stopped the twirling of Riverwind's stick, nearly disarming the princess's champion.
The men were more evenly matched than Goldmoon had thought. Hollow-sky was good. Why he had bothered to sabotage his opponent's poles for the contest, Goldmoon could not understand. Is it possible he did not believe in his own skill, or is he simply so inured to his father's treacheries that he just automatically cheated? she wondered.
Goldmoon bit her lip anxiously.
The sky had taken on a faint reddish light, indicating that the red moon, which would open the doors to the hall, was about to rise. The dawn of the sun was brightening the sky all about her. She could see the combatants' faces clearly now. Riverwind's features were grim and determined. Hollow-sky's eyes were filled with bloodlust and hatred. Goldmoon shivered, but not with cold.
Sweat trickled off the men's bodies despite the cool mountain air. They circled each other again, waiting for an opening in the other's defenses. Goldmoon's fingers dug into the flesh of her arms as the tension rose like the mist in the meadow.
Suddenly, Riverwind snarled like a wild cat. The sound mocked a real wild cat's so accurately that it flushed a small flock of birds from the trees. The noise of their wings diverted Hollow-sky's attention for just an instant, but that was all it took. Riverwind knocked his adversary down, and Hollow-sky lost his grip on his pole. Riverwind closed in to deliver a blow that would knock the traitor senseless — or worse.
But Riverwind's injured knee slowed his attack, and Hollow-sky rolled away, scrambling to his feet. He slipped beneath Riverwind's blocking swing and ran up the stairs that led to the doors of the Hall of the Sleeping Spirits, dragging his pole behind him. Riverwind pursued him, just two steps behind. Goldmoon sprang to her feet and ran across the grass, following the warriors up the stairs.
As she reached the top step, Lunitari, the red moon, made its appearance above the horizon, shedding its light directly across the great stone doors. Very slowly the massive portals began to swing outward, showering gold sparks down on the two men locked in their deadly struggle. The footing on the rock platform out side the doors was slippery with sand, and the sides adjacent to the staircase edge and the door fell off sharply over sheer cliffs.
Goldmoon forgot her desire to gain entrance to the hallas she watched Riverwind, by jabs and blows, push Hollow sky toward the cliff. Both men teetered dangerously near the edge.
The opening doors nudged Riverwind slightly, breaking his concentration and forcing him to struggle to keep his balance. In that moment, Hollow-sky managed to land a blow across the side of the shepherd's head and face. Dazed, Riverwind raised his staff to block the next attack, but his reactions were slowed. Hollow-sky jabbed wickedly at the shepherd's already injured knee, bringing him crashing down on both knees. Seeing Hollow-sky close in on Riverwind, Goldmoon, consumed by fear for Riverwind's life, drew her crystal dagger.
She lunged forward, holding the dagger high over her head. Hollow-sky, intent on the kill, failed to look up. Goldmoon slammed the dagger down hard, gashing his right arm deeply. Hollow-sky's blood splashed over her dagger and wrist and onto the rock platform.
Startled, Hollow-sky staggered backward — and lost his footing on the sandy precipice. He tumbled over the edge, and his scream echoed up the cliff face, seemingly forever.
until his body hit the ground below. Bathed in red
moonlight, Goldmoon stood staring over the rock's edge, her hair stirred by a gentle thermal rising from below.
'Goldmoon! Come away from there,' Riverwind cried, shaken.
As if in a dream, the priestess of the Que-shu turned from the cliff face and moved to the shepherd's side, helping him to his feet. Hollow-sky's scream echoing through her head, she sheathed her dagger without cleaning it.
'I had no choice. He was going to kill you!' she said and suddenly burst into shuddering sobs.
'I know,' he answered. 'I wanted to protect you this morning, but felt helpless while he held the dagger to your throat. Then the charm…' His voice trailed off as Goldmoon softly answered, 'Yes, it protected me.' Pulling her close to his chest, he stroked her hair in a gentle, calming motion.
