A full silver moon hung high in the sky above the Elani out on the slave fields. The stars were out too and the night was warm and light enough not to warrant building a fire. Besides, Saoirse and Old Synan were still cautious and until Sloane McKenzie returned to them to say the Lamya towns had been subdued, they would not attract attention to themselves.

Guards were posted on the lookout on the field edges and the slavers were still watched over for attempted escapes. It was quiet now, and a few people had even drifted off to sleep.

But Saoirse remained restless. Leaning on another ex–slave for support, she stood with those on guard and gazed out at the lights of the Lamya towns. She shifted her gaze to the distance where she could just about make out the dark silhouette of the castle.

"Leif's there now," she said quietly. "Fighting."

"He'll be okay," said her friend.

"Oh I know." A small smile touched her lips. "I just wish I was there with him!"

Her friend chuckled, but quickly fell silent and pointed to something in the distance. Saoirse stared in awe as seven moonlit white horses breasted the hill and headed towards them.

The horses and their mysterious white–cloaked riders came slowly, all in a row and seemingly unhurried or at all fazed by the line of Elani watchers before them.

As they drew nearer, Saoirse hobbled forward, wincing as her leg throbbed in pain, and called out a challenge. "Who is it? Uncover your faces so I can see you!"

One of the horses broke free from the line and trotted forward. The rider, still cloaked, looked down at her and said, "We were sent by Running Bear, and come from the castle. Your friends are still there, helping the One Star with her task. Are you in charge here?"

Saoirse, not too happy that the person hadn't answered properly, and still feeling suspicious, said, "I am. Tell me your name and what it is you want?"

There was a flicker of a smile beneath the hood and the rider spoke again, "I am Gunda, leader of the Elani warriors of Moor."

Saoirse had heard of them, most young Elani had, but she didn't want Gunda to know and so she kept her expression impassive.

The warrior reached her hands up to her face and swept back her hood. She was an older woman, middle-aged with long curled brown hair and a kindly face. Running down her right cheek was a thick ugly scar that must have been a terrible injury at one stage. She smiled again at Saoirse and said, "You must come with me to the castle, you and your friends. The One Star will need you there when she is done."

"One Star? Sorrel?" Her friend joined her and held out her arm for Saoirse to take. "I will take you to meet Old Synan and White Cloud," Saoirse said, with a nod to Gunda. "Then you may lead us to the castle." She took her friend's arm and limped off. When she looked over her shoulder, the white horses were following behind.

#

Zev had no idea where his master was and he wouldn't worry himself with searching for him either. So now, not wanting to do anything but find the girl who had stolen his sword and not knowing where to find her, he had come to the kitchen, feeling hungry and irritable.

There he had met with an aide, and with an annoyed grunt, had scared the old man off to his room. When Zev had unlocked the door he walked into the room and at first didn't notice the Elani woman sat at the table. Then when he did, he stared at her in faint recognition.

The Elani woman got up from the table and stared back. It was Corrinus's healer, Helena.

"I know you don't talk," she said, "but I need to know... is my daughter Sorrel here?" She looked at him pleadingly. And then, when he ignored her and turned to leave, she rushed up and grabbed him by the shoulder, turning him, and asked him again, "Please! Is Sorrel here?"

Zev was about to throw her from him when he remembered something. Sorrel. He had heard that name before! He remembered the time when he had caught the Elani boy, well away from the Kingdom of Malinas, yes – the boy had shouted for a girl named Sorrel to run.

But she hadn't run. Zev frowned as he recalled how that pathetic-looking Elani girl with her bony wrists and small hands had almost killed him and taken his sword. He glared at Helena. This healer was the girl's mother?

He smiled and with a quick movement, he grabbed hold of her shoulders and threw her mightily across the room.

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Helena screamed and smashed into the table, breaking it as she fell. She tried to get up, but was so scared all she could do was try to struggle to get back out of the way as Zev approached her again.

He smirked as she covered her face and shut her eyes. He raised his massive hands to grab her again, when the light from the open doorway behind him was blocked and a shadow fell across the wall in front of him.

"Mum! Get away from her!" It was another Elani.

Leif, hearing his mother scream, had run ahead of his companions and arrived in time to see a huge Lamya man standing over her. Angry at seeing his mother hurt, he forgot all of his own warrior training and with a mad cry ran straight at Zev's back.

Zev turned powerfully and struck Leif a blow so hard he hurtled across to the other side of the room and crashed into the ovens. He fell awkwardly with the breath knocked from his body. He coughed and looked at his mother.

"Leif!" Helena cried. Zev turned back to her and she stared up at the huge guard again as Lachlan rushed into the kitchen.

"Help Leif!" Helena screamed at Lachlan, pointing wildly. "Get him up, get out of here!"

Lachlan ran over and helped Leif to his feet and he hooked his arm around his friend's shoulders. They both turned as Mariko entered the room and yelled at Zev to leave the healer alone and face her.

