Sinner by Sara Douglass. Book One of The Wayfarer Redemption

Now Gorgrael’s claws grasped Caelum’s body, and Caelum could no longer cope with the enormity of DragonStar’s betrayal.

He lost consciousness, and Drago thought it was over. But no, it had just begun, for Caelum woke to more horror as he found himself trapped in Gorgrael’s Ice Fortress, trapped with Gorgrael leering over him and running cruel talons down his body. The torture went on and on, for days upon days, the pain riddling his body, the despair biting deeper.

Caelum knew it would never end, and he could not understand it, when all he’d ever offered DragonStar was love.

For your sins, for your pride and ambition and your overweening hatred, a good woman died and your brother was fatally scarred for life. Your brother has been crippled by your malevolence, and by the memory of that attack. If we let you live, are you prepared to aid Tencendor and Caelum?

While WollStar Lay Sleeping She sat weeping, disconsolate, as the ferry bobbed and bumped against the pier of shadow-Pirates’ Town. About her pirates and their wives and chickens moved slowly, trancelike, not aware of her, not caring.

Zenith did not think she had the heart to continue. Was life worth all this effort and pain? Why not let Niah have her life and be done with it.

“Ah, Zenith! There you are. Here, take my hand. Let me help you from this ferry.”

Zenith raised her eyes. Faraday was kneeling on the pier, leaning down, a hand extended, a lovely smile on her face.

“Take my hand, Zenith.”

Zenith sat and wished it would all be easier.

“Take my hand, Zenith.”

Zenith sighed, prepared for the pain, and took Faraday’s hand.

They crept through the streets of shadow-Pirates’ Town, each step agony. The mist of the shadow-world made everything seem so unconnected that Zenith wondered if she had any existence at all.

“StarDrifter is waiting, Zenith.” “StarDrifter?”

“We are on the Island of Mist and Memory. You forget, this is his home. Tomorrow night you will be close enough to him that he can join us.”

“Join us?” Zenith stumbled as her toe caught a rock, and she spent a moment crying in despair.

Faraday hugged her close. “Assuredly, sweet girl. His power has not been strong enough for him to join us earlier, but here, StarDrifter can reach us.” Zenith almost smiled. “I would like that.” Faraday smoothed back Zenith’s hair, “And so would he. Come, another step. Yes, that’s it. And yet one more. Tonight I would like us to reach the long road that leads to Temple Mount. And from there, only a night or two more.” Suddenly she laughed, the sound ringing through the mist, giving substance and meaning to Zenith’s existence.

“Fancy, Zenith, how Niah must be trembling in her sleep! Do you know that your mother came to see her during the daylight hours? They spoke for some time.”

Zenith showed the first spark of interest that Faraday had seen in her for a very long time. “Really? What did Azhure want? What did she say?”

“She crooned over her mother, and Niah told her how wonderful it was to be reborn, and she patted her swelling belly, and said that the baby grew apace. And…” “And?”

“And Azhure asked her why her eyes were so ringed with shadows, and Niah said that her sleep was troubled with strange dreams, undoubtedly a result of her pregnancy.”

Faraday paused, and helped Zenith for a while in silence. When she did resume speaking, her voice was hard. “Neither mentioned you, Zenith. Neither mourned you.

The next night, as Zenith sat in her half-existence beneath a great drooping malayam tree at the edge of the jungle that covered the southern half of the island, she heard footsteps, and then laughter. She raised her head, wincing at the effort.

Down the road from Temple Mount, their steps light and joyous, walked Faraday and her grandfather, in all his silver and golden splendour.

“StarDrifter!” she cried, and he bent down and pulled her into his arms and held her so tight that Zenith knew she must be alive, after all.

“StarDrifter believed in your existence when all others did not,” Faraday said quietly to one side. “It was he who convinced me to look for you, Zenith. It was his belief in you that kept you tied to this shadow-land, his belief in you that did not let you wink out of existence.”

