Next time I woke, Gerda was sitting by my side on the bed, brows wrinkled with concern. Sasha was curled up on my stomach purring softly. Milo, who lay at my feet keeping a watchful eye on me, pricked up his ears when I stirred.

"Drink this, Annifer." Gerda held a wooden cup to my lips. I choked as I swallowed the bitter liquid but I was so thirsty, I drained the cup in big gulps. I let my head fall back on the pillow, panting with the exertion. I wanted to ask how long I'd been lying there but I couldn't get the words out. Gerda read my mind. "Three days," she said. I managed only one word.

"Kris?"

"Fighting for his kingdom, Goddess protect him." Grunting through gritted teeth, I pushed myself up in the bed.

"Take me to the battlefield!" I croaked, but my vision went dark and I collapsed back down again, my chest heaving.

"I can't, Annifer. You're much too weak." I opened my eyes again and stared at her pleadingly, trying to muster the energy to speak again. She looked back at me eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Maybe there's something, I can do," she said getting up and opening the bottom drawer of an oak dresser in the corner of the room.

She rummaged around for a while and then pulled out an object wrapped in a purple silk scarf.

Sitting back down on the bed, she unwound the scarf to reveal a round hand mirror. Its silver frame and handle were engraved with letters in a language I couldn't read. The top of the frame was set with a round white moonstone, exactly the same shape and size as the moon locket.

"It's an ancient magic." Gerda polished the reflective surface with the purple silk. "I don't know if I can remember the spell but it allows you to look in the mirror and see through the eyes of the person wearing the moon locket. Petros is wearing it. Daisy put it round his neck before the battle began. Let's see if I can make it work."

She placed the mirror in my hands and closed my fingers round it's handle. I had to grip it tightly to stop it falling from my weak grip. Gerda closed her eyes. I felt her become still as she dived deep within. A minute passed. The air between us crackled with silent power. Then she started to hum — one long low note at first. Then words — mysterious words in the old language. Then melody — a haunting melody, notes that rose and fell in a transporting spell-song.

I fixed my eyes on the mirror and saw my own face staring back at me. My skin was pale and sallow, my hollow, shadow-ringed eyes half closed as the song permeated my senses, casting its enchantment, enveloping me in its spell. A mist formed over the surface of the mirror. Soon all I could see was a cloudy whiteness.

Then suddenly the mist cleared and I was seeing through Petros's eyes. More than that, I was hearing with his ears, feeling with his senses. I was experiencing the battle from Petros's point of view.

I'm lying on the grass at the edge of the battlefield. My nostrils are filled with a metallic smell I recognise as blood. The noise is intense, the clash of sword upon sword, the warbling of battle cries, the whinnying of horses in distress - this is the sound that upsets me the most. My right arm is stretched out on the ground in front of me; a long cut on the forearm pours with blood, turning the grass red. My teeth are gritted in agony. Daisy is helping me to sit up and lifting a small bottle to my lips.

"Drink this. Gerda made it. It will help the wound heal quickly."

I open my mouth and try not to retch as she pours the foul-smelling liquid in. It burns as it pours down my throat and when it hits my stomach it's like stars exploding and fizzing through my body giving me new strength and energy. Daisy tips some onto a cloth and begins cleaning my arm with it. It stings and I flinch. She shoots me a concerned look but doesn't stop what she's doing. As I watch, the wound stops bleeding and closes leaving nothing but a red mark. It's incredible! But so many incredible things have happened recently - Kris is fighting a war on the back of a unicorn! I can't be surprised anymore. I look at Daisy.

"Can you help Treacle?" I ask. My horse stands nearby, his coat steaming, a sword cut on his flank dripping dark blood. A different girl would have argued that her job was to treat the soldiers not the steeds. But Daisy knows how much Treacle means to me. She pours some of the healing draft into her hand and holds it to Treacle's mouth. While she washes his wound I pull on my leather jerkin. They don't make armour in children's sizes. I'm riding into battle unprotected. Lucky my mother's already dead or this would have killed her!

I put my foot in the stirrup and swing myself back onto Treacle. Daisy hands me my sword, looks at me and forms a circle with her thumb and forefinger and holds it to her heart - a gesture she's picked up from the Wise Woman. It means Goddess protect you. I put my hand to the moon locket around my neck. Maybe I'm not unprotected after all.

I lift my sword, tap Treacle with my legs and we gallop off into heart of the battle to join Davin and Kris who are fighting with Ivan and Skarp.

The Frailing soldiers who Ivan had compelled to fight had defected to our side when they'd seen Kris heading our army. But still the Skaliff troops far outnumber us. They swarm the battlefield with their falcon-crested helmets, their polished armour, sharp swords and huge horses. One by one they charge at me, swords upraised, yelling as they come. I hit back with my sword, fending them off. Ahead of me I can see Davin engaged in a duel with Ivan, I head towards him.

A blood-curdling scream and suddenly Skarp is galloping towards me, his eyes burning red with hatred, his teeth bared, sword held high, bearing down on me.  I brace myself, lifting my sword in defence. He strikes so hard sparks fly and the shock vibrates through my body. He strikes again, metal on metal. I defend myself.

Clash! Clash! Flecks of his spit are landing on my face. I keep parrying but he's striking with such fury, such power. Strike! Parry! Strike! Parry! How long can I keep this up? With an animal cry, Skarp grasps his sword with both hands, wheels it over his head and brings it down with such force it knocks my sword from my hand and leaves me with a bloody gash on my wrist.

Unarmed, I cover my face with my arms while Skarp lets out a triumphant laugh and prepares himself for the final blow. This is it. This is the end. I'm sure of it. But just as Skarp's blade is about separate my head from my shoulders, I hear an almighty clash and look up to see that Kris has galloped in and parried the blow. Furious, Skarp wheels around to take out his wrath on Kriston, cutting and slashing like a man possessed. Kriston defends himself with an expertise that belies his years.

Without wasting a second, I jump off my horse to retrieve my sword from the ground. Just as I'm picking it up, I see Skarp reach with his left hand into a leather pouch he has hanging from his belt. He draws out a thin wooden tube that looks like a small flute and brings it up towards his mouth. Just at that moment, Kris deals him a heavy blow that knocks the tube from his hands. It lands on the ground by my feet. I pick it up and turn it over in my hands. Inside the tube is a sharp metal dart with feathers attached to the end.

A monstrous howl tears my eyes away from the object in my hands and I turn to see Ivan, blazing with anger, galloping towards Kriston to help Skarp finish him off. I raise the dart blower to my lips. A second's hesitation – I have never hurt a horse before – and then this thought, Annifer saved my brother. Now I'm saving her brother.

I blow. The dart hits Skarp's horse square in the flank and he rears up with an agonised whinny. Skarp falls to the ground, right in the path of Ivan's enormous white stallion. Hooves crash down on Skarp's chest. His head jolts upwards, then falls back. Blood trickles out of the corner of his mouth.
He moves no more.

I dropped the mirror and fell back on the bed, sick with the exertion.

My eyes closed and darkness overcame me.

Thanks for reading 😊

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