A Fawcett Columbine Book

Published by Ballantine Books

Copyright 1989 by Parachute Press, Inc

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, a division Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

ISBN: 0-449-90359-1

Cover design by Dale Fiorillo

Illustration by Rowena Morrill

Manufactured in the United States of America

First Edition: April 1989

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

BOOK FIVE

The Dark Gods

JOSEPHA SHERMAN

FAWCETT COLUMBINE GIRLS ONLY

New York

1

Homesick

Sheila McCarthy stirred restlessly in the saddle of her unicorn, Morning Star. She impatiently brushed back a wild strand of auburn hair from her eyes, barely aware of the now-familiar weight of the sword pulling at her waist. Sometimes she wasn't sure if all this was nothing but a wild, wonderful dream. Surely a world full of unicorns, and magic, and swordplay had to be only a fantasy!

Or . . . maybe the other life was the dream, that life in which she was Sheila McCarthy, an ordinary fourteen-year-old schoolgirl, gossiping about rock stars and cute boys with her friend Cookie Rogers.

But that was stupid! First of all, if this place were nothing more than a weird dream, she wouldn't be so hot and dusty, now, would she? She wouldn't be so saddlesore, either!

Oh, well. Nobody had forced her to come along, after all. And it had sounded like such fun: a royal procession all through the land, celebrating the victory of Prince Laric over evil Emperor Ankzar of Queelotoo.

Sure. Lots of fun.

Royal processions through the countryside might look exciting, and they might be a great way for all the people who would never have the time or money to go to the capital, to actually see their leader. But all this slow, steady riding was harder on the seat than any wild cavalry charge!

It was also getting to be pretty boring. At first it had been kind of fun seeing new sights and new people. Even Morning Star had seemed to be enjoying herself, prancing about and showing off. Everybody along the way had seemed so happy to see them. Everywhere the procession rode, from gleaming, white-walled cities to little peasant villages with dirt roads and chickens scratching for bugs, people had cheered their handsome young prince.

Great. Sheila was glad they were happy. But it would be so-o-o nice to just sit still for a time and not have to keep moving!

At least this sweep down through the southern towns before returning to Campora was the last leg of the journey.

Sheila winced. She didn't want to think about Campora, not yet. The royal capital was a beautiful city, and she knew she would always be welcome there. But it just wasn't home. .

No! She wouldn't let herself get homesick again! But how could she help it? How could she forget Mardock, the dark sorcerer who hated her? During the struggle against Emperor Ankzar, Mardock had managed to steal Sheila's Tracker—the only device that could get her safely across the dimensions and back home again.

I'll get it back, she vowed to herself. Somehow. In the meantime, I-I'll just pretend home really is only a dream, and-Ridiculous. If that other world, the world of computers and TV and school, were just a dream, she wouldn't be carrying this backpack full of her camera and makeup and everything else. She wouldn't suddenly be remembering hamburgers, either, or . . . mm, ice cream, or—

Trumpets blared. Sheila jumped and heard Morning Star give a little grunt of protest.

"Sorry, girl." She reached down to pat the unicorn's glossy white neck, then glanced around. Even after all the hard traveling, this was still a pretty spectacular procession. Banners snapped and fluttered in the breeze, their colors bright—crimson and green and blazing purple— against the clear blue sky. All of them bore the royal emblem of a diving golden eagle, insignia of Laric, Prince of Campora and Perian.

Beneath those banners, leading the royal procession of his eagle-warriors and the fabled warriors of the Unicorn Queen, rode the prince himself. Laric was tall and dark-haired, regal in purple and gold, a golden cloak flung casually over his shoulders. If he was bored with all the traveling, he didn't show it. Instead, he looked fresh and clean, and so handsome that Sheila sighed every time she glanced his way.

Beside the prince, astride her mighty unicorn, Quiet Storm, rode Laric's love, Illyria, the Unicorn Queen. With her long silvery hair and silken robe gleaming in the sunlight, Illyria looked pretty regal, too. But Sheila knew the woman was bored—after all, Campora had been pretty peaceful these days. Maybe even a little too peaceful. Illyria and Laric were so very happy together, but even so, Sheila caught a glimpse of wild restlessness in the Unicorn Queen's eyes every now and then. It wasn't easy to get used to quiet times after all those adventures of the past year.

Suddenly Illyria reached out to Laric. They joined hands for a moment, smiling at each other, and all the warriors cheered. Sheila sighed again. It was so romantic! If only someone would look at her like that.

Of course, there was always Darian, Illyria's younger brother. Sheila glanced at him, and the boy gave her a grin and bowed jokingly in the saddle. He was good-looking, and she did like him a lot—whenever he wasn't trying to show off too much, that was.

She bet he would be a good athlete in school. On the track team, maybe, or playing football, or…

School. Sheila could just see herself at a football game, cheering Darian on as he made the winning touchdown. No, he would be the quarterback, of course, and— A quarterback wearing a sword? Sheila was jolted back to reality so sharply that she gasped. For a minute everything looked strange. .

Well, everything was foreign. Sure, Darian and Pelu, the gentle healer, were her friends. And then there was the elegant ex-princess, Nanine, and Myno, the gruff ex-slave. All of the warriors were her friends, even jealous Dian, who insisted on seeing her as a rival. But right now friendship wasn't enough. It wasn't that everything here was foreign: she was the foreigner. No matter how many friends she made, no matter how they tried to make her happy, she would always be a foreigner. This magical land—the land of the unicorns—could never, ever, truly be her home.

Suddenly Sheila was overwhelmed by such a strong wave of homesickness—she missed her family, her whole world, so much—that she just wanted to throw back her head and bawl like a baby. But warriors didn't cry, and— I'm not a warrior! I'm an ordinary teenager; and I just want to go home!

But . . . what if she did recover the missing Tracker from Mardock? If she went home, that would mean leaving Morning Star.

Sheila stroked the unicorn's warm, smooth neck again. Morning Star cocked an ear back, then stopped long enough to give Sheila's hand a quick, affectionate swipe with her tongue.

"Oh, Morning Star!" Sheila murmured. "How could I ever give you up?"

If she went home, she would be leaving everything and everyone—the other unicorns, the warriors, and of course, the magic. Here, she was really somebody. Well, maybe she wasn't as important as Illyria, but she was still somebody. Back home she would be just another kid. Could she ever really fit in to that humdrum life again?

Lost in those unhappy thoughts, Sheila didn't see the little green lizard that suddenly darted right under Morning Star's nose. The startled unicorn shied left—and Sheila kept going straight ahead!

"Ow!" She landed with a thud in the middle of the road, right on her aching rump, a cloud of dust billowing up about her.

A contemptuous laugh rang out. Brushing off the dust, Sheila turned to see Dian, her bright eyes flashing with mockery, looking down at her from her own unicorn, Swiftfoot, a handsome brown mare.

"Poor Sheila! What a fine clown you make! Come, my friend," she cried to Swiftfoot, "let's show this poor little girl what real riding looks like!"

Dian prodded the mare with her legs, and the unicorn obligingly followed her commands, leaping and rearing and whirling about like a dancer.

Sheila was torn between admiration and resentment. Dian might not be the nicest person around, but she sure could ride.

"Hey, watch it! Don't step on me!" Sheila yelped.

Dian merely laughed. With one last, graceful leap, she and Swiftfoot rejoined the rest of the procession, leaving Sheila in yet another cloud of dust. Coughing and red-faced with embarrassment, Sheila got to her feet, sure that everybody was laughing at her. Morning Star pushed her muzzle into the girl's hand, as if to apologize for dumping her.

"That's okay, Morning Star. It's my fault. I should have been watching where we were going instead of day-dreaming."

But as Sheila climbed wearily back into the saddle she decided firmly, That does it. I've had it with Dian. I've had it with everybody! As soon as I get that Tracker back, I am definitely going home!

2

Night Terrors

One summer, when Sheila was very young, her father took the family with him to the American Southwest. She hadn't thought about that trip in years. But now the dry land through which the procession rode brought memory back with a rush. The weather was just as hot. And it was just as dusty. All around her the flat plain and gently rolling hills beyond were covered with dry yellow grass, low, thorny shrubs, and several different types of cactus.

"Who would live here?" she asked Pelu, who was riding beside her. "And why?"

The delicate healer's fair skin and ash-blond hair were protected from the sun by the hood of her cloak. All Sheila could see of her face was the glint of her teeth as she smiled. "Lord Toron Medlian, a noble most loyal to our good Laric, lives here. And as to why, well, this place isn't always a wasteland. Sometimes it can be as beautiful as the hills near Campora."

"Are you joking?"

Pelu laughed. "No, Sheila. Believe it or not, once the yearly rains come, this barren land becomes a garden, abloom with everything from the most exotic flowers to the sensi-herb I use in my healing potions. Lord Toron makes a tidy living out of selling those plants." The healer straightened in the saddle, shading her eyes against the glare. "I believe we are going to be spending the night on Lord Toron's estate. Ah, yes. Here comes his escort now.

They were a colorful lot, some twenty men, all of them clad in bright, multicolored robes glittering with gems ("Just colored glass," whispered the amused Pelu to Sheila) and riding elegant little horses that snorted with surprise at the sight of the unicorns. The troop's leader, a slender, olive-skinned young man with slanted dark eyes, bowed low in the saddle before Laric.

"I am Terric lar-Toron, Your Majesty, eldest son of Lord Toron Medlian," the young man announced formally, though his eyes were alive with curiosity. "My father has sent me forth in his name. And in Lord Toron's name, I bid you welcome to his lands and his hospitality."

Laric nodded graciously. "Tell your lord it is a hospitality my party and I will be glad to accept. And yes, Terric lar-Toron," he added with a sudden grin, "it's true. These really are unicorns, and this lady really is Illyria, the Unicorn Queen."

Terric's eyes widened in wonder. I bet he thinks he's seeing a fairy tale come to life, thought Sheila.

But did something else besides wonder glimmer in those dark eyes? Was there also the dawning of hope? Or was it fear?

The estate of Toron Medlian consisted of several long, low, whitewashed buildings with slanting red-tile roofs, surrounded by a high whitewashed wall. The whole thing was almost blinding in the clear, hot sunlight, and Sheila was glad when the gatekeeper let them into a quiet courtyard shaded by what she guessed were grape arbors. Everybody dismounted, leaving the unicorns grazing happily on the lush green grass, and followed Laric toward the large, many-columned building that was clearly Toron Medlian's mansion.

A plump, olive-skinned man wearing a rich silk robe of red and gold met them at the door. Sheila glanced from the plump man to Terric. Seeing how much, despite the man’s fat, they resembled each other, right down to the same slanted dark eyes, she knew this must be Toron Medlian himself. And so he was.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Prince Laric. Oh, welcome, indeed." When he smiled at them in greeting, the resemblance was even stronger. For there, Sheila noticed, was that same mysterious hint of hope reflected in Lord Toron's eyes as had shone in his son's. Or was it just a trick of the light?

Yes, surely that's all it is, Sheila reassured herself, turning her attention to the unicorns. Refusing to be stabled like mere, ordinary horses, they had been left to enjoy themselves in the shade outside. Sheila grinned at the sight of an awestruck groom feeding Morning Star choice oats; the unicorn was daintily lipping up just the choicest grains from the man's hand.

"Please," said a little serving girl, "the others have gone inside. Will you follow me?"

"Oh, of course.

Sheila followed the girl into a large atrium, made cool by fruit trees and splashing fountains. She settled herself beside Pelu and Darian on a pile of soft cushions, sipping at a drink that tasted very much like sparkling orange juice.

Laric and Toron had their heads together in a corner and were talking softly and earnestly. Intriguing bits of their conversation floated back to her.

"What is it that troubles you?" Laric was asking.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," Toron insisted, smiling. "But Samarna's border's so near . . ." He dropped his voice even lower, and all Sheila could hear was: "Kumuru."

"Kumuru!" she whispered to Darian. "Isn't that the name of the king Dynasian was going to send the captured unicorns to? For—for sacrifice?"

Darian nodded. "Kumuru is the King of Samarna."

"Are we close to Samarna? I mean, I know it lies south of Campora, but-"

"The Samarnan border is only about a good day's riding south from here," Darian replied.

"Oh. No wonder Lord Toron is nervous!"

"Can you blame him? After all, Kumuru's the one who worships the Dark Gods!"

"Whatever they are," muttered Pelu. She snorted. "Nothing I ever want to meet, that's for certain!"

"But . . . you are a mage, Your Majesty?" Toron was asking.

Laric hesitated, then nodded. "I . . . have some powers, yes." He was speaking somewhat louder now, and Sheila could hear him clearly. "But I will not declare war on Samarna, or any other land, without good and just cause. Has Kumuru actually harmed you or any of your folk?"

"Well ... no."

"Has he or any of his troops ever crossed the border into your lands?"

“No.”

Laric sighed. "Then, my friend, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for you. Kumuru may make for an unpleasant neighbor. But unless he actually does anything to break our laws…”

Toron sighed, too. "I understand. He tends to make me nervous, that's all. Well, enough solemn words!" The plump lord straightened, clapping his hands together. "Come, on with the musicians! Tonight we host our prince! Let the feasting begin!"

Sheila sat on Morning Star easily, laughing as the unicorn galloped and danced beneath her. Overhead was a clear blue sky, bright as any gem. Ahead lay the fiat, grassy Steppes of Arren, and there was nothing in all the world to stop them in their joy.

Except…

Suddenly the clear sky was darkening, boiling up with black, eerie clouds. Lightning flashed-lightning red as flame!

Sheila looked frantically about for shelter. Any second now, the storm would break, and somehow Sheila knew that what was about to fall from those clouds wasn't going to be anything as innocent as rain.

She had to find shelter!

But all at once the earth rumbled and shook beneath them! Morning Star reared with a scream of terror as the ground tore open in a gaping hole. A swarm of strange, dark Things came pouring forth. Their talons and fangs were long and gleaming as knives, and their eyes— Oh, their eyes were fire!

"Run!" cried Sheila in horror. "Morning Star, run!"

But the unicorn was floundering, struggling to free her hoofs from the earth that was melting, soft as mud. The Things were gaining! Sheila could see the flames of their eyes burning brighter and brighter. Long, deadly fangs gleamed as they laughed and laughed, reaching out to tear her from Morning Star's back and- "No-o-o!" screamed Sheila. And she woke up.

"What-? Where-?"

Oh, of course. This was Lord Toron's estate, and she was in the little chamber she had been assigned after all the feasting and festivities were done.

Feasting, yes. That's what must have caused this bad dream—too much rich food. And too much talk about Kumuru's Dark Gods! Well, she wasn't going to let them bother her anymore. Determinedly, Sheila lay back again and shut her eyes. .

The dark Things were all around her, ringing her in, laughing cruelly as she twisted and turned, trying to find a way out of the circle. Slowly they started toward her, talons outstretched.

"No, oh, no! Go away!"

If only she had her sword! If only she had any weapon at all!

Suddenly she noticed her backpack on the ground before her Sheila snatched it up.

"N-now you'll see what I can do! Now you'll be sorry!"

But the dark Things only laughed.

"You are no sorceress! "they snarled. "You have no power, only silly little tricks! You are no one, nothing!"

And the circle continued to close. Sheila could feel their hot, foul breath now, and see the fire blazing in their eyes, so pitiless that-

Sheila woke up with a wild shout—a shout that was echoed by others! Sheila sprang to her feet, shaking, and threw on her clothes. Grabbing up her sword, she rushed out into the hall, terrified of what she might find.

But there was nothing fearsome waiting for her, only the other warriors.

"What are you-?”

"A dream, such a foul-"

"You too? I dreamed-"

"A terrible thing-"

Illyria held up a hand for silence. "Did we all have nightmares?"

"So it would seem," said Myno grimly. She gave an enormous yawn. "What d'you expect? Too much celebrating, that's all."

"No." Laric had silently joined them, his dark eyes fierce. "There is the taint of sorcery in the air here."

"Ah, not exactly, Your Majesty." Toron Medlian, busily tying a robe about his plump middle, shook his head. "Sorcery was worked, all right, I don't doubt it, but it wasn't on my lands." He sighed wearily. "This is Kumuru's doing, Your Majesty. We're just too close to Samarna's borders, you see. Whenever King Kumuru calls on his Dark Gods, the aura of his sorcery slips out and troubles people's sleep."

The Dark Gods . . . Sheila thought, remembering the cruel-eyed, evil Things in her dreams. Was it those evil creatures that Kumuru worshiped?

Just then a shrill scream rent the air! Not a scream, realized Sheila, a whinny. A unicorn's whinny! A second wild neigh rang out, and a third.

"Something's wrong!" Illyria said sharply. "Come on!" The unicorns were milling about in the darkness, pawing the ground, swinging their horned heads anxiously.

"Look at that!" cried Dian. "They're all staring in one direction."

"South," said Laric grimly. "South to Samarna—and Kumuru. There's more to this than dark dreams!"

Regally he called for his warriors, and they came running forward. Cam, their leader, was in the foreground. "Your Majesty?"

"Cam, I wish you and five volunteers—yes, you five, thank you—to take to the air and scout out the border region. Don't take any action. Just bring back what news you can of King Kumuru."

Cam saluted. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Laric raised his arms, chanting the eerie words of his Transformation Spell. Even though Sheila had heard it before, and seen it work, little shivers ran through her at the alien sounds. The men's shapes blurred and changed ...

Six great eagles soared up from where six men had stood a moment before. One of them— Cam, Sheila guessed—dipped a wing in salute to his prince. Then all six were winging their way through the darkness to the south.

As though relieved that action was being taken, the unicorns slowly quieted down. They relaxed their rigid stares and allowed themselves to be soothed by the warriors. Sheila hurried to Morning Star's side and stroked the silky white coat and long, dark mane. Morning Star nuzzled her affectionately.

