Hello again everyone. Thank you for reading and reviewing, and for all your encouragement. I plan to upload the next chapter over the next day or two, as I'm on vacation and can actually write a little more than work normally allows. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 14

Trust Me

Jim's eyes flew open and he stared up at the stone ceiling, panting for breath. The buzz of his phone's alarm cut through the sound. He rolled off his cot, armor loud as his feet hit the floor. Anxiety was always worst in the morning; push past it, put it in its place. His head felt heavy, painful. Did he already need to file his horns again? Full trolls had the bone structure to support them, but he couldn't go more than a few weeks before they got too heavy and made his neck ache.

Cold water on his face helped a little, as did combing his hair and brushing his teeth without splintering another toothbrush. Leaving his alcove feeling moderately clean, Jim headed for Blinky's alcove. The unsettled feeling of waking gradually died down.

The tunnels weren't very busy. Most trolls got up once night truly fell, not early evening. The few he saw looked sleepy, though one watched him without a word as he passed. Two weeks had not ended the whispers about his outburst, though he was satisfied with the results. No one had bothered the children or Nomura or Strickler. Few people actually dared to talk to them, which wasn't great, but it was better than the alternative. Time would tell if there were further ramifications, good or bad.

Towards the children he saw the faintest, most incremental warming of degrees. Blinky's affection meant a great deal, and he was open with it. Aaarrrgghh too liked to play with them, and they appreciated his simple nature and kind disposition. Nomura could often be seen leading one or two around. And Bagdwella imperiously invited the children to look at – not touch – the wares in her store. Perhaps because of this the wary looks had softened a little, some tempered with curiosity. Children of any kind were rare among trolls.

The help had given them more time to find out exactly how to coax a unicorn out of its home in the Astral Plane.

Merlin had explained the Astral Plane with a grimace and something like wariness. "A place of white magic that is very, very finicky about who enters it. I have only ever grazed the edge. The mages of old that could enter it could leap across countries in a moment, and alter the fabric of dreams and the mind. To master control of that place was to have a terrible power over space and time. But the time of white mages is done. The best we can do is get the unicorn to come out." Jim got the feeling it made Merlin nervous not to understand a facet of magic, and over the two weeks leading up to the full moon, he kept himself busy with working on the tunnels, tending the heartstone, and spending time with Toby and Claire. They read copious amounts of lore on the unicorn, but once they stumbled onto that one pony site with the very disturbing cartoon pony images, the three had agreed to leave off the "modern" research. They'd learned some new internet slang though, so that had been interesting.

Jim paused as he spotted one of the children trying to reach a piece of light crystal. It was Carina, the pink one. She had a cloth and grunted as she jumped, trying to wipe dust from it. A tad too short, she kept missing. Jim approached and she turned her head, looking startled. "Need a hand?"

"Oh. Mr. Lake. Um, yeah. I'm too short to get this one." He wrinkled his nose.

"'Mr. Lake' is my dad. You can call me Jim. Or Trollhunter, whatever." She smiled hesitantly and he knelt, lifting her so she could reach it. "It's great of you guys to help out around here." She perched on his shoulder and seemed embarrassed.

"Well, it's our home too now. We need to help take care of it." When she finished polishing the crystal it brightened the tunnel. "I can get the others, this one's just so high up." He set her down. "Thanks Mr – Jim, sorry." She hugged the cloth close, beating the dust from it. "The others are still asleep, but I like it when it's quiet in the morning."

"I can understand that. Everything going okay? Blinky and Strickler are going to start lessons with you guys soon, right?" She nodded. Like all of the children, two weeks of being near the heartstone had given their stone a brightness and sheen that had been missing before. Decent meals weren't hurting either; it was a relief to see light coming into their eyes. It was hard to know how long Mom and Strickler would stay, but the latter seemed excited by the prospect of having a flock of students again. Even if he wouldn't admit it. If he regretted staying and passing up an opportunity to teach at a night college, he hadn't shown any such signs. "I've gotta run, but let me know if anything happens okay?"

She waved as he left and Jim met no others until he came to Blinky's alcove, where the sound of voices was almost deafening after the silence. He poked his head into the room. "Hi everyone. We ready to do this?"

