Sara Douglass – The Axis Trilogy 3 – StarMan

“Or encourage,” StarDrifter said, but Azhure squeezed hand, silencing him.

WolfStar spared him a swift black look, then continued an even tone. “Later, StarDrifter, later. Gorgrael has Gryphe You know of them.”

Azhure and StarDrifter both nodded.

“Well,” WolfStar’s mouth twisted, “he had nine hundi and seven, to be exact, to throw at Axis at the Azle mouth. ^ wait, I will explain later. For now, let me just tell you atx Axis. He had managed to contain the Skraelings, but i Gryphon attacked his force. He had to do something. What did amazed even me. I had not thought he had the courage.”

“You do not know him as we do, WolfStar,” Azhure said “I know him better than you think!” he snapped, I continued on in a more moderate tone. “He reached for a Sc to destroy the Gryphon, which he did, but he virtually destroi himself at the same time. StarDrifter,” he turned his head, “you will understand this. He manipulated an appalling amount of the Star Dance. It almost killed him…and now he lies crippled.”

Azhure cried out and tried to rise, but WolfStar pushed her back. “No, listen to what I have to say, Azhure. You will go to him soon enough – and, Stars knows, he needs you.”

“But we cannot feel him,” StarDrifter said, not letting himself hope, not wanting to believe WolfStar. “Why can we not feel him? Why was the link severed?”

“Because Axis has lost all his power. He has lost contact with the Star Dance, and it is through the contact with the Star Dance that members of the same family can feel each other’s life force.” He shrugged. “He is crippled.”

There was worse, but WolfStar did not think Azhure was strong enough to take that yet. She would find out soon enough.

The three were silent for a long time as Azhure and StarDrifter absorbed WolfStar’s news.

Stars, Azhure thought, he needs me more than ever now. I must go to him! But I cannot, not bed-ridden as I am, not powerless as I am. At least the babies have been born.

Finally, Azhure lifted her eyes to her father. “We need to talk, you and I,” she said. “Here I am on the Island of Mist and Memory, and this is where I had to come for the answers. This is where I had to come to find out how to touch my power. WolfStar, you conceal yourself and the truth behind mystery and grief and shadows beyond knowing, but tonight I am going to demand answers from you.”

WolfStar nodded. “Yes, it is time. But StarDrifter must go.”

“No!” he growled, and Azhure felt his hand tense.

“No,” she echoed. “StarDrifter stays. You have more people to answer to than me, WolfStar. StarDrifter stays.”

WolfStar’s eyes glinted, and he threw his head back, but he reluctantly acquiesced. “Nevertheless, Azhure, there are some mysteries that only you shall be privy to.” He lifted her hand so that both she andHStarDrifter could see the Enchantress’ ring.

“The ring demands it. Your own power demands it. If you are to grow into what you must become then you will have to do it by yourself. Not even I can attend.”

Azhure frowned but WolfStar did not expand. “Well,” he said, “your first question?”

She started with the oldest and greatest grief.

“Niah,” she said. “Why did you lie to her?”

WolfStar’s brow furrowed. “Lie? I do not understand you.”

Azhure looked at StarDrifter. “StarDrifter? Could you fetch the letter?”

She had shown StarDrifter Niah’s letter the same night she had first read it. Now he fetched it from a box and handed it to WolfStar.

The Enchanter’s beautiful violet eyes widened as he read Niah’s words.

“She was so beautiful, in soul and form,” he said eventually, then raised his eyes to Azhure’s. “Lie? I am still perplexed.”

“You told her you loved her. Why did you have to lie?”

“I never uttered one lie to Niah,” WolfStar answered. “Not one. I loved her, and I continue to love her.”

Azhure’s face twisted. “And reborn, WolfStar? Do you mean me to believe that you can actually arrange her rebirth?”

“What exists between Niah and me does not have to be explained to you, Azhure.”

“Yes it does!” Azhure screamed, half lifting from her pillow, “because I was the one who had to watch her die!”

WolfStar flinched, and StarDrifter leaned closer to Azhure, murmuring comfort.

