Eye of the Storm

creator perished. And if Marianne has perished, then the dark gateway will have perished too – for it sprang from her powers as well as yours. If it has been destroyed, your own powers will have returned, Erin.’
    Erin took out the hagstone from her pocket and untied her great-grandmother’s hair. Chloe marked out a new circle for her. Erin looked at the hole in the stone. Her heart beat fast. Would her magic work with just her power alone?
    ‘Sky horses, come,’ she said.
    Clouds started to swell at the edge of the circle. They formed into horse shapes. Some were standing, but many were lying down. They looked sad and ill.

    ‘My power’s back!’ breathed Erin. ‘But what about your herd?’
    Tor stepped forward. ‘You can help them with your healing magic.’
    Erin frowned. ‘How? I can’t use it from down here, can I?’
    ‘No, but you can use it in the clouds.’
    Erin stared at him. ‘You want me to come to the clouds? But won’t that make the horses more sick?’
    ‘It will only be a brief visit and I believe your presence with a healing stone will do far more good than harm. My herd need you, Erin.’
    Erin glanced at Chloe. She loved the thought of going to the cloud world, but how would Chloe feel?
    Chloe forced a smile. ‘It’s OK. You go. I know I can’t come. It won’t be good for the horses.’
    ‘I’ll stay with you, Chloe,’ said Mistral. And Chloe hugged him.
    Erin turned to Tor. ‘How do I get there?’
    He stamped a front hoof. ‘Through the hidden gateway we discovered by the aspen tree.’
    Leaving Chloe and Mistral on the rocks, Erin squeezed into the cave. Tor dissolved and flowed in beside her. It was too small a space for him to turn into his horse shape, but she could feel his presence like a cool wind swirling around her as she flew down the dark tunnel to the second cave.
    This cave was bigger than the first and Tor turned back into his solid earthly horse shape. On the floor there was a perfect circle of moonlight. The hidden gateway , Erin thought.
    ‘Get on my back,’ Tor told her softly.
    A thrill ran through Erin. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined riding Tor. She took hold of his long mane and vaulted on. His back felt warm and strong, his arched neck rose up in front of her, his long mane covering her legs.
    Tor whickered and stepped into the circle of light on the floor. Suddenly they were swirling round and round in a golden haze. For a moment the only solid thing seemed to be Tor’s body. Erin flung herself forward on his neck, holding on tight, as night and day, ice and sunlight – the very fabric of the world – seemed to blur and spin around her.

CHAPTER
Twelve
    They landed. Erin blinked and sat up on Tor’s back. They were standing in a cloud meadow. There were jagged mountains and forests in the distance, valleys and streams. But Erin hardly noticed the landscape. She was staring at the sky horses in front of her.
    She had seen them many times before through the stones, but in real life they were ten times more beautiful. They reminded her of Kestrel with their large dark eyes and dished faces, delicate legs and pointed ears. There were foals, mares, young stallions, all standing still. Tor walked forward with Erin on his back. ‘This is my kingdom,’ he told her.
    ‘Oh wow!’ Erin gasped. ‘And there’s Snowdance!’
    The beautiful mare came trotting forward, her hooves seeming to dance across the ground. She touched noses with Tor. ‘This is Erin,’ Tor said.
    Snowdance whinnied in greeting. Erin slid off Tor’s back. The ground was white and springy beneath her feet. She looked at the stallion. She knew she should be as quick as she could. ‘Shall I start?’ she asked, feeling almost shy.
    ‘Yes.’
    Erin took the healing stone out of her pocket and walked towards the first group, four mares and foals who were all lying down, their muzzles resting on the ground. Murmuring soothingly, just as she had done to Kestrel when he was injured, she moved among them, touching the stone to each of them, one at a time, until she felt it turn from cold to warm. After each horse, she paused to recharge it, holding it in her hands, concentrating hard, thinking healing thoughts. The difference it made to the horses was noticeable. As she stepped back from each one, they raised their heads, looked around, pricked their ears and got to their feet.
    Other horses started to crowd round her. Soon she was lost in a sea of grey bodies