Slowly, very slowly, her eyes not leaving those of the bird, StarLaughter took one more step forward, then lifted her beloved child onto the cold stone before the bird's claws.

The child shivered, as if discomforted by the chill against its newly-warmed flesh.

"Now rejoin us," Sheol commanded.

StarLaughter hesitated, terrified at what the bird might do to her son, but then she turned and walked back towards the Demons.

She only got halfway when she heard a frightful shriek behind her. StarLaughter whipped about. The bird's head was now a blur as it plunged its beak again and again into the child's chest.

StarLaughter cried out, and would have rushed to her son's aid, but tight arms closed about her.

"Watch only!" Barzula hissed in her ear.

StarLaughter struggled and wailed. The baby, too, shrieked again and again, the level of his screams rising each time the bird stabbed its beak down.

Blood spattered across the entire chamber, spattering StarLaughter's face and hair, and slivers of flesh slipped down the golden sides of the pedestal.

"No!" StarLaughter howled, struggling vainly against Barzula's grip. "No/"

"Wait!" Barzula whispered, and StarLaughter felt his arms tighten yet more until she had no breath to cry out. The bird continued to hack at the child's body, and the child continued to scream. Impossible amounts of blood ,402 .

flowed from his body, and ribs glinted through the ruined flesh of his chest.

Suddenly the bird stopped, tilted its head curiously as it stared into the ruined flesh before it, then stabbed its beak down a final time.

But this time it did not withdraw. It kept its beak buried deep within the child's body, and it took a great breath through its tiny nostrils, and then exhaled through its beak.

The boy quietened.

The bird withdrew its beak, and took one careful step away from the child to the very back edge of the pedestal. There it stayed, its eyes still fixed on the child.

The child's chest expanded in a huge breath, and in an instant so quick StarLaughter's eyes could not follow it the ravaged flesh healed itself before her eyes, and the boy's limbs and body lengthened and thickened.

A youth of some twelve years now lay on the pedestal, his legs and arms drooping over its sides. His chest rose in regular movement, but his eyes - now a clear, deep violet - still stared blankly above him.

Barzula's arms loosened, and StarLaughter walked slowly towards the pedestal.

The bird watched her, but did not move.

StarLaughter halted and ran one hand softly down her son's body, marvelling at the beauty of his st.u.r.dy figure and the well-defined muscles of his arms and legs. His head, once only covered with a fine down, was now thick with rich copper curls and as StarLaughter slid him off the pedestal, she saw he had golden adolescent wings emerging from his back.

"My boy," she whispered. "DragonStar."

"If you like," Sheol murmured unheard behind her.

They waited, all of them, in a corner of the chamber hidden by shadows and the power of the Demons.

403.

The boy stood obediently, his eyes blank, his body unresponsive to StarLaughter's murmurings and caressing hands.

"Be silent," Barzula hissed at her. "He comes!"

StarLaughter fell silent, lifting her eyes from her son.

WolfStar entered the chamber on feet silent with caution. His eyes slid about the walls, but he saw nothing, and he visibly relaxed.

StarLaughter stared, so shocked she did not know what to think. She moved slightly, and felt a Demon's hand clutch at her arm. Be silent, StarLaughter! It was the combined voice of the Demons in her mind.

But that is WolfStar!

Aye.

But - Watch, StarLaughter, and once he has gone, we will tell you something very, very amusing.

WolfStar was completely unaware that anyone else remained in the chamber. StarLaughter watched him, her mind in turmoil. She had waited so long for this moment. G.o.ds, but she wished the Demons would allow her to rush forth and claw his eyes out! Her chest constricted in loathing, remembering how he had gladly wasted her life, and that of their son's, in his quest for all-consuming power.

Her fingers grazed slightly against the warm flesh of her son's chest, marvelling at its rise and fall, and then her attention was consumed by WolfStar. In his arms he carried the still form of a toddling girl. As StarLaughter had done, now he stepped forth and placed the child on the pedestal.

The instant he had moved back, the bird took one pace forward, and tore into the girl's chest as he had into the boy's.