Blinky had a belt with satchels attached, each one stuffed with dwarkstone and first aid. Toby wore his armor, as did Claire, and both of them had backpacks strapped on. The splint had come off Strickler's wing only hours ago, and he often flexed it, trying to work the muscle. Aaarrrgghh's bruising had healed and he looked ready to fight, huddled close beside Toby and Claire and trying not to knock over a cabinet. Nomura sat beside Blinky's desk, and his mother and James were talking in undertone. And Merlin was leaning against the wall, twisting a small, jade-colored stone in his fingers.

"Master Jim. We're ready to go in three hours, the time zone is a little behind Hoboken's." Blinky unrolled a large map and placed it on his desk. "Now that we're gathered, I think we should run through the plan once more. For starters, Merlin and Nomura are remaining behind as backup and defense for New Trollmarket. If anything happens while we're away, they will maintain our defenses. If we don't return by dawn, Merlin will come to our aid."

"Believe me, you don't want me around if it's a unicorn. They're very particular," Merlin said distractedly. "One stabbed me once. Long time ago. It did not like me. Granted that was after the affair with Uther and the glamor…"

Nomura nodded, turning her attention to a teapot instead. It rested over a tiny flame, normally used for heating solutions as Blinky tinkered with formulas. Steam was rising from it, and the smell of greenness and ginger was strong. Maybe some kind of rock as well. She poured a cup for herself – a pretty little carved thing – and then one more. Blinky accepted this and sipped at it, sighing with relief. "Thank you Nomura. It does take care of the itching." He cleared his throat. "At any rate, we will arrive in the Mojave Desert, right here." He prodded the map. "After consideration for position and time it will take to get there, it is the gyre station's best bet at ending up in a place with no human settlements and in full view of the moon. There will be no clouds tonight according to the human weather experts, though how correct they are is always up for debate."

"From what we've found out, calling a unicorn is easy. You guys are the best bet." James nodded at each of them. "Got the summoning rite from Dictatious ?" Claire pulled a folded page from her wrist, Toby a crumpled page from his backpack's side pocket. "All right. Draig and I will be with you, so if a barghest shows up we've got Excalibur in our corner, along with Eclipse of course. We need to focus on speed; explain what we need to the unicorn and get out so the unicorn can hop back to the Astral Plane without getting snapped up. If we're lucky we won't even have to deal with the thing."

"And we've got the estimable Dr. Barbara Lake along this time," Blinky continued. "If injuries do occur, the treatment will likely be needed quickly against such a beast. Strickler will remain with her at the gyre so we can make a quick getaway. And have emergency backup." Jim's stomach turned but he said nothing. He certainly couldn't order his own mother to stay away. She was smart, and quick on her feet. Just like all of them, he told himself sternly. "Aaarrrgghh and myself will keep lookout and help with explaining to the unicorn if needed."

Aaarrrgghh hugged Blinky with one arm. "Blinky do talking, Aaarrrgghh do barghest punching."

Toby opened his pack. "I have snacks, water bottles because it's a desert, sugar cubes, apples, and carrots." Jim blinked at his friend. "What? If a unicorn is like a horse at all, it might like that stuff. And who doesn't like concentrated sugar?"

"I've got some stun crystal, like the kind Angor Rot used. If we can arrange it around the barghest it should keep it from being able to move. And I got a flare gun; Darci asked her dad if he'd send one with Dr. Lake when she went to Arcadia last week." Claire hefted the device in her hands. "I don't think anything likes a bright light in its face, especially a shadow monster."

"And I just dealt with Mordred last night, so he should be out of the picture for a week. Maybe next time Merlin's runes will be finished." James scratched Draig's ears, the dog's tail wagging. "So, are we ready? If the barghest arrives, let me and Jim handle it. Claire, you start dropping the those crystals; it's okay if Jim and I get stuck inside as long as the thing can't move. From what I understand, it'll disappear as soon as the unicorn does, so if someone can get the alicorn and send it on its way, the barghest will vanish as soon as it's gone and we'll be just peachy."

Jim nodded. "If it breaks for the unicorn, we go into protection mode. We're not letting some evil shadow monster kill a creature that comes out of a safe place to help people. Distraction, injure if possible, do not engage directly if at all possible. But if you do, just use caution." He forced himself to add the last bit, but the look on Toby's face – a relieved sort of pride – made it almost worth it. "As soon as we get the alicorn, regroup at the gyre. The unicorn should run and the barghest loses out on dinner."