Suddenly Goldmoon was very much aware of the man's arms around her. Then, remembering why she was here and how urgent it was that she convince Riverwind of the reality of her gods, she sprang away from him.
'The hall!' she cried. 'We must get inside and hold the ceremony quickly before the doors close!'
As though mocking her attempts, the first ray of sunlight shot over the horizon, striking the doorway. The huge stone doors began closing on their own, scraping and rumbling against the stone platform beneath them.
'Hurry!' Goldmoon insisted, tugging Riverwind. With his injured knee, Riverwind had to lean on her to make it through the rapidly narrowing portal.
As they slipped through the opening, it closed with a thunderclap. Beneath the deafening echo, Goldmoon heard Riverwind gasp in pain. 'Are you all right?' she asked.
'My injuries are minor,' he answered curtly. 'How do we open the doors again?'
Goldmoon hesitated. 'I'm not sure we can. The ceremony is supposed to be held quickly between the red moon rising and the sunrise, while the doors stand open.'
'You mean you risked being trapped in here?' Riverwind hissed angrily. 'It's not enough you almost get yourself killed attacking Hollow-sky, you have to also bury yourself alive!'
'I stabbed him to save your life,' Goldmoon reminded him with equal curtness.
Riverwind drew away from her. 'You should have run,' he said coldly, 'not tried to save me. After all, I'm supposed to protect you, not the other way around.'
'You are no use as a bodyguard if you are dead!' Goldmoon retorted, not understanding her own anger. Remembering those terrible moments when she thought Riverwind was going to die, she began to tremble.
'I suppose not,' Riverwind said, chagrined. She could hear him withdraw even further.
Reaching out, Goldmoon found his hands in the darkness and took them in her own. 'And, if you had died, I would have died out there, too,' she whispered.
Riverwind drew several deep breaths without speaking. Goldmoon could feel his hands quivering in her own. Releasing his hands and moving forward, she wrapped her arms about him and rested her head against his chest. This time she noticed that his leather armor smelled of the spiced oil used to clean it. Riverwind pressed her near, holding her gently. In the cold, damp cavern, he radiated heat like a fire.
'When you first approached womanhood,' he whispered, 'and I saw then your beauty, I asked my family what age you would have to be before Arrowthorn would allow men to court you.' He stroked her hair as he spoke.
Not interrupting him, Goldmoon luxuriated in the feel of his broad back beneath her hands, of his arm about her shoulders.
'My adopted parents tried to make me see that my poverty and faith would always keep us apart,' Riverwind continued, 'but I would not believe them. You never noticed me when I watched you, but others did, and Loreman himself came to our hut to warn my parents to keep me away from you.'
Goldmoon guessed that that must have been the time she'd first heard her father discussing Riverwind with Loreman in hushed tones.
Riverwind continued his story. 'My father sent me out to watch sheep in the fields farthest from the village. My mother's skill at weaving is great, so many send their daughters to apprentice under her, even though Loreman has forbidden it. My mother would invite the loveliest of these girls to eat with our family, but the memory of your face stayed with me. Then one night, Wanderer's spirit came to me and told me of the games held to choose escorts for the priestess's pilgrimage to this place. He said that some day you would give your heart to one of those escorts.'
'And so I have,' Goldmoon whispered. She raised her lips, so that she could kiss him, but Riverwind pulled away from her and held her at arms length.
'I must admit,' the warrior said, 'I felt certain of myself, seated next to you at the banquet. I could not imagine you with Hollow-sky, though my mother often warned me that the two of you were a likely match. When I saw you watching the dancers and realized you wanted to dance, I thought, 'She is just a woman, like other women.' But I was wrong. You will never be just a woman. You are and always will be Chieftain's Daughter. Now I doubt my worthiness. I am still poor, and our gods remain different.'
Goldmoon was silent for many moments, before she said, 'If I do not doubt your worthiness, then neither
