Nightchild

'All for nothing,' he said. 'Poor little mite. She never stood a chance.'

'But we had to try,' said Hirad.

'Always doomed, wasn't she?' The Unknown pointed at the Al-Drechar. 'And they knew it.'

'What now?' asked Hirad.

The Unknown looked up, his eyes moist. 'First, I suggest the Dordovans pick up their wounded, bury their dead, and leave. The battle is over. Then, I really haven't got a clue.'

Movement at the periphery of Hirad's vision had him spinning. A man, if you could call him that, shoved his way to the front of the Dordovans massed around the kitchen door. He had one hand to his head from which blood dripped steadily. He was swaying on his feet, blood ran from a badly bandaged wound on his leg and his eye was unfocused.

'Selik,' grated Hirad. He hefted his sword. 'One man who doesn't get away alive.' He crossed the space quickly and raised his sword to ready. 'Defend yourself. I'd hate to cut down an unarmed man.'

Selik dragged his sword from its sheath and waved the Dordovans away, nodding.

'You I can take.'

But The Unknown stepped in between them, facing his friend.

'No, Hirad,' he said. 'The fight is over. It would be murder.'

Hirad looked at him, his blood boiling for him to strike the Black Wing down, but The Unknown held his gaze and spoke softly.

'Hirad, we have a Code.'

'Yes,' said the barbarian. He put up his sword and pointed a finger at Selik. 'One day, The Unknown won't be there and I'll be waiting. Remember that every day when you wake up.'

Selik spat on the dining room floor. 'Honour. It'll be the death of you, Coldheart. Now, Vuldaroq, when are we going to leave this bastard island?'

'Come walk with me, Hirad,' said The Unknown.

It was late in the afternoon and so much had changed. The Dordovans had gone back to their ships, taking their wounded and Selik with them. Whether the Black Wing made it to Balaia was a matter of some conjecture but Hirad rather hoped he did. He wanted the satisfaction for himself.

Ilkar was once again watching over Thraun and he remained a mystery. Soon, they would have to wake him and see if he was either man or wolf inside the hybrid body. Denser had taken Erienne out into the gentle sunshine and had laid her on a grass bank near some of the ancient graves to sleep under a WarmHeal spell. It would do nothing to ease the agony of her mind, but it gave her body respite from the trauma. And Darrick walked alone, no doubt picking over the holes in his tactics and wondering whether anything could have been made different. Elsewhere, the six surviving Protectors, including Aeb, conducted ceremonies for their dead.

The Unknown limped beside Hirad as the two old friends wandered out through the rubble of the house and down the path towards the beach.

'How will she cope do you think?' asked the big man. 'Either of them for that matter.'

'Erienne?'

'Who else.' The Unknown fell quiet for a few paces. 'Losing a child, however it happens, must be a devastating blow. But it's happened to Erienne twice. First the twins, now Lyanna.'

'We'll be here,' said Hirad.

The Unknown smiled. T know but she'll need so much more. Imagine. All her children are dead. Her spirit will be shattered. Her belief in herself as a mother gone. I doubt it's something she'll ever really come to terms with. Lyanna was her world.'

'Denser's the key, isn't he?' said Hirad. 'He's the only one that can really share her grief or understand what she's going through and make her believe in herself again.'

'And he'll need our help too. This is going to be a difficult time. Mostly for Erienne and Denser but we're all going to need patience and tolerance in abundance. You included.'

'Point taken,' said Hirad.

The friends walked on, Hirad seeing a faraway look in The

Unknown's eye. He didn't think the walk had been just to remind him to keep his temper.

'What is it?' he asked.

'Can you feel those who need you most?' asked The Unknown.

'How do you mean?'

'Well, do you know inside that they are alive and waiting for you?' explained The Unknown.

Hirad shrugged. T guess so. Put it this way, if Sha-Kaan was dead I would feel it.'

'So he isn't?'

'No,' said Hirad shaking his head. 'In fact, he might even enjoy this climate for a time. Heat and humidity. Much more like home.'

T hope so.'

'You're thinking about Diera and Jonas, aren't you?'

The Unknown stopped and rested against a fallen tree.

T just want to know they're all right.'

'Well, you'll be home soon enough.'

'No, not soon enough,' said The Unknown. 'Soon enough is now, today.'

Hirad walked on, hearing the big man limp after him, his left leg dragging a little.

'And you expected to feel them inside you?' he asked after a pause.

'I suppose so,' said the Unknown. 'Silly, isn't it?'

'Not at all.' Hirad put an arm around his shoulders. 'They'll be fine. Tomas will have looked after them.'

They rounded the right-hand corner and crunched across the sand. Myriell was standing there, Ren by her side, looking out to sea. She turned as they approached.

'So, Raven men,' she said, her voice tired and weak. 'Why so glum?'

'We aren't used to failing,' said Hirad.

'Failing?' replied Myriell. 'Who says you've failed.'

'Lyanna is dead,' snapped The Unknown. 'We came here to save her. We failed.'

'I understand how it looks to you,' said Myriell. 'And I understand Erienne's reaction. It saddens us too that we have lost two

sisters. But Lyanna was a very special child and she will never truly be gone. Only her body is at rest.'

'What are you talking about?' asked Hirad. 'You killed her, didn't you?'

'She was dead already,' said Myriell. 'You have to believe that.'

'It's Erienne you have to convince, not us,' said Hirad.

'I know.' Myriell's eyes glinted with sudden energy. 'But you have to understand that you haven't failed. Far from it. You mark me well, Raven man. You have just secured this world a saviour. And this world will need a saviour, believe me.'

'I don't get it,' said Hirad.

'Erienne,' said Myriell. 'What she now carries has to be kept safe. It is fortunate the Dordovans thought their job done with the death of poor Lyanna. The One is a power that cannot be allowed to fade from this dimension, not yet. It isn't easy to describe in words you would understand but the fabric of magic and of the dimensions is strained, out of alignment with the natural order, and the One is the binding. Until that fabric is settled once again, the One is critical to everyone, even those that believe it an evil force.'

Hirad frowned. 'So if Erienne dies, the world dies with her?'

'Oh, there would doubtless be a new order but the chaos that would reign across Balaia and interdimensional space would seem like the end of the world to those who witnessed it. Keeping the One in existence for now is infinitely preferable, believe me.'

'Oh, I see,' said Hirad.

'You don't, but you will,' said Myriell, smiling. 'Now I wonder if you two youngsters will carry me back to the house. I'm feeling very tired.'

'Youngsters?' said Hirad. 'She can't mean you, Unknown.'

'Remember what I told you about my fist?' said The Unknown.

They picked the old elf up and chaired her from the beach.

Once again there are people who have helped smooth the writing process and supplied the right answers when I needed them most. Thank you to Alan Mearns for providing a vital missing link during a walk to the pub in Killarney; to Lisa Edney, Deborah Erasmus and Laura Gulvin for the words they gave me; to Dave, Dick, George and Pete who keep on fighting the good fight on my behalf; and to Simon Spanton, whose support and insight have helped me through what at times was a very difficult year.