“It happened okay. If it hadn’t been you, it would have been someone else. But in the end you came back. You saved my life. Tan used you, like he used me. He threatened your dragons. You had no choice.”

Despite his words, Rosie’s betrayal stabbed at him like an eternal knife in his side.

“Because of me, you almost died…” The whisper of her berry scented breath found his cheek through the blanket of white.

“But I didn’t! We’re both alive and now we have to find that antidote. You want to make it up to me? Help me save my sister…Whoa! What’s that?” he said, dropping to one knee, as a fierce wind whipped through the gully and a mighty crash shook the ground…

Boom-Boom-Boom.

North lost his balance, staggering into the hedgerow, the thorns clawing at his chequered shirt.

Rosie appeared through the mist and pulled him free. Her eyes were wide and fearful. “Footsteps. Like a giant! Listen!”

Boom-Boom-Boom.

“It’s behind us,” said North.

Boom-Boom-Boom.

“Now it’s in front of us,” she whispered. “There’s two of them…”