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

base, leaving only a jagged stub.
    “I’m sorry,” said Rupert. “I’m sorry.”
    “Not your fault,” said the unicorn. His voice broke, and he coughed a bloody foam.
    Rupert started to cry.
    “Stop that,” said the unicorn gruffly. “You should see the other guy. Did you find the Rainbow’s End?”
    Rupert nodded, unable to speak.
    “Well, how about that. Some quest, eh, lad? They’ll sing songs about us forever.”
    “And get it all wrong,” said Rupert.
    “Wouldn’t surprise me,” said the unicorn. “I think I’ll take a little rest now, lad. I’m tired.”
    “Unicorn?”
    “I’m so tired.”
    “
Unicorn!
”
    After a while, Julia came and crouched beside him.
    “He lost his horn for me,” said Rupert bitterly. “What did I ever do for him, except lead him into danger?”
    “He was your friend,” said Julia, gently.
    She couldn’t have hurt him more if she’d tried.
    “Rupert!” cried the dragon. “Demons!”
    “I brought your sword,” said Julia as they rose painfully to their feet, and she offered Rupert the sword he’d found at Rainbow’s End. Rupert glared at the sword, and felt a slow, steady rage burn within him. All around him he could see demons spilling into the clearing, bringing the darkness with them. Firelight gleamed on fang and claw. The dragon stood ready to meet them, crippled but undefeated. Julia stood before him, bloodied but unbowed, waiting for him to take his sword and fight at her side. And the unicorn lay dying at his feet.
    He was your friend.
    Rupert reached out and took the sword. Anger and sorrow surged through him as he realized there was nothing left for him to do except die bravely, and take as many of his enemies with him as he could. He raised the sword above his head, and then all his rage, all his anguish, all his determination seemed to flow up into the blade and out, out into the long night and beyond, like a great shout of defiance against the dark. Light burst from the blade, filling the clearing. The demons cowered and fell back, and then turned to flee as, with the thunder of a mighty falls, the Rainbow slammed down into the Darkwood.
    Time seemed to slow and stop. Brilliant colors scorched back the night, scything through the demonkind, who fell to the blood-soaked ground and did not rise again. And still the shimmering light poured over them, until their misshapen forms melted and flowed into the broken earth and were gone. And then the Rainbow was gone, and once again night held sway over the Darkwood.
    In the sudden silence, the crackling of the campfire seemed very loud. Moonlight filled the clearing, falling through a wide hole in the overhead canopy, and the surrounding trees stood straight and whole where the Rainbow’s light had touched them. Rupert slowly lowered the sword and studied it, but it was just a sword again.
Well,
he thought finally,
it seems some legends are true
…
    “Can anyone explain to me why I’m not dead?” asked the unicorn.
    “Unicorn!” Rupert turned quickly to find the animal climbing shakily to his feet. His wounds had healed, leaving only faint scars, and blood no longer ran from his mouth and nostrils. Rupert gaped at the unicorn, and then quickly checked his own wounds. He had an interesting collection of scars, but he didn’t hurt any more. He felt great.
    “I’m fine, too,” said an amused voice behind him, and before Rupert could turn round, Julia gave him one of her best bear hugs to prove it. She put an arm across his shoulders while he got his breath back, and then ran over to hug the dragon, who was flexing his healed wing experimentally.
    “Will somebody please tell me what’s going on?” demanded the unicorn.
    “I called down a Rainbow and saved your life,” said Rupert, grinning from ear to ear.
    “Ah,” said the unicorn. “I always knew you’d come in handy for something.”
    Rupert laughed, and carefully sheathed the rainbow sword. Joy bubbled up in him like water from a