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years of trekking. For the bards, with good reason, called her the most elusive beauty in all the lands.

4 • Bonds of Two Brothers
    Tamwyn’s jaw went slack. Though his bare feet sank deeper into the cold snow, he didn’t care. This was the sight of a lifetime—a creature more of legend than reality.
    He glanced over at Elli, who had also stopped in her tracks. By the Stargazing Stone, Scree, Brionna, Nuic, and Shim all stood in silence. Even the irrepressible Henni stopped swinging from his upside-down perch and simply gaped at the creature.
    It was the Sapphire Unicorn. She was, as all of them knew, unique. While there were a few other unicorns with patches of blue in their horns or manes, only this one shone deep blue all over, as if her whole body were a glowing gemstone. Long ago, at the very moment that Merlin’s mother, Elen, arrived in Avalon, the first creature she had seen was the Sapphire Unicorn—and since then, this exquisite being had come to symbolize all that was rare and wondrous in the world. For through all the ages of Avalon, there had been one—and only one—of her kind. The sight of her was just as unusual, and full of portent, as an appearance by the Lady of the Lake: Sometimes centuries would pass between sightings. And then, without warning, some voyager in a remote region would catch a glimpse of her spiraling blue horn.
    She loped up the steep slope to the summit with the ease of a gentle wind, her head held high, her hooves kicking up puffs of sparkling snow. Her horn glowed lustrous blue, as did her fetlocks, her mane, and her flowing tail. Powerful thigh muscles flexed as she bounded over the drifts.
    It was her eyes, though, that most arrested Tamwyn. Deep as an endless slice of sky they were, and just as blue. There was something old about them, as old as the Great Tree itself. They seemed to shine with the sorrows and hopes of all living creatures. And yet they gleamed with newness, too—as vibrant as the first rays of light from a newborn star.
    Struck by the unicorn’s beauty, Tamwyn could barely breathe as he watched her climb toward them, her hooves clicking quietly across the snow-frosted rocks. He had known, from the songs of bards, about her elusiveness as well as her beauty. But he found himself, even so, amazed by her loveliness.
    She’s like grace come alive , he mused. Too beautiful, almost, for a mortal creature.
    Mid-stride, the Sapphire Unicorn turned her head and fixed one of her eyes on Tamwyn. Instantly, he realized that she had heard his thought. And then, in a full, whinnying voice, she spoke directly into his mind:
    Perhaps that is so, young man. But I come on an errand fraught with misery and grief.
    Tamwyn tensed, twisting his feet in the snow. And what is this errand, graceful one?
    Soon you shall know. For it was the Lady of the Lake herself who sent me.
    “The Lady,” he said aloud, surprised. Could this be somehow connected to last night’s vision? And to his decision to go to the stars?
    At that instant the unicorn leaped over a mound of loose rocks and loped straight toward Elli, who smiled broadly as the shimmering creature trotted right up to her. As a gentle breeze rippled the unicorn’s mane, she studied the young woman carefully. Then, tilting her head, she offered a small shred of cloth that she’d been holding at the edge of her mouth.
    Elli took it—and abruptly went pale. She looked anxiously over her shoulder at Nuic and Tamwyn. “A piece of Coerria’s gown! The one worn only by the High Priestess. She must be in trouble!”
    Unbidden, Tamwyn caught the thoughts of the unicorn. More trouble, young woman, than you can imagine.
    “I’ll go to her,” declared Elli. She squeezed the silky shred in her hand. “Right away.”
    The Sapphire Unicorn’s ears twitched anxiously. She shook her head, scattering the hair of her mane.
    Again, Tamwyn caught her thoughts. He shouted to Elli, “She wants you to go first to the Lady of the