"There now, girl," Sheila crooned. "There's nothing to be afraid of. No harm will come to you. Not while I'm here."

"As if you'd be able to help her," mocked Dian. "Why, you can't even stay on her back!"

Before Sheila could think of a clever comeback, Darian had moved to her side. "Hey, that's not fair, Dian. We've all taken falls."

"Oh, but Darian, I didn't mean anything by it."

"I saw you laughing at Sheila on the road, and showing off, too. That wasn't fair, either."

Sheila could see Dian's face redden even in the darkness. "It's okay, Darian," Sheila murmured, embarrassed. "You don't have to-"

Dian drowned her out. "What are you trying to say? That I'm a-a bully?"

"No, of course not. Look, Dian, I only meant-"

"I wasn't going to hurt Sheila. But she had it coming! Always acting so-so nice. I'm a warrior, too, and a good one! I earned my place in Illyria's band, and it wasn't easy, either. Then along comes this-this silly little girl who doesn't know anything! But suddenly she has a sword, and a unicorn, and magic, and everybody thinks she's so special. All at once, I-I'm n-nothing!"

"That's nonsense," Sheila cut in angrily, and Dian glared at her.

"You keep out of this! It's all your fault, anyhow. Everything was fine before you came. Darian and I-"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Darian protested in bewilderment. "There never was anything-"

"No, of course not! How could there be? You like Sheila better, just like everyone else! Fine! Well, you can have her!" Dian's voice quivered. "You can do anything you want. I don't care!" And with a wild sob she turned and rushed off into the night.

3

Menace of the Stone Circle

Poor Dian. Sheila paused on her way out of the mansion the next morning. It wasn't her fault that Darian wasn't in love with Dian. She'd never say a word against the girl. But still ..

“Shiela!”

Sheila jumped. "Myno? What is it? What's wrong?"

The burly woman stood with hands on hips, fuming. "Have you seen Dian?"

Uh-oh. Now what? "No, not since last night. Why?"

"Because she's gone, that's why! She, her weapons, and her unicorn have just up and disappeared."

"Didn't she tell anyone where she was going?"

"Oh, sure. She left a note saying she was off to visit her relatives. Relatives! She doesn't have any kin living this far south! Now we'll have to send someone out looking for her. Are you sure you don't know which way she went?"

Feeling a little guilty, Sheila decided she had better tell Myno about her quarrel with Dian. But before she could so much as open her mouth, the shrill, fierce cry of an eagle made her glance sharply up. "Look!" she said. "The eagle-warriors are returning!"

Laric was already waiting for them. Even as the big birds swooped down for a landing, he began to murmur the first words of the Transformation Spell. The eagle forms blurred and changed. Then Cam and the others, men once more, were bowing before him.

"Well?" the young prince asked. "What have you seen?"

Cam hesitated. "Some strange things, Your Majesty. And I don't think you're going to like them."

"Go on, Cam. Speak."

The warrior took a deep breath. "South of here we came across what looks like an ancient ruin, one of those stone circles from the long-ago days." He gave Lord Toron a questioning look.

Toron nodded. "It was here long before any of my ancestors came to this land. Stories say it's a place of old, old magic."

"And power," Laric agreed softly. "Such sites often are, since they were built by magic. Continue, Cam."

"Ah, yes. Well. Those stories must be true, because someone was using that circle." Cam gave an apologetic shrug. "You'd know more about such things than I, Your Majesty. But it seemed to me that whoever was down there was performing what looked very much like a ritual of dark sorcery.”

"How could you tell?" asked Lord Toron. "It was night, after all, and dark."

"Eagles have awfully good eyesight, my lord. Even at night. Besides, there was a weird sort of red fire burning, lighting up everything. We saw maybe ten or twenty men, all in dark, hooded cloaks. The man who was leading the ritual was wearing one of those hooded cloaks, too. But just for a minute, just as he looked up, a breeze caught the hood and pulled it back. Before he could catch it, I saw his face most clearly." Cam hesitated, uneasy. "Your Majesty, no doubt about it: the man was King Kumuru of Samarna."

"Kumuru!"

"That's right. He and some of his followers must have stolen across the border to . . . well, to do whatever it was they were doing in that circle."

"Summoning up the Old Magic," said Laric grimly. "That's surely what they were doing. Using the Old Magic to amplify whatever sorcery Kumuru's Dark Gods lend him. Come, give me some details! Tell me exactly what you saw.”

Cam sighed. "I'm afraid I can't tell you too much more. You see, I think Kumuru knew we were up there."

Laric tensed. "How-"

"Oh, no, no, I didn't mean that he knew we were really men, rather than honest-to-true egg-hatched eagles. But he must have sensed something strange in the sky."

"How can you be sure of that?"

"Well, I can't, I suppose. Not without him telling me so himself. But he didn't have to say anything, because as we circled, all at once fog formed out of nowhere—choking, thick, disgusting fog. It overwhelmed us. I mean, we couldn't even tell up from down! But we didn't dare try to land because, for all we knew, we might be landing right in a trap." Cam shuddered, remembering. "In fact, the only thing we could do was what we did: fly blindly all night, and pray the fog would let up before we collapsed." The man sighed, rubbing his tired arms. "There were times when I feared we would never make it back. But with the first rays of sunlight, the fog just . . . fell apart and vanished. I never saw anything like that fog, never. It was so thick and dank . . . Ugh. It felt dirty, if you know what I mean.

"I do, indeed," Laric muttered.

"And the way it came up, so suddenly . . ." Cam looked at his prince with puzzled eyes. "It can't have been natural."

"It wasn't. Curse Kumuru!" Laric paced restlessly back and forth, his eyes the wild, savage eyes of an eagle. "I will not let Kumuru or his foul magic invade this land! He must be stopped!"

"By us, you mean?" Illyria asked softly. "You mean to go after him here and now?"

"Exactly." Laric gave the Unicorn Queen a fierce smile. "Kumuru must learn not to toy with us. He must learn not to trespass. I intend for us to ride to that circle and teach him those lessons this very day!"

But Illyria shook her head. "I don't know. . . . Something just doesn't feel right about this."

"What do you mean, love?"

"It all seems too easy. Too convenient. A breeze just happens to catch Kumuru's hood. He just happens to let his face be seen, when he could have safely screened the circle from spies with that sorcerous fog right from the start."

Laric raised a questioning eyebrow. "Go on."

"Maybe he wanted to be seen. Maybe this apparent threat of his is nothing more than a trick?"

"Why would he bother?"

"Oh, Laric!" Illyria impatiently tossed back her mane of silvery hair. "We both know Kumuru is an ambitious man. An ambitious king! He was eager enough to make that pact with Dynasian. Well, now he doesn't have to. Thanks to us, Dynasian is. . . out of the way. And, thanks to us, there won't be any interference from Ankzar, either. What better time than this for Kumuru to feed his ambition by conquering new lands?"

"Granted."

"How can you be so calm about it? Laric, what if Kumuru is after your very throne?"

''Oh, I don't doubt that he is! I'm sure the man would simply love to extend his power and take over Campora. All the more reason for us to ride to that circle and stop him before-"

"But what if I'm right? What if the whole thing really is only a trick?"

"All right, Illyria. Go on. What if it is?"

"What easier way to rob a prince of his throne than to lure him away from it with a false threat of danger? All the usurper would have to do then is see that the prince met with a fatal 'accident,' come in with troops while the capital is leaderless and in a state of confusion, and simply take over!"

Sheila could tell from Laric's suddenly uneasy expression that he was seriously listening to Illyria's words. But then the young prince shook his head in denial, saying stubbornly, "No. That hardly sounds credible."

"Well, yes, perhaps not. But what if I'm right? Laric, for the sake of Campora, you can't afford to take the risk."

He turned sharply away. "And what would you have me do? Up and run home like a frightened child, and leave you to face who knows what peril?"

Illyria's eyes flashed. She stalked forward to face the man again. "And what do you think I am? A helpless little girl-child in need of protecting?"

Laric grinned. "Hardly."

Sheila saw the corners of Illyria's mouth begin to twitch up into a smile, but then the Unicorn Queen resolutely forced her face back into a scowl. "What, then?" she challenged sharply. "A soft, pretty fool, waiting meekly for some big strong hero to come and save me from the ogre?"

Laric's grin widened. "Oh, never that! You'd probably be the one to rescue the hero! Come now, my dearest warrior. Forgive me. You know I didn't mean to belittle you, or your skills. It's only .. . I do worry about you.”

At last Illyria's fierce scowl faded into gentleness. "And I, you. Oh, but my dear, you must forget us for now.”

"I know. I am the prince of Campora. And a prince's first duty must ever be toward his people." Laric threw up his hands in disgust. "I do believe I had more freedom when I was an eagle! But, since I am a prince, I will fly meekly home again, muster my troops, and guard the throne against all comers."

Illyria sighed, relieved. "And I and my warriors shall investigate this mysterious stone circle for you. Should Kumuru be foolish enough to linger . . ." Proudly, she looked around at the other women warriors, then suddenly drew her sword in a flash of steel. With a joyous shout, the unicorn warriors all drew their weapons. The sun glittered off the ring of blades, and Illyria laughed anew. "If Kumuru is foolish enough to linger, I promise you, Prince Laric of Campora, he will regret it!"

4

Dian's Story

The unicorn warriors were ready and riding southward at a steady pace before the sun had risen too much higher in the sky. Though nobody said very much, Sheila could feel the excitement building in all of them. It was always this way just before a new adventure began: thrilling and scary at the same time.

But she found herself wondering . . . What if Kumuru and his men really were expecting them? What if Kumuru had some powerful, horrible spell all ready to cast? What if he had managed to summon his Dark Gods, and it was they who were awaiting the warriors? What if-No! Sheila told herself fiercely. I won't start scaring myself like this!

Instead, she thought about the sweet, sad parting that had taken place between Laric and Illyria. Oh, how romantic it had been! The young prince had swept his lady into his arms, kissed her so tenderly, and then, with one last, longing look back, Laric had transformed himself and his men into eagles. With a thunder of wings, they had flown off toward Campora, prepared to bravely hold the throne against all foes.

Sheila sighed. It was like something out of one of those fantasy books she had liked to read, back home in her own world. But this was real life, not fantasy, she reminded herself. And real life didn't always have neat and happy endings. Oh, no, she wasn't going to start worrying about those Dark Gods again!

Something else was bothering her, though, and at last Sheila reined in Morning Star a little so she could ask:

"Myno?"

“Mm.”

"Uh . . . what about Dian? Are we just going to ride off and forget all about her?"

The ex-slave gave her a troubled look. "Would you have us forget all about Kumuru, instead?"

"No, of course not. But-"

"Look, I don't know why she was silly enough to run away like this. You youngsters can do some pretty foolish things sometimes." Myno shrugged. "There's no help for it, girl. She'll just have to catch up with us on her own."

"Well, yes, but-"

"Sheila, Dian is a warrior. Don't you worry about her. She can take care of herself."

"I . . . guess so.”

But Sheila wasn't so sure.

Almost as if he had read her mind, Darian suddenly rode up beside her.      "You're worrying about Dian, aren't you?" he asked softly.

Sheila nodded. "I wish she hadn't run off like that."

Darian sighed. "Me, too. I wish we could have had a chance to talk to her. Really talk, I mean, not argue. But then, I wish you and I had more time to talk," he said, keeping his dark eyes focused on the path ahead. "It seems we've hardly had a moment together since we returned from Queelotoo."

Sheila suddenly remembered the way Darian had kissed her the last time they had been alone together. "I'd like that, too," she said, and felt her face flush. "But I guess this isn't the right time, either. We've got to find the stone circle before it's too late."

Darian reached over to squeeze her hand, and Sheila gave him a warm smile. But then a sudden flicker of motion up ahead caught her eye.

Drawing herself as tall in the stirrupless saddle as possible, Sheila said, "Wait a minute, Darian. Look, up that way. . . . There's someone ahead of us on the road. Someone on foot, walking toward us."

Darian shaded his eyes with a hand. "You're right. Probably some goatherd."

"No . . . there's something familiar about . . . Dian! Darian, that's Dian! And I think she's hurt!"

The other warriors had seen her, too. They flung themselves from their unicorns and raced forward, just as Dian staggered and crumpled to the ground. By the time Sheila reached her side, Pelu was gently raising the girl's head.

"Here, Dian," the healer murmured. "Drink this potion. It will revive you.”

Sheila bit her lip. What had happened to Dian? Her clothing was dirt-stained and disheveled, and the usually neat dark hair hung about her pale face in a wild tangle.

And what about Dian's unicorn? wondered Sheila, her heart racing. Swiftfoot would never willingly abandon her rider. Where was she?

Dian's eyes fluttered open. For a moment they were glazed and blind with terror, but then they focused. Seeing the worried faces before her, she gave a shaky sigh of relief.

"Pelu. Sheila. Illyria."

''Yes, Dian.''

Illyria's voice was so cool that Sheila looked at her in surprise.

"We're all here," the Unicorn Queen continued. "Come, now. Try to sit up."

Dian took one last sip of Pelu's potion, then obeyed.

"I-I think I can stand now. I'm not hurt, really. I just I've been running all night and I-I just couldn't go any farther."

"I see." There wasn't much sympathy in Illyria's eyes. "Can you talk now?"

Swallowing convulsively, Dian nodded.

"Fine," said the Unicorn Queen emotionlessly. "You are one of my warriors, Dian. I don't take kindly to desertion."

"It wasn't . . . I didn't

"No? Then tell me what it was—what you did do."

"Illyria," Pelu began, but the Unicorn Queen shook her head.

"If she is to remain one of us, Pelu, she must act like one of us. Come, Dian. Speak."

Dian sighed. "I didn't mean to desert, truly. I didn't mean to run off like that at all. What happened was… Well, I had a fight with someone last night. Someone I thought cared about— Never mind." She shot Sheila a quick, spiteful glance, but added, "I would rather not say with whom I had the fight."

Illyria waved that off impatiently. "I believe I can guess. But forget that for now. Continue your story."

"Oh. Yes. Anyhow, the fight made me so angry, I guess I just stopped thinking. I just wanted to get away from there, so I…”

"Rushed heedlessly off?" Pelu prompted gently.

Dian nodded. "Oh, I left a note. I didn't want you to worry about me. Then . . I didn't bother with a saddle. I just jumped onto Swiftfoot's back and rode. I didn't know where I was going. And I really didn't care. We rode on and on, I'm not sure how far. Pretty soon Swiftfoot started insisting she wanted to go back. And I . . . Well, by that point, I had forgotten all about being angry. I just wanted to get back to the estate, too. But I couldn't find it!"

"Why didn't you simply let Swiftfoot find the way?" asked Illyria.

"I tried that. But she didn't know which way to turn, either."

"Come, now, I can't believe-"

"It's true! You see, even though the night had been clear up to that point, all of a sudden, there was a weird fog all around us, a thick, dank, evil-smelling fog."

"So," murmured Illyria, and Sheila shuddered, recalling Cam's account of that vile fog. "Continue."

Dian bowed her head submissively. "Ahead of me I could hear voices. I wanted to call for help, but . . . something made me hesitate. Instead, I rode cautiously forward through the fog. And suddenly I realized the truth: those voices belonged to King Kumuru and his followers!" Dian broke off with a sob, staring fearfully at the Unicorn Queen.

Fearfully? thought Sheila. That's funny. She looks scared, all right. But her eyes are so—so blank! Nobody else seemed to notice, though, so Sheila didn't say anything. Dian continued, trembling, "Oh, Illyria, I overheard all their plans! Kumuru has worked some sort of mighty sorcery. He's opened a magic portal in the stone circle, a sorcerous doorway."

Sheila tensed, thinking of Dr. Reit and the "magic portal" that had first brought her to this world. "A doorway? To where?"

Dian shook her head. "It's not a doorway for people. It-he-Kumuru means to drain magic through it into Samarna! He means to pull the very life-force out of Campora!"

The warriors gasped. "Can he really do that?" asked Sheila.

"I don't know," Illyria said grimly. "With the power of his Dark Gods behind him, who knows what Kumuru can do!"

Now that no one was speaking to her, Dian had settled into silence. And her eyes remained disturbingly blank.

Shock, realized Sheila suddenly. Of course, that's what's wrong. Dian is still in shock.

"Dian,'' said Illyria. "Finish your story."

"Oh. If I must."

"You must. Come, the sooner told, the sooner finished."

"Well, I don't know what warned him. But all at once there was a flash of light, bright as red lightning. I cried out and covered my eyes. When my vision had cleared, I wasn’t alone. An eerie figure all in red was blocking my path."

"Kumuru!" breathed Pelu.

Dian shuddered. "It was Kumuru. He shouted out some terrible Word of Power. Swiftfoot reared in fright. And I," the girl continued sheepishly, "fell off. Just like Sheila."

Sheila bit back a grin. "What happened to Swiftfoot?"

"I d-don't know. She ran off into the fog, and I couldn't find her again! I was hoping she was with you . . . ?"

Pelu shook her head. "Sorry."

"Oh. Well, I . . ." Dian swallowed dryly, then started again. "Kumuru gestured, and his warriors appeared. I drew my sword, but there were just too many for me to fight. So I-I turned and ran."

She broke off, red-faced, looking at the others defiantly.

"That's all right," muttered Myno in gruff support. "Knowing when to run is part of being a smart warrior—and a live one!"

"I see. Well, I ran. And I've been running ever since. Dian grabbed Illyria's hand, pleading, "But forget about me. You've got to stop Kumuru, you've just got to!"

"We will," the Unicorn Queen assured her flatly.

"Yes, but how?" asked Nanine, her dark face fierce with worry. "We won't be able to get near the circle, not on our unicorns. You know they won't go near any place where sorcery has been worked. And that certainly includes any 'magical portal' to Samarna!"

