But Kumuru spun desperately out of her reach and missed getting spitted by so narrow a margin that a strip red as blood was slashed from his cloak. Recovering quickly, he brought his own blade whistling down, and Sheila winced. Illyria was never going to be able to regain her balance in time!
She didn't even try. Instead, the Unicorn Queen rolled lithely to one side, then sprang to her feet like a cat.
And the duel went on. But now Sheila realized in dawning horror something she hadn't even considered: Now that he was so close to the Amulet of Power, Kumuru could draw upon the Dark Gods' strength once more. That meant Illyria couldn't possibly win this duel, not while the amulet kept Kumuru from tiring! For Illyria was getting very tired, indeed. She tried one last lunge, and slipped, going down on one knee. Laughing savagely, Kumuru raised his sword over his head, all set for the fatal blow.
"Stop!" Sheila screamed, holding the Amulet of Power over her head. "Or else I'll break this!"
"You'll die first!" His handsome face contorted with rage, Kumuru turned on Sheila, outthrust sword pointed straight at her heart!
"Oh, no, you don't," muttered Dian, and quickly stuck out a leg.
With a wordless cry of rage, Kumuru tripped over it and went sprawling.
But even as he fell, the flat of Kumuru's blade slapped stingingly against Sheila's hand. With a yelp of startled pain, she felt her fingers go numb—and the Amulet of Power go flying! Kumuru made one desperate leap to save it. But his grasping hand closed on empty air. Before Kumuru's horrified gaze, the Amulet of Power struck the rocky ground and shattered!
"No-o-o!" wailed Kumuru.
But it was too late. Up from the shards of the ruby-red stone came a strange shimmering of rosy light, mingling with a spiral of smoke. There was the faintest of musical sounds, almost like the singing of distant wind chimes.
Sheila and the others tensed in helpless alarm. What could be forming out of the shattered amulet but the Dark Gods themselves? Running or hiding couldn't possibly do any good against those! Sheila remembered the cold, dry touch on her mind, and the hideous murals in Kumuru's audience hall, and shuddered.
But the beings that were forming amid the shimmering weren't ugly or frightening at all! Confused, Sheila blinked in an effort to see them more clearly. But no matter how intently she stared, they remained vague and unclear, as though they weren't truly in that realm.
Amid the wavering haze and smoke, the Dark Gods looked something like living red flames—if flames could take on the form of extremely tall, extremely thin humanoid beings. Long crimson strands of hair or cloth whipped and swirled confusingly about them, further disguising their outlines.
I-I don't know what they really are, thought Sheila, but they—well, they just don't look evil!
The unicorns didn't seem to think so, either. Quiet Storm gave a soft, delighted little whinny, and the others echoed him. Then, to the warriors' utter astonishment, the unicorns all faced forward to frisk happily about the alien beings, cavorting like so many delighted little foals.
Illyria suddenly straightened, hand going to her head. "Oh . . .'' It was a gasp of pure amazement. "The beings are trying to communicate with me." She paused. "They say I am most closely attuned to their magic since I am the Unicorn Queen."
She fell silent for what seemed like a long, long time, while Sheila and everyone else waited in suspense. Then Illyria sighed softly.
"I'm going to let them speak through my mouth. It will be simpler and quicker than having me relate each word. Don't be alarmed; they will not harm me."
She paused again. And then a strange story issued from her lips, though it was never her own voice speaking it:
"We whom Kumuru called the Dark Gods are neither gods nor creatures of Darkness. We are ancient beings, yes, beings not of flesh and blood like yourselves, but of pure magic, chance survivors from the days when this world was born."
They stopped. Hesitantly Sheila asked, "But how did you get trapped in the amulet?"
"Purely through mischance, human child, and misplaced trust. Since we knew nothing of evil, we failed to see it in others. Kumuru s ancestors, knowing nothing of our true nature, saw only our Power. They ensnared us, bound us into that which they named the Amulet of Power, and then forced us to use that Power only for harm. Ahh, how that grieved us down through the long, slow years! Yet we could not escape until this day. Now you, human child, and your friends, have freed us at last!"
