Nightchild

'It's a question I can't answer now,' said Ephemere. 'We've been so drained by Lyanna's demands for so long now. We're old and our powers of recuperation are limited these days. Keeping her in her Night was hard enough but she has used our reserves for her extraordinary light. We will dress, eat, exercise in our orchard if there's anything left of it, and tell you later. But don't expect too much, please.'

Ilkar rose, feeling the meeting was over. He felt awkward in their presence, like a boy mage before a great master. 'I'm sorry to press but The Raven musters just three mages and the Dordovans could have twenty times that. The situation is severe.'

'Before you go, tell me two things. What of the crew of the Ocean Elm and Ren'erei?'

'Ren'erei is with us and safe,' said Ilkar. 'But the crew were taken

by the Black Wing Witch Hunters and I fear for them, I'm sorry.' He shrugged. 'And there's something else?'

'I could be mistaken but while I was asleep I felt the touch of ancient minds seeking us out. Powerful minds. It's been a long time since I sensed Kaan dragons.'

Ilkar nodded. 'You weren't mistaken. Three Kaan helped us during our voyage here. One was killed by Dordovan magic and the other two are badly hurt. Too badly to help us any further. They're resting in the archipelago somewhere.'

'Hmm, their minds were quiet, almost resigned. You must tell me later how they came to be here. Perhaps we can help them.'

'With their health, I'm sure you can, but they need more. The path to their dimension is lost and they are marooned on Balaia. That's why they and Hirad Coldheart have come here. Hirad is Sha-Kaan's Dragnonene.'

'Sha-Kaan is here?' gasped Ephemere. 'Such magnificence. I must speak to this Hirad.'

Ilkar raised his eyebrows and suppressed a smile. That was one conversation he didn't want to miss. He turned to go, the door to the ballroom being opened by Arrin.

'Ilkar?' It was Ephemere. He turned. T would so love to see Erienne and Lyanna. Please, could you tell them we are ready for them?'

'Naturally.'

'Poor Erienne.'

Ilkar frowned. 'How do you mean?'

T think you know. I can see the sadness in your face too. We had hoped that it wouldn't come to this but we are so weary. We don't have the strength and I'm afraid there will be no other way.'

Ilkar walked away across the wreckage of the ballroom, a hope he didn't know he had harboured, extinguished within him.

Chapter 37

Hirad strode through the partially collapsed entrance of the house, happy to be on dry land again. Behind him, Denser was enjoying his reunion with Lyanna. The Unknown, his hip painful after the uncomfortable journey from the Catalan Sun, was taking his time, limping up the path.

With glass crunching underfoot, Hirad wandered into a big, damp-smelling entrance hall, saw to his right collapsed beams and doorways and so headed left.

'Ilkar?' He walked up a long, soaking corridor, counted the doors off on his left and looked right out on to an orchard. Drifts of leaves lay in sheltered areas and away across the ranks of damaged trees he could see hints of the demolition job that had been done on other parts of the house. Above him, water dripped through holes in the ceiling and large splinters of wood were scattered along the length of the corridor.

A door opened ahead. Ilkar came out and walked down to him.

'Hirad, we're in trouble.'

'Glad you noticed.'

'No, not all this. The Al-Drechar. One of them is dead, the other three not far off. If they can't shield even part of this place…'

'Right,' said Hirad. 'Have you been around the house?'

'Yes and it's not good. I'll show you when The Unknown and Darrick get here. How far are the Protectors behind?' asked Ilkar.

'An hour, The Unknown says.'

'How is he?'

Hirad scratched his head and looked over his shoulder. 'Is there some food anywhere? I'm starving.'

'Sure.'

Ilkar took Hirad to the kitchen and sat him down with some soup

and a mug of tea. The gorgeous smell of baking bread filled the room.

'Bread's still in, sorry,' said Ilkar. 'Now, The Unknown. And no stalling.'

'Well, it's not good. He wouldn't sit down the whole journey and now he's walking up the path like an old man. I thought Erienne was supposed to have sorted him out. Doesn't look much like it to me.'

'Bloody hell, Hirad,' said Ilkar sharply. 'Seven days ago he was practically dead. Now he's up and walking about. What more do you want? She's rebuilt his hip, knitted back muscle and tendon but she's not a miracle worker. The job isn't anywhere near finished yet and he'll never be the same as he was. There was too much damage. Right now, he needs gende exercise and plenty of rest and he's not going to get either. What you've got now is the best you're going to get for the fight to come, so deal with it. The question is, can he? That's what I'm asking.'

'Hmm.' Hirad ate his soup. It was a tasty thick vegetable broth, filling enough that he hardly missed the bread. T know what you're saying. I just want him to be the warrior we all know and he's not. Not at the moment.'

'And up here?' Ilkar tapped his head.

Hirad shrugged. 'He wants to believe that he can fight like before but it's pretty obvious he won't be able to. I think it'll affect his confidence and that's why he's asked for Aeb to be on his left. I mean, Darrick's a more than capable fighter but he's no Protector, is he?'

'Yes,' said Ilkar. 'The question is, what are we going to do about it?'

'Not let on that we're worried about him, for a start.'

A door to the kitchen from the ballroom swung open and The Unknown limped in.

'Then you'd better keep your voices down or he'll hear you,' he said. Ilkar closed his eyes.

Darrick stood looking at the collapsed west wing from outside in the orchard. The Al-Drechar were tottering about behind him in the company of Erienne, Lyanna, Ren'erei and the Guild elves. There

were no grounds for confidence there and precious little more in front of him.

With the light fading fast and prospects for an attack growing as night took over, he'd come straight from his long boat to survey the house. To his surprise The Raven had put the defensive decisions in his hands while they discussed what to do about the Dordovan mages. He knew it was a mark of their respect for his ability but even so, they were The Raven. He couldn't deny the pride he felt.

Having established that there was nowhere else to hide or protect anyone on the island, he'd turned his attention to defending the house. Already, Protectors were blocking rear entrances to the main building and the three standing wings; and more were assessing the main entrance.

Signalling Aeb to come with him, he walked down the orchard towards the front of the house, taking in the tumbled brick, slate and wood and the teetering roof where it sat on unsound foundations. Much of the huge wing had slipped into a crack in the ground but beyond the immediate devastation, there were walls still standing. The two men walked through the warped wooden doors into the main entrance hall, took in the work on the entrance and stopped by a series of doors into the west wing.

'Here,' said Darrick. 'All this needs to come down. I don't want there to be any way they can come in this side. Send some to the far end and do the same there as necessary. Our main problem will then be entry through the orchard, through the three eastern wings and through the ballroom roof, if they find the hole. And there, of course,' said Darrick, pointing at the main entrance. 'Gods but this place isn't going to be easy.'

'It will be done,' said Aeb.

They walked across the hall and up the corridor with the orchard on their right. There were three pairs of double doors, one leading into each of the wings which Erienne had described as insect legs from above. The first housed what were now little-used rooms, the middle, the Al-Drechar, and the last one the Guild quarters. That latter had passages into the ballroom, kitchens and store rooms. There were also return ways to the other wings. It was a warren of passages that troubled Darrick.