"It doesn't matter," said Dian softly. "You see, all the portal wants is Illyria."

"What!"

"No, no, what I mean is, only Illyria can close it." She turned back to the Unicorn Queen. "I heard Kumuru himself say it. You see, Illyria, you represent the unicorns' goodness, the very opposite of the Dark God's evil. So all you have to do is boldly thrust your sword through the portal, and the evil spell will be broken. The portal will close forever. Oh, you've got to do it, you must!"

The warriors hesitated.

"It . . . might work," said Pelu doubtfully.

"Sure," added Darian. "Everyone knows the power of cold steel against sorcery!"

"And the sword of the Unicorn Queen should have even greater power," murmured Nanine.

"Well, yes, I guess it would," Sheila agreed reluctantly, "but the whole thing sounds so dangerous!"

Nanine smiled faintly. "Child, you should be used to danger by now."

"Yes, but-"

"Hush, now. It is Illyria's decision, not ours."

They all turned to look at the Unicorn Queen. She was silent for a long, tense moment, stroking Quiet Storm's neck again and again. . .

All at once, Illyria nodded. "So be it. Sometimes the simplest methods are the best to combat sorcery.

"Oh, but Illyria," Sheila began, but the Unicorn Queen waved her to silence.

"I have decided, Sheila. One way or another the portal must be closed. And Dian's idea may just be the best way to do it."

The unicorn riders all agreed.

All but Sheila.

There was something strange here, she knew it. If only she could figure out what that "something" was! And if only Dian's eyes weren't so blank. . .

No. Forget that. It was only shock. Of course. Wasn't it?

5

The Circle

As the unicorn warriors rode on southward toward the stone circle and whatever dark sorcery might be awaiting them, the land slowly grew more and more barren, till the unicorns were picking their careful way through fields of broken rock and dry, cracked earth. Morning Star began to prance uneasily. Sheila reached down a hand to soothe her.

"It's okay, girl. There's nothing here to be scared about."

That's easy to say, Sheila thought, but who's going to soothe me?

Sheila knew Morning Star wasn't really worried about the broken lands beneath them. No, the unicorn was picking up her own nervousness. And no wonder:

Something was wrong with Dian's story. Something, for that matter, was wrong with Dian. She was sure of it.

Well, almost sure.

Of course, the trouble could be only in her imagination. But that was hardly likely. After all, Cam and the other eagle-warriors had mentioned the stone circle—and Kumuru! They had mentioned that weird fog, too.

Sheila winced. The problem could be simply that she—well, she didn't like Dian very much. Maybe she wanted something to be wrong with the girl.

No! Sheila refused to believe that!

Besides . . . no matter what everyone else wanted to think, this just wasn't quite the old Dian. For one thing, she didn't seem at all concerned about her missing unicorn. For another, she hadn't once tried to make any sort of snide remark to Sheila!

Yes, but that was ridiculous. What could she say? "This isn't the real Dian, because she hasn't been nasty to me?" Wouldn't that make Sheila look silly!

Nobody else seemed to notice her uneasiness. Sheila glanced at Dian, who was riding double behind Pelu, staring straight ahead, and frowned, puzzled.

"Myno," she murmured, "do you notice anything odd?"

“Heh?”

"About Dian, I mean?"

"Strange? What could be strange?"

"She hasn't said a word since she told Illyria about the portal. She just sits there behind Pelu and doesn't look at anybody."

Myno shrugged. "Dian did a stupid thing last night, running off like that. She's probably still embarrassed about it, that's all. Hey!" That last word was said to her unicorn, who had taken advantage of Myno's distraction to snatch up a leafy branch. "Silly thing. You'll get prickles in your mouth. And now you've got the branch caught in the saddle!"

As Myno dismounted to disentangle the branch, she gave Sheila a wave of dismissal. "Forget about it, girl. She'll get over it."

One after the other Sheila approached her companions. And one after the other they dismissed her worries. At last she pulled up alongside Darian.

"Do you think there's anything wrong with Dian?" she asked.

"Wrong? Like what?"

"I'm not sure. But if I didn't know better, I'd say she was possessed."

Darian looked at her blankly for a moment. Then he frowned. "There's nothing wrong with Dian," he said simply.

"Then why do I feel like we're riding into danger?"

"Well, we are!"

"Oh, Darian!" Sheila sighed and rode on.

At last the unicorn riders stopped on the crest of a dry, sandy hill. Shading her eyes against the late afternoon sun, Pelu said, "There it is."

Sheila stared in the same direction. "There what is?”

"The stone circle, of course! Don't you see it?”

At the back of her mind Sheila had been expecting the stone circle to look something like the pictures she had seen of Stonehenge. That legendary place had looked awesome and mysterious enough to send a prickle up her spine. But at the same time it had been surprisingly neat and tidy; the people who had built it long ago had clearly had a strong sense of order. Those upright stones with their spanning lintels had even seemed somehow strangely modern.

"You mean, that's it?"

There was nothing neat or modern or even remotely attractive about this stone circle. Maybe the site had been as tall and imposing as Stonehenge once upon a time, but long centuries of wind and scouring sand had worn the stones down to mere gray nubs, barely visible at this range.

Pelu glanced at Sheila in amusement. "What were you expecting? A royal palace?"

"No, of course not. But you'd think Kumuru would have picked a grander site."

"I doubt he was interested in pretty surroundings," Nanine cut in dryly. "Only in the Old Magic, which that ancient place no doubt still holds in plenty."

"Sure." But Sheila just couldn't get excited. "Well, at least the stones do form a circle. Maybe they look more impressive up close," she said doubtfully. "Maybe-"

A sudden shift in the wind carried off the rest of Sheila's words. As a strong gust blew in from the direction of the circle, Morning Star curveted restlessly and Sheila had to struggle to keep her balance. The unicorn was saying as plainly as any words, I don't like this place! I want to get out of here! Sheila knew just how she felt.

"Hey, take it easy, girl!"

But Morning Star refused to calm down. Helplessly, feeling renewed stirrings of unease, Sheila glanced around. To her surprise she saw that all the other unicorns, even the calm and usually fearless Quiet Storm, were acting up, too.

But Illyria didn't look at all amazed or disturbed. "This is it," she said with a sigh, jumping lightly to the ground. "This is as far as they'll go."

"I'm surprised we got as close as we did," added Pelu.

Illyria nodded. And turning to Sheila, she explained, "Unicorns always become nervous around places of ancient power.”

Sheila frowned, puzzled. "But why should that be? All the Old Magic can't be evil!"

"Oh, it isn't! I suspect the problem is that unicorns feel the aura of Old Magic in some uncomfortable way.”

"Like a cat that's jumpy because a coming storm prickles its fur?"

"Something like that. Of course, now, with sorcery having been worked here as well . . ." Illyria shrugged. She patted Quiet Storm in quick affection, then turned away. We're wasting time. Come, my friends. We walk from here."

The clear desert air made distance deceptive. After the unicorn warriors had been walking for what seemed, to the panting Sheila, like ages, the stone circle still seemed no closer than before.

"I wonder if we'll get there by nightfall," she gasped out to Myno.

"Maybe, maybe not." The burly woman was striding along as though distance and heat and rough footing meant nothing to her. "I'd rather not get there after sunset, though." There was just the faintest hint of unease in her gruff voice. "Night being the time of sorcery.”

"You don't really think Kumuru's set a trap for us, do you?"

"Who knows? If he casts any spells, he'll have to try them against the power of cold steel!" Myno shook her head. "Eh, never mind. Save your breath for walking."

“Oooh!”

''Look at it! Just look at it!''

"How splendid!"

"How majestic!"

Splendid? Majestic? Sheila glanced around at the others in total bewilderment. Had everybody gone nuts?

Seen up close, the stone circle looked even less impressive than before—just a ring of low, broken stones. Of course, the fading light did give them an air of brooding mystery. But even so, there just wasn't any reason for everyone to be oohing and ahhing like this, acting as though they were seeing wonders. There was nothing here but a bunch of rocks. Unless she was the one who was out of step.. . ?

Sheila froze. The light was really tricky now, eerie, full of deepening shadows. But just for a moment she could have sworn she saw a strange, shrouded figure hiding in the blackness!

"Someone's watching us!"

Pelu gave her a dreamy smile. "Don't be silly, Sheila. We're the only ones here."

"It's true! He—It was standing right . .

But now the shadows were empty. The darkness seemed to press in all around her, until Sheila found herself chewing nervously on her lip. It might be only another trick of twilight, but a patch of shadow on the other side of the circle didn't look . . . well, it didn't look normal.

That couldn't be. How could a shadow be anything but normal? Unless it was a sorcerous shadow? Sheila blinked, then rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her vision. Funny . . . she kept feeling a sort of chilly tingle running through her. ...

She opened her eyes, and nearly cried out. It wasn't a trick! She wasn't imagining things! That one patch of shadow really was too dark, too solid, to be real. Fighting to keep from shouting in panic, Sheila said carefully, "Maybe we shouldn't go into the circle right away. Maybe we should scout around first. Like—ah—right over there, on the other side of it."

Illyria frowned. "That's ridiculous, Sheila."

"No, it's not! You told me a warrior should always be cautious, and-"

"Nonsense." Illyria's voice was soft and sleepy. "I never said anything like that. Poor Sheila, so nervous. Don't you see? How can there ever be anything wrong about such a wonderful place?"

Wonderful? "But . . ." began Sheila helplessly. She stopped as the woman turned to face her. And a cold little prickle of alarm ran up her spine.

Why were Illyria's eyes so . . . blank? Like Dian's eyes! Sheila whirled, heart racing, to stare at the others.

Oh, no! They were all smiling faintly, just like Illyria, smiling as though they were looking at something marvelous. And their eyes all held that same frightening blankness!

That tingling! It must have been the—the feel of a spell being cast! But why hadn't it caught her, too?

"Stand aside, girl," said Myno gently.

"Stand aside," repeated Nanine, just as gently, and Sheila shuddered all over again at the sight of her friends' emotionless faces.

"N-no, no," she gasped out, stumbling over her words in her haste. "Look, I d-don't know what's going on here, but I think you've all been bespelled!"

The unicorn warriors all took a slow step forward, unheeding.

"Listen to me! You've got to fight this! Somebody's got to understand, somebody's got to see. You can't just give in. No!"

But, as though she hadn't even opened her mouth, the others continued moving slowly forward, into the circle…

Into the circle that now glowed faintly by its own bluewhite light! Within that eerie ring hung an oval mass of what seemed like swirling clouds. It reminded Sheila of something else, something not of this world. . .

Of course! Dr. Reit's invention, the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device that had first brought her to this world! Maybe this—this thing couldn't carry someone across time and space like that. Maybe it couldn't reach from world to world. But it was almost certainly some sort of sorcerous version of the device. It was a true magic portal. And who knew what lay on the other side? Who knew if there even was another side?

"Hey, no!"

Illyria, face composed, eyes blank, was marching right toward the shimmering oval.

"Illyria, no! Stop! It's a trap! I know it is: I just realized what was wrong with Dian's story! She described this stone circle—but she couldn't have seen it, not through the fog. Not unless Kumuru had caught her and brought her here! Illyria!''

But the woman couldn't hear her. Illyria was nearly at the portal. And she was about to step right through it! Panic-stricken, Sheila started to race forward. But someone caught her arm and pulled her to a stop, spinning her around so roughly that she lost her footing.

"Stop it!" Sheila struggled to get her feet back under her as she suddenly realized who had caught her. "Dian! Let me go!"

But the other girl was hanging on to her like a bulldog. Despairing, Sheila twisted fiercely about and shouted with all the strength in her lungs:

''Illyria!''

To her relief, she saw Illyria stop, right at the edge of the portal. The Unicorn Queen shook her head in confusion, swaying as though waking from a dream, her eyes no longer blank. Sheila let out a shaky little breath. Her shout must have broken the spell. Everything was going to be all right.

But before Illyria could catch her balance, Dian rushed up behind her—and shoved her right into the shimmering portal. There was a bright, blue-white flash of light—and then it was dark again. Sheila let out a cry of sheer, disbelieving horror.

Illyria had disappeared!

6

Kumuru!

Sheila jumped in alarm as her cry of horror was echoed by others. She whirled to see Myno, Nanine, and Darian staring wildly as the mind-fogging spell suddenly shattered.

"Oh, thank heavens, you're all okay!"

For a second the others stood frozen, too stunned by Illyria's disappearance to move.

"The portal!" gasped Darian. "Maybe it's still open! Maybe we can get my sister back!"

Swords drawn, they all rushed forward. Suddenly Sheila felt another icy tingle shake her.

Oh, no, she thought in despair, not another spell!

But nothing seemed to have happened. Maybe this time the spell had failed.

Hey, wait a minute! All of a sudden, no one else was running with her! Where was everybody? Sheila stumbled to a hasty stop, almost afraid to look back over her shoulder.

The others had stopped, too-as abruptly as though they had run right into an invisible wall!

"What is this?" gasped Darian.

"I . . . can't move!" Myno wheezed. "What . . . about you, Pelu?"

"I . . . can't budge, either!"

Nanine's face contorted with strain. "I'm stuck, too. What's holding us back?"

"Sorcery!" Darian’s voice was wild. "It . . . has to be ... sorcery!"

Bewildered and frightened, Sheila saw the others struggling to move forward even an inch, fighting air that suddenly seemed as thick as glue.

"But it's just air!" she protested, waving an arm. "Look, I can still move. Nothing's holding me!"

This didn't make sense at all! Everyone else was stuck fast by the sorcery.

How can a spell catch everyone but me? Sheila wondered wildly.

Maybe the sorcerer was sneaking up behind her? Sheila shot about to face the vanished portal again—But it hadn't vanished! All at once the oval shimmering was bright once more. Biting her lip, she took a cautious step forward.

Without warning a dark, shrouded Something sprang between her and the portal! Sheila jumped back with a startled squeak. But then she determinedly raised her sword. She was a warrior, not a frightened little baby!

"W-who are you?" she asked, blushing at the quiver in her voice.

The figure laughed, and threw back its bat wings.

Sheila let out an involuntary shriek before she realized they weren't bat wings at all, but a blazing red cloak. It had only looked dark against the blue-white shimmering of the portal. Now that the figure had moved back a little, Sheila could see by the eerie light of the stone circle that this wasn't a monster, at all, but a man.

"Who are you?" she repeated, more sternly this time.

"Don't you recognize me, girl?" His voice was smooth and elegant, with the faintest hint of an exotic accent. ''I am Kumuru, King of Samarna."

Kumuru! Sheila swallowed dryly, tightening her grip on her swordhilt. But what good would one sword do against the power of the Dark Gods?

Kumuru tossed back the hood of his cloak. Sheila stumbled back another step, staring. But this time it wasn't in fear. Nobody had ever told her he was so—so gorgeous'

Kumuru was tall and slender, his body rippling with sleek muscles, like some great, golden-skinned panther. His gleaming hair, blacker than the night, was bound back under a crown of red feathers. Released from the hood that had bent them down, the plumes had sprung up into a blazing semicircle around his fine-featured face, making Kumuru look even taller.

His eyes, too, were black, and elegantly slanted. But within their ebony depths glinted a certain light: cold, hard, and cruel. And suddenly Sheila remembered. Good as he looked on the outside, there was nothing but evil within him. All at once she knew she didn't want to look into those eyes too closely.

Kumuru was staring at her with a sharp curiosity. "Now, how is it, girl, that you have escaped the Spell of Binding?"

"I don't know."

"Oh, come, surely you can come up with a better answer than that."

"I'm telling you the truth!"

"Of course," he said sarcastically.

Smiling, Kumuru raised his hand to an intricate pendant, a gleaming red stone suspended from a golden chain about his neck.

Kumuru murmured something too softly for Sheila to make out the words. Once again she felt that chilly tingle run through her. And once again nothing worse happened. Or, at least, she didn't think anything worse had happened.

Kumuru, however, seemed to be pretty certain that this time his sorcery had succeeded. Still smiling, he stared deep into Sheila's eyes, and in a soft, insinuating voice he said, "Now, you will tell me all about yourself, won't you?"

Sheila hesitated for an uneasy moment, wondering if she had been enchanted. . . . Ah! She felt no compulsion to speak to him! The spell had failed.

"No," she said shortly. "I don't believe I'll tell you anything." As Kumuru eyed her in surprise, she raised her sword threateningly. "But you will tell me where Illyria is, won't you?"

The cold black eyes flashed in insulted fury. "What's this? You would dare to threaten me, you-you child?"

"Oh, I'd dare, all right!" But what was she going to do if he wouldn't yield? Bluffing desperately, Sheila continued, as fiercely as she could. "Now, are you going to talk, or do I have to-"

"You dare to threaten the king of Samarna?" Kumuru's eyes blazed with rage. But Sheila held her ground and he thundered, "Then suffer the consequences!"

Again his hand flew to the red stone amulet. This time Kumuru spat out something harsh and twisting, and hot red flame blazed out from the stone! Sheila only had time to think, I'm going to die!

But as the fire blazed at her, it split neatly in two, parting about her body like a stream of water parting about a rock in its path. Sheila stood frozen, staring in disbelief, while the fire coiled lightly about her, then faded away into nothingness without so much as scorching a hair on her head.

Kumuru plainly couldn't believe what he had just seen. For a moment all he did was stare back at Sheila, eyes wide with shock. Then one black eyebrow shot up in sudden comprehension. "Ahh, I see the way of it!" He gave Sheila a mocking bow. "Small sorceress, forgive me for not sensing the truth about you from the first. I admit, your powers are strange to me. But, I warn you," he said sharply, "don't try to stop me. You may have your odd little defensive spells. But I have the full power of the Dark Gods behind me.”