StarLaughter turned eyes wide with anger towards the Demons.

We understand, StarLaughter. But be still and silent, and do not fret too much. There is good reason to allow WolfStar this moment.

.404 .

StarLaughter looked back to her husband . . . and she almost sneered. His face wore an expression of open ambition as he stared at the girl.

Who was this girl? It could be no-one else save Niah, the woman he had betrayed StarLaughter with. Who else would he bother to go to this trouble for?

Me he murdered, StarLaughter thought, and this girl he resurrects.

Hate consumed her, and were it not for the power of the Demons that held her back, StarLaughter would have rushed forward to tear the child into such pieces that WolfStar would never have been able to contemplate a resurrection, let alone accomplish it.

Be still, StarLaughter.

Now the bird had finished, and he stepped back to the edge of the pedestal again.

As had the boy, so now did the girl transform. Limbs and body lengthened into the form of a twelve-year- old girl. Her skin was pale and fine, her hair as black as the bird and falling to the very floor, her limbs long and shapely, and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s just beginning to emerge from their childish entrapment.

Will you wait until she speaks and moves before you slake your l.u.s.t on her, WolfStar? StarLaughter thought. Or will you take her now, and enjoy her silence?

But WolfStar was apparently in no rush to slake his l.u.s.t, for he stepped forward and took the girl's arm in a perfunctory manner. He gave an impatient tug. Then, when she did not move, he picked her up and slung her over a shoulder before exiting the chamber.

"What have you done!" StarLaughter cried. "That was WolfStar. And no doubt that child was the woman he craves so much. Why let him -"

"We, too, were angered when first we realised WolfStar trailed us with his own child that he wishes to return to life,"

405 *

Sheol said. "But we quickly lost our anger when we realised how we could turn this situation to our advantage, and gain you your revenge at the same time."

"How?"

"StarLaughter." Mot now stepped forward and took both StarLaughter's hands in his. "Would you have your son rule this vast land without a bride at his side?"

StarLaughter's eyes widened as she grasped what the Demon's meant to do. "But she will be as powerful as -".

Sheol grinned, her teeth glinting behind red lips. "Not if we stop him after Fernbrake, beloved Queen of Heaven. Then your son will have a bride any husband would covet. Beautiful, willing . . . and completely soulless. And WolfStar? Sweet StarLaughter, why not let your son have the eventual revenge on WolfStar?

After all, while he murdered both of you, it has been your son who has been deprived of all chance at life.

Imagine what he can do to the father who denied him the chance to draw a single breath."

StarLaughter stared expressionlessly at Sheol, then in a sudden, horrific movement, she bared her teeth in a gesture half-smile, half-snarl.

406 '.

The Bridges of Tencendor S.

him?

tarDrifter hurriedly dropped his arm from Zenith's shoulders, realising that he may well have gone too far.

Stars! How long did she need before she would accept Zenith turned away slightly, lowering her eyes so that StarDrifter would not see the guilt she was certain shone forth.

"Well?" SpikeFeather cried. "Shall we go down?"

"Yes," StarDrifter said, a little too quickly. "Let us go and see this Sanctuary of Drago's."

The stairwell curved down in a spiral, as did most of the entrances to the Underworld, but the steps down were wide and the gradient gentle. They wished they could have used their wings to float down, but the internal s.p.a.ce that the stairs encircled was too tight for the Icarii wingspan. And so not only do I lose the sound of the Star Dance, StarDrifter thought, but I also lose the use of my proudest possession, my wings.

But the thought did not cause him too much distress, for he was still tingling with the excitement of his discovery.

What if he could map all the Songs he knew into dance? Could he then regain the same power as he'd once enjoyed? But he did not know how to map music into movement.

StarDrifter had succeeded in the enchantment necessary to open the door to Sanctuary only because the pattern of the stone maze had shown him the steps to take.

407.

But if I think, StarDrifter reasoned, if I think it through, surely I will learn the secret. Thus encouraged, he stepped lightly down into whatever mystery awaited them below.

