The Equen Queen by Alyssa Brugman

who knows? Maybe Tolrush will have caught up with us by then. Do you see? We can't go back. I know you are worried about your little pony, but everybody is working together for once. Everyone except you.’
    ‘My little pony!’ she spluttered. ‘Didn't you hear what I said? The sky-traders attacked Quentaris over “my little pony”.’
    ‘We don't know that for sure,’ Verris interrupted. ‘You said yourself they had been planning it from the beginning.’
    ‘But Fontagu …’ she began.
    Verris waved his arm dismissively. ‘Yes, yes. You said. Fontagu's evil scheme to trade in the elixir of youth.’ He sighed. ‘When you get as old as I am you will find that a lot of people think they have found the key to eternal life, and even more people are foolish enough to pay them for it. Let me give you a little tip, my young friend.’ He leaned in closer to her. ‘Live well today.’
    ‘But it's true!’ she protested.
    ‘All right!’ He held both his hands up. ‘Go! Bring this pony of yours to me. Prove it!’
    Tab let out her breath in a whoosh. ‘Thank you!’
    She swung around and sprinted back the way she had come, back through the streets and alleys to the slaughterhouse.
    When she arrived the door was ajar. Tab leaned against the outside wall catching her breath. Odd, she thought. Fontagu wouldn't risk anyone looking in. Something was wrong.
    She peeked through the door. Fontagu lay flat on his back on the floor. His cloak had ridden up and Tab could see his long, scrawny legs. She crept inside warily, but couldn't see anyone else. The stable was empty. ‘Tattoo?’ she called out. She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, but all she heard were panicked birds and rats, and a few pets in surrounding houses. The equen queen was not nearby.
    ‘Fontagu?’ Tab leaned over, poking him in the chest experimentally with her toe.
    Suddenly Fontagu awoke with a snort and Tab jumped back, letting out a little shriek.
    ‘Attacked,’ he mumbled. ‘Monster. A giant. Tall as two men. Must have had six axes, at least. A great club hanging from his belt. Foul breath.’
    ‘What happened to Tattoo?’ she asked.
    Fontagu sat up slowly, feeling his skull, and looking at his fingers, as though he expected to see blood. He looked over at the empty stable and pursed his lips. ‘Stolen!’ Then he sighed. ‘Probably in a pie by now. Still, I am lucky that the beast spared my life.’
    ‘Which way did he go?’ Tab asked.
    Fontagu stared at her. ‘Didn't you hear what I said? I was ambushed! He came up behind me, and whack! Down I went. Coward. I didn't see which way he went.’
    ‘You didn't see? I thought you said it was a giant beast with six axes,’ Tab said.
    Fontagu put a hand on his chest. ‘I could have been murdered!’
    Tab jumped up and jogged to the door.
    ‘Where are you going?’ Fontagu scrambled after her.
    ‘Back to the council,’ she called over her shoulder.
    ‘Don't leave me here! What if he comes back?’ He stood, brushing himself off. ‘I'm coming with you.’
    ‘I thought you were almost mortally wounded,’ Tab said, looking him up and down.
    ‘The equen must have healed me before she left,’ he explained as the two hurried through the streets towards the Archon's Palace.
    Tab smiled to herself. She had been running around Quentaris all day, and if there had been a giant monster wielding six axes she would have seen it, or heard someone talking about it. On the other hand, a man slightly taller than Fontagu with one axe, whom had merely startled Fontagu into a faint, could move around Quentaris entirely unremarked upon.
    Normally when Tab walked down the dim stone corridor to the throne room she could hear voices echoing off the cold walls inside the chamber, but today it was silent. She had almost decided that the throne room was empty. But when she inched the heavy, wooden door open, she saw the council sitting around the great table.
    Standing to one side was a slender man