Toby pumped his arms, swinging them energetically. "Yes, let's do this! So ready to get that alicorn. Nomura got the other herbs right?" She inclined her head, sipping at the tea. "Sweet."

Two weeks had seen a change in them, Jim noted. Mom had returned to Arcadia Oaks for a few days for an emergency surgery or two, but Strickler had stayed, healing and researching with Blinky and James. Merlin had barely torn himself from his work on the runes – though Jim did haul the man out to eat dinner per his mother's request – and Claire had worked longer shifts at the mayor's office in anticipation of time taken off to help in the coming weeks with the preparation for Mordred and the defensive magic. Blinky had been almost completely absorbed in research, making time only for the most important duties – checking food storage, ensuring the tunnels were stable – and at least one visit a day to check on the changeling children. Aaarrrgghh assisted him and, Jim suspected, had been asked to patrol to keep an eye out for disquiet after Jim's outburst.

And Toby had been full of energy, working and training. After Mom gave him her blessing he'd been up and around, patrolling and helping continue building tunnels. Several times he went into the city to collect litter for the trolls and food ingredients. With more humans around it was essential.

Jim and Toby had spoken once about the compound. There was an understanding that had been reached, one that Jim didn't like but forced himself to respect – Toby had been injured protecting Jim and Claire, and he wore the scar with defiant pride. As if to say, "I said I was okay with this. I said I wanted to fight and I have. And I was hurt for it, I healed, and I will carry this mark for the rest of my life. And that's okay. It's worth it."

Jim had taken him aside after a day and Toby had looked at him with a stiff jaw. "So. Are we gonna do the whole, 'This is why I tell you not to fight,' thing? Because I can still swing Warhammer if you want to fight about it."

The scar was red, from wrist to elbow, and rather than being straight it was at an angle, curving in an arc over the muscle of his forearm where the skin had been torn loose. It would never fade completely. Jim had looked at it for a long moment before meeting Toby's gaze. "If you hadn't done something, Claire would probably be dead now. And I…don't have the right to tell you what to do. I know that now." Toby's brows shot up and Jim had, in a moment where he felt cold and alone, hugged his best friend. "But I can ask you to please do everything you can to avoid danger. If you have to fight, you have to fight. Just be smart about it. Don't take unnecessary risks. I couldn't handle it if I lost you either."

Toby returned the hug, and for a second Jim was reminded of fifth grade when he'd fallen off his bike and nearly been hit by a car. It had missed him by swerving, honking furiously, and he'd pulled himself onto the curb, skinned knees and all. A mass of warm terror and tears had enveloped him, Toby hanging on so tightly he could barely breathe. That moment was seared into his memory – the sting of his knees, the smell of grass on Toby's clothes, the heat of a sweaty, disbelieving, panicked hug. It was warm and solid and looking for something to hold onto.

Now they were all together and something about the plan felt as solid as he could hope. Drawing himself from his reverie, Jim forced himself to focus. "Mom, I'll move some of your equipment to the gyre. That way you'll have it ready."

"Sounds good Jim. Don't look so worried, we've got this!" She clenched her fists in determination in such a dorky, wonderful way that Jim had to laugh before leaving the room.

They were going soon. The last ingredient was only hours away.

The air was dry and cold, and Jim was glad that his mother had thought to grab coats for the humans. He was a little less glad that she'd remembered the hat and forced him to wear it. Even if he kind of liked that hat, it would definitely not strike fear into a shadow beast.

The sand was coarse and filled with grit, and dry, cracking shrubs covered the desert ground. The sound of lizards and bugs below the surface was interesting, as was the brightness of the desert in the light of a full moon. The shadows were in sharp relief and the stars were brilliant in the cloudiness night, cut off in the distance by the black silhouette of the Providence Mountains.

Blinky began tracing a line in the sand. "Claire, please place six stones along this line, as equidistant as possible. We may be able to lure the barghest into this area right off the bat if needed." He scanned the horizon. Stickler and Mom were in the gyre below the surface, and Jim was relieved to think that it was one of the safest places to be. "As soon as everyone is in position, we must begin the rite. We're burning moonlight."

Claire obeyed and Jim watched as Draig paced away from them, sniffing the air. "So, who's actually going to call the unicorn?"