Behind him trod Zenith. Her eyes and thoughts were not on the mysteries below, or even on StarDrifter's discovery, but on the play of the tendons and sinews of his back, and the smooth transition they made from flesh to wing. Then her eyes travelled further and were trapped by the hidden play of the muscles of his b.u.t.tocks and thighs beneath the skintight fabric of his golden breeches.

Why can't I put my pruderies to one side? she thought. Are my inhibitions destroying me?

The walk was long, hours long, and legs ached and tempers frayed well before it was over. Darkness, and terror, had fallen in the world above, but here in the sheltered entrance stairwell of Sanctuary the shadows were dissipated by the subtle radiance that emanated from the pink walls. Even if legs ached, then terror did not find them, for from deep below rose the hope of Sanctuary.

StarDrifter's eyes occasionally wandered to the walls. They reminded him of the walls on the stairwell leading from the Nordra down to the waterways. Patterns of women and children engaged in joyous dance had been traced into the walls, and sometimes StarDrifter lifted his hand and let his fingers trail over the tracings, wondering at the dance they performed, and wondering at its use.

Behind, Zenith's eyes were trapped by his lean-fingered hand drifting so lightly across the carvings.

Finally, when by WingRidge's calculation it had reached midnight in the world above, they came to the end of the stairwell. The Icarii sighed and jested in relief, bending to rub calves and stretching their hands upwards to ease cramped muscles.

They stood in a circular domed chamber. Some fifteen paces directly across from the foot of the stairs were two ma.s.sive, arched doors.

408.

WingRidge and SpikeFeather walked closer to inspect them.

As with the Maze Gate, while the doors were of plain wood, the stone surrounds had been carved into the symbols of the Enemy.

"What does it say?" StarDrifter asked, walking up. "Again and again it mentions StarSon," WingRidge said, pointing to the recurring symbols of the sun-surmounted star. "But basically the script states that behind these doors lies Sanctuary, a haven for all the races of Tencendor. It is a welcoming message, and full of hope."

The others had wandered up.

"Will you open it?" JestWing asked. All he could think of were the Icarii huddled miserably in the Minaret Peaks, hungry and cold and with nothing but their despair to comfort them. Stars! Fernbrake was so close that the majority of them could be safe in Sanctuary within a week.

"I don't see why not," WingRidge said slowly, his hands still moving gracefully over the symbols. "There is no caution or bar against entry, as there is on the Maze Gate. SpikeFeather? Do you concur?"

"I am not as practiced as you at reading this language, WingRidge," he said, and took a deep breath, "but nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Or lost," someone muttered at the back, but no-one took offence at the remark.

WingRidge dropped his hand from the stone and looked back at his companions. "Shall I?"

"Yes!" StarDrifter said. "Yes!"

WingRidge stepped before the double doors and took firm grip on the bra.s.s handles. The muscles in his arms and shoulders visibly tensed, then his wrists turned, and his whole body leaned forward.

The doors swung silently and gracefully open.

As soon as WingRidge felt them move, he let go the handles and stood back.

409.

For a very long time they stood there, silent, stunned by the beauty and wonder of Sanctuary.

All of them had wet eyes or tears sliding gently down cheeks.

Zenith stood open-mouthed, and StarDrifter's wings had sagged in astonishment.

"I ... I had no idea." SpikeFeather stumbled over the words. "None. Whoever thought ... the Charonites never knew . . . oh, Stars."

Beyond the gates arched a graceful bridge constructed of what appeared to be silver. It managed to convey both the strength of fire-tempered steel and the grace and beauty of an orbed spider's tracery web. It covered a chasm whose depths were lost in billowing white clouds.

Beyond the bridge, a road wound across a gra.s.sy plain that was liberally sprinkled with flowers and spreading shrubs. Above soared the dome of a deep blue sky, a sun shining incongruously over this UnderWorld landscape. The road extended perhaps half a league and it led towards a blue and white mountain range with jagged peaks surpa.s.sing even those of the Icescarp Alps. The mountains formed an impenetrable wall . . . save for the mouth of a valley that absorbed the end of the road. Even though it was distant, the Icarii could see that the valley was beauteous beyond any they had ever seen before.