by Andrew Symon
Jack and Rana scanned the bay and the fields beyond it, but could see nothing more than a calf at the water’s edge.
“There’s no one there,” stated Jack.
The boat drifted into the shallows and beached itself on gravelly sand.
“We’ll give ye a hand out,” announced Enda.
He lifted first Rana, then Jack over the side of the boat into the arms of one of his comrades, who waded the short distance ashore. As Dermot deposited him on the beach, Jack – human size once more – saw Luka stride forwards. Jack rubbed his eyes in astonishment.
“I understand you’ve got some casualties.” The old man smiled at him.
“Where … where did you come from?”
“Let’s get you all out of the boat.”
Enda and the others between them were carrying Phineas and Grandpa Sandy over the side of the boat and ashore. Lying the two men down on the beach, they ushered Luka forward. Luka made a cursory inspection, then asked them to carry the two invalids up to the house.
“Where did the calf go?” Rana was standing beside her cousin. “I’m sure Luka wasn’t on the beach before.”
Jack was staring at the place where the calf had been. There was a funny pattern there – like a circle. A dozen small stones in the sand. He felt in his pocket. The yucca fibres were oozing oil.
“He’s a sh—”
“Come on now,” Enda called over.
The litter party had reached the top of the bay, and was disappearing out of sight. The McCools were marching almost as fast as the two youngsters could run, and Jack and Rana took some time to catch up. Nearing the house (still a ruin from the outside), the youngsters ran ahead and were met by Aunt Katie and Aunt Dorcas, closely followed by Petros.
Aunt Katie clutched Rana to her chest, unable to speak. Petros stopped as he reached Jack, smiling sheepishly.
“You got on all right, then.”
Jack didn’t speak, but indicated the McCool party that was approaching quickly. As they arrived, Luka and Armina took Phineas and Grandpa Sandy indoors, ushering the others outside.
Marco led Uncle Hart, his eyes still bandaged, up to Jack.
“You’ve done well, lad. You’ve brought my brother back.” Uncle Hart’s voice croaked with emotion.
Jack didn’t know what to say. He’d dreamt about this day for such a long time, but his father was so nearly dead he still didn’t dare hope that all would be well.
“And you’ve brought back the Mapa Mundi,” said Marco. “May I see it?”
Jack untied the flag from around his neck and presented it to Marco. It remained as a flag, the two circles showing their maps.
“It’s only the Sphere for Shian,” explained Jack.
Marco smiled. “I know, but it’s beautiful for us too. It holds many secrets. You keep it for now. We’ll need to attend to our new guests.”
“Where are all the others?” enquired Rana.
“Finbogie took them down to Trog’s bay,” explained Petros. “Trog wanted to ask Fenrig’s forgiveness for something. They should be back soon.”
“I want Trog to hold the flag,” stated Jack. “He deserves to.”
Marco smiled at him. “I’m sure he’d like that.”
“Will … will my father be all right?” stammered Jack.
Marco looked towards the house and indicated to Jack that Luka was beckoning them in. Nervously, Jack stumbled over to the odd-looking house. With relief, he saw that Luka was smiling.
“Jack,” mumbled Grandpa Sandy as Jack entered. “You’ve done it again. And you’ve brought our Phineas back to us.”
“Is he … going to be all right?”
“He’s weak,” replied Luka, as he ushered Jack upstairs to where Phineas was stretched out on one of the beds. “More than ten years suspended is brutal. And by the looks of it you brought him back just in time. But I can get him better – in time.”
“The Grey said he’d breathed his last, but I thought of the Chalice, and that seemed to bring him back.”
“You did well, then. And when the time is right, he’ll tell you the secret that the Grey never got from him – about the Stone key.”
“But that’s just a myth!” exclaimed Jack.
“On the contrary,” continued Luka. “Your father is one of very few who knew something particular about the Stone in Edinburgh. Tamlina was another, though she didn’t know that he knew. A shame, that: if she had, she might have saved him from being taken by the Grey.”
“But you defeated the Grey,” added Marco. “And to bring the Mapa Mundi back, that was bold. You showed your bravery and courage – well done.”
Jack blushed and glanced through the small window. To his delight he saw Finbogie leading Trog and the others up to the house. He looked over to where his father lay. Despite what Luka had said, it was hard to believe he was really alive. But he trusted the physician.
“Can I show Trog the flag?” he enquired.
“Of course.” Luka nodded at the door, and Jack gratefully bounded down the stairs.
He met Trog just in front of the house. The Norseman stopped, a look of uncertainty on his face. Jack untied the flag from around his neck and presented it to the warrior-savant. Trog, initially hesitant, reached forward and took the ancient cloth in his weather-beaten hands, cradling it gently. A look of serenity swept his features, and his eyes sparkled. Turning to Marco, he enquired, “Can I wrap it around me?”