"Well, considering all the oldest stories about unicorns involve maidens calling to them, I wondered if Claire might be best?" Before Blinky finished talking Claire shook her head.

"I held the Shadow Staff, remember? I get the feeling a unicorn might not respond to someone that had Morganna's soul in her body." Jim frowned at her but her eyes were clear as she looked up. "Just to be safe. I just think we should go with someone who doesn't have that history with dark magic."

"Ah. That might be wise, the unicorn may not understand." Blinky folded both sets of arms. "Well, that leaves Tobias or Master Jim. Which of you would like to call?"

"I don't know. I mean…Merlin's magic might put the unicorn off." Jim gestured to himself.

Toby coughed. "Yeah, but if we're talking all hero-pure heart and stuff, that's you dude." Jim rolled his eyes and Toby shrugged. "I'll call, but last time I tried pleading a case, it didn't go great. So someone else can do the actual talking." He pulled out the page and smoothed it against his front, squinting to read it. "Okay…that's some flowery prose."

James turned his back to the group, facing away from the moon. "You've just got to mean it Toby. Focus on what the alicorn is for. If you've got that fixed in your head, it's sure to come." Toby gave him a determined look, cleared his throat, and began to recite. Jim didn't pay much attention to what it said – something about purity, noble cause, hearken to the call of one who sought aid from light – but watched the moon. The brilliance was like the sun, if cold and unfeeling. It took nearly five minutes before Toby finished, shuffling his feet. Claire held her staff, turning her head as if it were on a pivot.

"So, how long do we wait? How are we sure it worked?" Toby fidgeted, looking at the paper. "Should I say it again?"

Aaarrrgghh made a rumbling noise in his throat. "Don't think need to. Air feels funny."

As soon as he said it the feeling intensified; it was like leaping into a cold pool after lying in the sun for hours. Jim focused on the moon again, wondering if it was possibly brighter than before. Blinky looked in the opposite direction, as if thinking the barghest would already be upon them.

At once something white appeared, as if a silken thread had come to life and begun to glow. Toby hastily backed away from it, and it began to glow so brightly that it seemed to stretch, to spread.

In a minute a unicorn was standing where the tiny light had been. Jim had seen pictures and cartoons of magical horses with horns but this creature was too delicate and slender to remind him of a horse. It was more like a deer, but with the slightest body and an arching neck, a dainty head with piercing dark eyes. It seemed incorporeal, as if it was just a little too weightless to be real. Light poured off it, making the sand as white as paper. And from its forehead a spiraling horn pierced the night, clear as glass.

Toby coughed. "Um. So. That's a unicorn."

Claire let the staff lower. "Oh. Wow. It really worked." Blinky glanced at Jim and opened his mouth but faltered. "Do you think it understands speech?" The unicorn looked at her directly, mane twisting as if in an underwater current, fluid and smooth.

Your need has called me from my home. Why do you seek my alicorn? Jim stiffened – it wasn't a voice so much as a probing question into the mind, so smooth and bright that he couldn't determine gender or age or tone. It looked at him. The light has a connection to every mind, as does the darkness. Speak to me aloud and I will understand.

"Okay. I guess we should try to hurry, shouldn't we?" It nodded and seemed to absorb the sight of each of them. "I'm Jim. The person who called you-"

Toby. Claire. Blinky. Aaarrrgghh. James. Draig. And below Strickler and Barbara. The unicorn nodded respectfully toward the dog. Well met, magic kin. It lifted its head. The plane of light is full of dreams and thoughts. I have seen pieces of you all there. Enough to know your name, poor child, and of the curse placed on you.

"I don't know if I'd go so far as a curse." The unicorn said nothing but tilted its head as if humoring him. Disagreeing further with a magical creature was inadvisable, he thought. "Well, we've called you here to ask for alicorn, which we need to protect New Trollmarket. Blinky and Strickler have figured out a formula that can provide magical defense for the trolls-"

This is a lie. Jim stopped, not sure whether to be startled or offended. The unicorn shook its mane. Let me rephrase. You believe what you say, but it is not the truth. There is no magical defense that can be made with the items you're gathering. The purpose is something else, though what I am not sure.

Jim blinked hard. Turning his head, he saw the others staring at him. "Are you hearing what it's saying?"