Instinctively, Sheila raised her sword, but Kumuru just smiled.

"Tsk, little one. Threaten me, and all I need do is leap through my portal and disappear. Lower your useless weapon, now, or that's exactly what I'll do. And then you'll never see your dear Unicorn Queen again. Come, lower it!"

Sheila hesitated. And then, with a sigh, she obeyed. "All right. What do you want?"

Kumuru looked past her to where the other unicorn riders still struggled against the Spell of Binding. "Hear me, all of you. I did not come to this circle merely to work my magics. I had no need of this petty little rock heap! No, my dear friends, this was simply a trap. And how nicely you fell into it!"

Myno gave a low growl of fury. "Release me. Release me, and I will-"

"No, fierce one. I am not such a fool as that." He straightened regally, drawing his red cloak about him. "1 wished to snare only one person: Illyria, the Unicorn Queen. And I succeeded. Even as we speak, she is my captive."

"Stop boasting, okay?" Sheila snapped. "We know you have Illyria. And you wouldn't still be here if you didn't want to make a deal. So why don't you just tell us what you want, and how we can get her back."

"Clever little sorceress! Child, I wish to offer an exchange, a trade, if you like. I have the Unicorn Queen. You have—the unicorns." Kumuru's sly smile broadened.

"Ahh, the magic within them! Were I to slay those beasts and draw their magic into myself, I should no longer need my patrons' strength." One hand touched the red amulet: he was talking about the Dark Gods. "I should have true sorcery then! I should wield mighty Power, Power to conquer, Power to rule!"

"Dynasian thought the same thing," said Sheila dryly. "He didn't wind up very powerful."

"Dynasian was a fool!" Kumuru snapped. "I knew it when I made that ridiculous alliance with him. Did you think I really wanted Dynasian as an ally? Bah, never! I wanted one thing, and one thing only: the unicorns." He glared at the unicorns. "And I would have had them. They were nearly mine, all but within my grasp! But then you slew Dynasian. You freed the unicorns and spoiled everything."

The words popped out before Sheila could stop herself. "Well, that's show business!"

Oops! I shouldn't have said that, she thought. The last thing I want to do is make him mad!

But the phrase had come out in English. The words themselves meant nothing to the Samarnan.

"Trying to cast a spell on me, sorceress?" Kumuru said, giving her a wary look. "Have you forgotten that the Dark Gods shield me from all harm?"

“Uh…no.”

Ignoring her, he continued coldly, "After you freed the unicorns, I vowed revenge. Oh, I wasn't foolish enough to attack Campora. What good would that have done me? No, I merely waited. I knew that with time, you would come to me. And so you have! Now shall you hear my royal decree:

"Deliver those unicorns to my palace at Erech-ban, capital of Samarna. Deliver them by the time of next moon-dark."

Kumuru paused dramatically. "Hear my further decree:

"If you fail me, if you do not obey-then shall you have reason to grieve! Fail me, and Illyria shall die on the altar of the Dark Gods!"

It was too much for Sheila. "She won't die if you don't make it back to Samarna! There won't be any exchange, because I'm taking you prisoner!"

"Are you, indeed, little sorceress?"

And just as Sheila reached him, Kumuru sprang lightly into the magic portal. Furious, she slashed out with her sword. A scrap cut from the red cloak floated softly to the ground and then burst into flame.

But both Kumuru and the portal were gone.

7

Desperate Plans

As the magic portal whirled shut, the Spell of Binding abruptly dissolved. The unicorn riders cried out as the pressure holding them back vanished without warning and sent them staggering helplessly forward till they could catch their balance again.

At the same time Dian moaned and crumpled to the ground.

"Dian!"

"What's wrong with her?"

"Never mind that!" Myno yelled. "She's the one! She betrayed Illyria!"

The angry warriors seemed ready to pounce on Dian like cats on a mouse. But Pelu darted in front of them, sheltering the girl's limp form in her arms.

''Wait. I said, wait!"

"Come on, Pelu." Myno's voice quivered with impatience. "She's faking."

Pelu gave her a stern glance. "Are you telling me my business as a healer?"

"Well, no, of course not. You know that. But she's a traitor, Pelu, you can't deny it."

"I don't think it was her fault."

"What!" Myno protested.

"Oh, Myno! I'm pretty sure Dian was bespelled. Just like the rest of us."

Sheila tensed, remembering Dian's blank eyes. She had known something was wrong with Dian, but . .. a spell?

"Of course! It all makes sense. No wonder she wasn't worried about Swiftfoot!" Sheila hurriedly wriggled her way through the crowd to Pelu's side. "A spell is exactly what it must have been, because Dian's eyes looked just like Illyria's, just before Illyria went through the portal."

"Before Dian pushed her through, you mean!" cried Myno.

"Please, let me finish. Maybe Dian and I have never gotten along too well, but you've got to admit that she's always been loyal to Illyria."

"Well . . . yes," Myno admitted gruffly. "Of course she has."

"There you are! I refuse to believe someone as faithful as Dian could turn traitor overnight. A spell! Ha, I knew something was wrong.”

"Uh . . . yes." Darian reddened. "You kept trying to warn us all along. And no one took you seriously. Even I thought it was just your imagination. Forgive me?"

Sheila nodded. "Sure. Quiet, now. Dian's waking up."

Dian moaned, stirring in Pelu's arms. Pelu let her go, and the girl sat up, blinking in confusion.

"What am I doing here? And where's Swiftfoot?"

"You don't remember?" asked Nanine.

"I-I'm not sure. Illyria . . . ? Is she . . . ?"

"Gone," said Myno shortly.

Dian stared at her in horror. "Then it wasn't a dream. I really did—Oh, no! I didn't mean to—I didn't want to—“

"Whoa," murmured Pelu. "Take it easy, Dian."

"And start from the beginning," added Nanine. "Tell us your story.”

"The true story this time," Myno finished.

Dian nodded, head down. "The part about my riding off into the night like that was true. And about getting lost in the fog, too. And getting thrown from Swiftfoot."

"What about Kumuru? And his warriors?"

"That was true, too. I ran, all right. But I didn't run fast enough. The warriors caught me. They dragged me back to the stone circle—and Kumuru." Dian shuddered. "He laughed at me, then said something like: 'How delighted I am to have so convenient a tool fall into my hands.' I asked him what he meant. But he wouldn't answer. Instead, he cast his spell on me. After that…” She paused, then shook her head. "I don't know. From then on, everything seems like a vague dream. A bad dream."

"But you're awake now," Pelu soothed. "The nightmare is over.

"No, it isn't!" Dian wailed. "I've betrayed Illyria!"

"Maybe. Maybe not," Nanine told her grimly. "But this is not the time to worry about it. The question is: what are we going to do now?"

"Too bad Laric isn't here," Darian said. "I bet his magic could wipe out Kumuru in nothing flat!"

"But he isn't here," Sheila reminded him with a sigh. "Illyria sent him winging off to Campora, remember? By now he's probably all the way back in the royal palace."

"And we have no way to get a message to him," added Pelu. "Not in time, anyhow. Not before moon-dark."

There was a moment's silence. Sheila knew that everybody was remembering Kumuru's threat:

Fail me, and Il yria shall die on the altar of the Dark Gods!

Suddenly Nanine spoke up. "Since when have we had to depend on someone else to rescue us?" she asked with forced cheerfulness. "So we can't have Laric with us? So what? We'll just have to rescue Illyria on our own!"

"But is there time for that?" Dian wondered.

"Oh, easily! Let's see, now. . . . It's a good seven days till the next dark of the moon, right? Right. The border of Samarna isn't more than a day's ride from here, we all know that. And Erech-ban, the capital, is another . ... mm… four days' hard riding from there. With the unicorns cooperation, we can make it."

"Yes, but then what?" wondered Darian. "We can't just let that—that sorcerer have the unicorns!"

"We won't," Myno muttered.

Pelu nodded. "They should make a good distraction, though, while someone steals into Kumuru's palace to rescue Illyria."

"Sure. The only thing is: who?"

Sheila swallowed dryly. Who, indeed? She was the only one of the unicorn warriors to be totally unaffected by Kumuru's spells. Though she couldn't imagine why that should be. She certainly hadn't been immune to Mardock's magic! Well, never mind the hows and whys. The fact remained that for some reason, the Power of the Dark Gods seemed unable to harm her. At least, for now.

That meant…

Sheila swallowed again. Like it or not, she had a pretty good idea of just who was going to be sneaking into Kumuru's palace. Of course, there was no guarantee that her strange immunity to his sorcery was going to last forever. But, danger or no, how could she refuse the mission? Illyria's life was at stake!

Nervously, Sheila reached back to touch her backpack. So far its "magic" had protected her. But how could anything from the world of science possibly help her in this world of dark sorcery?

8

Perilous Journey

Sheila turned around in Morning Star's saddle to look nervously about for maybe the hundredth time that day. Had anything changed?

Ugh, no.

The Samarnan landscape still surrounded her. And what a dismal land it was! No grass, no trees, not even the soothing calm to the eye that the sweep of an open plain could provide. Hour after hour it had all been the same: nothing but hot, empty sky; great mounds of broken red rocks that kept the eye from seeing more than a few lengths on any side; and narrow, winding paths twisting their way between those rocks—tricky, slippery paths over which the unicorns picked their careful way with obvious distaste.

Sheila sighed. So far everything she had seen of Samarna had been like this. It looked as though someone, long, long ago, had dropped the sorcerous version of a bomb on it.

Could that "someone" have been the Dark Gods. . . ?

Oh, no, she wasn't going to start thinking about them again! Besides, maybe this place wasn't quite that bad. What Samarna really looked like, at least so far, was a more rugged version of the Red Rock area of the American Southwest that her family had visited many years ago. But then, of course, she hadn't had to worry about Things jumping out at her, or weird sorceries striking, or— Oh, this is silly! Sheila chided herself. No one has even tried to hurt us.

How could they? There was no one here! There was nothing here!

Still, it was a little bit eerie to think that the unicorn riders had been able to slip across the Samarnan border so easily, without a single soul to stop them. It was even eerier that so far they hadn't seen anyone at all. They hadn't even seen any animals, other than one small, terrified lizard that had scuttled frantically away from the unicorns' hoofs.

Nanine still didn't seem worried, though. Glancing back over her shoulder, she gave Sheila a reassuring smile. "Don't be afraid, child. I know where I'm going."

"Are you sure? I thought your people lived in the forests farther south, near the sea.”

"Oh, they do. But that doesn't mean I never had any geography lessons." Nanine hesitated, as she always did when the subject of her regal past came up, then shrugged. "Royal children do get the best of tutors, you know. Whether we-ah-they want them or not."

"Poor things," muttered Myno sarcastically. "A slave's lucky if she gets any education at all."

Nanine sighed. "I wasn't boasting, believe me.”

"I know." Myno shrugged. "When you stop to think about it, I guess you could say that in a way, a princess is as much a prisoner as any slave."

"Why do you think we both ran away?"

“Well, anyhow, I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that this place is giving me the chills."

"Me, too," admitted Darian. "It's just so . . . empty."

Myno nodded. "And that's what's bothering me the most. If we're going the right way, toward Erech-ban—a bustling capital city, for the love of Light!—there should be crowds of people coming and going, right? So? Where is everybody?"

Nanine laughed. "My dear Myno, do you think me a fool? How, pray tell, could we possibly pass among other folk as innocent, ordinary travelers while riding our horned friends here?"

"Oh, of course. I forgot about that."

"We are going toward the royal city, I promise you. But this region through which we ride is far from the standard trade routes. Though there is water enough for our small party, there isn't enough to support whole caravans. And the going is rough on camel legs or horse hoofs." She gave her unicorn an apologetic pat. "And, as for natives, without the wealth from those caravans to support them, why would anyone choose to live here?"

"Why, indeed?" Pelu murmured, looking about with a shudder and pulling her cloak more tightly about herself. "Oh, why, indeed?"

Only the unicorns seemed undisturbed by their inhospitable surroundings.

Well, that's a good sign, thought Sheila.

Unless there was some sort of danger that even the unicorns couldn't sense…

Night fell sooner than Sheila would have liked, catching the small group in a canyon formed of stony walls and spires. The rock was dull red in color, and had been eroded by wind and sand over the ages into strange, twisted shapes through which a faint, monotonous breeze moaned and whistled forlornly.

Sheila couldn't imagine actually trying to sleep in this uninviting place, but it was too dark to ride any farther. Besides, they weren't likely to find a better campsite. Nanine had pointed out a clear little stream running through the canyon, and there was enough greenery on either side of the stream to give the unicorns some decent grazing.

While Sheila and the others set up camp—which meant simply finding enough twigs for a fire and clearing the pebbles from a large span of ground so everyone could sleep more comfortably—Darian and Myno went off scouting.

Time passed. Just when Sheila was beginning to get the tiniest bit worried about them, Morning Star raised her head from grazing and gave a whinnied greeting. Myno's unicorn whickered a reply.

"Hey, everyone," called Darian cheerfully, "we're back! And we've brought dinner!"

Grinning, he and Myno held up their catch: two lizards, a snake, and something that looked like a large reddish mouse.

Yuck! thought Sheila. Still, it was better than going hungry. And at least the unicorns had grazed their fill.

With the setting of the sun, the dry earth quickly gave up its heat. Pulling her cloak up about her face, Sheila closed her eyes and doggedly set about trying to sleep.

''Hey!”

The indignant cry brought Sheila halfway to her feet, hand groping for her sword.

"Nanine? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing so alarming. It's just that. . . only a moment ago I put my bracelet, the golden one with the emerald, right here." Nanine's hand slapped a flat rock. "And now it's gone!"

"Maybe it slipped off the rock."

"Maybe. It's hardly likely that there'd be thieves wandering around in the middle of nowhere! Never mind, Sheila. I'll find it in the morning."

But when morning came, the bracelet was nowhere to be found. And while Nanine and Sheila were reluctantly giving up their search, a second cry of outrage rang out, this time from Myno.

"What is this?" she exploded. "Last night I put my sandals right here, both of them. Now there's only one!"

"Wait a minute, Myno," called Darian. "Here's the other one, under this rock."

"That's impossible! It couldn't have walked there by itself!" Myno stalked over to retrieve the sandal, then paused, glaring at the others. "All right. Is one of you trying to play a trick on me?"

"Yes," added Nanine, "and on me, too?"

"No, of course we aren't," Pelu soothed. "But what else could it be? The unicorns would have warned us if anyone else had approached."

"Maybe some little desert animal thought the sandal was something to eat and tried to carry it off," Sheila suggested.

"And tried to eat a gold bracelet, too?" Nanine scoffed. "Strange animals they have in this land!"

The mystery remained unsolved as the warriors mounted and rode on. But they hadn't gone more than a half-morning's ride before Morning Star gave a snort of surprise and stopped short.

"What's the matter, girl?" Sheila began, then gave a startled yelp as she felt the saddle slipping sideways beneath her. Quickly she jumped to the ground.

"The girth must have come loose," Pelu suggested.

"No. I checked it myself, twice. I always do, before-"

She stopped, frowning. "Okay, who's the joker? Come on, now! Somebody pulled the tongue of this buckle loose so the whole saddle would fall off, and I want to know who did it!"

"Now, Sheila, you know none of us would do something so foolish." Pelu's voice was stern. "We know better than to play such dangerous tricks. And I—Hey!" The healer looked down in alarm at the kit that contained her medicines. "The lid's unfastened! But I always make sure it's shut, particularly when-" She broke off and began rummaging through the little vials. "One of them’s missing!" Pelu glanced up, more angry than Sheila had ever seen her. "All right, that's enough! Whoever is playing these pranks has got to stop, here and now!"

"But, Pelu!" protested Dian. "We wouldn't waste time like this! Not with Illyria's life at stake!"

Uneasy, the riders set off again. Strange things continued to happen all that day. Dian found that someone had removed the clasp from her cloak. The hem of Pelu's spare tunic had been unraveled. And one of Myno's hair pins turned up stuck into the sheath of her dagger. But still the unicorns seemed untroubled. Maybe there was some sort of peril even they couldn't sense.

By the time the warriors had to stop for the night, they were all on edge. Settling down as best she could, Sheila was glad they had decided to post human sentries instead of just depending on the unicorns.

As Sheila was dozing off, a quick flash of greenish light caught her eye, down at the level of her backpack. It was funny, she mused groggily, how moonlight could play such tricks of reflection.

Wait a minute! Sheila thought. What moonlight? That wasn't a reflection at all, but the gleam of two bright green eyes! A lizard? A desert mouse? Or . . . Hardly daring to breath, Sheila lay perfectly still; watching intently from half-lidded eyes as a small, five-fingered hand touched the backpack. A second hand followed, fumbling for the buckle.

It's on the other side. If the Whatever wants to get it open, it'll have to climb up where I can see it, Sheila thought.

Sure enough, there was the tiniest of grunts, a heave—And suddenly Sheila found herself almost face to face with a strange little creature, standing upright like a man, but no taller than a human toddler. It was scaled like a lizard, horned like an imp. Its bright green eyes stared at her out of a broad, flat-nosed face, while a long, pointed tongue flicked nervously out and in.

Trying to decide if I'm really asleep, thief? Well, you little imp, or whatever you are—I’m not!

And Sheila pounced. For an instant she felt a cat-supple body under her hand. Then her fingers lost their hold on the slick scales, and the creature, screeching in fright, went scuttling off into the night.

"Sheila!" The warriors were already springing to their feet, weapons glinting. "What's going on?"

Sheila grinned fiercely. "I just scared off a would-be thief, that's all!"

But other green strangers were out there in the night, chittering in excitement.

"All right, my little friends," muttered Sheila angrily, crouching down and rummaging in her backpack, "we'll see how you like this!"