“Yes, it does,” Azhure repeated, sinking back down. “Explain to me.”

“Niah will be reborn, Azhure,” WolfStar said quietly, his eyes holding his daughter’s stare steadily. “But it will not be for some years yet. Beyond Prophecy. That is all I can tell you.”

Azhure nodded, accepting it, but tears ran down her cheek. She lifted her free hand and brushed them away.

“Why her death, WolfStar? Why the years of horror at Hagen’s hands? Why did you leave me to suffer so?”

“Why did Niah need to die? Why your suffering? For the same reason, Azhure, all for the one reason.” WolfStar hesitated, hating the truth that he would have to speak. “Because you needed to suffer, Azhure —”

StarDrifter leapt to his feet, unable to believe what he was hearing. “No child needs to suffer! How can you sit there and —”

Now WolfStar was on his feet. “Because I know more than you and because / have suffered! Now, will you let me finish?”

“StarDrifter?” Azhure pleaded, and he subsided as WolfStar sat back down.

“Azhure. You may not believe this, but I wept for you every day you remained with Hagen. When I said that you needed to suffer, it was not because I wanted you to suffer. Azhure, I am as bound by the Prophecy as everyone else. Even I must do its bidding . . . although sometimes I did not understand why.”

“Enough excuses, WolfStar,” StarDrifter ground out. “Why did Azhure have to suffer?”

WolfStar sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Because of who you will become, Azhure.” He dropped his hand, and when he looked at his daughter neither she nor StarDrifter could mistake the sympathy in his eyes. “You will wield great power one day, Azhure, and that day is not far off. More power than I, certainly more than StarDrifter.” He shot the Enchanter yet another hostile glare. “Azhure, you needed to suffer because only suffering grants compassion, and without compassion you will misuse the power that will be yours. Suffering was needed to temper the woman you will become.”

“And have you suffered, WolfStar?” StarDrifter sneered.

“More than you could ever know, StarDrifter,” he said quietly.

“Enough, StarDrifter, WolfStar. Father,” and this was the first time she had ever called him that, “what do you mean, ‘temper the woman I will become’?”

“By dawn you will have your answers, Azhure. I promise you that. But at the moment I can say no more.” Not with StarDrifter present.

Azhure nodded, accepting, and returned to the horror of her childhood. “Why Smyrton in particular? Why Hagen? Why send Niah so far north?” She paused. “Suffering can be purchased anywhere.”

“Because you needed to be there to meet Axis. And because you needed to be close to Artor. Smyrton is a very special place for Artor, it is his heartland, and it was there you could grow to understand him best and discover his weaknesses.”

“What?” Azhure asked. Artor? But WolfStar sat stony-faced and refused to explain.

“Did you come to me there?” she asked.

WolfStar nodded. “I could not ignore you. I did what I could for you.”

“Alayne,” Azhure said, realising the extent of WolfStar’s manipulation.

WolfStar nodded again, but StarDrifter looked puzzled.

“When I was young, after Niah died,” Azhure explained, “a travelling blacksmith came to Smyrton every two weeks or so, StarDrifter. His name was Alayne. I thought him my only friend and he told me many stories.” She laughed, bitterly. “He told me the ancient legend of Caelum. The legend I decided to name my son after. And I thought it was I who named him. But no. WolfStar named him.”

WolfStar tried to explain. “I told you stories of power and kept your own power alive underneath your cloak of fear.”

She turned her head away slightly.

“And now / have a question,” StarDrifter said.

“No doubt,” WolfStar replied.

“Why train both Axis and Gorgrael?”

“StarDrifter, you may not believe this but I will tell you anyway. I do not control the Prophecy. I am as much bound to it as any other,” he said, repeating his words of some minutes previously. “But there were some precautions I could take. Believe me, I want Axis to best his brother, and I will do anything I can to assist the Prophecy to reach a successful conclusion. Axis needed to be trained, and I thought it best that I train Gorgrael as well.”

StarDrifter shifted impatiently, but WolfStar ignored him. “It was best that I mould Gorgrael and, in doing so, I have given him the quality that will enable Axis to defeat him.”