King Yvar and the guards backed away, goggling like three stranded fish. Thora grinned with satisfaction as they disappeared into the longhouse.
The next moment, Dúngal pounded up to her.
‘I can’t find it,’ he panted. ‘I saw a black horse in a stable, but it wasn’t the right one.’ He paused, and looked around. ‘Where’s Oddo?’
Thora chuckled. ‘He’s turned invisible,’ she said. ‘He’s looking for the Sídaigi.’
‘I’m still here, you know,’ said Oddo’s voice.
Dúngal and Thora squealed excitedly.
‘Well, can you see them?’ demanded Thora.
There was a pause. She felt Dúngal grip her arm.
‘I think I can,’ said Oddo. ‘Just . . . faint . . . glimpses.’
His voice faded as he moved away.
‘Find the horse,’ called Thora.
They waited, hardly breathing. A guard came past, shoving them roughly out of his path. Then the torches and human shouts died away.
‘They’re all hiding inside,’ said Thora.
‘They’re scared,’ smirked Dúngal.
‘I wish Oddo would hurry!’
The piglets were squealing at the tops of their voices. Thora glanced down at Hairydog. She was cowering on the ground, whimpering.
‘It’s all right, Hairydog. Oddo’s going to save us.’
Thora bent to stroke the dog’s back, and thought she felt tiny feet scamper across her hand. She shuddered, and hastily stood up again.
There was the sound of running, then Oddo burst into view in front of them, pulling off his hood, and gasping for breath.
‘It’s coming,’ he panted. ‘Quick, Thora, your herbs!’
‘But . . . I can’t see it . . . It’ll stamp on me, crush me! I thought you . . .’
Oddo swung away from her and pulled the goatskin up again.
‘I don’t know what to do!’ he cried. ‘Hurry!’
Thora could feel the ground vibrating as the beast charged towards them. She snatched up her bundle and began tearing at the knot.
‘I can’t undo it!’
‘Hurry!’
She gripped it with her teeth and wrenched hard. The fabric ripped, and Dúngal dived to catch the flowers as they tumbled downwards.
‘Here.’ He thrust them towards her. She could feel his hand shaking as their fingers touched.
There was a thud, thud, thud as if the creature was pawing the ground. Then the sound stopped, and Thora knew the horse was rearing up, its huge hooves flailing above her head. She started to back away, but the wall of the sty was pressing against her legs. She thrust out her hand, the flowers with their yellow centres and white petals nestled on her palm. The ground seemed to explode in front of her. Searing heat streamed towards her.
Then the flowers vanished.
‘Quick!’ Thora reached up, felt the massive neck, bulging with muscle, and ran her hand along the heaving flank. ‘Give me a leg-up. Hurry, I don’t have any more flowers!’
‘What?!’
‘Hurry!’
She grasped the mane, and hauled herself up over the huge, invisible mass. Her leg was half over the monster’s back when she felt it rear. She flew into the air, her arms almost ripped from their sockets. Then she crashed down, every bone in her body rattling, as the creature dropped back to earth.
‘Let go!’ cried Oddo. ‘Get off!’
‘No!’ she screamed.
‘You’ll be killed!’
But Thora was astride now, wild with triumph. She lifted her heels and kicked, hard as she could, at the horse’s flanks. She felt as if her feet were bashing into a wall of iron, but a tremor ran through the creature’s body, and the next moment, it was plunging forward. She felt the flames from its eyeholes stream backwards, burning her cheek, singeing her hair. She could hear Hairydog racing behind them, yipping with excitement.
They sped past the longhouse, scattering a woodpile and smashing through a haystack. Thora shook the hay from her eyes, then saw the wooden gate loom ahead. She had a glimpse of tree trunks strapped across broken palings. Then she felt the muscles gather under her, and the massive horse launched itself at the gate. It hit with an impact that tore Thora’s hands from their grasp, and she screamed as she found herself flying into the air.