She pulled out her tape deck. Without stopping to look, Sheila dropped the first tape she could find into it, turning the volume up full blast. Bon Jovi blared out into the still night, and the chittering stopped dead. The warriors all hurried to cover their ears. Even the unicorns seemed to wince.

"Well," yelled Sheila above the noise, "if that doesn't scare them away, I don't know what will!"

"They don't look scared!" shouted Darian. "What do you suppose they're doing?"

"Dancing!" cried Dian. "They seem to like your music, Sheila!"

So they did. As the warriors stared in disbelief, the little creatures danced and cavorted and giggled with joy. One of them came scuttling bravely forward, reaching up to take Sheila's hand in its own (its tiny, hard, warm palm felt just like the paw of a raccoon she had once handled at a game farm), and pulled her into the merry ring of imps.

"I think they're asking you to dance!" said Pelu, laughing.

Feeling silly, Sheila tried a few steps. The imps chittered in glee, clapping their hands.

"Well, okay. If this will keep you out of our belongings…”

As the warriors kept time, clapping and stamping their feet, and as the unicorns stared in amazement, Sheila and the imps danced away, whirling and laughing, till the end of the tape.

"All right, fellows. That's it for tonight. Okay?" And, without another sound, the imps melted away into the darkness.

But the next morning they were back in full force, their scaly faces split by smiles.

"Looks as if they've decided you're their good friend, Sheila," said Pelu with a grin.

Sheila shrugged. "I guess they'll go away when they get bored." But they didn't. All that day, as the warriors rode on, the imps scrambled happily along behind them.

Well, thought Sheila, now we know why the unicorns didn't react to them. They're harmless. Kind of cute, too, in an ugly sort of way.

Oh, yes, the imps were harmless enough. But who knew who—or what-the unicorn warriors would meet next?

9

Erech-ban

As each day of hard riding and each night of uneasy watching brought them ever closer to the time of the dark of the moon, the unicorn warriors grew silent and tense. Even Sheila's friendly little imps, who were still frolicking along behind them, failed to make anybody laugh.

Sheila knew why. Everyone was sharing the same grim thoughts:

What if Nanine is leading us astray?

What if we don't get to Erech-ban in time?

What if Illyria dies?

At least the monotonous landscape was changing. The twisted red rocks loomed up ever taller around them, till the unicorns were making their cautious way through true mountains.

"Nanine," began Myno uneasily. "Are you sure .

"Yes, yes, we're almost there, I promise. As a matter of fact, my friends, we'd better start slowing down a bit."

"Why?"

"Well, we don't really want to arrive at Erech-ban in broad daylight, do we? Not if we wish to check out the situation first. I'm not exactly sure how strongly the city is fortified." "Lead on, Nanine," Pelu said resignedly. "But we don't have much time to spare. Tonight is the last night before the dark of the moon."

"As I promised," said Nanine, sweeping out her arm in a dramatic gesture, “Erech-ban."

The warriors were standing on a rocky cliff, looking down into the beginning of a narrow gorge that widened into a vast, circular valley. In that valley, its walls and houses cut out of the red sandstone cliffs under which it sheltered, stood a breathtaking city.

The rosy-red coloring was made even rosier by the light of the setting sun which cast dramatic shadows over the ornamental stonework, imitation columns, balconies, porches, and ornate doorways that graced each and every building. But these common houses paled in comparison to the enormous structure that loomed above them.

That has got to be Kumuru's royal palace, Sheila decided. It was an eerie structure, built right into the side of the tallest of the encircling mountains. Every inch of its vast facade was ornamented with all manner of carvings: columns cut to look like stalks of gigantic flowers, friezes of geometric designs, and strange statues of people, animals, and creatures Sheila couldn't even name.

"What a creepy place to live!" she exclaimed.

"What a lovely place for an ambush," muttered Myno, casting an unhappy gaze over the narrow, winding gorge. "But there doesn't seem to be any other way in."

"No," said Nanine softly. "I'm afraid there isn't."

"What about climbing around and down one of the mountains?" Darian suggested.

"That won't work. You can't see it from here, but there's a solid, unclimbable wall of rock at the city's back."

"Oh, great!" Darian exploded, his eyes flashing with frustration. "Are you saying we came all this way for nothing? We've got to get Illyria out of there!"

"I only promised to get you here in time!" Nanine protested. "I never said I had all the answers!"

"Yes, but-"

"What about-"

As the others began arguing back and forth, searching for a solution, Sheila moved away from them, thoughtfully studying the opening of the gorge.

"Hey, everybody," she called after a while. "Come look at this and tell me what you see."

Myno shrugged. "Nothing special. Just two watchtowers, one on either side of the gorge." She looked up at the fortification and a great grin suddenly spread across her face. "Two small watchtowers," she corrected herself, "with room for only a few guards in each."

"Yes . . ." added Pelu slowly. "Guards who must be pretty bored with sitting there doing nothing. Guards who also must be pretty sleepy from staring into the glare of the sunset.''

"Guards," concluded Nanine, "who, in short, must be totally off their guard!"

Quickly the warriors divided themselves into two teams. Sheila found herself with Nanine, Pelu, and Darian. Keeping to the shadows, they climbed silently up the side of the gorge to the right-hand watchtower, finding more than enough hand- and footholds in the weathered sandstone. Sheila warily peeked into one of the tower’s windows and bit back a laugh.

There were four guards inside the one small room. Three of them were busy playing what looked very much like the Samarnan version of dice. The fourth man was sound asleep and snoring.

He's in for a rude awakening, Sheila thought, as the warriors pounced on their prey. Before the guards even knew what hit them, they were all in dreamland.

"Better tie them up and gag them," warned Nanine, picking up a coil of rope. "We don't want them waking up too soon and yelling for help."

Warily, Sheila looked across to the other tower, then gave a little laugh of relief as she saw Myno's wave. "It's okay. The other guards are out of commission, too.”

The warriors scrambled back down to where they had left the unicorns, and mounted up. Cautiously, they began the ride through the gorge. Sheila fought down the urge to keep looking back over her shoulder.

There's nothing following us, really there isn't! she scolded herself. Except maybe an imp or two. And you know they're harmless!

But then she found herself staring nervously up at the steep cliffs on either side of them. If only the gorge weren't quite so narrow, or the cliffs quite so high. . . . The patch of sky she could see far overhead only made her feel more trapped than ever.

The unicorns. Think of the unicorns, instead.

How lightly they were stepping, their cloven hoofs not making a sound. Did they understand how important silence was right now?

I bet they do. I bet they know we're going to rescue Illyria, too, and—Uh-oh.

Ahead of them was the end of the gorge and the opening of the valley. Ahead of them were the high walls and gates of the city of Erech-ban. And ahead of them, parading back and forth in front of those walls, a whole regiment of guards.

"So much for sneaking in," whispered Nanine. "Now what?"

The little band of warriors hastily drew back into the shadowy gorge. "There's no hope for it," said Pelu softly. "We've got to follow our original plan. Some of us will have to use the unicorns to create a diversion."

"While the rest of us steal into the city," added Myno. "All right. Who's going to do what? I'm all for starting a nice, loud diversion. What do you say, Nanine?"

"Oh, I think we could work out something!" The ex-princess grinned at the ex-slave. "And Darian has a good voice for shouting. He should be able to come up with some frighteningly fierce war cries. Eh, Darian?"

He opened his mouth, closed it again, clearly knowing the most useful place for him was with the group creating the diversion, but looking miserable about it. Sheila knew he wanted to be the one to rescue his sister. And, just for a panicky, selfish moment, she wanted to tell him, Go ahead. She's your sister, you risk your neck for her! But instead, before Darian could speak, Sheila heard herself saying, "I . . . guess I'd better be the one to get into the palace. After all, Kumuru's magic doesn't seem to work on me.”

She half-hoped someone would come up with another plan, but Pelu only nodded and said, "That makes sense. I'm coming, too. I hate to bring this up, but we don't know if Illyria has been hurt. She may need a healer."

"I want to come with you.

"Dian? There's no need-"

"Oh, yes, there is! I betrayed Illyria. I lost Swiftfoot. If it hadn't been for me, none of us would be in this mess. I am coming with you."

Pelu sighed. "Sheila? You were the first to volunteer. It's up to you.”

Sheila struggled not to giggle nervously. Hey, look, she wanted to blurt, I'm just glad I don't have to go in there alone! But instead, she managed to say seriously, "If Dian wants to help, it's okay with me."

"Then it's all decided," Myno said. "Just one more thing . . . Well, we haven't got much time. If you don't meet us out here by tomorrow, the night of the dark of the moon, we'll know that you . . . failed. And we'll-"

"Do nothing," Pelu cut in gently. "Myno, if we aren't here by then, there'll be nothing you can do to help us. Your only obligation will be to get the unicorns and yourselves safely back to Campora."

"I don't like that."

Pelu grinned. "Hey, now, don't look so grim! We have no intention of failing!" And then her smile faded as she said, "Come, let us begin!"

Sheila turned to see Darian staring at her with such warmth in his eyes that she felt her cheeks start to redden.

"Darian?"

"Sheila, I . . . can't let you go off into danger without-" He stopped short as he suddenly became aware of the others. "Without wishing you good luck," he finished lamely.

Sheila sighed. ''Good luck to you, too."

"Uh . . . wait." Looking uneasily around to be sure no one was watching, Darian leaned down and gave her a quick kiss that landed more on her nose than her lips. "Be careful," he murmured, gently brushing a strand of auburn hair back from her face. And with that he turned and hurried off.

Sheila watched him go, not sure whether to laugh or cry. "You be careful, too, Darian," she whispered.

Leaving their unicorns with the others, Sheila, Pelu, and Dian drew aside to watch Myno's diversion.

And what a spectacular one it was. Whirling hastily improvised torches about their heads, Myno and Nanine shrieked like demons while Darian shouted what sounded like a particularly savage war chant. Sheila nearly choked when she realized what he was yelling at the top of his lungs: the words to a rock song she had taught him—in English of course!

The unicorns, wild with excitement, thundered back and forth in a frenzied gallop, raising so much dust that, half in darkness, half illuminated by the whirling torches, they really did look demonic. Sheila didn't blame the startled guards for hesitating to leave the security of their city walls.

What if they don't dare come out? she thought. What do we do then?

But she didn't have to worry. All at once the guards came pouring out of Erech-ban.

Myno and Nanine quickly hurled their torches away, plunging themselves into darkness. There was the thunder of hoofs, and Sheila, Pelu, and Dian dashed out of the way as their friends went streaking past in the middle of the unicorn herd. They were followed after a nervous moment by the guards on their hastily saddled horses.

"Now is our chance," whispered Pelu, "before they shut the gates!"

It was easy for the three women to slip into the city during all the confusion. But then Sheila heard the sound of the gates being slammed shut again behind them, and winced. They had gotten into Erech-ban, all right-but how would they ever get out?

10

Into the Palace

There was one thing about Erech-ban, thought Sheila as she, Dian, and Pelu scurried through the dark, narrow streets that reminded her very much of Campora. Something she was beginning to really dislike about cities in this world: nobody seemed to have figured out a way to light the streets at night!

It wasn't for the lack of any really clever folk; Sheila suspected that wizards here could solve by magic pretty much the same problems inventors like Dr. Reit solved by science in her own world. No, the people here just didn't seem to see the need for street lamps.

Everybody goes to bed early and gets up early, and that's that. But the darkness didn't make finding the road to Kumuru's palace an easy job.

Sheila could see the palace easily enough. That wasn't the problem. It was difficult not to see it, the way the building and its supporting mountain loomed over Erech-ban like a great, brooding beast, darker than the night around it. But none of these crazy, twisting little streets— some apparently no more than alleys cut by the stonecarvers to separate the rows of sandstone houses—seemed to go in the right direction! And they could hardly knock on somebody's door and say, "Excuse me, we're trying to break into the royal palace. Can you show us how to get to it?" It was such a ridiculous thought that Sheila had to fight down a fit of giggles.

Stop that! she scolded herself. It isn't funny!

It really wasn't funny. Precious time was passing while they scrambled to find a way out of this maze. And they didn't want to waste too much more of it, because they only had this one night to get Illyria out before it was too late. Besides, just because they hadn't yet seen any guards patrolling the streets didn't mean there weren't any such patrols. Worse, who knew what supernatural means Kumuru might have to guard his city? They didn't dare attract anyone's attention!

Still, that ridiculous image of a startled Erech-bani housewife staring at her while she politely asked for directions kept popping back into Sheila's mind no matter what she did.

Think of something else, fast! Or you’re-- "Oh, no." Pelu's voice was a soft groan. "Not another dead end! And I was so sure we were finally going the right way.”

That stopped any urge Sheila had to laugh. For a moment the three warriors stared in silent dismay at the blank wall blocking their path.

Then Pelu sighed. "There's no help for it. We'll just have to retrace our steps and try again."

"Yes," whispered Dian urgently, "but which way did we come?"

"Why, down that way. I think."

"Uh, Pelu," cut in Sheila softly. "I thought we came that way.

"You see what I mean?" Dian's voice shook. "There aren't any straight streets here, or even any right angles. I don't know where we are! And neither do you!"

"Softly, Dian! Don't worry. We'll find our way out."

"How? Pelu, no one in this city bothered to paint us any street signs. And even if they had, we couldn't read the signs in the dark!"

"Why don't we just see if we can climb over the wall," suggested Sheila.

Pelu shook her head. "It's attached to that house. See? We'd only wind up in someone's garden. Besides," she added, peering up at the top of the wall, "it looks as if that someone has studded the top of the wall with bits of glass. A nasty way of keeping out thieves. And us.

"Well, then . . ." Sheila hesitated. Oh, no, she didn't dare! It was too dangerous-and too silly! But if somebody didn't do something, they would be lost here all night!

Gesturing to Pelu and Dian to stay back out of sight, Sheila took a deep breath and marched up to one of the houses. She had to knock for some time, but finally someone stirred within the house. The door opened a wary crack.

"Who is it? What do you want?"

Or at least Sheila thought that's what the voice said; although the Samarnans and Camporans spoke the same language, the exotic Erech-bani accent made it sound quite different.

"Please, I-I need directions," Sheila stammered.

"What's this? A girl? All alone?"

The door opened a crack wider. Sheila saw a woman standing there, candle in hand, night robe wrapped around herself, looking so much like the housewife she had pictured that she had to bite down hard on her lower lip to keep from giggling.

"Uh, y-yes." Warming to her role, Sheila continued in a timid little voice. "You-you see, I . . . uh . . . work in the palace kitchen." When the woman only nodded, Sheila dared to add, "I just started there the other day. But I ... Well ... I-"

"Snuck out, I take it? To see someone?" The woman's voice sounded a tiny bit more sympathetic. "A boy, perhaps?"

"Anyhow," Sheila hurried on, as though embarrassed, "I was trying to get back in without anyone seeing me. But-but I'm new here. And I got lost! Oh, please, can you tell me the quickest way back to the palace?"

The woman never hesitated. And she repeated her directions not once but three times, making sure Sheila had them memorized.

"Now, you hurry straight there, yes? And tell your boyfriend not to let you go home alone next time! A girl your age has no business being out so late!"

"Uh . . . No, ma'am. Thank you. You've been such a help."

More than you'll ever know! Sheila added silently, and scurried away.

To Sheila's relief the woman's directions turned out to be very accurate, and the three warriors soon emerged from the maze of narrow streets. Ahead of them a wide trench had been dug out of the sandstone, separating the common folk from the royal, and on the other side of that trench rose up the fantastic carvings and columns of Kumuru's palace, one solid, eerie mass in the darkness. To judge from the faint flickerings of light in some of the windows, only a few palace folk were still awake—servants, Sheila assumed.

Funny . . . Kumuru didn't seem to have mounted any guards around the palace. Sheila grinned. She wasn't going to complain! Without any soldiers to worry about, it should be even easier to sneak around the place without being seen.

A high wall surrounded the front of the palace, merging into the mountain as its rear. There seemed to be only one gate, a massive thing flanked on either side by enormous torches and stone statues of armored soldiers.

"Ugly, aren't they?" Dian whispered. "Look, there are more of them placed along the walls. Now, why would anyone want-" She broke off with a gasp. And Sheila gasped, too, staring in sheer disbelief.

One of the statues had moved. With a faint groaning of stone, it turned its head from side to side, as though trying to find the three warriors.

"They're alive!" breathed Dian.

"Not exactly. They're sorcerous constructs," corrected Pelu. "They look ponderous, but for all we know, they can move swiftly as an avalanche."

"There don't seem to be any other gates, either," Sheila said softly.

And they certainly couldn't try scaling the walls, not with those eerie stone creatures prowling about.

"How are we ever going to get inside?" Sheila whispered. But then she nearly let out a yelp as something pulled sharply at her tunic. Her hand already shooting to the hilt of her sword, she glanced sharply down.

What-? An imp! One of the little desert creatures had somehow followed her all this way.

"Shoo," she said softly. "Go home.”

The imp danced up and down impatiently.

"Look, I can't play any music for you now, so why don't you just move along. Hey, stop pulling at me!"

"I think he's trying to get you to follow him!" whispered Pelu. "He's pointing from us to the palace. Maybe he knows a way inside!"

Sheila hesitated. Sure, the imps were fun and all that, but they were tricky little thieves as well. Could this one possibly be trusted? But, then, what other choice was there?

"All right, pal. Lead on."

The imp gave them a pointy-toothed grin of delight and scuttled forward.

The hole was dark, and narrow, and smelly.

"You mean, we've got to go in there?" asked Dian weakly.

Pelu sighed. "Looks like it. This drain comes right out from the palace itself."

Sheila didn't care for the idea, either. But the imp was waiting impatiently, so…

"Well, here goes nothing," Sheila murmured. She took a deep breath and entered.

