened then if he‘d insisted?

StarDrifter‘s face closed over and he turned away from Zenith. Rape. That‘s what would

have happened. And whatever else StarDrifter was, and might be capable of, he could not now

insist with Zenith. He could not be a WolfStar.

―I‘m sorry!‖ Zenith was crying, feeling the burden of guilt and uselessness. What kind of

woman was she? She owed StarDrifter more than this. ―I‘m sorry! It was just that…just that…‖

―Hush,‖ StarDrifter said, and gathered her into his arms as he would have gathered a

child. ―Hush. We have time, and I think we have love between us, and I think that we will

eventually manage.‖

Zenith clung to him, grateful that the lover had transformed (for the moment) back into

the protective grandfather. Did she love him? Yes, she did, but nevertheless…

―Just give me time,‖ she whispered, leaning her head against his chest and letting herself

be comforted by the beating of his heart. ―I just need time.‖

Above her head StarDrifter‘s mouth twisted wryly. He was heartily sick of being the

understanding grandfather.

20

Sicarius

Axis sat his horse—a fine roan stallion—and wished he had wings with which to fly.

Perhaps he should have taken up StarDrifter‘s long ago offer to coax his latent wing buds into

growth. Too late now.

He tried not to think of the enchantments he had once commanded that could have seen

him travel the breadth of Tencendor in an instant.

Over the past week they had pushed both horses and men hard, northwards through the

Minstrelsea forest, skirting Arcen, and then straight through the tree-sheltered passes of the

Minaret Peaks in the dead of night. Both Axis and Azhure would have liked to stop to talk with

FreeFall, but time was more important for the moment, and they could always send him a

message from Star Finger if they needed.

Besides, no doubt FreeFall had his own problems in this Demonic-controlled world.

Now they rode through the northern Minstrelsea a few hours distant of the southern

extremities of the Fortress Ranges. Good time. Excellent time. But…

―We‘re moving too slow,‖ Axis said, turning to look at Azhure and Caelum sitting their

horses to his left. Behind them were the twenty men of the accompanying unit, while the Alaunt

ranged to the sides and the front, snuffling among trees.

Axis shifted impatiently, his face clearly showing his frustration. ―Damn it! These

Demons grow in strength from one day to the next—I can feel the horror seep from the plains in among these trees!—and yet we still march northwards…and we‘re barely halfway!‖

Azhure shared a look with Caelum. They were all worried. It would take them weeks to

get to Star Finger, and Adamon would be growing anxious.

―Could we cut time by travelling through the Wild Dog Plains?‖ Caelum said.

―A day or two at the most,‖ Azhure answered, ―but a day or two is not worth risking

being caught in the open by the Demons.‖

―We could ride hard for the Urqhart Hills—there is shelter there—and then cut directly

north into the Icescarp Alps.‖

Axis shook his head. ―There is no way we could do any of those legs in the open in the

five or six hours that we‘d have free during the afternoon.‖

He sighed, and looked behind him at the silent escort, as if one of them might have an

inspiration.

They were impassive, waiting orders, and Axis shook his head imperceptibly and looked

back at Azhure. Her face was expressionless, and her eyes dead ahead—but they were

unfocused.

Axis frowned. ―Azhure?‖

She hardly heard him. She was thinking. Remembering. Remembering a time many years

ago when she had just been Azhure, daughter of Hagen the Plough-Keeper. She‘d fled her home

to first live with the Avar, and then the Icarii. She‘d come down to the Earth Tree Grove to

celebrate Beltide with the Icarii and Avar, and had been seduced by Axis. Thinking to remove herself from his life—what could she contribute save his ruination?—Azhure had then travelled

south into Sigholt with Rivkah and the two Sentinels, Ogden and Veremund.

Through the Avarinheim, through the Fortress Ranges, and then down the WildDog

Plains until Arne and his escort had found them and delivered them to Sigholt.

Through the Fortress Ranges. But not over… under.

Ogden and Veremund had led her and Rivkah into a tunnel that had wound beneath the

Fortress Ranges. It had cut many days from their travel.

That particular tunnel would not be much use to them, but…but Veremund had

said…―This tunnel exists…and others like it in various parts of Tencendor,‖ she murmured.

―Azhure?‖

She blinked, and looked at Axis.

―Azhure?‖ Axis‘ voice was impatient.

―I think I know a way,‖ she said, and explained what she‘d remembered.

Axis sat on his drowsing horse and thought about it. Azhure had told him about this

tunnel many years ago, but neither she nor he had had an opportunity to think about it, much less

explore for others since.

He locked eyes with Caelum. His son was clearly excited, looking between him and

Azhure.

Axis looked back at Azhure. ―Do you think there is a chance?‖

She was almost as excited as Caelum. Her dark blue eyes shone, and she tossed her head,

shaking out her black hair. ―We can but try.‖

―How?‖ Axis said. ―Where are these tunnels?‖

Azhure chewed her lip. ―The Alaunt,‖ she finally said.

Silence. All three shifted their eyes to the pale shapes still nosing about the trees. Since

they‘d left the camp in the Silent Woman Woods, the Alaunt had caused no trouble, but none

could forget Sicarius‘ astounding attack on Axis.

―Do it,‖ Axis said. He waved back to the captain of the escort. ―We camp here for the

time being.‖

Azhure dismounted slowly, and whistled Sicarius to her.

He came instantly, loping along in easy strides, his golden eyes steady on her.

Azhure had to repress a shudder. There was something unknowably different about him.

She didn‘t know if it was just a result of the sudden cessation of her powers—even when she‘d

thought herself just Azhure, daughter of Hagen, she‘d been able to subconsciously access

them—or whether it was because the hounds themselves had changed in some subtle way.

Whatever, she had a problem, because Azhure had always used her powers to

communicate with the hounds.

How could she do so now?

The hound sat before her, and Azhure slowly dropped to her knees. She lifted both hands,

taking Sicarius‘ head gently between them.

―Sicarius,‖ she said, and stopped, a little unnerved by his dark gold eyes. Traces of silver

flecked in their depths, and Azhure could no longer read them, and could no longer understand

his mind, nor his heart.

She heard Axis step up behind her, and out of the corner of her eye saw Caelum still on