The Last Of The Sky Pirates Part 3

aHeas going to show us where we can bed down for the night,a Rook explained, aand keep watch while we sleep.a aIs he now?a said Stob. aAnd slit our throats while weare snoring, eh?a aStob,a said Magda, sounding angry and embarra.s.sed. aHeas wearing the tooth.a She turned to the night-waif. aGreetings, Partifule,a she said as she shook the creatureas damp, bony hand. aAnd apologies for our companionas rudeness.a aBetter safe than sorry,a Stob muttered.

aIndeed,a Partifule agreed. aAnd, of course, Stob, you must feel free to spend the night on watch with me,a he said. aIad welcome the companya Stob made no verbal reply, but from the amused expression that played around the nightwaifas face, Rook knew that he had thought something back.

aCome on, then,a said Partifule. aStick together. Itas just over here.a They picked their way through the crowds gathered round the stalls, and across the landing to its outer edge. There, Partifule showed them the long, covered stall, with hammocks strung from its beams. To the right were row upon row of pallets, each one padded with a thick mattress of straw.

aHammock shelter or sleeping pallet?a Magda asked Rook.

aOh, a sleeping pallet, definitely,a said Rook. He gazed up into the speckled inky blackness above him. aIave wanted to sleep out under the starry canopy of the sky for so longa"a aWell, nowas your chance,a Partifule broke in. aIn fact, you should all be settling down for the night. Itas almost midnight and youave got a long day ahead of you.a None of the three young librarian knights elect needed any persuasion. It had been a long, draining day. Before Partifule had even taken up his look-out position at the end of his pallet, Stob, Magda and Rook were settling down to sleep.

Rook was just dozing off when, above the coughs and snores of the sleepers all around him, he heard a voice.

aWa-ter,a it rasped. aWaooooh-ter.a Rook got up slowly and picked his way through the pallets to the very edge of the landing. There, in front of him, were two hanging-cages next to each other. His blood turned cold in his veins. The first contained a bleached skeleton, with one bony hand reaching out of the cage pleadingly and the skull resting against the bars, its jaws set in a permanent grimace. The second cage appeared to be empty.

aWa-ter.a There was the voice again, but weaker now. Rook cautiously approached the cages. The skeleton couldnat have spoken, which meant aHe peered up into the shadows within the second cage, and gasped. It wasnat empty after all.

aWa-ter,a the voice repeated.

Rook hurriedly unclipped the leather water-bottle from his belt and held it up a" but although he stretched as high as possible, he couldnat reach the cage. aHere,a he called. aHereas some water.a aWater?a said the voice.

aYes, here below you,a said Rook. For a moment nothing happened. Then a great ham of a hand shot out from the bottom of the cage and grabbed the water-bottle. aYouare welcome,a said Rook, as he watched the hand and the water-bottle disappear back inside the cage.

There came the sound of slurping and swallowing a" followed by a loud burp. The empty water-container dropped out of the cage and fell at Rookas feet. He bent down to retrieve it.

aForgive me,a came the voice from above his head, weak still, but less rasping. aBut my need was indeed great.a The hand descended for a second time. aAnd if you had a little something to eat, too aa Rook searched his pockets, and found the bundle Magda had given him. Head forgotten even to open it. He pa.s.sed the warm package up to the waiting hand. The sound of hungry chomping and chewing filled the air.

aMmm a mmmfff a Delicious a" though perhaps it could do with a little extra salt.a He peered down at Rook and winked. aYou saved my life, young fellow.a He nodded towards the skeleton in the next cage. aI did not wish to end up like my neighbour.a Rook noticed the harsh edge to the voice. This was someone who was used to giving orders. He peered more closely inside the shadowy cage. Behind the bars, bathed in dark shadows and flickering lamplight, was a hulking great figure, so immense that he was forced to crouch in the cage. Dressed in a frock coat, breeches and a tattered tricorn hat, he had dark curly hair, bushy eyebrows and a thick, black beard with what looked a" Rook realized with a gasp a" like ratbird skulls plaited into it. Bulging eyes glared out from the tangled birdas-nest of hair like two s...o...b..rd eggs.