Zenith burst into tears and held StarDrifter as tightly as he did her. Every tear left a trail of pain down her cheek, but all she felt was the strength of StarDrifter’s love and belief.

He believed in her more than she had believed in herself.

She burst into fresh weeping, and StarDrifter murmured to her, stroking her hair, her wings, her back. He looked over her head at Faraday, standing weeping herself now.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you so very much.” For this moment StarDrifter had put aside his concerns about the beacon and the Demons. Zenith was all that mattered, Zenith was his entire world, and nothing, nothing else held any relevance.

That night they reached the foot of Temple Mount.

Niah retired to her chamber early, wishing WolfStar would come to her. She could not shake the feeling of dread that lay so heavy across her shoulders, and yet she knew not what caused it.

Was it fear for the baby, so vulnerable at this early stage of development?

Niah wandered about her chamber, unwilling to go to bed, yet not knowing why she feared it so much. She paused by the bed, her hand twitching at the coverlets, then she moved away again, her head high, eyes searching.

“WolfStar?” she said, but he did not answer.

Niah knew he had a great worry that kept him occupied somewhere else, but just tonight… tonight she wished he could have been with her. She wished that –

“Niah?” His voice, husky with desire, broke into her reverie and he stepped from the shadows.

“WolfStar!” She flew into his arms, and he laughed and kissed her.

“What ails my love? Why call with such desperation?” He kissed her, and laughed at her fears of the night.

“No desperation now that you are here, WolfStar. Oh, hold me, tell me I am safe!”

“Forever in my arms,” he whispered, and carried her to the bed. “Forever I promised you, and forever it shall be.”

Faraday, wrapped in power and the darkness of the chamber, sat and watched them. She cursed Niah for calling WolfStar this night, and she cursed WolfStar for answering.

Would it make a difference? Faraday did not know. She had gone to Zenith in the shadow-lands before now when WolfStar lay sleeping at Niah’s side… but tonight was the night that Zenith hoped to step from the shadows into the light.

It would be dangerous under the best of circumstances. And WolfStar’s presence made it close to the worst of circumstances. What if he woke and realised what was happening? He surely had the power to banish Zenith completely, not only from this world but from the shadow-lands as well. Banish her to a place where Faraday would never be able to find her.

Where she would be lost forever.

There was a silent movement at the door, and Faraday turned her head slightly.

StarDrifter.

He walked silently to her side, and she lifted a hand and took one of his.

In this room, with WolfStar present, they could not even use the mind voice without waking him.

Faraday summoned her power, and she and StarDrifter entered the shadow-lands.

Through the night they toiled with Zenith up the thousand steps to the plateau of Temple Mount. On flat ground Zenith found every forward movement agonising; on a flight of steps her pain was close to being unbearable.

But she was determined. Tonight. Even if WolfStar lay there sleeping.

StarDrifter and Faraday put their arms about her, and lent her their love, and she took another step.

They stood outside Niah’s chamber. Zenith was shaking with fatigue, but her mouth was a thin line of determination, and her eyes glittered with hatred.

For Niah, for the woman who would destroy her.

Tonight she would end it.

Faraday met StarDrifter’s eyes, then she nodded at Zenith.

StarDrifter put his hand on the handle and pushed open the door.

Zenith lifted her head and stared.

Stared at the Enchanter lying tangled with her naked body. Stared with loathing at her hand resting on her swollen belly.

Zenith’s lip curled, and she growled, and…

Disappeared.

Frantic, StarDrifter clutched at Faraday. Her fingers dug tight into his arm, cautioning him into utter silence, and then she dragged them back into the world where WolfStar and Niah lay sleeping peacefully on the bed.

Except now, as they discovered when they opened their eyes in that world, some of that peace had dissipated.

WolfStar still lay sleeping, but Niah had gone rigid in his arms. Her eyes had opened wide and were staring at the ceiling, although Faraday and StarDrifter knew she saw nothing.