Part 62 (1/2)

thread, drawing Elionbel to him.

Gurgling with victory he pointed a bone black finger at a narrow crack high up above their heads. 'There is the

doorway. There is the doom-slit of your torment, Marcherwoman!'

Elionbel looked up at the sulphur-stained yellow rocks that rose in sheer columns on either side of a narrow crack and shrank back. 'No!' she whispered, crouching beside her mother.

Krulshards hooked his fingers into the weave of Elionbel's cloak and lifted her roughly to her feet. 'You are lost, Marcherwoman, these are the last moments of your daylight.

n.o.body shall see you vanish into the darkness. Thanehand has not overtaken us on the road!'

Elionbel turned her head desperately searching the barren shale slopes without hope. She cried out in desperation, 'Thane! Thane!'

The Nightmare laughed, sneering with victory as he wound the life thread between his fingers and dragged her up through the narrow crack. Kerzolde and Kerhunge lifted and pushed Martbel after their master but, in the last glimpse of daylight before the darkness swallowed them, Elionbel thought she saw an owl rise silently from the weatherbleached branches of a single pine tree that grew in the shadow of the foul entrance.

'Tell Thane!' she called. 'Tell Thane!' but the darkness m.u.f.fled her voice, deadening all hope, as Krulshards hurried them forward.

'Nigh/shards!' he called, summoning the guardians of the City of Night. 'Come to your master. Come to me!'

Far away in the depths Elionbel heard dry rattling footsteps and screams of delight. Foul fumes blew all around them, choking bitter scents that made Krulshards dance with delight.

'Blind beasts,' he crowed licking at the cold black walls, 'your master has the Elionbel as a lure to trap Thanehand.

Soon he will come, and with his death we will reopen the Gates of Night and destroy the daylight of all Elundium.'

Martbel screamed, arching backwards in pain. 'Elton!' she

cried, falling heavily on to her knees, 'it is beginning. Help me!'

Kerzolde bent, sniffing at Martbel's skirts and tugged at the folds of Krulshards' malice. 'Master, Master, the seed is flowering!'

'Show me the seed!' Krulshards shouted, pus.h.i.+ng aside the first of the Nightshards that had gathered around him.

Kerhunge gripped Elionbel's wrists and pulled her away from Martbel as far as the life thread would allow.

'Mother!' she cried, struggling helplessly against the Nightbeast's strong claws.

Krulshards took one giant stride and tore Marbel's skirts into shreds. 'Where is the seed?' he hissed, crouching on his haunches, staring without pity or shame at her stretched pulsating belly. Eagerly he dug his fingernails into the highest point of the dome. 'Where is the seed?'

'Soon, Master, soon,' soothed Kerzolde, easing the Nightmare'

s hand away and motioning four Nightshards to hold the woman down.

'What shape will it be?' Krulshards whispered, watching Martbel's belly contort as she fought against the claws that held her.

'The shape of a man, Master,' Kerzolde began to say, but he stopped, pointing excitedly with his broken claw at a small blood-soaked split that had begun to open in the angle between Martbel's legs. 'It has begun, Master!'

Martbel lifted her head, her eyes glazed with pain and

pushed. With all her strength she pushed, trying to force the foul burden out. 'Help me, help me, Elion!' she screamed, grinding her teeth as the Nightmare's seed clawed at her insides. Far away she heard Elionbel call out in the darkness.

'Remember your promise!' Martbel shouted through the blinding pain. 'For all Elundium's sake, kill it!'