Rook felt a surge of excitement. aAre a are you a sky pirate?a he asked hesitantly.

A throaty laugh went up. aAye, lad. Long ago. A sky pirate captain, no less.a He paused. aNot that that means anything these days a" not since the Edge was stricken with stone-sickness.a aA sky pirate captain,a Rook whispered in awe, and felt tingles of excitement running up and down his spine. What must it be like, he wondered, to have sailed in a sky pirate ship, with the sun in your face and the wind in your hair? He had often read, late into the night at the lecterns of the underground library, of the Great Voyages of Exploration into the darkest Deepwoods and the fearful dangers encountered there; of the series of n.o.ble Flights out into Open Sky itself a" and, of course, all about the fierce and terrible battles the sky pirates had fought with the wicked leaguesmen in their determination to keep the skies open for free trade.

Ships with names like Galerider, Stormchaser, Windcutter, Edgedancer and the Great Sky Whale, sailed by legendary sky pirate captains. Ice Fox, Wind Jackal, Cloud Wolf. And, perhaps the most famous of them all, the great Captain Twig himself.

Rook stared more closely at the caged captain. Could this be the fabled Twig? Had the popular young captain head read so much about become the huge hairy hulk before him?

aAre you Captaina"a he began.

aVulpoon,a the sky pirate captain answered, his voice low, hushed. aDeadbolt Vulpoon. But keep it to yourself.a Rook frowned. Vulpoon. There was something familiar about it.

A little smile played around the captainas eyes. aI see you recognize my name,a he said, unable to keep the pride from his voice. His voice dropped to a whisper. aThose flea-ridden featherb.a.l.l.s that captured me had no idea the size of the fish they had landed. If they had, I wouldnat be talking to you now.a The sky pirate captain laughed. aIf they knew it was Deadbolt Vulpoon in this stinking cage, theyad cart me off to the Wig-Wig Arena in the Eastern Roost faster than a three-master in a sky-storm.a He played with one of the skulls in his thick beard. aInstead, theyave left me to waste away like a common Mire raider.a aCan I help?a asked Rook.

aThank you, lad, for the thought,a said the pirate, abut unless you have the cage key of a shryke-sister, Iam done for like an oozefish on a mudflat.a He stroked his beard. aThere is one thing aa aName it,a said Rook.

aYou could stay and talk a while. Three days and three nights Iave been here, and youare the first who hasnat been too frightened of shrykes to approach the cage.a He paused. aYours will probably be the last kind voice Iall ever hear.a aOf course,a said Rook. aIt would be an honour.a He slipped back into the nearby shadows and crouched down. aSo, what was it like?a he asked. aSkysailing.a aSkysailing?a said Vulpoon, and sighed with deep longing. aOnly the most incredible experience in the world, lad,a he said. aNothing compares to the feel of soaring up into the air and speeding across the sky, with the full sails creaking, the hull-weights whistling and the flight-rock a" sensitive to every change in temperature a" now rising, now falling. Angle, speed and balance, thatas what it was all about.a He paused. aUntil the flight-rocks began to fall to the stone-sickness, that is.a Rook stared at the sky pirate captainas crestfallen face.

aA terrible time, it was,a he continued. aOf course, wead known what was happening to the new floating rock of Sanctaphrax for some time. The loss of buoyancy. The gradual disintegration a But we made no connection between the plight of the New Sanctaphrax rock and our own precious flight-rocks. That was soon to change. First off, news started coming in of large, heavy traders simply crashing out of the sky. The broad tug boats followed, with league ships and patrol boats soon also becoming useless. The leagues fell into decline and the skies above Undertown emptied. A terrible time it was, lad. Terrible.

aAt first, we sky pirates did very well out of the situation. Night after night, we would carry out raids on the Great Mire Road, knowing that none would be able to follow us. What was more, we became the main means of transportation for fleeing Undertownersa a" he rubbed his forefinger and thumb together a" afor a price.a He sighed noisily. aAnd then it happened.a Rook waited expectantly. Vulpoon scratched beneath his chin.