Zev turned at this challenge and looked at Mariko. Behind the Lamya guard, Helena crept round to Leif and Lachlan, and Leif reached for her hand to pull her close.

Mariko, still geared up for revenge, threw her dagger. Leif had not seen her miss a target before but she missed it this time. Zev moved fast for one his size and the dagger missed his heart and buried itself in his shoulder. With a wild roar, the man pulled out the blade and flung it to the floor.

Mariko stared. Leif saw his chance and with Lachlan's help hurried Helena from the room.

"Mariko!" Lachlan cried, from the doorway. "Get out! We'll shut him in there!"

Leif held out his hand to pull Mariko through the door so Lachlan could pull it shut. Mariko looked over her shoulder into his eyes and Leif's heart fluttered. In that one look he knew what she was going to do and he knew he couldn't stop her. Before he had chance to react, she turned and slammed the door shut in his face, locking it from the inside so she was trapped with her enemy.

Lachlan stared at the closed door in disbelief. "She's going to get herself killed," he said blankly.

Leif, with one arm around his mother's shoulders in support and his other still stretched towards the door, narrowed his eyes and said, "I dropped my staff in there. We'll have to use yours to break the door down and get her out."

Lachlan thumped on the stout wooden door and braced his hardwood staff against it. Leif joined him and took hold of the staff.

Then, on the count of three, they swung the staff and sent it pounding into the door. The door trembled slightly but didn't even splinter.

"Hurry!" Helena cried, as noise from inside the kitchen grew louder. "She'll never beat him!"

Leif and Lachlan swung the staff again. And again, and again. Battering it into the door as hard as they could. And again and the door creaked.

"It's working!" Leif cried, as suddenly all sounds of fighting coming from the kitchen stopped. He looked to Lachlan and saw in his face just how worried his friend was for the Lamya.

"Mariko!" Lachlan yelled through the door. "Mariko!"

One more powerful swing and the door crashed to the ground. As the debris settled, he peered hesitantly into the room.

The kitchen was in a right state, tables smashed, stools over turned, pots and pans everywhere. Zev was there, right in the middle of it all, fallen with so many wounds from Mariko's blade.

Leif went to the Lamya guard and checked his pulse. He looked up at his mother and shook his head.

"Where's Mariko?" Lachlan asked, looking around the room.

There was a groan and Lachlan rushed over to the farthest corner of the kitchen, throwing things out of his way and roughly pushing a smaller upturned table from on top of the Lamya. He knelt down by her side and lifted her head gently.

"Mariko? You're okay, we're going to get you out now."

Mariko opened her eyes and grinned weakly at Lachlan. "Don't be daft," she said. "I'm done for, me. Look..."

She opened her leather coat, revealing a sharp protruding piece of wood. She sighed and her gaze shifted to Leif as he came closer. "Didn't trust me, did ya?" she said, smiling. "Didn't trust I could get 'im! Well there 'e is look, deader n' me for the moment."

Leif rubbed his forehead. He should have stopped her, he should've... His mother crouched down and regarded Mariko's wound. "I could help..."

Mariko waved her away irritably. "Don't fuss over me, Elani, I wouldn't do it for you." She looked at Lachlan and saw he was struggling to hold back the tears. She laughed and said, "Go on! Cry for me, big brave Lachlan the bold! Make me glad, that would, knowing at least someone would be sorry to see me go."

Lachlan chuckled. "It'll be more than me sorry to see you go, Mariko. And I'm not going to cry, I don't want to give you the satisfaction, you'll never shut up about it!"

Mariko smiled and stared up at the ceiling. She was quiet for a little while and then she spoke again, "You know I was born here. I've done a full circle and come home again. Not many Lamya can say they were born and died in the same place." She gazed at Lachlan again. "Go on, get out of 'ere now. And you, Leif, go and find Sorrel. Leave a girl to die in peace."

Leif was unwilling to leave her and Lachlan stayed by her side for a long while. Mariko's face screwed up in pain and she reached a hand to Lachlan and grabbed hold of his arm. "Leave me!" she cried angrily. "Or kill me! Go find Sorrel!"

Leif watched in concern as Mariko shuddered terribly, blood bubbling on her lips. "Lachlan..." he said quietly, as his warrior friend held the Lamya's face in his hands.

Lachlan turned to look back at him, his eyes wide. Leif nodded towards the door. "Go," he commanded. Lachlan shook his head and turned back to Mariko who still grasped weakly onto his arm. "Go," Leif said again.

His mother passed him and took Lachlan gently by the shoulders. Guiding Lachlan towards the door she looked back and said quietly, "Do what you have to do, my son."

Leif nodded and as his mother and Lachlan left the room, he retrieved Mariko's dagger. She smiled when he came to her and nodded grimly. "Do it," she said.