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Arcturus crouched low in the long grass, sweat dotting his brow as he sighted down his crossbow at the grazing beast ahead of him.

"Don't hold your breath," Edmund whispered beside him. "Pull the trigger as you breathe out. Easy does it."

The tip of the quarrel swam in and out of focus, the black-and-white stripes of Arcturus's quarry blurring in the background. Perspiration trickled down his spine, pooling in the hollow of his back.

Arcturus closed his eyes and fired, and the crossbow leaped in his hands, thudding into his shoulder as it spat the bolt with a dull twang. It whistled harmlessly over the zebra's head, disappearing into the long grass beyond.

The creature froze for a moment, blinking its long eyelashes as it looked in their direction, then went back to cropping the grass with its buck-yellow teeth.

Edmund squeezed his shoulder, even as Arcturus was flooded with relief. He hadn't wanted to kill it. It reminded him too much of the horses he had cared for in the past. They were probably the closest things he had ever had to friends.

"It's all right, old chum," Edmund whispered. "There'll be another chance tomorrow."

There was a rustle as the young lord raised his own weapon.

Arcturus tried not to breathe, watching as Edmund's crossbow eased upward, then hung perfectly still in the air. The boy had barely broken a sweat, squinting down the quarrel with a practiced eye.

The zebra bolted, galloping toward its nearby herd. Then, in a shift- ing mirage of black-and-white stripes, the herd itself moved on in a tumult of thundering hooves.

Edmund cursed, but Arcturus was already up, his head cocked to hear the noise that had startled the zebra. There it was again. A scream in the distance, somewhere to the east.

He turned and saw Elaine running toward him, her black hair streaming as she twisted her head to look behind her. It was then that he noticed the demon.

It was green-brown in color and as large as a stallion, with hooked claws and snakelike fangs. It chased Elaine, lumbering across the plains like an iguana, its three heads swaying on their sinuous necks with every step. Arcturus recognized it immediately as the demon he had seen but an hour before on the stock of Zacharias's gun. Arcturus could now see the boy beyond, doubled over in laughter as Elaine's shrill screams rang out. Zacharias was tormenting her.

Without thinking, Arcturus tugged free his summoning leather and unleashed Sacharissa. Then the two were running, and Arcturus was cranking back his crossbow with strength born of fury.

He waited for Elaine to rush past him before kneeling and loading the crossbow. His eyes focused along its length, narrowed against the setting sun on the horizon. Sacharissa crouched beside him, and he laid the stock against her back, steadying his aim as the demon trampled closer and closer.

It was only now that Zacharias seemed to notice, and the demon faltered as its master ordered it to turn back. But it was too late. Arcturus took a deep breath . . . and fired.

The bolt whipped into the air, striking the beast square in its chest. Its front legs collapsed on impact, and the demon twisted and fell, throwing up the dry savannah dust as its trio of squeals echoed across the plains.

"Trebius!" Arcturus heard Zacharias scream his demon's name. He looked up at the boy, now no more than a stone's throw away.

The young lord's eyes were blazing with hatred, and he raised his hand and traced a symbol in the air.

Then the world flared with light as a ball of fire erupted into existence, streaking across the savannah and setting the long grass ablaze.

Sacharissa covered Arcturus with her body, for all the good it would do. He closed his eyes. Stupid. He had been so stupid. Injuring a noble's demon, when Elaine had never been in any real danger.

The world roared hot, and beneath his eyelids his vision seared white at the intensity of the blaze. And yet . . . no pain.

He cracked open his eyes, only to see the flames bufet harmlessly around them, stopped by an opaque wall that seemed to hang in the air ahead of him. Tiny cracks appeared along its surface, but it held strong. Soon the fireball dissipated, until the only sign of its existence was the channel of blackened, smoldering grass left in its wake.

Sacharissa whined and licked his face, her fear and confusion mirroring his own feelings.

"Zacharias!" Edmund shouted, and now Arcturus knew the source of the strange spell that had protected them. A blue symbol hung from Edmund's outstretched finger.

But the blond noble ignored him, instead running over to his collapsed demon and tugging at the bolt stuck in its chest. It had barely penetrated the thick chest muscles, and came out with little more than a wiggle. Zacharias tossed it aside, then there was a flash of white light as Zacharias performed a second spell, sketching a heart shape in the air. Moments later the wound was gone, and the only sign it had been there at all was the bloodstained projectile in the grass beside it.

"Zacharias," Edmund repeated, squaring up to the boy opposite him, rigid with anger.

"Why did you stop it?" Zacharias growled, standing and facing Edmund. He was a full head taller than the raven-haired boy, but that did little to faze his opponent.

"You mean why did I stop you from murdering my guest?" Edmund growled, shoving Zacharias.

Zacharias stared back at him, confusion spreading across his hand- some face. It was as if nobody had ever pushed him before.

"He's a commoner. Who tried to kill my demon," Zacharias said, as if he were explaining something to a child. "It was a joke, for heaven's sake."

"I didn't know it was yours, and I was protecting Elaine," Arcturus yelled, the half lie coming easily to his lips.

"Whose did you think it was then, you stupid fool?" Zacharias roared, raising his fingers again. Edmund knocked his hand down and shoved him again. This time, Zacharias shoved back.

"Boys, no!"

Beyond the pair, Alice, Josephine and Prince Harold had arrived on the scene.

"I thought it was an orc's demon . . . or a wild animal," Arcturus said lamely. The words were unconvincing in his ears.

"You were being cruel to Elaine," Edmund said, and it was strange for Arcturus to see the happy-go-lucky boy so angry. "It seems to me you deserved this."

Zacharias raised his fist, but then Alice was standing between them, her chest heaving with exertion.

"Don't . . . be . . . so . . . stupid," she managed. "You're . . . sup- posed to be . . . friends."

"What gave you that idea?" Zacharias spat.

He turned and stalked away, his back stif with anger. The demon followed, but not before one of its heads hissed threateningly in Arcturus's direction. Josephine stood for a moment, undecided.

"Wait up, Zach!" she yelled, jogging behind him.

As Zacharias walked out of earshot, Edmund deflated, and ran a hand over his face.

"That was unfortunate." Prince Harold shook his head, a grim look on his face. "Arcturus, over here please."

Arcturus approached him, wincing as the soles of his ragged, stable- boy shoes sizzled in the still-burning grass.

"I'm sorry, Harold . . . I wasn't thinking," Arcturus muttered. "Well, why don't you try thinking next time," Harold snapped.

Arcturus stared at his feet, kicking at the sooty ground.

Harold sighed.

"Forgive me. You have to understand, Zacharias is . . ." Then he stopped, staring past Arcturus, his eyes widening.

Arcturus spun, his heart racing at the thought that Elaine might be hurt. But she was fine, sitting cross-legged just a few paces behind him, wiping at her tear-streaked face.

No, it was the figure staggering toward them behind her, his face and uniform covered in blood.

It was Rotter. Even as he neared them, he fell to his knees. "Help me," he gasped. "For heaven's sake, help me."