aWe thought we were clever,a he said. aWe thought that by keeping our distance from New Sanctaphrax we would avoid the sickness. But we were wrong. Whether it travelled in on the wind, or had simply been incubating inside the stone, weall never know a It was on the third day of the fourth quarter that the Cloudbreaker a" one of the oldest and finest double-masters ever to have been built; a real beauty a" just fell out of the sky like a speared ratbird and crash-landed in the Deepwoods below. Stone-sickness had finally caught up with us.

aSomething had to be done if we were not all to go the same way, one by one. We had to convene to make plans. I dispatched a flock of ratbirds bearing word that an a.s.sembly was to be held at Wilderness Lair at the next full moon.a He sighed. aAnd it was there, clinging to the underside of the jutting Edgelands rock like a collection of rock-limpets, that we decided to scuttle the entire fleet togethera"a aThe Armada of the Dead,a Rook gasped.

aYouave heard of it, then?a said Vulpoon.

aOf course,a said Rook. aEveryone has.a He didnat mention what head heard a" that it had become a renegade outpost attracting every dissident, runaway and more notorious denizen of the Mire.

Vulpoon was nodding sagely aWhat a night that was,a he murmured. aWe sailed together, that final time, across the sky from the misty Edgelands to the desolation of the Mire. And there, as one, we descended. All round us, a flock of white ravens flapped and screeched at the giants in their midst. We landed on the soft, sinking mud aa He looked up. aThat was nigh on thirty-five years since a" and weare still there.a Rook stared out across the mudflats of the Mire. aIt seems so very bleak,a he said.

aWe get by,a said Vulpoon. aA fleet of sky pirate ships was a pretty good basis for a settlement. And what we donat have, we go out and get.a A broad grin spread from ear to ear, revealing gums which bore more gaps than teeth. aThe occasional raid on the Great Mire Road. The odd skirmish with the shrykes aa He chuckled. aThere arenat many who havenat heard the name of Captain Deadbolt Vulpoa"a aThunderbolt!a Rook blurted out. aThunderbolt Vulpoon. That was the name I was trying to remember.a aHe was my father,a the sky pirate captain said quietly. aExecuted in cold blood by the shrykes a" those murderous, verminous, pestilential creatures. By Sky, how Iad like to wring every one of their scraggy necks.a aThe shrykes killed him,a Rook murmured.

aAye, lad, in that evil Wig-Wig Arena of theirs,a he said. aYet it was a n.o.ble death, an honourable death a" for he died that another might be saved.a aHe did?a Deadbolt Vulpoon nodded, and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. aYou may not have heard of him, but it was a certain Captain Twig they were actually after.a aOh, but I have heard of him,a said Rook. aThe young foundling, raised by Deepwoods woodtrolls, who was to become the most famous sky pirate captain of all time. Who has not heard of him?a aYes, well,a said Vulpoon, and puffed up his chest a" as far as the confines of the cage would allow. aPerhaps not the most famous.a He paused. aAnyway, Twigad been sentenced to death by the shrykes for some heinous crime, so he had. They were about to throw him to the bloodthirsty wig-wigs, when my father intervened a" and sacrificed himself instead.a aHe must have been very brave,a said Rook.

Deadbolt Vulpoon sniffed, and wiped the corner of his other eye. aOh, he was,a he said. aHe certainly was.a He paused. aIf only there had been something left of him to bury, something to remember him by. But a well, Iam sure I donat need to tell you about wig-wigs. By the time theyad finished, there wasnat a sc.r.a.p remaining.a Rook nodded sympathetically and left a respectful pause before asking what he really wanted to know. aAnd this Captain Twig?a he said. aWhat happened to him? Is he with you at the Armada of the Dead? Or aa aOr?a said Vulpoon.

aOr could those stories about him be true?a said Rook. aThat he alone refused to scuttle his ship. That he sailed off, back into the Deepwoods. That he lives there still, alone, unwashed and in total silence, wandering endlessly by day and sleeping in caterbird coc.o.o.ns by night.a aHe did sail off into the Deepwoods,a Vulpoon concurred gruffly. aAs for the rest, I donat know. Iave heard stories, of course. There have been sightings. Soundings, even a" for some have returned with tales of him singing to the moon.a He shrugged. aYou have to take most of what you hear with a pinch of salt.a He looked up. His eyes narrowed. aShrykes,a he whispered urgently. aYouad better make yourself scarce.a aShrykes!a Rook jumped. He turned and saw three of them, all bedecked in gaudy ornamentation, striding across the platform towards them. Rook shrank back into the shadows.

