Part 59 (1/2)

As one the Warhorses slowed and halted before Willow.

The leading horses trotted up to him and stretched their necks and snorted in greeting. Evening Star neighed and trotted forward, brus.h.i.+ng her soft muzzle against his cheek.

'Willow,' a calm gentle voice whispered in his head, 'wehave crossed Elundium to your call, without rest. Night and

day we have travelled.'

Willow stepped back and let his hands fall to his sides. 'But, I haven't called for you,' he cried. 'You have been in my thoughts with each waking moment and I have watched the 'I Greenway each night and every daylight ever since Nevis

foretold that you would come to the city when it was newly built; but I did not send word.'

Star snorted and pawed at the ground, nudging her foal forward.

'Fate draws you together,' laughed a voice from the Greenway's edge.

'Nevian!' Willow gasped, spinning round and shading his eyes against the bright colours in the rainbow cloak.

'It was my voice in the wind. It was I who tugged at the threads of your fates, drawing them once more together.'

Willow reached out and touched the rainbow cloak, feeling its soft warm colours. 'But why?' he asked, turning his head towards Evening Star. 'Why did Star and her foal have to travel through great danger to come here?,Was it to shelter in the safety of the newly-built city? Is Elundium too wild for her to roam in?'

Nevian smiled and shook his head, and taking Willow's hand he placed it on Evening Star's shoulder. 'Because there is a bond of love between you that grew out of the despair and darkness of the City of Night. A love so strong that not even Krulshards, the Master of Nightmares, can tear it apart.'

Willow nodded, but his face paled at the Nightmare's name. Star snorted, arching her neck and pushed her foal towards the Warhorses.

Nevian put his hand on Willow's shoulder and turned him towards World's End. 'Krulshards has turned towards the City of Night. He has taken Elionbel and her mother in

revenge for Thane entering the city. They are helpless lures tied on to the end of his life thread.'

'Lures?' interrupted Willow, drawing his eyebrows together. 'What are they?'

Nevian lifted the rainbow cloak and carefully drew out a fine silver s.h.i.+mmering thread. 'If I tie you to my life thread, Willow, you are a part of me, and suffer each and every one of my hurts. The Nightmare uses Elionbel and her mother to draw Thane into the darkness. There he will take him and

peel his skin back to the bones, destroying him slowly, and if he dies I fear Elundium will fall into the shadows.'

'But how are we to help?' Willow asked, looking up into Nevian's face.

The magician smiled, his face crinkling into a thousand wrinkles. 'I know not, Willow,' he whispered. 'It is beyond my sight, but I fear that Thane will be powerless against Krulshards while Elionbel suffers hurt and I would ask you to be at Thane's side in the darkness, because you know of the Nightmare's weakness. You know of his shadow.'

Willow frowned and looked out across the green rolling countryside and asked quietly, 'What if Thane cannot destroy the Nightmare? What if even he fails?'

Nevian lifted his hand and pointed at the sun. 'Your time of freedom in the daylight will be nothing but a brief moment to treasure in the darkness that will come.'

'And the foal? Must he travel back into the darkness?'

'No, he will stay with the Warhorses, they will protect him.'

Willow smiled and as he moved among the Warhorses he reached out to put his hand upon the foal's shoulder. The foal squealed and reared, boxing the air above Willow's head.

'Easy! Easy!', he cried, jumping backwards clear of the thras.h.i.+ng hooves.