Yuck! It was really disgusting in there—slimy, filthy, and thoroughly gross! Sheila took one deep breath by mistake and immediately wished she hadn't. The air smelled like something that should have been buried a long time ago. As if that weren't bad enough, the drain was so cramped and narrow, she couldn't even crawl on hands and knees, but had to wriggle her way along on her belly. The sides of the drain were slippery, too, though Sheila refused to even consider what might be squishing beneath her.

The drain bent without warning to the right, and Sheila had to turn carefully on her side so she could worm her way around the turn. She wanted to ask Pelu and Dian, following her, how they were doing. But that would have meant taking a deep breath of the stinking air. And she really didn't want to do that again.

But Sheila couldn't stop herself from thinking. And a horrid thought kept running through her mind. The imp was so much smaller than the humans. How could he be sure they would fit? What if they couldn't make it? What if they were stuck in this loathsome drain forever?

Sheila was just about to panic when suddenly their foul journey was over. Sheila, then Dian, and finally Pelu climbed up out of the drain into a vast, dark corridor.

"The walls are so smooth and fine," whispered Pelu, touching one carefully. "This isn't just a tunnel. We must be somewhere within the palace itself."

"But where?" added Dian, trying to brush the worst of the filth off her clothes.

Sheila looked around for the imp and located him by his glinting green eyes.

Nervous eyes. Do we really have to stay here? they seemed to ask.

"Ah, imp, do you know where-"

Sheila's whisper was cut short by a sudden crashing sound that echoed up and down the passageway. The imp's eyes widened in fear.

"Hey, wait!" Sheila whispered. "I know what that was: a gong, that's all. Don't-"

Too late. The imp was too scared to listen. Before Sheila could stop him, he gave a wild little chitter of alarm, dived back into the drain, and disappeared.

Sheila, Pelu, and Dian were left alone in darkness.

11

An Old Enemy Returns

Standing there in the middle of who knew what, Sheila had no idea which way to turn or what to do. For a long, terrified moment she couldn't even think. The darkness seemed to press in about her, tighter, tighter .

No! That was silly. She had never been scared of the dark before, and she wasn't about to start being scared now!

"Okay," she said softly, "which way do you think we should go?"

What if no one answered? What if Pelu and Dian had somehow disappeared? What if-"The passage leads off to our left and right." Pelu's voice was as calm as ever. "The sound of the gong came from the right, I think."

"Then we should go left," Dian said decisively.

"I'm not sure about that." The healer hesitated.

"They'd only be sounding a gong somewhere within the main halls of the palace. That means if we go to the left, we'll be going away from the heart of the building. We'd probably wind up somewhere near the outer walls."

"Yes, but-"

"Dian, Illyria is a precious prisoner to Kumuru. He's not going to keep her in some isolated corner."

"I know that. I just think it would be safer to get a better view of the whole palace before we start wandering around in here."

''I don't think we have time for that 'safer,' '' Sheila cut in. "We don't know how long we have till morning. Once the sun comes up, the whole palace will be up and about. Then we'll never be able to get to Illyria."

"I still think we should go left."

"I think we should go right," argued Pelu. "What about you, Sheila?"

Which way? Which way ....

Sheila straightened. "Hey, I know what! In my world we have a sort of magical chant we use when we can't make a decision. It goes like this:

"Eenie, meenie, minie, moe .

The three warriors, drawn swords in their hands, made their way down the passage way— to the right.

Sheila still wasn't too happy about the choice. Sure, there hadn't been any better way to decide, but even so...

What if they were going the wrong way after all? When would they even find out? The passageway continued straight and true and level. The walls remained smooth and unmarked, slightly cool to the touch.

What if it's leading us straight into another trap? Sheila worried.

Hadn't things gone just a little too easily so far? Kumuru was a sorcerer, after all, even if all his power did seem to come only from that strange red amulet of his.

Maybe he knew exactly where the warriors were. Maybe he was just biding his time, playing with them as a cat played with a mouse.

Suddenly Sheila saw a light up ahead. And just as suddenly all her fears seemed ridiculous. Funny, how a little light made everything seem so-

"No!"

Pelu's horrified scream made Sheila whirl around—just in time to see one of the huge stone guards come lumbering out of the darkness. Before she could even raise her sword, the healer was caught up in a pair of mighty stone arms.

"Pelu!"

Dian and Sheila slashed frantically at the rock-man. But their swords just bounced off the thing's stony surface. Then it turned on them so suddenly that Dian went flying. She crashed into Sheila, and both girls were slammed to the floor. Winded, heart racing, Sheila struggled to get up, expecting a powerful stone foot to come stomping down on top of her at any second.

But instead the rock-man turned and strode swiftly away into the darkness, Pelu cradled helpless in its grasp.

Gasping, Dian and Sheila scrambled to their feet, bruised and aching.

"We've got to go after her!" panted Sheila.

"Too late! They're gone!"

"That's impossible. Come on—"

“Sheila, no! There must have been some sort of secret passage back there. I'm telling you, Pelu is gone!" Sheila stared fiercely down the corridor, but saw nothing but darkness. The rock-man and his captive might just as well have vanished into thin air. Evidently, the thing didn't need light to see where it was going. That meant it had probably been stalking them silently all the time they had thought they were alone.

"She'll be all right, Dian," she said firmly, hoping she was right. She was glad Dian couldn't see her trembling in the dim light.

"How can you be so sure?" Dian asked.

"Because . . . because . . . the rock-man could have killed Pelu easily enough. But it didn't. Even while it was knocking us over, it was very careful not to hurt her."

"But that means Kumuru must have her! Oh, Sheila, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know. I guess there's nothing we can do. Except . . . go on." And hope that Kumuru didn't know exactly where they were.

But he did. Even as the light they were approaching grew brighter and brighter, Dian gave a squeal of surprise. A panel in the floor of the passage had suddenly fallen away beneath her feet!

"Dian!"

Sheila snatched frantically at the other girl's arm. But her hand closed on empty air. With a wail of terror, Dian went sliding down a smooth, glassy slope and out of sight. Sheila threw herself flat trying to peer down the slope.

But the panel was noiselessly slipping back into place. No matter how Sheila pried and probed at it, it remained shut.

"Oh, Dian…”

Nobody answered. After a moment Sheila got to her feet again, feeling so alone that she wanted to burst out sobbing. She was tired of being brave! She wanted her parents, and her friends, Cookie and Dr. Reit. But unless she somehow got out of here and took the Tracker back from Mardock, she wasn't going to see any of them ever again!

The tears that were already welling threatened to spill over. But then Sheila sniffed, and quickly rubbed a hand across her eyes. Sure, she was scared, but crying wasn't going to do any good. If she was ever going to get out of this mess, she had better start thinking instead. Why were Pelu and Dian snatched away while nothing at all had happened to her? And why did Pelu's abductor strike only at Dian, as though Sheila had suddenly become invisible?

Oh, of course! The powers of the Dark Gods hadn't worked on her before, and plainly they still weren't working. Sure, Kumuru had been aware of Pelu and Dian. But, Sheila suddenly realized, he obviously had no idea she was here.

But you will soon, Kumuru! she promised silently.

Hoping Pelu and Dian were all right, Sheila did the only thing she could: she stole warily on, following the light.

Now she could hear a faint thread of sound, as though two people were arguing. And ahead of her the light had become very bright, outlining what could only be the end of the passageway. It seemed to come out into some sort of an audience chamber. Now, who would be holding an audience at this hour of the night! Sheila wondered.

Kumuru, of course.

Hardly daring to breathe, Sheila took a silent step forward . . . and another . . . and then another.

Well, this was the end of the passageway, all right. And that probably was an audience chamber out there. But she couldn't tell for sure, because a huge column was blocking her way. Sheila gritted her teeth. Who knew what danger might be waiting ahead? But whatever it was, she certainly couldn't just stand there like a frightened rabbit all night!

Cautiously she moved out of the passageway and darted behind the column. From here she could see that this was indeed a vast room. The red sandstone walls were covered from floor to high, vaulted ceiling with murals. Sheila took a look at them, then quickly turned away.

Ugh! The creatures painted on those murals were horrible! All teeth and talons and staring, hating, evil eyes. Were those the Dark Gods? How could anybody ever be crazy enough to want to worship them?

To take her mind off the hideous murals, Sheila warily peeked out from behind the shielding column.

At the far end of the audience hall, half hidden by shadow, was a stone bier. On it lay a funerary statue of a warrior figure, like one she had seen in a history book. But not quite. Someone had apparently painted this one, putting in every detail of the slain warrior's sword and tunic and long, silvery hair—Sheila had to hastily bite down on her lip to keep from crying out. That wasn't a statue at all! That was Illyria! For a moment Sheila was sure the woman was dead. But then she realized that Illyria was breathing, softly but steadily. The Unicorn Queen was sound asleep, entranced.

I've got to wake her up! Sheila thought frantically.

But, how? All at once feeling very young and helpless, she ached to simply run to Illyria and shake her till she opened her eyes. But that would hardly do the trick. Sheila knew enough about magic by now to realize you couldn't break a spell like that.

Besides . . . they weren't alone. From the other end of the hall Sheila could hear the sound of angry voices. Holding her breath, she peered around the other side of the column. And now she finally got a look down the many-columned length of the hall.

Uh-oh. Trouble.

At the end of the hall, beneath a spectacular, gem-encrusted mural of heroic figures, stood a glittering red throne that looked as though it had been cut from one gigantic ruby. And lounging on that throne was Kumuru, King of Samarna and Sorcerer of the Dark Gods.

Sheila sighed soundlessly. Even now, in the middle of all this danger, she still had to admit he was incredibly good-looking! The light from the mass of torches turned his skin to burnished gold and his hair to gleaming jet. His fiery red cloak was thrown casually back off his shoulders, and rubies glinted from his towering feather crown and heavy golden breastplate.

Kumuru suddenly leaned forward, pointing contemptuously at someone who stood before him—a tall, lean someone dressed all in black. Someone who seemed strangely familiar. .

Waiting till Kumuru's head was turned away from her, Sheila tiptoed down to the next column. Now, if only the mysterious stranger would turn around . . . more . . . just a little more . .

I don't believe it!

The man in black was no stranger. Sheila knew him far better than she cared to. This was none other than Sheila's old foe: Dynasian's comrade, Ankzar's ally, the unlawful possessor of Dr. Reit's Tracker—this was the wizard Mardock!

12

Plots and Counterplots

Sheila stared at Mardock in complete shock. What was he doing here? The last time they had met, he was still in the pay of Emperor Ankzar. Well, nobody ever said sorcerers couldn't quit their jobs, Sheila thought, just like ordinary folk.

Oh, but this was too much. One enemy was bad enough. But Mardock and Kumuru-what sort of unholy alliance could they be plotting? Sheila clenched her fists in frustration. From where she stood, she couldn't make out a word that they were saying. She would have to get just a little bit closer.

As she began to tiptoe forward again, the scabbard of her sword swung against the column with a sharp clink! that seemed to echo throughout the vast hall. Sheila froze in horror, sure that both sorcerers were going to pounce on her. But to her relief, they were too busy arguing to notice anything else. And now she was close enough to hear them clearly:

"But I tell you, King Kumuru, you're making a mistake!"

"Oh, I think not, sorcerer.”

"No, wait. Hear me out. Please." Mardock's voice softened to a coaxing purr. "Your Majesty, I know you have Power. Vast Power. But . . ." He shrugged. "Let us face facts. For all your magic you are still but one man, alone, with no one to guard your back or help you increase your strength."

"And you would be that guard, eh, Mardock?" Kumuru's voice was just as silky.

"Why, yes, King Kumuru." Mardock smiled charmingly. "And I promise you, you'd not regret my aid."

"Because I'd no longer be alive to regret anything?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean—Your Majesty! I am no traitor!"

"I think the late Dynasian of Campora might have told a different tale."

"I did not betray him!" Mardock raged. "It was that cursed Laric and his cursed Unicorn Queen who spoiled everything! Why, I would have ruled-"

Mardock stopped short, dismayed at what he had almost said. But it was already too late to hide.

"You would have ruled Campora, sorcerer?" purred Kumuru. "As you would rule Samarna? Oh, I think not!"

"Wait! Hear me out. Dynasian was a fool, but you are not. You can appreciate what I would mean to you.”

"Sleepless nights and a back ever imperiled."

"No! Listen to me! You are a sorcerer, you know Power. I have my own Power, great Power! If we united-"

"Unite with you?" Kumuru's high laugh dripped with scorn. "You, little worm? Why, you have your petty little magics, true. But I am the priest of the Dark Gods themselves! You are weak, pathetic, compared to me!"

And to make his point, Kumuru shouted a sorcerous Word, flung out his arm in a commanding gesture—and Mardock was thrown to his knees!

"You would dare!" Mardock gasped in shock.

Kumuru laughed. "I would, indeed, fool!"

That was too much for Mardock. "Then you will meet your doom!" he shrieked, eyes blazing in insulted fury. As Mardock shouted out the twisting words of a spell, angry green lightning flashed from his pointing hands.

Sheila stood transfixed, expecting to see Kumuru turned to ash. But the bilious lightning simply bounced off the king's chest and vanished!

Mardock stared, mouth agape, looking every bit as astonished as Sheila felt at his spell's failure.

"Poor Mardock," Kumuru taunted with mock concern. "You never realized the truth, did you? Oh, I am not like you, Mardock, with your innate, inner magic. Your finite magic, limited to whatever paltry strength resides within your foolish body. I have no inner magic."

"But you-"

“Be still, Mardock." Kumuru drew himself up proudly. "I have something better than your petty magic: I can draw upon the endlessly powerful reservoir that is the sorcery of the Dark Gods themselves!"

As Mardock struggled to catch his breath, the King of Samarna smiled cruelly. "You still don't understand, eh? The focus of my magic isn't trapped in a fragile, fleshy body. It lies within the Amulet of Power, the stone red as blood, red as fire, given me by my father, and he by his, down through the ages." He paused. "What's this, Mardock? Do I see power-lust in your eyes? Forget it, man. Only I or one of my blood can wield the Dark Gods' Power. Anyone else would be blasted to ash at the amulet's very touch!" Kumuru's smile broadened. "As long as the Amulet of Power remains unbroken, intact, the Dark Gods protect me, Mardock. And I cannot be slain!''

Sheila saw the involuntary little sideways glance Kumuru gave to a small table beside the throne, and bit her lip with excitement. On that table was the same red charm he had worn within the stone circle!

That's got to be the Amulet of Power!

But why would the man risk taking off such a precious thing? Of course, if the amulet was so deadly, who else but Kumuru would dare touch it?

Unless . . . She had been immune to the Dark Gods' magic so far. What if she could find a way to steal away the amulet? Would Kumuru then be helpless?

Mardock must have been wondering the same thing. But he had missed the point of the small table entirely. The way his greedy gaze kept returning to the rubies glittering in Kumuru's breastplate, he clearly assumed the Amulet of Power was embedded there.

"A pretty story, Kumuru!" he cried. "But I don't believe a word of it!"

With that, Mardock lunged at the king, trying to tear the breastplate from his chest. But Kumuru was too quick for him. Leaping aside with catlike quickness, he called out a Word that rang so sharply Sheila gasped and clapped her hands over her ears in pain. The hall erupted into a blinding flash of red light!

The blazing light lasted just an instant, and then all was blackness. Blinking her dazzled eyes, seeing nothing but greenish afterimages at first, Sheila squinted till she could make out the crumpled form of Mardock lying motionless on the cold stone floor.

He can't be dead! she thought in panic. If he is, I'll never get my Tracker back!

But then, to her relief, she realized that his chest was rising and falling gently. Kumuru's magic had simply knocked him senseless.

At an imperious gesture from their king, two of the hulking rock-men guards strode forward and swung Mardock's limp form up between them. Kumuru nodded approvingly, then waved them away. A small, cold smile flickered on his lips as the sorcerer was carried off into darkness.

As she watched Kumuru watching the guards, Sheila suddenly realized that he wasn't paying attention to anything else. Without really thinking, she began tiptoeing carefully toward Illyria. If she could only awaken the Unicorn Queen before Kumuru noticed .

But suddenly Sheila was caught in a blazing circle, sharp and clear as any spotlight. She whirled about, trying to return to the safety of the shadows. But that dazzling light was all around her. Kumuru, who had settled back onto the throne, leaped to his feet again, staring.

"You, again!" he cried. "Will I never be rid of your presence?"

Snatching up the Amulet of Power, he shouted out the harsh words of a spell.

There wasn't time to run. Sheila braced herself, wincing. The now-familiar tingling raced through her and—Nothing!

Sheila let out a shaky sigh of relief. It seemed she was still immune to the power of the Dark Gods.

Kumuru was not about to give up so easily, though. Before Sheila could move, he gestured fiercely, and several of his rock-men surged forward to surround her.

"Uh . . . hi, guys," she said, fighting to keep her voice from shaking.

Gosh, they were ugly, seen up close like this. They were hardly in man-shape at all, these big, crudely formed things. And they didn't have true faces, either. Instead, there were only the roughest indications of where eyes and nose and mouth should be.

But then they didn't have to breathe, after all. They weren't really alive! Somehow that wasn't a comforting thought.

They stank, too, of earth and dark, dank, secret places. And they fairly radiated rough, raw strength. The mindless strength of the earth.

Sheila gave the rock-men a forced smile, not at all sure they could see it. "You . . . uh . .. don't have to worry, she said. "I'm not going to argue with you."

Kumuru was murmuring something. Sheila heard the words "Dark Gods," and bent and twisted till she could see through a gap between two of the rock-men. And there was Kumuru, holding the Amulet of Power to his lips. He was still murmuring something, asking the Dark Gods—No, no, he wasn't asking them anything. He was summoning them!

"Hey, no, don't-" Sheila cried helplessly. But the summons had already been issued.