One of them cracked a flail ominously. Three pairs of yellow eyes seemed to cut through the darkness and bore into Rookas. He held his breath.

aNot long now, Mire sc.u.m!a the lead shryke taunted. aWhere are your friends now?a She threw back her head and gave a cruel, screeching laugh.

Then, as one, the three of them turned and clicked back across the landing.

aPhew,a Rook murmured. aI thought aa aYou were lucky just then,a said Deadbolt Vulpoon. aBut you must leave now. Thank you for the food and drink,a he whispered. aAnd for listening.a aIt was nothing,a Rook replied. aGood luck,a he murmured awkwardly.

Rook walked back to the sleeping pallets with a heavy heart, his parting words mocking him with their in adequacy. aGood lucka, indeed! What could he have been thinking? Magda rolled over and muttered something in her sleep, and next to her Stob snored noisily. Rook laid his head down on the soft mattress of straw and fell gratefully to sleep.

t first Rookas sleep was deep and dreamless. He was warm beneath the thick blankets and the straw was wonderfully soft. Later, however, a cold wind gathered. It plucked at his bedding and sent dark clouds scudding across the moon. The light seemed to be flashing a" on, off, on, off a" now bathing Rookas face in silver, now plunging it into darkness. His eyelids flickered.

He was on a sky ship; a huge vessel with two masts and a great bra.s.s harpoon at its prow. He was standing at the helm, with the wind in his hair and the sun in his eyes.

aMore lift, Master Midshipman,a came a voice. It was the captain, a foppish creature with jewelled clothes and a great waxed moustache, and a" Rook realized with a start a" he was giving orders to him.

aAye-aye, Captain,a he said, and, with nimble fingers playing over the rows of bone-handled levers, he raised the hanging weights and adjusted the sails with the expertise of someone who had the touch.

aThirty-five degrees to starboard!a the captain barked.

The sky ship soared and around him its crew cheered and called out to one another. Rook felt a surge of ex hilaration. The shouts and cries of the sky pirates rose, getting louder and louder anda"

aWake up!a came an insistent voice.

Rook stirred. The dream began to fade. No, he thought muzzily, he didnat want to be dragged away. He was enjoying it all too much a" the sensation of flight, his sudden expertise with the flight-levers a aWake up, all of you!a the voice insisted.

Rookas eyes snapped open. The sky ship disappeared a" yet the sound of its crew seemed louder than ever. He turned to Partifule, who was shaking the snoring Stob roughly by the shoulders. aWh-whatas happening?a he murmured.

aItas a raid,a the nightwaif whispered back. aA sky-pirate raid.a Rook was on his feet at once. aIt is?a he said. He peered into the darkness. Sure enough, figures with flaming torches were shinning up ropes attached to grappling-irons and swarming onto the landing near the cages. aBut this is fantastic!a Rook gasped. aTheyave come to rescue Deadbolt Vulpoon.a aFantastic for your friend Vulpoon if he does manage to escape,a Partifule said. aNot so great for the rest of us if the shrykes go into one of their rage-frenzies. Like creatures possessed, they are, screeching, screaming, spitting, slashing out at anything that moves a Rook!a he called out, as the youth hurried off. aCome back!a aI must help!a Rook called back.

aROOK!a Magda shouted, as he disappeared into the shadowy and chaotic scene unfolding over by the hanging-cages.

