Faraday looked at Zenith sharply. ―Zenith… do you want the relationship to change? Do
you want to become his lover?‖
―Of course!‖ Zenith said, perhaps too quickly, and Faraday nodded to herself in
understanding. ―Of course I do! Ah! This is my fault! Mine! There is no reason why I should feel as I do. Don‘t I owe him at least this? Isn‘t he responsible for saving my life? Shouldn‘t I be
grateful enough to—‖
― Stop! ‖ Faraday said, and grabbed at Zenith‘s hand. ―Stop saying that!‖
She took a deep breath and continued more calmly. ―Zenith, I have never seen two people
more right for each other than you and StarDrifter. But the conflict inside you is not wrong, or
anything to feel guilty about. You have spent your life loving StarDrifter only as a grandfather,
while StarDrifter,‖ she risked a grin, ―has spent his entire life regarding everything female as a
potential lover. I swear his eyes likely even followed MorningStar speculatively on occasion.‖
Faraday was rewarded with a small smile from Zenith as the birdwoman pictured
StarDrifter intent on his own mother‘s seduction.
―You cannot berate yourself as you do,‖ Faraday continued. ―And you cannot bed with
StarDrifter out of gratefulness, or because you feel that you owe him something.‖
Faraday gave Zenith‘s hand a slight shake. ―Zenith, when it feels comfortable and
natural, then go to him. Not before.‖
Zenith‘s mouth twisted. ―And when is it going to feel ‗comfortable and natural‘?‖
Faraday lifted a hand and softly stroked Zenith‘s cheek. ―It will happen ‗whenever‘,
Zenith. No-one can tell the ‗when‘. For now bask in his love, trust him—and trust him enough to
tell him exactly how you feel—but do not let misplaced guilt drive you into something you feel
hesitant about. You owe StarDrifter nothing, Zenith. Nothing.‖
―And how long will StarDrifter wait? Wouldn‘t it be better to—‖
Faraday‘s hands now cupped Zenith‘s face. ―StarDrifter will wait for you, Zenith. Never,
never doubt that.‖ She kissed Zenith‘s cheek. ―And I think a period of celibacy will do the man
good. It will strengthen his character,‖ she added with a grin.
Zenith stared at Faraday, then sighed, her entire body relaxing.
―Thank you,‖ she said.
51
A SunSoar Reunion…of Sorts
WolfStar crouched in the shadows of the forests surrounding Fernbrake Lake. Beside
him, docile and soulless, sat the Niah-girl, her vacant stare emptying her face of any of the
beauty that should have been her right. Black wings, almost fully grown, sprouted from her back.
Her breasts were immature, but already temptingly full, and her hips curved with promise, but
neither fullness nor promise was enough to tempt WolfStar to a tasting. His eyes flitted her way,
and he barely suppressed a grimace—after this Lake she‘d be able to walk for herself and he
wouldn‘t have to cart her half-dead, half-alive body over his shoulder across half of Tencendor.
Gods, but if he‘d known Niah was going to be this much trouble he‘d never have
promised her rebirth in the first instance!
No, no, he mustn‘t think like that. As a mate Niah had proved a disappointing failure (and
even as that thought crossed his mind WolfStar let himself wonder where Zenith was), but as a
weapon she would prove awesomely useful.
What better to counter and then destroy the Demons, than with a creation of their own
kind?
WolfStar meant to recreate Niah, using the same source of power that the Demons used
to recreate Qeteb, so she could become a weapon even more potent than the lost Rainbow
Sceptre. Who cared if Drago had made off with that gaudy bit of glassware? WolfStar would
present the reborn Niah to Caelum, and let the StarSon use her to destroy the Demons.
It was such a simple plan, and yet so potent, that WolfStar knew it could not fail. Let
Axis and Azhure and sundry other useless Star Gods scurry about Star Finger trying to find some
dusty secret Caelum could toss in the Demons‘ general direction. He, WolfStar, would be the one to give Caelum what he truly needed to stop the TimeKeepers.
WolfStar patted Niah‘s knee absently, and then frowned as his eye caught a movement
across the Lake. What was happening? Icarii by the thousand-fold were slowly moving along the
pathway leading down from the rim of the crater to the Lake.
There they were descending through what appeared to be a hole in the ground. What were
they doing? Where were they going? Were they stealing the power he needed?
