The crown, once so dim, blazed again.

Will’s screams threatened the concentration of the Raven mages more than the flooding, swarming demons that ran over their bodies. Ignoring their own pain, Hirad and The Unknown snatched and crushed, kicked and stamped at the hideous dolls that crawled and flew to their most defenceless prey.

With one hand, The Unknown plucked at the demons who sought his eyes while the other swept away the mages’ attackers, all the while crouched to avoid Sha-Kaan’s blue-covered, flailing tail.

For Hirad, the task was harder. Will, his short swords long forgotten, rolled on the floor, hands scrabbling uselessly, keening wails flung out hoarsely with each breath. His body heaved and flowed with the weight of demons attacking him and Hirad felt a rising nausea as he watched their claws and feet striking home.

‘Will, keep still!’ he shouted, shaking his own head vigorously to dislodge a beast he felt on top of his skull. ‘Shit,’ he gasped, feeling the cold creep across his scalp and a trail of blood run down his forehead and between his eyes. The little man writhed on oblivious, the demons covering his face.

Hirad clamped a hand on one of Will’s shoulders and pulled his face up, tearing the creatures off his friend, ignoring the marks they left and keeping Will’s eyes from their dread stares. And all the while Thraun, bemused and terrified, looked on, occasionally reaching around with his mouth to pluck a demon from his hide, though they largely ignored him. His animal soul was buried deep.

Everywhere, spent creatures fell to vanish back whence they came only to be replaced by more, their laughter a sound of awful glee as they peeled and gashed and tore.

A claw gripped Hirad’s cheek and hooked back, tearing the skin. He swore and snatched the demon from his face, crushing it in one hand. Will escaped his grasp and rolled away, rubbing hard at his sides and face.

‘Steady Will.’ But the little man wasn’t listening.

‘Got to get out,’ he wailed. ‘Out . . .’ He stood up and ran towards the edge of the Cold Room.

‘No. Will, no!’ Hirad launched himself at Will, striking his ankle as he ran. Will sprawled but rose again and Hirad could hear the demons goading him, telling him it was all right.

Belatedly spurred into action, Thraun barked and leapt after his companion, missing him by inches. Will reached the borders of the Cold Room and pushed a hand through. In that same moment, the demons and all their evil and malevolence disappeared. Ilkar, Erienne and Denser dropped their spell and the corridor was still once more.

In the quiet that followed, Hirad took in The Raven and Sha-Kaan. The Unknown Warrior sat with the relatively unscathed mages, his head a mass of oozing cuts, his arms swathed in a slick of blood. The Great Kaan rested on his belly, his scales outwardly sound but Hirad could feel his hurt and knew the demons had made him suffer for each one he had killed.

A piercing howl split the air. The Raven turned to see Thraun sitting by the prone form of Will, one paw resting on his chest, deep sorrow and blind fury clashing in his feral yellow eyes.

‘Oh no,’ breathed Erienne.

Will was not moving.

Chapter 23

Barras imagined rather than heard the clang as the crown closed the DemonShroud but the wails of frustration and fury that diminished to nothing in a few heartbeats were real enough.

The Council had deployed the spell and with their release from its construction, came an intense relief and the briefest moment of euphoria. Vilif swayed and would have fallen but for the strong arms of Cordolan who was none too steady himself. Torvis, Seldane and Kerela all rushed to the crumpled but breathing form of Endorr while Barras kept the presence of mind to stumble across a line of books to the door to the Heart, pulling it open on to the pale, anxious face of Kard. A face that broke into a relieved smile on seeing him.

‘Gods Barras . . . the sounds I was hearing.’

‘We’re all right. Endorr’s hurt. Bring the Communion mages, the Shroud is down.’

Kard hesitated. ‘Endorr?’

‘There’s nothing you can do. See to the defence. Go. Go.’ Barras watched Kard go, then turned back into the Heart.