Stob sat bolt upright, and looked round, bleary-eyed, startled. aWhat? What?a he said.

aOh, nothing,a said Magda. aNothing at all. Except weare in the middle of a sky-pirate raid. And the shrykes are about to go crazy. Oh, and Rookas decided he wants a better view.a Stob jumped up from his pallet. aWhy didnat anyone wake me before?a he demanded.

Magda rolled her eyes impatiently.

aNever mind all that now,a said Partifule. aWe must get as far away from here as possible. All of us.a He stared back towards the cages, ears fluttering. aI a I can hear Rook,a he said.

aLetas just go on without him,a said Stob. aI canat think why an under-librarian was selected in the first place. Insolent, sloppy, disobedienta"a aStob, be quiet,a Magda snapped. aIall go and get him.a And before anyone could stop her, she dashed off.

Unaware of the discord he was generating amongst his fellow-travellers, Rook darted ahead from shadow to shadow. All round him, the roaring sky pirates were homing in on the cage where Deadbolt Vulpoon was imprisoned. One had already shinned up the fluted column and had used a long pikestaff to jam the chain and stop it from swinging. A second, at the very top, acted as look-out. Meanwhile, two more sky pirates a" one a brawny giant with thick, matted hair and an eye-patch; the other (on his shoulders) an angular individual with steel-framed, half-moon gla.s.ses a" were standing directly beneath the cage. All round them, a dozen or more pirates formed a protective circle, their weapons glinting in the intermittent moonlight like the horns of a phalanx of hammelhorns. The raid must have been well-planned.

Rook listened, spellbound, to the flood of muttered expletives as the bespectacled sky pirate picked at the lock of the cage door with the long, thin blade of his knife. All at once there was a click.

aAt last!a he exclaimed, but his triumph was drowned out by the wail of a loud klaxon splitting the air, and the look-outas bellowed warning.

aShrykes!a The effect that single word had on the scene was both immediate and absolute. Bystanders and spectators on the landing turned away from the spectacle of the sky-pirate breakout, some taking cover, others dashing this way, that way, desperate to escape, yet terrified of running slap-bang into the oncoming shrykes a" while those who had been trying to sleep through the raid, now picked up their bedding and fled for their lives.

Back on the road, the merchants and traders who had decided to journey through the night were suddenly thrown into turmoil. Those on foot scurried into the shadows and concealed themselves and their wares; those on wagons and carts shouted at their hammelhorns and prowlgrins, and the sound of cracking whips rose up above the klaxon wail and panicked screaming. There were crashes and collisions, cries of anger and groans of dismay as the carts keeled over and spilt their loads. And underneath it all, the rhythmic screeching of the shrykes advancing down the Great Mire Road towards the landing.

aFifty strides and counting!a the look-out cried, then added, aIam getting out of here.a Rook stood rooted to the spot. He watched, mouth open and eyes unblinking, as the cage door flew back and Deadbolt Vulpoon himself squeezed his body through the narrow opening and dropped heavily to the boards below. He was free, Rook realized, his heart fluttering. The old sky pirate was free!

All at once an anguished cry rang out. Louder than the klaxon, louder than the crowd, louder even than the shrieking shrykes. aSpatch!a roared the voice.

It was the huge sky pirate with the eye-patch. He crouched down beside the companion who, only a moment before, had been on his shoulders. Now he was dead. A single crossbow bolt had shattered one of the half-moons of his gla.s.ses and lodged itself behind his eye.

aOh, Spatch, my friend,a he wailed. aSpatch!a aCome, Logg.a It was the captain himself. He laid a hand on the sky pirateas shoulder. aThere is nothing more we can do for him. We must leave before the rest of us taste the shrykesa weapons.a aIam not leaving Spatch here,a came the belligerent reply as he hoisted the limp body up onto his ma.s.sive shoulders. aHe deserves a proper burial, so he does.a aAs you wish,a said Vulpoon. He raised his head and looked round at the expectant sky pirates, all waiting for his command. aWhat are you waiting for, you mangy mire-rats? Letas get out of here!a As one, the sky pirates turned on their heels a" only to find their escape route cut off. The shryke guards had surrounded the landing on all sides and were closing in. The sky pirates had no choice but to fight.

aForget what I said!a Vulpoon roared. aATTACK!a The air abruptly shook with an explosion of noise as the sky pirates and the shrykes fell on one another. The shrykes swung their bone-flails, and fought with beak and claw, crossbow and evil spiked scythes. The pirates battled back with cutla.s.s and pike and baked mire-mud slingshots that hissed like angry hover worms as they cut through the air.

