Free Blue Moon Rising (Darkwood) by Simon R. Green

demons came at them again. Julia wielded her sword with surprising skill, her face grim and determined. Rupert spun and danced, his sword licking out to kill and kill again, but he knew it was hopeless. The darting, leaping creatures swarmed out of the dark in seemingly endless numbers, and he was already exhausted. Eventually, they were bound to pull him down. The company’s only chance for survival had been the Rainbow Run, and he’d failed. Rupert gasped as demon claws raked across his rib cage. He cut the demon down, but he could feel blood running down his side in a thick stream. His head swam dizzily, but the pain kept him from fainting. More demons pressed forward, and Rupert knew he was no longer fast enough to stop them all. He silently cursed the missing unicorn to hell for his cowardice in deserting the party to their fate, and took a firm grip on his sword. He hoped it would be a quick death.
    And then the dragon raised himself in all his ancient glory, and fire blazed on the night. Demons curled up and fell away like scorched leaves as the dragon’s flaming breath washed over them. Others fell to roll on the ground in silent agony before lying still. The dragon’s awesome head swayed back and forth, his fire scouring the clearing of demonkind, and then the flame flickered and went out.
    In the last of the light, Rupert watched the survivors fall back to join others of their kind, waiting in the darkness beyond the clearing. More demons. There were always more demons. Rupert slowly lowered his sword and leaned on it. He dared not sit down for fear he’d never get to his feet again.
His strength is as the strength often, because his heart is pure.
Minstrels. Rupert sighed softly. Julia sat suddenly down beside him as her legs gave way. Her eyes were glazed with fatigue, but somehow she still found enough strength to hang onto her sword. Anger stirred in Rupert afresh as he realized not all the blood on Julia’s dress came from demons. He stared horrified as he took in the terrible extent of her injuries, and swore silently. If he hadn’t taken her from the dragon’s cave; if he hadn’t brought her into the Darkwood; if he hadn’t left her to go chasing after a legend … If.
You’re a brave lass, Julia
, Rupert thought wearily.
You deserved better than me.
He stared out into the darkness; looking at Julia hurt too much. He could hear the demons gathering. There seemed no end to their numbers. Rupert turned to the dragon, crouching exhausted by the fire. One wing hung limply, half torn away, and golden blood ran steadily down his heaving side. The dragon slowly raised his great head and studied the blood-spattered Prince.
    “Did you reach the Rainbow’s End?”
    “Yes,” said Rupert. “It was very beautiful.”
    “What did you find there?”
    “A sword. Just an ordinary sword.” Rupert couldn’t keep the bitterness from his voice as threw the sword onto the ground before him. The dragon studied the sword, and then looked away.
    “The Wild Magic is often … capricious.” He stared out into the darkness. “The demons are almost ready. One last attack, and it will all be over.”
    “We can’t just give up,” Rupert protested. “We’ve beaten them off twice …”
    “I’m hurt, Rupert,” the dragon said simply. “I’m too old for all this nonsense.”
    Rupert shook his head, searching for some kind of anger to hold back his growing despair. “What happened to the unicorn?”
    “He’s over there,” said the dragon.
    Rupert followed the dragon’s gaze. Not a dozen feet from the fire, the unicorn lay stretched out and unmoving, half-hidden under a pile of demon bodies.
    “Unicorn!” Rupert staggered over to his fallen steed and knelt beside him. The unicorn tried to raise his bloodied head, and couldn’t.
    “Will you keep your voice down? My head hurts.”
    Bloody rents crawled along the unicorn’s flanks, and his rib cage had been smashed in. His horn had been broken off at the