“Does it matter? But I thank you, Azhure.”
She smiled. “Oh, surely it is I who must thank you. I have never felt so -”
“No.” He put his fingers to her mouth, stopping her words. “No. Thank you for my life.”
She regarded him silently. His skin was pale from lack of sun, but otherwise he seemed unchanged from the time she had first seen him ride into Smyrton. “I could not have lived without you.”
He stroked her hair, then tangled his fingers within its depths. “Who are you, Azhure?”
“What?” She laughed, startled. “Who am I?”
He kissed her lightly. “What did you learn on the Island of Mist and Memory that you could have taken me where you did?”
She was silent. Did he recall what she had told him while they lay wrapped in the Star Dance?
“I remember, Azhure. Now tell me.”
She took a deep breath, then told him of her encounter with the Star Gods in the Sepulchre of the Moon.
He accepted it faster than she had, and more completely. But then he had been through far more, and the experiences of the last hours had prepared him.
“Song and Moon,” he said, then smiled gently into her eyes. “No wonder we were unable to deny each other that night under the Beltide stars, Azhure-heart.”
His hand moved down her body and she shuddered, but for the moment he only stroked her flat belly. “And those twins?”
“Those twins?” She smiled at his tone. “Waiting at Sigholt, beloved, with Caelum.” She paused. “StarDrifter named them DragonStar and RiverStar.”
His hand stilled. “Powerful names. Especially the boy. Did they hurt you?”
She hesitated, averting her eyes, and Axis had his answer. His face hardened. “Everyone must answer for their actions, Azhure, and one day they will too.”
“But for now they are only babes, and perhaps they just need love and care.”
He laughed dryly and rolled away from her. “You believe that even less than I do, Azhure. I can feel it. We cannot pretend to each other. Now,” his tone softened, and he cradled her back in his arms, “tell me what else you have learned.”
For some time she talked: of the First and Niah’s letter; of the wonders of Temple Mount and the relighting of the Temple; and, eventually, of darker things.
“Artor walks, Axis,” she said quietly, and she felt him tremble.
“Stars! What have we done to deserve fci’m?”
She smiled wryly. “We walk, Axis, thus so does he. Adamon tells me that Faraday and I must deal with him eventually.”
“Azhure! Oh no! Surely I can -”
“No.” Now she stopped his mouth with her fingers. “It must be Faraday and me.”
She felt him tremble again.
“There is more.”
“Yes. There is more. Gorgrael has more Gryphon.”
“What!” Axis raised himself on an elbow, horrified.
She spoke softly, quickly, telling him what WolfStar had told her.
Now Axis trembled, and Azhure realised how deep his pain had really gone; the thought that at least he had rid Tencendor of the Gryphon had helped him endure his agony. “Azhure! Azhure…I cannot deal with that many….the Star Dance…I can’t…”
“Hush, my love. I will deal with them. I have my bow and my hounds and I will hunt them down for you.”
He studied her. “You have grown, haven’t you, Azhure?”
She reached for his face. “We are a team. Axis. You and me and Faraday. Together we will defeat Gorgrael and any other who moves against us.”
“But in the end, it must be me alone who faces Gorgrael.”
“Yes.” She paused. “Adamon sends you a message, Axis. He says that you must attend Fire-Night in the Earth Tree Grove this summer.”
“Fire-Night… it is almost six months away.”
“Do you know much of it?”
He shook his head. “No. Only that the Seneschal forbade its observance among the peasants.”
“The Avar will be instrumental in the making of the Rainbow Sceptre, Axis, and it can only be made in the Earth Tree Grove on Fire-Night. It will use the power of the ancient gods who crashed and burned on the first Fire-Night.”
“Azhure,” Axis said, “the third verse of the Prophecy warns me that when I meet Gorgrael only my Lover’s pain can distract me enough to destroy me. My love, be wary! I do not want Gorgrael to snatch you!”