The fight was short and vicious.

A crossbow bolt whistled past Rookas ear. He came to his senses, wild excitement turning to cold, stomach-churning fear. He flung himself behind an upturned cart, its cargo of heavy stone jars strewn around it.

In front of him two sky pirates a" one tall and thin, one short and portly a" stood back to back, battling with two shrykes. The piratesa swords glinted and clanged. The shrykesa claws flashed, their beaks gnashed. It looked as if the sky pirates were tiring when a" as if to some un spoken command a" both of them lunged forwards. Their attackers were skewered simultaneously. The sky pirates withdrew their swords and turned to face a fresh onslaught.

There were dead shrykes everywhere, but those who fell were instantly replaced by more of the frenzied bird-creatures, answering the klaxon-call and streaming down the Great Mire Road.

aTake the bal.u.s.trades!a Rook heard Vulpoon bellow, and looked round to see the sky pirate captain fighting off two shrykes at the same time. aAnd keep them,a he grunted as first one, then the other shryke fell lifeless to the ground. aWe all leave together,a Vulpoon cried. aWhen I give the word.a Just then Rook saw the flash of crimson and yellow feathers as a tall, muscular shryke guard emerged from the shadows behind Vulpoon. She was wearing a gleaming breast-plate and a plumed helmet. A spiked scythe was raised above her head.

aCaptain!a screamed Rook, leaping to his feet.

Just in time, the sky pirate captain dodged sharply to his left. The scythe struck the wooden boards and stuck fast. Vulpoon swung his heavy cutla.s.s. With an ear-piercing screech, the shryke hawked and spat. A glistening boll of saliva flew through the air and splattered into his face. Crying out in disgust, Vulpoon staggered backwards in the direction of the cart.

Rook gasped with surprise. This was no ordinary shryke guard, he realized. With her bright plumage and her stature, she must be one of the elite Shryke Sisterhood.

aDeadbolt Vulpoon!a the shryke-sister screeched, as she advanced towards him in a hissing whirr of bared talons. aThe great Deadbolt Vulpoon! Letas see how great you are now!a Vulpoon was dazed and half-blinded. The shryke-sister contemptuously knocked his sword away. Then, balancing on one clawed foot, she slashed at his arm with the other.

aIall rip out your heart!a she shrieked. aAnd devour it!a There was blood seeping through the sleeve of Vulpoonas jacket and dripping down the hand which clasped his sword. The sky pirate slumped to his knees in front of the upturned cart.

It was all but over.

Vulpoon had no sword. The shryke a" eyes blazing, unblinking a" approached with her razor-sharp talons outstretched.

aFool,a she shrieked. aDid you truly believe we were unaware of who you are? Did you? You, great captain, were the bait to lure them here.a She nodded back to the battle for the bal.u.s.trade continuing behind them. aWith you dead, theyall give up, and I will have rid the Edge of you and your sky pirate sc.u.m once and for all.a Vulpoon made no reply He was utterly defenceless. The shryke-sister seemed to enjoy toying with him.

aNo longer shall I be a mere shryke-sister,a she screamed. aI shall return to the Eastern Roost victorious and claim my reward.a She paused. aMother Hinnytalon of the Eastern Roost. It has a nice ring to it, donat you think,a she said, and shrieked with raucous laughter. aThere is only one thing standing between me and my goal,a she added. Her gaze hardened and fixed itself on Vulpoon. She raised her claws, ready to strike. aYou.a aWrong!a Rook cried out as he sprang to his feet, a heavy pot clutched tightly in his shaking hands raised high above his head.