"No Master Jim. It speaks to you currently. We can only hear your words." Blinky looked worried. "You seem perturbed. Is it unwilling to help?"

"It says that there's no defense that's possible with what were collecting. That I believe what I said but that it's not true." Jim shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense." Blinky's expression became stricken and Jim watched him for a minute, still not understanding. "Blink, this stuff is for a defense formula, right?"

The silence made his heart seem to slow. Guilt flashed across Blinky's face and Aaarrrgghh's whole body seemed to droop. Jim didn't look away. "Blinky…?"

The troll straightened. "Master Jim, I confess I have misled you. The formula is not for a defense of New Trollmarket." Jim stared. Blinky had lied to him? He wasn't hurt as much as he was confused – why? Surely Blinky knew that whatever it was, Jim would have helped. "It is, however, for something of dire importance."

"Why wouldn't you tell me? I mean…why?" Jim felt his hackles rise. "Blinky, not to play the, 'I'm the Trollhunter' card, but I'm the freaking Trollhunter. If you need something or are working on something important, you can tell me. Why would you lie? I – I don't really know what to say here." He threw his hands up. "What are we here for? Why have we been gathering all these ingredients!?"

Blinky's jaw tightened. "Master Jim. Let me ask you one thing. Would I ever keep something from you if I did not have a desperately important reason to do so?" The wind kicked up and Jim faltered, Blinky's gaze undeterred. "If you wish me to be fully honest with what we're trying to do, I will. But I would like to ask you to continue to trust me. I promise I will tell you everything when the time is right."

Jim looked at the unicorn. It made no sound, tail flicking like the ripple on a pond. "I don't think I have the bandwidth for anything right now. We're talking to a unicorn and I find out we're not doing what I thought we were." But looking at Blinky's shamed, worried face and the patch on his eye, Jim swallowed the angry bewilderment. Aaarrrgghh was looking at him fearfully. Jim pressed his hands to his face and breathed deeply. "Okay. I still don't know why you wouldn't tell me the truth. But…I'm going to believe you had a good reason. You've come through too many times for me not to trust you."

Blink's hands twitched and the corners of his eyes crinkled. "Master Jim. I assure you I will tell all soon. And – and thank you." The troll reached out and touched Jim's face, just for a moment, and then turned his attention to the unicorn. "If you know what is true, don't you already know why we need the alicorn?"

No. I know only when untruth is spoken, and I see names and faces and snippets from my home. Tell me why I should grant you alicorn and I will weigh your reasoning. I never give to those who will not state their motives plainly. It moved its hooves, silent as light on the ground.

"Well, you could have said that before. I suppose I have to confess now at any rate," the troll muttered. Jim felt Blinky gather himself, anxious and hopeful and afraid. "Esteemed unicorn, we request that you grant us alicorn because we are trying to make-"

Draig howled and the unicorn's head jerked around to stare off into the dark. James cursed. "It's coming. Guys, get ready." He drew Excalibur and a deep, baying howl responded to Draig. Blacker than grave soil and heavier than water in the lungs, it made Jim's heart sink. "Unicorn, we need alicorn to help-"

A massive patch of darkness tore from the night sky and landed like a comet ten feet from them, every inch darker than sable. It had two spots for eyes, little more than red, the body made of some kind of energy that gave the illusion of fur. It smelled rank, of carrion and shortly-dead corpses. Three times as tall as Aaarrrgghh it shifted its heavy paws and stared straight at the unicorn. The mouth opened, a tearing seam more than a jaw, and the opening stretched from one side of the neck to the other, unhinging the entire upper head. The sound it made was of a rabid dog, baying from the impossible mouth.

"Holy nards." Toby's voice was a whisper.

Jim ran for the creature and at the same time screamed, "Get the unicorn to run!" In response Claire swatted the creature's flank as if it were a horse, shocking it out of its horror.

Like sea foam breaking on the shore the unicorn turned and pelted away, legs flashing. The barghest followed, right into Eclipse, and the sensation of stabbing something like frozen snow jarred Jim's hands. It was frigid, dead, completely unlike flesh. It was too far from the stun crystal – Jim pulled the blade free from its chest and swiped at the legs. The beast snapped it him, the impossible upper head flapping almost comically before crashing down to rip him apart.

