The Wise Women

Chapter 22

Leonia ripped the tiara off the Empress' head and jammed it onto Nesta's. Her neck nearly buckled under the weight as the older woman swivelled the heavily jewelled gold coronet until the largest diamond was centred in the middle of her forehead.

The Burned One murmured incantations while they worked, weaving the spell that kept, horse, rider and hounds in stasis.

Fingers fumbling, heart pounding, Nesta unbuckled the black hooded hunting cape from around Sapphira's neck and let it fall to the ground while Ada tugged at the royal riding boots. Leonia unlaced the Empress's purple velvet riding dress from behind and Nesta yanked her limp arms out of the sleeves.

A stab of dread pierced Nesta's midriff as she heard the Burned One's voice grow weaker and start to shake. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the light that swirled in a dome shape around and above them, beginning to fade. Limbs shaking she stepped into the dress.

Suddenly there was a thumping of hooves. As Nesta frantically wriggled her arms into the sleeves, she caught sight of the unicorn, now in his true form, emerging from the trees and her heart gave a leap. Coat glistening pearly white through the shadows, he trotted up to take position beside the Burned One. With a snort, he shook his snow white mane, splayed his hooves and lowered his sinewy neck, pointing his silver spiral horn at the dome of light.

A stream of sparkling silver light poured out from the tip of his horn and flowed through the air towards the fading white dome. From the point at which it made contact, silver swirls and curlicues spiralled outwards like vines, twisting and winding, weaving patterns as they spread out to cover the whole surface. Silver light mingled with white, brightening and strengthening it, until it glowed as strongly as before.

Within the dome, Leonia plunged her hand inside her cloak and pulled out two lengths of rope and a hessian sack. Sapphira's torso flopped forward as Leonia bound her hands tightly behind her back, tied her ankles together and threw the sack over her head. Meanwhile Ada laced the back of the riding dress with deft fingers and buckled the cape around Nesta's throat while she rammed her feet into the riding boots.

Leonia slid her forearms underneath the trussed-up Empress's armpits. Ada grabbed her ankles.

'One two three, lift.'

They hoisted Sapphira off the ground and side-stepped, gasping and grunting, past the rigid hounds, through the shimmering wall of light to the cart which was parked at the edge of the clearing. The dapple grey and the piebald mare were hitched up, ready to go. The Wise Women swung the Empress's unconscious body from side to side to get up momentum, then heaved her up and onto the back of the cart, where she landed on a pile of blankets. Leonia threw Nesta's cloak over the spreadeagled figure.

Panting and wiping the sweat from their faces, they ran back into the dome and supported Nesta as, with one foot in the stirrup and both hands gripping the saddle, she swung herself onto the horse's back. The horse had frozen in a rearing position. Nesta wrapped one arm round its muscular neck to keep from falling backwards and reached out her other hand. Ada picked up the Empress's spear from the ground and handed it to her.

'Are you ready?' Leonia's eyes burnt with intensity.

Nesta nodded sharply. Every nerve in her body was honed to the task ahead.

On cue, the light stopped flowing from the unicorn's horn. He threw back his head with a whinny, eyes stretched wide, revealing the whites around his dark irises, teeth bared. His flanks heaved, his legs trembled.

At the same time, the Burned One ceased her chanting and dropped her hands, slumping forwards with a wheezing gasp and staggering a few steps as if she'd just put down something very heavy.