And answered. All at once the horrified Sheila knew that there was another presence in the hall. At a wave from Kumuru the rock-men backed away, and Sheila braced herself to see— Nothing! There was no one in the hall save Kumuru and herself.

Sheila shuddered in sudden fresh terror. Maybe she couldn't see anyone, but that didn't mean no one was there. All at once she could feel that a strange, cold, alien Someone was studying her.

Oh, and it was trying to get into her mind! She sensed the tendrils of alien thought, cold as clammy wisps of mist.

No! I won't let you in! she told the Someone fiercely. I won't!

But how could she block it out?

Think of something else, she told herself. Anything! Fast! Don't give the thing room to get in!

Think of something, yes. But, what? Her thoughts were scurrying around in her mind like frightened mice!

Songs, maybe. Yes, of course! If she could fill her mind with music, there wouldn't be room for any prying monster. Quickly Sheila started trying to remember the lyrics to every song she had ever heard.

Oh, but she couldn't seem to think of anything except silly old nursery rhymes!

"Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was . . . was .

Okay, there was no reason to panic. She'd simply try another one, that was all.

"Rockaby baby, in the treetop . . . Uh. . . When the bough breaks, the . . . Uh .

She couldn't remember the rest of it! Those cold wisps of mist kept creeping into her brain and confusing her.

No! Quick, try something else!

What, though? What?

One times one is one, two times two is four .

How long she kept that up, Sheila didn't know. But all of a sudden the eerie, alien pressure vanished. As she stood there shaking, panting as though she had just run a long, tough race, she heard a faint, dry whisper of a voice speaking to Kumuru.

"That is a strange youngster," the alien voice intoned. "Strange indeed."

"What do you mean? How strange?"

"Strange," the whisper insisted.

"She's just a girl, that's all," argued Kumuru impatiently. "She's flesh and blood, like everyone else. She's mortal, like everyone else. How can she be strange?"

"Ahh . . ." It was a long, dusty sigh. "Her mind is strange."

"What are you saying? That she's insane?"

"Nothing so simple." The voice paused for a long while, then sighed again. "A puzzle: The patterns of her mind, her thoughts, are like no other in this world."

Ha, of course they're not! thought Sheila. That's because I'm not from this world!

Kumuru was shaking his head. "I don't care about the patterns of her mind! Why won't my magic work against her?"

"Your magic?" asked the voice.

"Forgive me," Kumuru said quickly, but he didn't sound repentant at all. "I mean our magic, of course. The magic you so graciously lend me. The magic that isn't working! Why?"

"Were you not listening?" Sheila thought she heard the faintest hint of anger in that dry, whispery voice. "To successfully 'work' magic over someone—as you so crudely put it—the magician must be familiar with that someone’s mind or, more precisely, with the currents of energy therein."

Is that the way a devil talks? Sheila wondered in amazement. It doesn't sound evil at all. It sounds like a schoolteacher!

Kumuru wasn't too happy with the lecture, either. Pacing restlessly back and forth in front of his gleaming throne, he kept interrupting with "Yes, of course," and "Go on, go on!"

But the voice ignored him and his growing frenzy of impatience. As calmly as a professor in a lecture hall, it continued. "Normally, there is enough similarity of culture, of race, of species, for such familiarity with others' mind-energies to be an instinctive thing for a mage, no problem at all."

"Yes, but-"

"But in this case . . . since we you call the Dark Gods cannot fathom the patterns of this child's mind, neither we, nor, of course, you, can work any magic over her at all."

The voice paused as though pondering an intriguing problem. Or, Sheila thought uneasily, it might have been silently communicating with the other Dark Gods—wherever they might be lurking. "We have decided," it said at last, so suddenly that Sheila jumped. "Despite the girl's youth, she can only be an accomplished sorceress. There is no other way to explain why her power is so very foreign from all else in your world."

When Kumuru, all at once staring thoughtfully at Sheila, didn't answer, the voice prodded, "Well? Are you content? Have I your permission to depart?"

"Hm?" the king asked absently, still regarding Sheila with sharp interest. "What's that?"

The voice sighed. "May I or may I not depart?"

"Oh. Yes. Go. By all means, go.

That seemed an awfully rude way to treat a being of Power. Apparently the voice seemed to think so, too, because it said, "You have a way of forgetting just who it is that grants you your precious magic."

Kumuru grinned sharply, holding up the Amulet of Power. "This does, demon. As long as I keep it whole and unbroken, you and your dark fellows must serve me. Don't you dare to forget it! And now—begone!"

There was the faintest rush of wind, and then Sheila felt that unseen presence vanish. Kumuru set the amulet on its little table and stepped gracefully down from his throne. "I fear I've treated you abominably so far," he said with a charming smile. "You understand: the pressures of royalty and such."

"Uh . . . of course.

"But that's no excuse. There's never an excuse for rudeness to a lovely young lady."

Lovely? echoed Sheila in silent wonder.

"Come," purred Kumuru, "will you forgive me?"

He really was so-o-o gorgeous, smiling at her like that! "Of course," Sheila repeated nervously.

"Good!" Kumuru moved to her side, cloak swirling dramatically about him. "How foolish I've been, seeing you only as a young girl with some small tricks of Power. Now I know differently."

Sheila licked her dry lips. "D-do you?"

"Oh, indeed! A sorceress such as yourself, young though you still are, would be a rare prize."

"Hey, wait a minute! I'm not anybody's 'prize'!"

Kumuru bowed urbanely. "A bad choice of words, I admit it. What I meant to do was ask you a question: Why not join me?"

"What!"

"Why do you look so startled? Surely, as a sorceress, you have ambitions! Think how an alliance with me could fulfill them!"

"I don't know if I'm as ambitious as all that," Sheila said sarcastically.

"Only because you haven't thought about this fully." Kumuru moved even closer, his dark eyes gleaming. "What is it you most desire? Ah, I know! Surely a young sorceress desires knowledge? Think, now: were we allies, the libraries of a hundred lands would be yours. Wise men would come to you with wondrous scrolls containing rare and terrible spells of Power far beyond your dreams."

"Uh ... Thanks, but no thanks. I’m happy with my dreams the way they are.”

For a moment an angry frown furrowed Kumuru's brow. Then it faded, and his charming smile returned. "Wise child! What fills your dreams, then? Beautiful treasures, perhaps? Picture them: paintings and statues by the most famous of artists, tapestries woven by hands so skilled that the figures in them seem to live, the wonders of every land brought before you for your delight."

"I think I'd rather see artwork kept safely in museums.”

Kumuru blinked, taken aback. "Then what would you have? Jewelry? Ah, yes, of course. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds. Ropes of shining pearls. The sparkle of gold, the gleam of silver . . ." He moved slowly around her, his cloak slithering softly along her arm, making Sheila shiver. "Or finest raiments, perhaps," Kumuru added, his voice as silken as the cloak, "to best display your growing womanhood, satins and furs, clothing more lovely than ever worn by mortal woman.

"No . . . I don't think so."

"Come now, my lovely one, my little sorceress. Think! We are both young, ambitious, powerful. Join your powers to mine, and we will create a force such as none has ever known. Join me, and no one will stand before us. Join me—and together we will rule the world!"

Sheila took a deliberate step back. "Thank you, but I'd really rather not."

Sudden anger blazed up in Kumuru's eyes. "Enough of this game!" he roared. "Are you fool enough to say no to Kumuru?"

"I guess I am. Sorry."

"Sorry! I'm offering you a chance for enormous Power, unlimited Power! How dare you refuse me!"

Kumuru was ranting like a spoiled brat. Now that he wasn't playing the charmer, his eyes were so cruel…

Yes, Kumuru was gorgeous. But one look at those burning eyes, and Sheila could think only of the ugliness within.

"Well, yes," she answered him softly. "I'm afraid I do."

"You fool! You little vixen—so be it!" With a wave of his hand, Kumuru once more summoned his rock-men. “Take her away! Throw her into the chambers below this hall." Kumuru glared at Sheila. "If you will not join me, little one, you shall still serve a useful purpose. You shall make a worthy sacrifice at the time of moon-dark! Now: take her away!"

13

Prisoners

Where was she? What was this place? A bare room, as far as she could see in the dim light . . . dark, dank . . . It had to be a prison cell. But, no. Judging from the mounds of odds and ends piled in the corners of the room, it hadn't been meant to hold prisoners, only tools and other equipment. A storage room, that's what it was. And it was located somewhere beneath the audience hall.

But how had she gotten here? The last thing Sheila could recall was that hall, and Kumuru glaring at her, then signaling his rock-men, and . . . and .

Suddenly it all came back to her. Just before the rock-men grabbed her, the King of Samarna had blown a cloud of dusty white powder in her face. It hadn't been anything magical, of course, not after all the stuff the voice had told Kumuru. Sheila guessed it must have been some sort of drug, to keep her quiet until he could get her safely locked up.

Sheila yawned again, a long, satisfying yawn, then grinned. Kumuru had done her an unintentional kindness with that drug—he had given her a good night's sleep.

But was it still night? The only light was the faint glow filtering in through an air slit high in one wall. Sheila couldn't tell if the glow was reflected sunlight or the yellow light of a torch. Sheila sat up in alarm. What if that was torchlight? What if she had slept the day around? That would make it night, all right—the night of the dark of the moon!

The night of sacrifice!

Sheila bit back a cry of sheer panic. She had to get out of here! She had to find Pelu and Dian. And rescue Illyria. And stop Kumuru and his Dark Gods! Sheila groaned in despair. Why not go ahead and save the whole world while she was at it?

Calm down, she told herself. Before she tried any heroics, she first had to find a way to unlock this disgustingly sturdy door.

But that was easier said than done. She couldn't reach the lock at all, or the hinges, and of course Kumuru hadn't left her the backpack, or her sword, or even a dagger, so she couldn't try to cut her way out.

With a worried frown, Sheila turned away from the door, trying to come up with some other idea. Maybe if she pretended to fall ill, and yelled for help? Then, when someone came to investigate, she could overpower him and escape.

No, that wouldn't work, either. The only guards around were probably those awful rock-men. She couldn't see them answering a call for help. Nor, in her wildest imagination, could she see herself overpowering them.

Still, it was worth a try. After all, Sheila thought wryly, it always seemed to work in the movies!

"Help?" she called tentatively. "Help me!"

That wasn't even loud enough to startle a mouse. Taking a deep breath, Sheila tried again.

"Hey, out there! Help! I need help!"

"Sheila?" came a faint voice. "Sheila, is that you?"

"Pelu! Where are you?"

"I'm not sure. Some sort of storage room, I'd guess."

"Me, too. Are you all right? What about Dian?"

"I'm here with Pelu," Dian chimed in. "Neither of us is hurt. But there's no way out of this room!"

Sheila sighed. "I know. I've already tried."

A noise from the darkness behind her made Sheila whirl with a startled squeak.

"Sheila!" called Pelu sharply. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Sheila was too horrified to answer. One of the piles of tools was moving!

But then Sheila giggled in relief. That wasn't a pile of tools at all, of course not. It wasn't some nameless Thing, either. Kumuru evidently didn't have enough storage rooms available, because Sheila was sharing her cell with another prisoner.

She approached the huddled form hesitantly. "Are you all right?"

The figure stirred again and groaned pitifully. Sheila blinked. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim light by now, just enough for her to discern that this other prisoner was a man.

No! Not just a man—Mardock! It was Mardock!

Sheila took an instinctive step backward, then stopped and held her ground. The wizard was still unconscious. He was hardly any threat now. Mardock's robes were torn and stained, his hair and beard were wildly disheveled, and livid bruises marred his arms and pale face.

He must have gained consciousness somewhere along the way and tried to fight the rock-men, Sheila thought.

What a mistake that must have been! Fighting with the rock-men was probably like trying to overcome the force of an earthquake. No wonder he was unconscious!

Kumuru must have been more worried about the strength of Mardock's magic than he had admitted, because he had had the man wrapped round and round with chains so heavy Sheila doubted he could do more than turn his head. More to the point, the chains were made of cold, gleaming steel.

Stepping back, Sheila almost stumbled over a small, hard something that turned under her foot. She glanced down, then pounced.

"A key!" Sheila exclaimed, jubilantly.

But after that first rush of hope, she let out a long, sad sigh. This couldn't be the key to the door, because the door was locked from the outside. In fact, there was only one lock in this room that the key could possibly fit…

And sure enough, it did.

Sheila sat back on her heels in disgust. Great. Just great. This was the key to Mardock's chains. One of the rock-men must have dropped it; their hands were pretty crudely shaped, after all.

Just then, Mardock stirred again and his eyelids flickered open. The sorcerer was awake. He made a feeble attempt to stand, then fell back in his chains, staring grimly around the small room. And his gaze fell on Sheila.

"You!"

"I wish people would stop calling me that," Sheila complained. "I do have a name, you know."

Mardock shot her one quick, hate-filled glare, and then ignored her completely. Instead, he glanced around the room again, noting the locked door, and frowned. Only then did the sorcerer's eye return to Sheila again. He studied her as though seeing her for the first time.

"Why, you're a prisoner here, too! Now, that I did not expect."

Sheila gave him a puzzled stare. "You sound as though you knew you'd find me in the palace."

His eyes were scornful. "Somewhere hereabouts, yes. Why do you think I came here?"

"To steal the Dark Gods' power?"

"That, too, of course. That vain young idiot of a king doesn't deserve to wield it! Making up that incredible story that only he can safely touch the amulet—the fool! Let me but have the time to work my spells upon it, and the Amulet of Power shall be mine!" Mardock stopped to take a deep breath. In a much calmer voice he said, "Naturally I knew you were in Erech-ban. Am I not a sorcerer? I have no intention of losing you, my dear. Not until you teach me the secret of your magical device."

"The Tracker? Forget it, Mardock!"

He shrugged, chains rattling, and continued: "My magical spies told me what was happening with you, with the unicorns, enough to make me leave King Ankzar in Queelotoo and come here."

Sheila had to laugh. "Your spies don't like you too much, do they? I mean, they let you march right into danger. Look how you wound up, all . . . well . . . all wound up!"

"This is hardly a situation for humor! I suspect Kumuru plans to sacrifice us both."

"He does."

"And you lack that arcane pack you generally bear."

"My backpack? I guess Kumuru kept it."

"I take it that means you have no magical implements with you. No, of course you don't! Kumuru would not be so complete a fool." The sorcerer let out his breath in an angry sigh. "Then we are doomed. What a senseless way to die."

"Wait a minute, we're not dead yet!"

"Well, we're as good as dead! Kumuru knows I can work no magic while trapped in this—this steel cocoon!"

Sheila hesitated, chewing thoughtfully on her lip. There just might be a way out of this mess after all.

She held up the key. "Look what I found."

Mardock's eyes blazed. "Are you telling me you have the key to these chains?"

''I do.''

"Give it to me! Now!"

"Not so fast. If I set you free, what's to stop you from using your sorcery on me?"

Mardock forced a smile. "Why, you have my word on it!"

"Oh, come now, Mardock! How stupid do you think I am? We both know what your promise is worth."

His smile hardened. "What do you want, then?"

"How about a trade? Your freedom for my Tracker."

Mardock gave her a cold stare. "Now, how stupid do you think I am? I would hardly carry about such a valuable tool like a toy! The thing is perfectly safe, hidden where you shall never find it."

"Of course," Sheila said smoothly. "I was only testing you. Anyhow, I have a better bargain to make. You want the Amulet of Power, don't you?"

Mardock said nothing, but the sudden keen light in his eyes gave her her answer. She smiled.

"All right. I know where the amulet is. You can have it, and your freedom, if you let me out of here."

"Yes, yes, done!"

"Wait. Hear me out. You've got to get me and my friends out of this place."

"I said yes!''

"I'm still not finished. You've also got to break the spell on Illyria."

"What!" Mardock roared. "No! Never! Why should I want to help that—that woman?" He tried to fold his arms haughtily, but the chains wouldn't let him move that far. "Forget it, girl. We have no bargain."

"No?" Sheila twirled the key in her fingers. "You mean, you truly want to be sacrificed?" She shrugged. "Well, okay, then. I'll just call the rock-men back and give them this key."

"No! Wait!"

''Yes?"

"All right. All right!"

"We have a bargain, then? You'll let us out and break the spell on Illyria?"

Mardock glared at her. "Yes," he muttered reluctantly. "Now, unchain me before it's too late!"

As soon as he was free, Mardock staggered to his feet, wincing at the pain from his stiff muscles and various scrapes and bruises.

"You're all right?" Sheila asked doubtfully.

"Of course." Mardock wriggled his fingers, limbering them up, Sheila knew, for magic. "Kumuru has left many accounts unsettled. But once the Amulet of Power is mine, oh, he shall pay!"

"Uh . . . right. But first, let's just get out of here, okay?"

Mardock gave her a quick, scornful glance, then turned his attention to the door. He strode back and forth in front of it, muttering to himself. At last the sorcerer stopped, pointed an imperious pinkie, and uttered a sharp, twisting Word. The door creaked on its hinges—But nothing else happened.

Mardock raised an angry eyebrow. He repeated his Word, with a slightly different inflection. This time there was a sharp cracking sound and the door shook violently in its frame— But nothing else happened.

Sheila gave the door a good, hard look as Mardock raised his hand for another try. "Ah, excuse me," she said to the perspiring sorcerer, "have you tried-"

His glare was dark as a thundercloud. "Are you trying to teach me by business?"

''No, but I-"

"Stand aside!"

"Look, Mardock, your spell worked. The lock broke, I heard it."

"But the door will not open!"

"Well, no, not like that, it won't. It's kind of silly for you to waste your magic on it, when all we have to do is-"

“I said, stand aside!"

With a sigh Sheila obeyed. She watched the sorcerer try another and yet another spell. But though the door rocked back and forth, it still didn't open.

