Page 76 of The Neverfear

‘No! I am offering you a deal! Call off the Tiger, and I will bring Teren! Or there’s no pact, and you let him loose on the palace. But are you sure the Tiger won’t kill the Immortal? Are you sure you can control it? And it’ll take time – time you don’t have.’

The Tiger breathed its terrible rancid breath on his face. ‘Then hurry,’ it said, and once more it roared, a roar that shook Christopher’s body.

It turned and stalked towards the mirror. The Tiger gave a fluid leap, and disappeared back into the shimmering surface, a black and orange streak disappearing into silver.

Christopher leaped after it and drove the hilt of his sword into the glass. There was an ear-splitting crack and great shards showered down around his feet.

There were footsteps. Anya came limping into the Great Hall, leading the Immortal by the hand. Ratwin ran beside them and Jacques rode on her back, one wing held stiffly at his side.

‘What happened?’ Anya cried. ‘I heard something terrible!’

‘The Tiger. It came through.’

‘Came through?’ She looked wildly around the Great Hall. ‘Is it here?’

‘No. It was called back.’

‘By who?’

‘Astor Morax.’

‘Why?’

‘I surrendered.’

‘What?’

His eyes signalled to Anya: come outside. The behemoth, still wedged in the doorway, gave a low growl. The bird cocked its head.

‘Jacques, Ratwin,’ Christopher said. ‘Quick – you need to break or cover every mirror in the palace.’

‘Whats are you goings to do?’ said Ratwin.

‘I’m going to go to Morax,’ said Christopher.

‘What? How can you?’

‘Because if I don’t,’ said Christopher, ‘he’ll kill us all.’

‘What about Teren?’

‘I said I would bring the Immortal to him. I said I would sail out now on the Neverfear. I have an idea.’

‘Is it the kind of idea that can get you killed?’ said Anya.

‘Yes,’ he said, and smiled.

The Snake Beneath The Skin

Christopher was shaking as he climbed into the Neverfear. He forced his hands to be still as he looked out to the water, to the boat in the distance on which Astor Morax waited.

‘Everything ready?’ said Anya.

Christopher nodded, and his hands went again to his ankles. The Sailsman’s wings were fastened above each foot. He made a pile of blankets next to the tiller, and then Anya handed over the sturdy, laughing boy. Teren’s small, puckish face grinned up at him.

Anya gripped Christopher’s arm and tried to grin too. ‘Come back safe, OK?’

‘I’ll try.’ And then, ‘Yes. Yes!’ – which meant something different.