―No!‖ he cried, and rose to his feet, his golden wings held out tense behind him.
―WolfStar,‖ a man said, and WolfStar growled and spun about.
―You!‖ he spat, utterly shocked. ―Why are you not dead?‖
Drago smiled wryly. ―How many times have I been asked that question during my
lifetime?‖ he said, and walked slowly forward from the trees that had concealed him.
Behind him came two other figures, but WolfStar paid them no heed for the moment. He
shifted so he stood between Drago and Niah, narrowing his eyes as he studied his grandson. The
man looked ordinary enough, with his lined face and sad eyes. But he had the Wolven and its
quiver of arrows slung over his back, and that only reinforced WolfStar‘s belief that the man was
a traitor and a trickster. He‘d not only stolen the Sceptre—now he‘d somehow wrangled the
Wolven from his mother. WolfStar knew better than to trust the benign image that Drago now
projected.
Drago halted two paces from WolfStar.
―What mischief do you do?‖ WolfStar asked, standing straight and tall. Even without the
Star Dance, WolfStar knew he could best this fool before him.
―I think I do none compared to what you do,‖ Drago said, and nodded at the Niah-form
sitting unperturbed behind WolfStar. ―What mischief do you make now, WolfStar?‖
WolfStar moved slightly so he was between Niah and Drago. ―Do not touch her, boy.‖
Drago raised his eyes back to WolfStar. ―You think to mirror Qeteb‘s rise in her, don‘t
you? Have you been stealing power from under the Demons‘ noses, WolfStar?‖
WolfStar remained silent, but his lips curled in a snarl. Drago thought to snatch her as
well!
Drago felt a coldness swamp him. That is what WolfStar was doing! Damn him! Did he
not know with what horror he played? In the name of all stars in creation, what did he think
would emerge from this process? A sweet, pliable Niah? No, a demon escaped from the firepits
of the AfterLife, more like.
―And what treachery are you up to, Drago?‖ WolfStar countered as he saw understanding
sweep the man‘s face.
―I aid Caelum as best I—‖
WolfStar brayed with laughter, and Drago involuntarily stepped back a pace.
― You? ‖ WolfStar chortled. ―Aiding Caelum? I can only imagine how thrilled Caelum
must be about that.‖
―I can hardly see that you are helping Caelum, WolfStar,‖ someone else said, and
StarDrifter stepped out from the shadows behind Drago.
A step behind StarDrifter came Isfrael.
―Well,‖ WolfStar sneered, trying to hide his disquiet. Damn! Would they try to take
Niah? ―Look what we have here. The pretty but completely ineffectual StarDrifter and the
twig-encrusted Lord of the Avar. Has Drago ensnared you into his treacheries as well?‖
―You are hardly one to talk of treachery,‖ Isfrael said. ―Why is it you do not move to aid
Caelum?‖
―I have ever walked alone,‖ WolfStar snarled.
―Cursed be the day you were ever conceived,‖ StarDrifter cried, and took a step past
Drago. All he could see was the piece of filth that had raped and then repeatedly abused Zenith.
And now here he was with the frightful fruit of his rape, hoping to recreate Niah again. Would
Zenith never be safe?
Drago caught StarDrifter‘s arm and pulled him back. ―You can do nothing. Be still.‖
Furious, StarDrifter tried to jerk his arm out of Drago‘s grasp, but found he could not; the
man had more strength than appearances suggested.
―He wanders my forests,‖ Isfrael said behind Drago. ―Give him to me.‖
WolfStar had had enough. These fools would ruin what small hope Tencendor had left if
they tried to snatch Niah away from him! He took a step backwards, half-bent to grab at the
girl‘s arm to pick her up and run, then caught a movement of Drago‘s hand out of the corner of
his eye.
WolfStar cried out in surprise and some pain, and dropped to the ground. His legs would
not move, and his wings were useless!
―A temporary device only,‖ Drago said, ―until we can hold you more securely.‖
―No!‖ WolfStar shouted. ―Let me go! Curse you, let me go!‖
His turned frantic eyes towards Niah. What would Drago do with her! Damn him, curse
him, to everlasting torment at the gnawing jaws of belly worms!
WolfStar moaned, trying to struggle, yet finding his body would not obey him. He should
have taken more care, been more circumspect—and yet how could he have known that Drago