Kerela stood up and passed a hand over her forehead, her face grim. She caught Barras’ eye.

‘It isn’t good. He’s comatose.’ She patted Cordolan on the shoulder. ‘Take him to the healers, all of you. I’ll wait for the Communion mages. Hurry.’ Cordolan, Torvis and Seldane picked up Endorr’s limp body between them and carried him out of the door. Vilif, still unsteady, walked behind them. Outside, Barras heard Cordolan order assistance.

‘Thank you, Barras,’ said Kerela.

‘For what?’

‘For showing us the way. All of us.’

Barras shrugged. ‘It would have made no difference. If it hadn’t—’

A square outline of light appeared near the door to the Heart. Kerela opened her mouth but Barras raised a hand to stop her speaking.

‘It’s all right, Kerela. I think you’re going to learn something about me you never suspected.’ With a whisper, the outline became solid and a figure stood silhouetted against the torchlight behind. He walked quickly forward, followed by others, one, a huge man, carrying a body in his arms and trailed very closely by a large dog or . . .

‘Great Gods—’ began Barras.

‘Barras, don’t worry,’ said Ilkar. ‘The wolf is a shapechanger. He’s with us.’

He hadn’t seen The Raven since their meeting at Triverne Lake before the casting of Dawnthief and assumed them trapped to the west of Understone Pass. But their bloodied appearance from what was, without a shadow of a doubt, a Dragonene portal threw him completely. None of them was Dragonene, he had known that when he met them, yet only a Dragonene could facilitate the opening of a portal and it was not Elu-Kaan who awaited him inside.

‘How did you get here?’

‘It’s a long story,’ said Ilkar, ushering The Raven straight out of the Heart, the non-mages struggling with the weight of mana and the Xeteskian and Dordovan unwelcome inside of it. ‘But it’ll have to wait. Two things first. We need immediate access to the Library and some urgent healing help for Will.’

Light dawned for Barras. ‘You came through the Shroud?’

‘Yes, but please, there isn’t much time.’

‘Indeed not,’ said Kerela. ‘But there is always a moment to welcome back a favourite son.’ She kissed Ilkar on either cheek and squeezed his hands. ‘As you can see, some of the Library is here because the Wesmen are at our gates. We’re soon to engage in a battle we can’t hope to win but The Raven always help the odds. We have to clear the Heart now to start our Communion preparations. Come, we’ll get your sick man to the infirmary and take a few minutes to talk in the Council chambers.’ She gestured for Ilkar to precede her, turning to look at Barras, her face not unkindly. ‘You could have trusted me.’

‘We can tell no one. It’s not a question of trust.’

‘Later,’ said Kerela. Hirad Coldheart passed her, coming back into the Heart despite the discomfort caused by the mana.

‘Sha-Kaan needs to speak to you,’ he said, addressing himself to Barras.

‘You? Dragonene?’ Barras frowned.

Hirad nodded. ‘Come on. Elu-Kaan is badly hurt. He needs your help.’ He led the way back into the melde-corridor.

General Kard walked quickly to the kitchens at the base of the Tower and ordered the Communion mages to stand by outside the Heart. Immediately afterwards, he walked out a few steps into the silent courtyard, nodding his approval at the discipline of the Julatsans who had heeded the order to remain quiet after the Shroud was dispersed. He glanced up at the Wesmen’s mobile watch-tower, which was lit by torches all night long. He couldn’t believe that the guards inside had not noticed the disappearance of the Shroud but, by their silence, he assumed they had not. On the other hand he had noted before that, in the dark, it was very hard to see the swirling grey of the Shroud and there was no doubting that people saw what they expected to see. But the feel of evil was gone and the Wesmen had so far missed that too. He only hoped that it stayed that way for another hour. By then, not only would the tower attack mages be fully prepared, their preparation for casting had already begun, but the rest of his pre-emptive strike force would be completely ready to enter the streets of Julatsa.