Part 58 (1/2)

Pinchface the Loremaster had barely laid the last rough-cut turf on the Chancellors' graves before the last of the city folk had hurried out into the darkness. Muttering he slung the heavy shovel aside and turned to follow them.

'Loremaster!' a voice hissed just behind him in the darkness, and a hand gripped his wrist.

'Silverpurse!' Pinchface cried, seeing the Chancellor's son.

Silverpurse clamped his hand across the Loremaster's mouth and pulled him back into the undergrowth. 'You saw what those foul warriors did to my father and all my friends.

You will help me to destroy the King and take all Elundium as mine, in my father's name. You will do it or die here in the darkness.'

Pinchface struggled against the strong hands that held him to the ground, trying to open his mouth to cry out to the King but he felt the sharp point of Silverpurse's dagger against his throat and shrank back silently against the cold earth.

'There will be others who will help us take Elundium, many others,' Silverpurse snarled, easing the dagger away from the Loremaster's throat.

'Yes, Lord, yes, Lord,' Pinchface whispered in fear, wringing his hands in despair as the clatter of hooves and the tramp of marching feet faded into the black night air.

r

: I.

: 1.

The New City

Willow Leaf climbed the last two steep steps on to the top of the inner wall that encircled Candlebane Hall and shaded his eyes against the setting sun. Sighing with satisfaction he stared out over the new-built Granite City. 'It is in your memory, Elder,' he whispered, looking up into the darkening sky for the first evening star.

Running footsteps sounded in the shadows of the inner wall. Willow turned and searched the shadows. Laughing, he bent forward and offered his hand to a slim dark-haired girl who turned the last twist in the stone stairs and ran lightly to the top of the wall. 'Mother says you would have missed the noonday food,' she said, catching her breath after the steep climb.

Willow smiled, feeling his cheeks blush a deep red as he took the rough woven basket and set it down on the top of the wall. 'You Apples are like a family to me,' he laughed, lifting the edge of the clean cheesecloth that covered the basket to see an array of forest fruits and finger treats that made his mouth water. 'Your mother is a real treasure,' he said, taking out a bright yellow fruit and biting into its tough s.h.i.+ny skin.

Oakapple smiled shyly and looked away. 'Mother says you never eat properly. Ever since Elder's death, she says.'

Willow frowned, his face darkening with anger as he remembered Elder's death beneath that cruel-clawed Nightbeast'

s foot in the City of Night. 'None of us is safe and never will be until the Nightmare is destroyed,' he said, angrily

263.

stabbing his finger towards the newly-built great wall that had thrown evening shadows across the lower circles of the city. 'I dared not rest while the city lay open for the Nightmare to enter.'

Oakapple moved closer to Willow, touching his sleeve with her long pale fingers. 'Do you watch for the Nightmare? Is that why you sit up here all alone, watching in case he returns?'

Willow smiled, 'No, Oakapple, I watch for a friend upon the Greenway. Nevian, the Magician, said that Evening Star would come to the city when the rebuilding was finished; that is who I wait for.'

'The last roof slates were laid today. The city is finished now, I am sure she will come.' Oakapple answered.

Willow shook his head. 'There is still the fallen tower in the inner circle, but something has stopped me from rebuilding it or opening the wall. It is still sealed against Nightbeast attack just as the King left it.'

A noise from below made Willow and Oakapple turn and look down into the inner circle of the city. The moon had ridden high in the clear sky, casting deep shadows across the rubble of the fallen tower. 'Hus.h.!.+' whispered Oakapple, holding her finger against her lips.

Willow stared at the fallen tower, his hand upon the hilt of ; his dagger. 'Look!' he cried, stepping back a pace. 'Look,

there is water s.h.i.+ning amongst the jumble of stones.'