The wraith-like Ben-Elim glared at Calidus, then let out a bellowing, mournful roar – rage, frustration, defeat mixed together. The great white wings beat once, the air momentarily a gale, and then it was gone, evaporating.

Calidus turned to face Cywen, a triumphant smile fading from his scorched features.

‘Now tell me, you little bitch,’ he snarled. ‘Where is your brother?’

CHAPTER NINETY-THREE

CORBAN

Corban ran, the blood pounding in his skull, branches whipping his face. Storm was a blur through the trees just ahead of him.

He’d run down the hill and headed deep into thick underbrush, hoping it would halt the passage of the giant bears. By the sounds of crashing and snapping behind him his plan hadn’t worked. He ploughed on, vine, root and thorn snaring and snatching at him. He stumbled, rebounded from a tree, carried on, the crashing behind him louder, closer.

I need to try something different.

He veered right, burst out of the undergrowth into a patch of soft forest litter and wide-spaced trees, put his head down and sprinted.

The sounds of bears and giant cries faded behind him, each stride opening the gap between them. He tried to work out his position, the direction he should be running in, heard the sound of running water to his left – the river – and headed towards where he thought the trapdoor lay.

Sounds faded behind him.

I’m going to do it.

Then there was a ground-trembling explosion of undergrowth, sounding like whole trees were torn and uprooted, the pounding of huge paws and then a roaring that staggered him, sent him stumbling, then falling from his feet.

He rolled on the ground, glimpsed claws and fangs and fur bearing down upon him, the pale skin of a giant somewhere high above, heard more bears bellowing, further away, to left and right. Then he came to a halt, litter and leaves in his hair, up his nose, in his mouth. He reached for his sword.

Ahead of him he saw Storm skid to a halt, turn and look back for him.

‘On,’ he commanded.

She did not move.

‘ON,’ he shouted.

Still she stood and stared at him.

Run on. Please. Go, he willed her.

A bear and giant crashed out of the forest behind him.

Storm snarled, legs bunching, and ran back towards him, her head low, a vein bulging in her chest as muscles pumped in contraction and extension.

He rolled to one knee, drew his sword, then Storm was bounding past him, legs coiling to leap at the bear converging upon them, her jaws gaping.