The hole in the chest sealed over instantly. The cuts into the legs healed as soon as Jim made them. With a thrill of horror, he realized that while Eclipse was suited to Gunmar, Daylight would have operated against other creatures of darkness much better. And it was lost to him. Certainly the creature didn't like the attacks, but it wouldn't do near the damage he wanted.

Excalibur dove into the flesh, flung from James's hand, and the barghest finally reacted, snarling and digging at the wound in its side. "Jim! You okay son?"

Jim couldn't help but flinch. He pushed past the feeling of being called "son" by someone other than Blinky. "Yeah, fine! This thing is bigger than I expected!"

The unicorn was shrinking into the distance but the barghest's legs would eat up the distance. It snuffled at the ground with what looked like a nose, scarlet eyes roving around. Upon sighting Claire and Toby its wide maw twisted back in a sort of grin. Jim knew what it was about to do and leaped, grabbing its muzzle and anchoring it shut with his arms and legs. The barghest snarled, flinging its head back, trying to throw him off.

Draig barked nonstop, running in circles. "Jim!" Claire's voice was a scream and Jim tried to punch the thing's eye. Then the feeling of claws clattering over the armor and the wrenching sensation of being pried off made him gasp, hitting the ground. The thing had scraped him off with its front paws and he rolled to avoid being trampled. Two stun crystals shattered under the weight and Jim heard the frantic barking of Draig as the barghests's maw loomed. It was too fast, breaking the crystal with careless stomps.

"Draig, I release your true form! Your glamor is undone!" As James finished the words an explosion of heat rocked the ground, the intense shift in temperature forming dust devils. Jim smelled the rot again and the barghest's open mouth loomed over his head. Jim kicked up, trying to knock the jaw awry.

Something heavy and hot and red enveloped him, dragging him out from under the barghest. The odor of fire and sulfur made him gasp and the barghest yipped, jumping back. Something bright exploded against its eyes and Jim realized Claire had fired off the flare gun. A massive snort from overhead made him roll again, looking up to meet the gaze of –

A dragon. A red dragon with a heavy, tyrannosaur head, red scales all over its body, and roughly the size of the barghest. He was held between its claws, carefully as a china doll. Filmy wings burst from its back, so delicate between the bones that he could see the stars through the membrane. The eyes were large, dark, and utterly familiar. Jim sputtered. "Draig!?"

A massive pink tongue protruded from the mouth and lovingly raked up the side of his face. The saliva smelled of sulfur and was warm as bathwater. Jim cringed and wiped it off – focus on the barghest.

"Wait, Draig's a dragon!?" Toby's voice was three octaves higher than usual. "…Probably should have seen that coming!" Jim found his feet and the dragon turned in a sinuous movement to face the barghest, snarling. "So how are we doing this?"

Claire had reloaded the flare gun. "We need that alicorn, but the barghest isn't going to make it easy! Jim?"

He could see the unicorn, a faint star of light on the horizon. "How long do we have before it goes?"

"I'm afraid I don't know Master Jim! I would wager it won't stay for long, particularly if it feels it's in danger!" Blinky and Aaarrrgghh had moved to the beast's other side, trying to help pen it in. Draig paced around heavily, avoiding the surrounding people and eying the beast, the barghest mirroring him, obviously alarmed by a creature its own size.

"We need to protect it. Alicorn or no alicorn, we can't let it hurt the unicorn. It's here because we asked it to be." Jim put Eclipse away – it would do little. This was a fight better made with fists. "We need to kill or incapacitate the monster. Then we'll see if we can get the alicorn."

"Very well Master Jim." Blinky raised all four fists and Aaarrrgghh's carved lines lit up in green. "Forward compatriots! With expediency!"

Strickler listened intently, ear pressed to the rock. "They're fighting. And I think the dog was actually a dragon." Barbara was crouched beside the gyre, watching him with the flashlight. "The unicorn ran, but I think it's still in our dimension."

"Walter, we need that alicorn. Is there anything we can do?" He stepped back from the wall, knowing that only feet above their head was a shadow beast from the same realm that housed Morganna. Barbara's heart was pounding loud, and Strickler turned from the wall to meet her gaze. She fumbled toward him and Strickler caught her arms, wrapping her in his own.

