Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

Demon Prince again,' said King John. 'Despite all I may have done, I am still King of the Forest Land, and I will have a reckoning for what has been done to the Land.'
    'John,' said the High Warlock. 'If you go into the Darkwood, the chances are you won't be coming back again.'
    'I know that,' said the King. 'But we all aspire to moments of nobility. It's the best any of us can hope for.'
    'Let's go,' said Rupert. 'The longer we stand here talking, the likelier it is the demons will come scrambling over our walls. Dragon! Are you nearly ready?'
    'Of course, Rupert,'said the dragon calmly. 'Climb aboard, and we can be on our way.'
    Rupert and Julia headed for the dragon, followed by the Astrologer. The King stopped short as Harald appeared from the main entrance. He waited patiently for his eldest son to come down and join him, and they stood together a moment, neither quite sure what to say.
    'If we don't come back,' said King John abruptly, 'you will be King, Harald. Keep the Land alive, any way you have to. The night can't last for ever. If the demons come over the walls or through the gates, fall back into the inner Castle and block off the entrance corridors. Keep pulling back, make them fight for every room, every gallery. This Castle was built to withstand any siege. There are enough secret passageways in this place to keep the demons running round in circles for years. Keep your wits about you, and you might just make it. Don't fail the Land, Harald. Don't fail the Land.'
    'I won't, father,' said Harald. 'You'd better go now, the others are waiting. Good luck.'
    Rupert and Julia watched from the dragon's back as Harald and the King embraced each other. Julia shot a glance at the Astrologer, waiting patiently beside the dragon, and then put her arms around Rupert's waist, and leaned forward so that her mouth was by his ear.
    'Do you think we should say something?' she asked quietly. 'If Harald is the traitor ...'
    'What could we say?' murmured Rupert. 'We've no proof against him. You heard the King — with the wards broken, anyone could have taken the Curtana.'
    'But leaving him in charge of the Castle . . .'
    'There's nothing we can do, Julia. For now.'
    They fell silent as the King hurried over to the dragon and climbed awkwardly up on to his back, followed by the Astrologer. Everyone settled themselves more or less comfortably, and the dragon stretched out his wings and flexed them experimentally.
    'Stiff,' he muttered. 'Very stiff.'
    'Are you sure you're up to this, dragon?' asked Rupert. 'There are four of us, and it could be a long flight
    ...'
    'Do I tell you how to use a sword?' said the dragon. 'Of course I'm up to it. You just hang on tight, and I'll get you there. I just hope someone knows where we're going. Oh, and Rupert ...'
    'Yes?'
    'Next time, try to wake me before things get this desperate.'
    Rupert was still searching for a suitably venomous reply when the dragon surged to his feet. Rupert grabbed quickly for the dragon's neck as the huge membranous wings beat strongly to either side of him, and then with a stomach-wrenching jolt, the dragon threw himself into the air. The courtyard fell slowly away beneath him, just as the demons finally came swarming over the Castle walls. Rupert watched in horror as they quickly fought their way past the defenders on the battlements, and spilled down into the courtyard. The High Warlock stood alone, balefire blazing from his hands, as the demons came at him from every side. The main gates burst open, the thick oaken doors splintering like kindling, and the courtyard was suddenly full of leaping, clawing demons.
    And then the Castle fell away behind the dragon, and was lost in the darkness. Below him lay nothing but the Darkwood, gleaming eerily under the light of the full Blue Moon.

    'It's all over,' said Rupert dully. The demons have won.'
    'We've got to turn back!' said Julia. 'Dragon . . .'
    'No,' said the King. 'We go on. There's nothing else we can do.'
    The dragon flew on into the darkness, and for a long time nobody said anything. Bitterly cold air rushed past them, cutting fiercely at their bare hands and faces. Rupert felt Julia huddle in close behind him, and he tried to shield her body from the wind with his own. The night sky was empty of stars, but the Blue Moon filled the darkness with an ancient power. The Wild Magic roared upon the night like a giant heartbeat, strange and whimsical and utterly inhuman. Far below him, Rupert could sense