"Enough's enough," she said at last. "Now you stand aside." She put her hand on the door—and pulled it smoothly open. As Mardock stared in disbelief, Sheila gave him a sweet smile. "Don't feel badly about it. You're not the first person who's tried to push open a door marked Pull."

"Come," Mardock said shortly. "Let us get out of here.

With a melodramatic flourish the sorcerer cast open the door to the room holding Pelu and Dian. The two warriors gasped at the unexpected sight of the wizard, their hands fumbling for the swords no longer at their sides.

"Hey, no!" whispered Sheila. "He's on our side!"

"For the present," muttered Mardock darkly, sweeping out of the cell.

Sheila stopped a moment to scoop up her backpack from where one of the rock-men had dropped it. "Ha, and our swords, too." She grinned at Pelu and Dian, and then all three hurried after the wizard.

Sheila still had no idea whether it was day or night. Neither did the others. They hadn't yet seen one window to the outside world. It was like wandering around inside a gigantic cave. Come to think of it, Sheila decided, that was pretty much what this palace was: a giant, artificial cave cut into the mountainside.

Whatever time it might be, at least there were now people in the palace corridors, real, flesh-and-blood people, mostly servants in plain brown or gray robes, hurrying on their way to this or that errand. They weren't a problem. Oh, no, they were surprisingly easy to elude. Not really so surprising, Sheila mused. Servants of tyrants, she had noticed back when Dynasian still ruled Campora, were loath to notice anything that might interfere with their duties. Anything that might get them in trouble.

But detachments of the rock-men were stalking those corridors, too. Ominously silent for all their bulk, they swung their nearly featureless heads left and right, searching for trouble. Each time one of those eerie constructs appeared, the escaped prisoners would dart frantically into the nearest shadows.

So far they had been lucky. But Sheila, huddling with Pelu, Dian, and the angry-eyed Mardock, barely dared to breathe. She knew it was just a matter of time before a stony hand would close on her shoulder and drag her back to prison.

"Come on," she whispered to the others. "The coast is clear. Let's go!"

They made a wild dash down the passageway and into the audience hall.

To everyone’s relief it was empty except for the enchanted Illyria. But Sheila was sure it wouldn't stay that way for more than a few minutes. The Amulet of Power was on its table by the shining ruby throne. Kumuru certainly wasn't going to let that out of his sight for long!

Mardock still hadn't noticed the amulet, but had headed straight to the side of the stone bier. The wizard stood over the sleeping Unicorn Queen for a long time, his dark eyes distant and remote as he felt out the shape of the sorcery that bound her.

"It's no use!" he said at last in disgust.

"What do you mean?" Pelu's hand flew to the hilt of her sword. "Are you saying you can't break the spell?"

Mardock frowned at her. "Oh, I can break it, all right. I can shatter it. But the force of that exploding sorcery would probably kill us all!"

"I don't understand."

"That's no standard Sleep Spell, woman! That was set with inhuman power, Dark Gods' Power, and if I try to disspell it . . . Well, have you ever seen what happens when oil is cast onto flames?"

"But we can't leave Illyria here!" protested Dian. "Maybe we could carry her?"

"All that way, with no one stopping you?" Mardock mocked. "Why don't we just surrender now and get it over with?"

Sheila wasn't really listening to the others. Dark Gods' Power, eh? Well, so far she had proven completely immune to that Power. Why let its laws limit her now? Ordinary, magicless people were always breaking Sleep Spells in the fairy tales of her own world. If those stories weren't complete fantasy, there must be something they all had in common…

Oh. Of course.

Feeling more than a little foolish and scared that this wasn't going to work, Sheila inched closer to the bier. With a self-conscious smile, she leaned over and kissed Illyria on the cheek. Then she straightened, holding her breath ...

For what seemed like a long, long time, nothing happened. Sheila winced. It wasn't going to work. Of course it wasn't going to work. She had been foolish to think that something as simple as a— "Look!" whispered Pelu.

Was it only a trick of the torchlight? Or could it possibly be . . . ?

Yes! It was true! A tinge of pink was slowly suffusing Illyria's pale face. Softly she sighed, moving her head from side to side. A quiver of silver lashes, a flutter of her eyelids ...

And all at once Illyria opened her eyes.

"Sheila, Pelu, Dian! Where am I? What happened? I've just had the most incredible dream!"

"Oh, Illyria!" Pelu gasped. "You're in Kumuru's palace in Erech-ban. And until a moment ago you were under his spell. But Sheila just freed you!"

Sheila felt Mardock's intense gaze and turned to see the wizard eying her with new respect.

But that respect didn't stop him from saying coldly, "Remember our bargain. I rescued you and your friends. I brought you here safely. It is hardly my fault that you, not I, were the one who awakened the Unicorn Queen." He drew himself proudly erect, his eyes glittering with sorcerous strength. "Keep your side of the bargain, little witch. Don't try to cheat me. The Amulet of Power is somewhere within this hall. I can feel it. And I want it!"

Sheila hesitated, heart racing. She hadn't really expected things to get this far.

If she told Mardock where the amulet lay, he would gain the power of the Dark Gods. The thought of so much evil magic in the hands of someone like Mardock was too terrible to imagine. She couldn't let that happen!

But the other alternative wasn't any better. If Kumuru kept the amulet, who knew what sorcerous horrors the ambitious king would unleash, maybe even against Campora!

Sheila couldn't keep stalling forever, though. Mardock was about to lose his temper—and she wasn't immune to his magic! Kumuru would be back at any moment, too! She had to make a decision, and quickly.

14

Battle is Joined

Mardock stood just out of reach of the warriors' swords, his eyes ablaze with sorcerous power. Sheila could practically feel the magical energy crackling in the air. He was about to release a spell at them!

"Get ready to run," she muttered to the other warriors.

"What are you going to do?" Dian whispered.

Sheila hadn't the vaguest idea. "You'll see," she lied boldly. "Just be ready to get out of here!"

"Be careful!" Illyria murmured.

''I'll try.”

"Enough delay!" hissed Mardock. "Give me the amulet now—or die!"

"I've got it for you!" Sheila cried, frantically rummaging through her backpack. "Here!"

She grabbed blindly at the first thing that came to hand. Ha, her camera!

Quickly Sheila did the only thing she could. She snapped a photo of Mardock! As the startled sorcerer, dazzled by the flash, staggered back, sure he had been bespelled, Sheila turned to flee. But it was too late.

"Kumuru!"

The furious king sent her flying with one backhanded blow, as though she were only a pesky slave who had gotten in the way. Then, magic flaming and flashing like wildfire about him, he strode into the hall.

"Mardock! Thief! Meet your doom!"

"This time you don't catch me off guard!" Mardock shouted back. "This time I am ready for you!" And he let loose the spell he had summoned.

With a wild crack, a blinding bolt of green flame shot out at Kumuru! But Kumuru threw up his arm in one swift, swirling motion, and a wave of blood-red flame rose with it! There was a room-shaking crash as red and green fire collided. A fountain of deadly, dancing light soared to the ceiling, scorching the stone, then fell away in a perilous rain of red and green sparks. The two wizards waved them away with sharp, ritualistic gestures. Eyes blazing as brightly as the flames, they called forth Power, until the floor shook and the very columns of the hall burned from the force of that magic. The very air seemed to be afire, blazing now sizzling red, now deepest, noxious green, bathing the sorcerers in a sickening light.

As more and more Power filled the hall, the floor shook more violently. Chunks of stone fell from the ceiling, bouncing off the cold, hard ground in clouds of dust. But Kumuru and Mardock were blind to everything but their battle.

They're going to bring the whole palace down! Sheila thought in terror. We've got to get out of here!

But there was still the Amulet of Power to consider. She didn't dare leave it for the victor! With a quick look at the two sorcerers, Sheila ran to the little table. But there she stopped, staring down at the amulet. It looked so . . . innocent, just a plain, smooth chunk of red stone. But what if Kumuru had been telling the truth? What if the Dark Gods really did protect it from all but the king and his kin? What if it really was death for anyone else to so much as touch the amulet? Sheila clenched her fists to stop their trembling. She didn't want to be blasted to ash! She didn't want to die!

But . . . Sheila knew she couldn't let Kumuru or Mardock have the amulet, either. The lives of all her friends depended on her. And, without giving herself time to think about it any longer, Sheila held her breath and snatched up the Amulet of Power.

In the next moment she nearly dropped it.

"Ow!" The thing was hot!

But she hadn't been blasted on the spot. That meant that, like everything else about the Dark Gods, the amulet couldn't really hurt her. It must feel hot only because of all the magical energy it was absorbing from the sorcerers duel.

Hastily Sheila wrapped the magic stone in the folds of her tunic, then turned and ran after the other warriors. But she couldn't keep from glancing back over her shoulder. And what she saw made her stop short.

Mardock was starting to get the worst of the battle. Sheila stared wide-eyed as he suddenly flung up his arms, shouted out the Spell of Transformation, and flapped hurriedly out of the hall in the form of a huge black bat. The other warriors were gesturing frantically to her from the doorway of the hall. Sheila hurried to join them, and they all raced down one of the palace corridors. It was the same one that had brought them to the audience hall in the first place, Sheila noticed. But it wasn't as dark as it had been then; someone had come along and lit the torches that lined its smooth walls. And there were no servants in sight now.

Of course not! thought Sheila. They didn't want to get mixed up in a sorcerers' duel! Neither did she!

As Sheila put on an extra burst of speed, she heard Dian screaming behind her: "Sheila, look out!"

Sheila glanced wildly back over her shoulder and saw a great black bat swooping down on her!

"Mardock!"

He must have seen her take the Amulet of Power. And he meant to have it!

Sheila reached for her sword, but the huge bat, his sharp teeth bared, was already diving straight for her neck!

"Help!" Sheila cried.

Dian didn't waste any time trying to draw steel in that cramped corridor. She swung sword and scabbard together at Mardock with all her force, just like a baseball bat. Thwack! They connected squarely with the sorcerer's skull. Mardock, eyes glazed with shock, went flying helplessly away!

"Home run!" Sheila laughed and got a puzzled grin from Dian. "Never mind, I'll explain later."

"Come on, you two!" Illyria whispered urgently. But then a quick smile flashed across the Unicorn Queen's face as she glanced down at the floor. "Sheila," she said. "There's someone here to see you!"

"Hey, it's the imp! He's come back!"

"Ah . . . of course. He's come to show us the way out of here."

"Great! Let's go!" And they followed the little green fellow back out through the narrow, twisted drain.

Sheila took a deep breath, glad to be back in the open air again. But she knew this was no time to relax. Sure, they had escaped the palace, but they still had to get away from Erech-ban.

Sheila squinted up at the sky. The sun was hidden behind one of the mountains that ringed the city, but, judging from the light, it was early evening. That meant everyone was already heading inside, toward dinner and bed. But it wasn't so late that they wouldn't all still be awake. Any disturbance would surely bring them swarming out into the streets.

"Don't run," cautioned Illyria. "Four women warriors are going to look bizarre enough to the cityfolk. Any strange actions on our part can only attract attention. So just walk normally, as if you really belong in this city."

Trying not to look nervously over her shoulder, Sheila forced herself to amble along, even though her feet didn't seem to want to stay at that nice, smooth, easy pace. She kept feeling an uneasy prickling between her shoulder blades, as if everyone in Erech-ban were staring at her.

But now that she was safely out of the palace, Sheila couldn't help wondering about those still inside. What had happened to Kumuru, anyhow? Had Mardock returned to attack him? If so, the King of Samarna might be in a lot of trouble. Without the Amulet of Power, he would be defenseless against Mardock's magic. Unless.

What if he could somehow still summon the Dark Gods? Oh, no. Sheila decided she wasn't even going to think about that! Kumuru had made it clear that the amulet was the source of his power.

Sheila forced her thoughts away from Kumuru and back to the matter at hand. At least it was easier to find their way around the city by daylight. Up ahead was what could only be a main street leading right to the city gates. They would soon be safely out of Erech-ban and on their way back to Campora.

But just as Sheila allowed herself a comforting thought of "home," a horrible, harsh clanging rang out from the palace. It echoed through the city like the shriek of a giant, raging beast.

"The alarm!" cried Dian. "Kumuru knows we've escaped!"

Curious heads immediately appeared at windows, then quickly disappeared again. Sheila heard shutters being hastily slammed shut, and in a moment she saw why.

"The rock-men!" Dian cried. "He's sent his rock-men after us!"

The constructs surged forward, grim and relentless as an avalanche. Frozen with horror, Sheila marveled at their smooth, inhuman speed. How could anything so large and heavy and clumsy-looking move so swiftly? In another instant they would overtake the warriors.

"Come on! Move!" Illyria grabbed Sheila roughly by the arm, snapping her out of her shock.

"We'll never make it to the gates in time. The guards are already shutting them!"

"Never mind the gates, then. Go for the city walls, girl! Climb!"

Climb? Climb what? Sheila thought, panic-stricken. The wall towering over her looked impossibly smooth. But it was the only way out, because the rock-men were right behind her! Illyria and the others were already scrambling up somehow, so Sheila quickly tucked the Amulet of Power safely into her belt, gritted her teeth, and leaped at the wall, grabbing frantically for a handhold.

Ha! She found one. And another. Pretending this was just another exercise back in the school gym, Sheila started to climb. She tried not to think about the guards who might be waiting on top of the wall, the rock-men down below, or— Suddenly, a stony hand closed around the hem of her tunic! Sheila kicked out with all her force. She bruised her heel against a rough-hewn head, but with a sudden rriipp, the tunic tore and she was free. Illyria, one arm hooked around the top of the wall, reached down to help her up.

For an instant the warriors couldn't do anything but sprawl on the wall's wide, flat top, gasping. That was no place to linger, though, for now human guards were rushing them from both sides! Illyria flattened one with a quick fist, but there were just too many!

"Jump!" she shouted, and did.

It was a long way down. But before she could let herself worry about it, Sheila lowered herself over the edge. She hung by her hands for a brief, fearful moment, then squeezed her eyes shut and let go.

Oof! She had landed in a pile of sand; even so, the force of impact knocked the wind out of her. But there wasn't time to do more than gasp in a few hurried breaths before a whole platoon of rock-men were pouring through the hastily reopened gates.

Here we go again! Sheila thought wearily.

The warriors fled as fast as they could. But they were only human, and had to rest. The rock-men weren't, and didn't. And suddenly Sheila came to the terrible realization that she and the other warriors were being herded into a narrow sandstone canyon, out of which there was no escape.

Sheila spun around, hunting, but saw only sheer, steep, unbroken cliff walls on three sides. And through the fourth side, the only opening, came the rock-men. They moved closer, closer, looming over the women.

"Halt!" a harsh voice ordered.

And Kumuru made his deliberate way through the guards, flame-red cloak swirling out behind him, steel sword swinging at his side. Ignoring the others completely, he marched up to Sheila and held out his hand.

"I believe you have something of mine," he said. "A certain amulet. The lack of it has already proved a nuisance. You see, had my stony friends here not taken care of him, a certain sorcerous bat would have been quite difficult to remove.

"They killed Mardock?" Sheila asked.

"Oh, no, my dear. I merely chased him far from here."

Kumuru shrugged. "There's no saying where he is now. And, might I add, I neither know nor care." His urbane voice hardened. "Enough banter. I want the Amulet of Power, and I want it now!"

Sheila shook her head. "Not unless you let my friends here go free."

"No, little sorceress. No deals. Give me back the Amulet of Power—or I shall be forced to take it from you.”

"Oh, no, you won't! If you come one step closer, I swear I'll smash it to bits!''

Kumuru's eyes narrowed in anger. Then, casually, he shrugged and moved away. "Poor fool. We'll see who does the smashing here." He raised an arm commandingly. "Come forward, my guards. Crush them!"

The women warriors quickly drew their swords. But what good would even the finest blades be against solid rock?  Sheila rummaged frantically through her backpack for a weapon. But what good would flashlights or tape decks be against creatures that weren't really alive?

15

The Final Battle

The rock-men began to close in, and Sheila wondered wildly if being crushed was going to hurt very much. Probably, she thought, as a stony hand reached out for her.

But all at once there came a fierce trumpet-sound, full of rage. The furious trumpeting rang out again. The rock-man that had been about to grab Sheila froze. She stared in wild-eyed disbelief as cracks appeared all over its body. And in the next moment the rock-man crumbled away into a little mound of dust!

"The unicorns!" Illyria exclaimed joyfully. "The unicorns have come!"

Through the gap where the rock-man had been, Sheila could see her own dear Morning Star, ears back in battle-rage. By her side was Swiftfoot, Dian's missing unicorn. And there were all the other unicorns and the other unicorn warriors. Rearing and plunging, their long manes tossing like shining flame, the band of unicorns advanced against the rock-men. And wherever a gleaming horn touched lifeless stone, the construct collapsed!

Wide-eyed with wonder, Sheila watched the unicorns' goodness "short-circuit" the evil spell that animated the rock-men. One after another she saw the stony guards crumble into harmless dust. And all at once there were none left at all.

Illyria smiled coldly at the stunned Kumuru. "I'm glad to see you wear a sword," she said. "For now this is our fight!"

The King of Samarna quickly recovered. Sword in hand, he saluted Illyria in mock respect. "So be it, woman! Let the duel begin."

And, oh, it was a spectacular duel! Swordsman and swordswoman slashed and parried, leaping and lunging like two well-matched dancers; Illyria's shining, silvery hair and Kumuru's flaming red cloak whirling dramatically out behind them.

As Sheila held her breath, Illyria tried one daring thrust, her sword and her whole body outstretched at such a low angle that only her free hand braced against the ground kept her from falling.

Ha, she's got him! Sheila thought.

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 stifle 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