"Barbara, we have to be patient. We have to…"

Her eyes were brilliant and blue, and she was shivering through her coat. Strickler tried to continue his thought but couldn't. "Walter, please. I have to do something. If we lose the unicorn it was all for nothing. Isn't there any way we can help?" He bit his lip. A troll was not easily swayed, and a changeling more than any other species was intelligent in survival. Staying down here was the safest thing for her. Going topside might attract the barghest.

But those eyes. He would die for this woman, in a moment. And she was willing to do anything for her child. Strickler pulled her close, hugging her tightly. "I've an idea. It's dangerous and foolish."

"The best kind then." The joke sounded feeble.

"They've got the beast distracted. I can fly above with you, find the unicorn, and I lower you to it so you can ask for the alicorn." She straightened, eyes wide. "I would do it myself Barbara but I've committed too many evil acts in my past. It won't want to listen to me. But there is little in this world purer than the love of a mother for her child. You prove that every day." He held her shoulders. "This might be the only way we have time. I know we want to be here if there's injury, but there's no assurance we can get the unicorn to return after this."

"You don't have to convince me. What are we waiting for?" Strickler took her hand and led her further into the tunnel as it slanted toward the surface. Heavy rocks had covered the entrance but the others had pushed them aside, and the opening was wide enough for them both to climb out.

"I'll carry you in both arms. I want to be able to maneuver." Barbara wrapped her arms around his neck and he picked her up. In his stone body he could feel basic texture and warmth, but he allowed himself the luxury of missing his human body. With it he could feel the real warmth of her, hold her securely, truly appreciate the sensation of holding someone.

He hadn't dared to hope. He'd kept his optimism level, ready for the fall into depression when they couldn't get the ingredients. But as close as they were, Strickler couldn't help but hope. For Jim, for Barbara, and for himself.

They took off and his newly healed wing instantly protested. He ignored it, soaring higher – he knew his limits. The wing was fine, just stiff and weak. He could fly a distance with it still. Barbara could see in the light of the moon; she was scanning the battle below. Her arms tightened on his shoulders when a lean, swift figure he recognized as Jim dove toward a shadowy mass that snapped and barked, but he danced out of the way. Toby and Claire were recognizable needling its sides only because of the sheen of their armor. Aaarrrgghh glowed green, and tiny flashes of dwarkstone revealed Blinky. "If we get the alicorn, the unicorn leaves. If the unicorn leaves, that thing goes too, right?" she asked.

"I believe that's the case. Though by the looks of things they have it handled!" A great red lizard swept around the shadow beast, making an enormous barking sound and lighting up the fight with flame. Strickler lifted his eyes and squinted, beating his wings hard and flying over the group. "I think I see it. Heading toward the mountains!" It was a brilliant patch of light, moving fast, and the beast kept trying to break away in the direction of the peaks. "Shall we?"

"Let's!" Strickler poured on the speed and pushed himself through the air, soaring after the unicorn with every muscle in his wings pumping.

End of Chapter 14

Preview of Chapter 15

And Barbara fell apart at the seams. She knew her coherency was shot and her eyes were so full of tears that they burned. "How am I supposed to go outside and watch people being happy and living their lives knowing that my Jim can't have any of that!? I can't think of anything except him being trapped in the dark! He was afraid of the dark until he was seven, for heaven's sake! He won't ever graduate, or feel a sunrise, or get married, or have kids…and I'm supposed to accept that the rest of his life is going to be this living hell that would drive any normal human insane!? No! I became a doctor because I wanted to make more happiness and health in the world, because I wasn't going to roll over and let people suffer if I had any power to fight it! And I won't stop fighting for Jim either!"

She fell to her knees, not even sure the unicorn was still there. The moon was a white blinding mass in her tears. Her voice was hoarse and talking hurt. "Ever since he was little, he's been my hero. My beautiful boy. He took care of me so much more than a son should have to. And he's got the most loving heart. He gets himself hurt because of it. And I was never able to do anything for him. I couldn't protect him from trolls – he had to save me from a magical injury. He wouldn't tell me about things until he had to – he protected me from the truth. And then, when I was taken and used as some helpless bargaining chip to let Morganna out into the world…"

She sobbed, choking. "Please. Just once, I want to do something for him. I want to save Jim, just once in my life. I need…I need to be his hero."