She laughed, genuinely amused. “Gorgrael snatch mel I should like to see him try, Axis. Well,” her smile died as she saw
how concerned he was, “at least you do not have to worry about the Traitor any more. At least he has made his move.”
“Oh,” Axis sighed slowly, understanding. “Timozel.”
He was quiet for a long while. “I loved him when he was a boy, but he changed when he grew into a man. I wish I knew what it was that drove him to Gorgrael’s service.”
“We may never know, Axis. But at least you do not have to worry about shadowy Traitors any more.”
He grimaced. “What you mean is that at least I do not have to tear my friends to pieces in my desperate bid to find him. Yes, you are right. The Traitor has made his move. Now,” he cupped her chin in his fingers, “all I have to do is keep you out of Gorgrael’s hands.”
She kissed him gently. “Axis, there is one more thing I must tell you. It is about your mother.”
Belial, Magariz, Ho’Demi, Arne, SpikeFeather and several other commanders had sat about the fire through the night and well into the next day.
“You are sure that Azhure was well?” SpikeFeather asked for the umpteenth time, and Belial glared at him.
“And these strange visitors who said you must not disturb Axis and Azhure?” Arne worried yet again. “Are you sure that they should be trusted, Belial? What if they are locked in desperate struggle with unknown fiends within the confines of the tent, and wait for us to save them?”
“Your imagination does you proud,” Belial said, although he had played the same scenario over in his mind again and again. Only the strange beat that every so often he could feel in his heart stayed his hand.
“Well,” Magariz said for something to say, “at least the weather seems to have improved.”
Overnight the clouds had cleared and, although it was still cold, now the sun shone over them so that the snow melted in ever-larger puddles about their feet. Now Ho’Demi eyed his boots morosely; they were damp to his ankles, and he longed for the dry ice-lands of his home.
“I shall have to fly the Icarii out within the hour,” SpikeFeather grumbled, “for if we linger among this damp we will all develop wing rot.”
“No, SpikeFeather, we wait for a while yet. But if no-one emerges from that tent by evening, I will give the order to pull out in the morning. I would almost prefer the driving snows to this soggy melt. We ride for Sigholt.”
“And what would you do with me, Belial, when you pull out?” Axis said pleasantly as he poked his head out the tent flap. “Roll me up in this canvas and throw me over Belaguez’s back?”
“Axis!” Belial shouted, and behind him the others rose slowly to their feet as Axis stepped out of the tent.
Axis let them look, then he grinned at Belial. “I have been abed, Belial, and now I am up, and I would surely appreciate it if you could tell me where you have put my clothes.”
Belial stared gape-mouthed for another moment, then he burst out laughing and stepped over and embraced the naked man.
The tent flap stirred behind them and Azhure stepped out, smoothing her blue suit down over her body. “I thought you might prefer him this way, Belial, than dead,” and Belial reached out and included her in his embrace.
Then the others crowded around, laughing and exclaiming, and the hounds bayed and the sun shone and within heartbeats the entire camp knew what had happened.
Belial stepped back, his cheeks wet with tears. “My friend. You can have your command back. I think they are pleased to see you,” he said, to the sound of the men shouting out Axis’ name.
Axis grinned and whistled, and Belaguez reared back from the horse lines, breaking his halter rope, and galloped to join his master.
Axis seized the trailing rope and vaulted onto the stallion’s back, saluting his commanders as they stood watching him.
“Where to?” he called to the thousands that milled about, and about him the roar rose, “Where you lead, StarMan!”
Belaguez reared and plunged, ecstatic to have his master back, well and whole, and Axis laughed for sheer joy. “Where to, Azhure?”
She smiled, her eyes deep with happiness. “I think it is time we went home.”
“To Sigholt!” Axis cried, and set his heels to Belaguez’s flanks, sending the horse plunging among the ranks of men crowding about. “We ride for Sigholt, and then? Then to Gorgrael’s Ice Fortress itself! What can stop us now?”