"Now what are you going to do?"
"Have no fear, human child. We are leaving this too-solid realm forever. We shall not return to endanger mortal lives again."
There was a moment of silence, and Sheila somehow sensed the beings eying Kumuru skeptically.
"And," Illyria's lips began to move again, "we intend to take this would-be sorcerer with us. Who knows? Someday he may actually learn wisdom from us!"
With that the alarmed Kumuru sprang to his feet, trying wildly to escape. But the shimmer effortlessly encircled him. As the warriors watched in astonishment, the strange beings, with Kumuru in their midst, grew more and more transparent, the reddish smoke swirling thinner and even thinner.
Then, just as they vanished from the world with a sudden sharp flash of ruby light, Sheila could have sworn she saw one of the beings smile gently at her (the one who was forced to invade her mind—she just knew it!) and raise a long, thin arm in salute.
And then the softest pink mist descended, and Sheila couldn't see anything at all…
"I don't believe it!" Myno gasped.
"We're home!" Pelu exclaimed. "Back in Campora, unicorns and all!"
"How did we get here?" Sheila cried.
But Illyria didn't say a word. She was too busy rushing into Laric's arms.
That night Prince Laric gave a great feast of celebration. The royal hall of Campora fairly rang with laughter and song. The prince and Illyria, he in robes of gold, she in gleaming silver, sat beneath the royal canopy and gazed deeply into each other's eyes. Sheila sighed happily at the romance of it all. She couldn't help wondering if anyone would ever look at her that way.
"Sheila?"
Sheila felt her face flush as Darian moved to her side, a crystal goblet in his hand. She couldn't believe how handsome he looked. The flickering candlelight made his brown hair gleam like bronze and turned his suntanned skin to gold.
"Yes, Darian?"
He glanced down at the goblet. "I know this is only fruit juice, but . . . Here's to the bravest young woman I know." Darian drank deeply, then flashed his crooked grin before adding, "And the prettiest, too."
Now Sheila's face was burning. Though she was never at a loss for words when it came to bantering with Darian, this was something different.
But before Sheila could reply, one of Laric's men came along and pulled Darian into the happy throng. Sheila sighed again.
If only this were her own world! If only she could stay here forever and be happy! But even now, even in the midst of this gala celebration, the word forever made Sheila wince. Wonderful though the magical land of the unicorns could be, she still missed her own home very much. And unless she could find a way to wrest the Tracker back from Mardock, she might never see that home again.
Sheila forced her thoughts back to the moment. She wasn't going to spoil this happy day by worrying. Or by being homesick, either!
Turning to Dian, who was standing nearby, she said, "You . . . uh . . . you saved my life back there. Twice! Swatting Mardock, I mean, and tripping Kumuru. I don't know how I can ever-"
“Don't bother thanking me," Dian interrupted brusquely.
"I'm a warrior. I wouldn't let anyone in the band come to harm—not even you!"
Sheila felt herself reacting almost automatically to Dian's haughty tone. But this time, instead of snapping back at the girl, she began to laugh. And after a startled moment Dian broke out laughing, too.
Hey, maybe we'll wind up friends after all! Sheila thought. Or . . . maybe not, she wavered as Dian struggled to s
tifle her merriment.
But there was one thing Sheila knew for sure: whatever else the unicorn riders might face in the days ahead, at least this adventure had come to a happy ending.
Table of Contents
1 Homesick
2 Night Terrors
3 Menace of the Stone Circle
4 Dian's Story
5 The Circle
6 Kumuru!
7 Desperate Plans
8 Perilous Journey
9 Erech-ban
10 Into the Palace
11 An Old Enemy Returns
12 Plots and Counterplots
13 Prisoners
14 Battle is Joined
15 The Final Battle
The Dark Gods Page 10