Looking up at the cart, the shryke was stunned into inaction for a split second a" and that was all it took. With a grunt of effort, Rook brought the heavy pot crashing down onto the shrykeas head. It smashed into the helmet and shattered, sending pieces flying through the air, and the shryke staggering backwards.

Vulpoon made a lunge for his sword. In one graceful movement he straightened up and swung it round in a low, rising sweep, beheading the creature with a single blow. The plumed helmet clattered to the ground, while the head it had once protected bounced across the landing, beak agape and eyes bulging with surprise.

Vulpoon turned. His jaw dropped. aYou,a he said. aAgain.a Just then a second voice called out. aRook. Quickly!a It was Magda. aCome on,a she said through clenched teeth. aWe must leave now.a aThat is the second time you have saved me,a Vulpoon said. aWhat did you say your name was?

aRook Barkwater, if it pleases you,a said Rook.

aIt pleases me well, lad,a the sky pirate captain said. aRook Barkwater. I will never forget what you have done for me this night.a He nodded towards Magda. aBut your friend is right,a he said. aYou must leave now.a aCaptain,a roared a voice from behind him, and a swarthy individual grabbed at his arm. aThe bal.u.s.trade is clear. Come quickly before more shryke reinforcements arrive.a With the sky pirate pulling Vulpoon in one direction, and Magda dragging Rook away in the other, their gaze met for one last time.

aFare you well, Rook Barkwater,a the captain called out.

aGoodbye, Captain,a Rook called back.

He and Magda hurried back to the sleeping stall to find Stob and Partifule sitting up on the driving seat of a st.u.r.dy hammelhorn-drawn cart.

aWhere did you get that?a asked Magda.

aWe found it abandoned,a said Stob. aLying on its sidea"a aJust jump up,a Partifule shouted out urgently Magda and Rook leaped onto the back of the cart. Stob cracked the whip and the hammelhorn plodded off along the road as fast as it could, leaving the sky pirates and the shryke guards far behind them. The shuffling walkers on the road jostled and jumped out of their way, but the shrykes a" hurrying to the landing where the battle still seemed to rage a" paid them no heed.

As they rumbled on over the boards, the shouting grew distant and the klaxon-wail faded to nothing. Still they continued, driving on through darkness, mile after mile. Their pace slowed as they became snagged at the back of a convoy of heavy wagons. The darkest hour came and went. Soft strands of light threaded their way up from the horizon as the sun prepared to rise.

Rookas head spun. More had happened to him during that last day than would normally occur in an entire year. Yet they had made it. He turned to Magda and smiled. aDo you think the worst is behind us?a he asked.

Stob glanced round. aThat shows how much you know, under-librarian,a he snarled unkindly. He turned back and nodded up ahead. aLook.a Rook climbed to his feet to get a better view. Although the sky was, for the most part, still swathed in impenetrable darkness, directly in front of them was a curious golden half-light, like the glow from a giant tilder-oil lamp.

aWhat is it?a asked Rook.

aNeed you ask?a said Stob.

aWe are approaching the Twilight Woods,a said Partifule, his voice hushed and reverent. aWhich, my young friends,a he continued, ais the most treacherous and perilous place in all the Edge.a he waif pulled gently at the reins, and the great lumbering hammelhorn snorted and came to a halt. It shook its s.h.a.ggy head, with its immense curling horns, and waited patiently. Partifule got down from the wagon.

Rook sat up, suddenly wide awake, and looked around. The unfamiliar, eerie light bathed everything in a golden glow. A straggle of gnokgoblins pulling handcarts clattered past, their heads down, their faces grim.

aWhy have we stopped?a said Rook.

aSearch me,a said Stob beside him, stifling a yawn.

aI must leave you now,a said Partifule.

Magda gasped. The waif turned to her, took her hand and gazed deeply into her eyes, listening to her thoughts. aYou will reach Lake Landing,a he said. aOf that I am convinced. From the little time I have spent with you all, I have been impressed with your determination, your braverya a" he turned to Rook a" ayour compa.s.sion.a aAnd we with yours,a said Magda softly.