When Sorrel and her friends finally emerged from the castle they found a new day dawning. The sun was rising behind them and it sent vibrant yellows and oranges to cast yet a different light on the red sandstone paths and walls surrounding the fire pits. Sorrel closed her eyes and smiled, allowing herself to relax for the first time and welcoming the aches and pains in her body.

Before her stood her friends and family waiting to welcome her back as a warrior of the Elani. She sighed deeply and gazed at them all through tired eyes. Lachlan and the other warriors of Silence Gorge, Malin, Kirin and Maemi, stood tall and proud before her. Saoirse was there, smiling in the crowd and leaning heavily on Jia, someone who Gaeshi brightened at seeing.

Little Cloud's family were there, his mother Rebecca and his father White Cloud, his grandfather Old Synan too and he beamed with pride to see them together.

Sorrel laughed with joy and relief when she saw her Mum and Leif standing side by side and she rushed up to them. She felt like a child again as she threw her arms around them both in a mighty embrace. Her legs trembled and she clung on to her mother for dear life, hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Sorrel!" her mum sobbed, hugging her tight. She stood back and said sternly, "Don't ever worry me like that again! I thought you'd never come out of that evil place!"

Sorrel grinned. "Corrinus has gone. He no longer rules here." She squeezed her mum's hand and looked up as Gunda and her warriors came forward from the back of the group, still mounted on their white horses. Gunda dismounted and approached her and Sorrel realised with a sudden fluttering of her heart that the leader of the warriors was going to report to her!

"The towns have been subdued for now," Gunda said. "Sloane McKenzie and his men have dealt with those loyal to Corrinus and defeated them, any slaves have been freed. Your own warriors here can vouch for that."

Malin and Kirin nearby nodded and smiled to say it was so. They had been there and would one day tell the tale to their children.

Sorrel turned back to Gunda as the warrior continued her report. "Most Lamya are relieved Corrinus is gone and all have lived by the law that any person to defeat the leader may now rule in his stead. But the Lamya of Malinas have also been taught to be wary of Elani and could still be hostile." Gunda shook her head wearily. "The Lamya have been alone in the Kingdom of Malinas for hundreds of years. Unfortunately I do not think they will get used to the idea of Elani living amongst them very easily."

"They will accept it though?" she asked quietly.

Gunda smiled. "Yes. There is still work to do and we must tread carefully until animosities have been replaced with understanding. In the meantime, may I suggest there is a council established here made up of both Elani and Lamya? That way everyone has someone to come to for guidance and the Lamya won't feel like they are being pushed out."

Sorrel nodded. She turned to look at Cloud and suddenly realised the significance of what was happening. She gasped and said to him, "This means the Elani are free to settle here!" He grinned at her and nodded and she laughed aloud. She had set out to rescue her people, nothing more. Elani returning to the Kingdom of Malinas was like some distant dream.

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Gunda smiled and then she turned to the crowd and raised her arms in the air. "The Kingdom of Malinas is free!" she cried.

There was a resounding cheer and when the noise had died down, Sorrel spoke again. "What about the slavers? What about the castle?"

"The slavers are being marched far, far away by Sloane and his men," Leif said, "and when he returns I will keep my promise made to him. As for the castle, well, we will knock it down. It stands for nothing but evil and oppression. Then, using the finest Elani and Lamya craftsmen, we will work together to build a place where our council can reside, accessible to all." Leif stopped and smiled at her. "We want you to be part of the council, Sorrel."

She smiled back and almost laughed but she knew Leif meant what he said and she simply shook her head. "Become an Elani Elder? You know that's not for me, Leif! No, I have something else I would like to do..."

She turned to Gunda and bowed her head in respect. Then she looked into the warrior's eyes and said, "If I may, I would like to travel with your band to Moor and learn all I can of the warrior art."

Gunda smiled and nodded, saying softly, "If you will learn, Sorrel, then I will teach you."

"What about me?" Cloud asked in a quiet voice. "I don't want to leave you, Sorrel, but I don't want to leave my family now I have them again either."

Everyone was silent, waiting for an answer and then when it came it was most unexpected. Bartram, Running Bear's faithful raven, flew down from the sky and landed on Little Cloud's shoulder. He looked at the bird thoughtfully and then he nodded and said, "I understand."

He turned and joined hands with Sorrel. "I must go to aid Running Bear. I'll learn from him as you do from Gunda. Then I'll come back and take my place on the council as an Elder. I mean, if that's okay with you, Leif?"

Leif chuckled and put his hand to Cloud's shoulder. "I wouldn't even think of you not being there, Cloud! And you too, Gaeshi, would you honour us by being part of the new Kingdom of Malinas?"

"I am bound to my duty with Sorrel," Gaeshi said seriously, then he grinned at Cloud and added, "Besides, someone has to keep an eye on her while Cloud's away!"

Leif nodded. "Then it is done," he said. "We're to part again, Sorrel."

She sighed and reached forward to hold her mother's hand. "I'll come back," she said. "I always will. My family are here... and my friends."

She stopped and looked into the crowd of Elani faces, there were two Lamya there, both representatives of Sloane's, but she could not see another who she had wished to see again.

"Where's Mariko Kint?" she asked quietly, fearing the worst.

"She died," spoke up Lachlan from the crowd, his voice sounded gruff and emotional. "But it was an honourable death and not in vain."

Sorrel nodded, smiled and said softly, "Then I will stay until all our friends have been laid to rest."

"And then a feast, Sorrel," Cloud said. "To celebrate the joining of the Lamya and Elani and to honour our friends' lives."

She grinned and clutched Cloud's hand. "Yes," she said. "Yes, a feast. A really big one!"

And then as the people of the Kingdom of Malinas turned with smiles and joyous hearts to start their celebrations, Sorrel and Little Cloud stayed to watch after them.

"The Kingdom of Malinas is free," she said, gazing after her friends.

"Yes," Cloud said, turning to meet her gaze. "The time for the fighting to stop has come. Sorrel, when you leave us remember that. Don't forget who you are."

She gave him a puzzled look and then she grinned and said, "I am the One Star!" and then she cried louder so her voice echoed and bounced from the red stone walls, "The Kingdom of Malinas is free!"