Marco looked over at Jack, who nodded.
The Norseman took the flag and gently wrapped it around his neck. His look of serenity changed abruptly, as the skin on his hands and face aged visibly. Startled, he began to unwrap the flag, but Marco stayed his hand.
“Think about it,” he urged.
Trog paused, and left the flag as it was for a minute. His fair hair had turned sandy grey, then white, and his face sagged. But he was smiling. Then he removed the flag, folded it tenderly, and handed it back. There were tears in his eyes. He knelt down and looked at Jack.
“Bless you. Tonight I shall die.”
Epilogue
Jack sat with the others around a huge bonfire late into the night. They had feasted well – the best meal Jack had had in a long time. It felt so strange to be back on the island, even though he’d only been gone a couple of days. And despite all the successes – bringing his father back alive, finding the third Shian treasure, disposing of Malevola and even defeating the Grey – it wasn’t enough. He longed to get back to Edinburgh to finish off the job. Marco caught the look in his eyes.
“Take time to enjoy your victories, Jack. I know you’ve more to do, but the time for that has not yet come.”
Jack looked over to where Fenrig and Morrigan sat. Ossian was seated next to Morrigan, and she was paying little attention to her brother.
“Your father will need a lot of care, but I believe he’ll recover in time. Your grandfather – well, he’s a tough old fox. Armina will have him right in a while.”
“What about the Sphere?”
“You found it, and you were meant to find it. If that wasn’t so, you’d never have got across the bridge, or got out of the Grey’s cave. You knew that it showed the true path to someone who believed. Keep it for now.”
“On the boat, I thought one of the McCools was going to take it. I’m not sure if I’m ready to look after it.”
“Something tells me that it will be safe with you.”
“I … I wanted to share it with Trog.”
“That was gracious. You felt his pain. But you heard him bless you. He’s happy just to have held it.”
“Did he really mean it about dying tonight?” Jack wasn’t sure why the old Norseman wasn’t at the feast with everyone else.
“He’s found the peace that has eluded him for so long,” answered Marco. “Just wearing the flag for a minute was enough. You saw how he started to age when he put it round his neck? He knew then that he would die.”
Jack thought how Trog had been startl
ed by the change, but how he’d overcome his initial fear.
“Isn’t he afraid?”
Marco smiled sadly. “He finally learned to forgive others – and to let others forgive him. He knows he will be gathered, and he’s ready. He asked me to give you something.”
Marco reached inside his cloak and withdrew Trog’s long steel knife.
“In recognition of your generosity, and his release. It’s his only real possession.”
Tentatively, Jack took the knife from Marco. The knife that had dispatched the great swordfish of fortune. It seemed to glimmer in his hand.
“He had the knife so long, he believed it knew what to do. Maybe that will pass on to you. Guard it well.”
Jack shrugged. “Are things on the mainland really so bad that we can’t go home?”
“Pretty bad. The Kildashie are dragging many areas back to winter, more or less. And their takeover has given heart to Unseelie like the Thanatos all over. It will be hard times for the Seelie – and even the humans – for a while.”
“What about Cos-Howe? Are the Claville crew still there?”
“The Kildashie have Cos-Howe surrounded – but they can last there for ages,” he added, seeing Jack’s look of dismay. “Cosmo and Henri know a thing or two about defending themselves.”
“Have the Kildashie taken the Stone yet?”
“No, but they hold the Square, and are even in the Stone Room. The cabinet and the Stone’s iron rings are keeping them at bay, though – for now.”
“So how are we going to get home, then?”
“It will take time, and the most direct routes may not be open to you. You will need to be smart to take the Unseelie by surprise.”
Time. It’s always there, determining success and failure, thought Jack. Then he thought of the Kildashie … Thanatos … Red Caps … how could they possibly take that lot on?
“You have allies all over.” Marco seemed to be reading Jack’s mind. “But you’ll need to collect them together before you can take the Unseelie on. And I think the McCools will stay; more may even join you.”
“Did any of the other Congress members escape?”
“Not as far as we know. For the time being, all you have is here on this island. But what you have is your family and good people around you. Never doubt the strength in that.”
Jack looked round at the group. Rana and Lizzie were huddled in conversation. Aunt Dorcas was helping Uncle Hart to feed himself. Aunt Katie sat with Petros … What about Uncle Doonya? What would the Thanatos do with him? Armina had allowed Grandpa to join the group for a while, but he limped badly.
Ossian’s not much use – he can’t keep his eyes off Morrigan. Only Finbogie’s likely to be able to help if we need to do anything. Great.
“Don’t despair, Jack. You’ve a long road ahead of you, but think how far you’ve come. You’ve found your father; you got Tamlina’s ring back. And you have the Mapa Mundi. Think about it: the treasure that will show you your true path, if only you believe.”
Jack fingered the flag that remained tied around his neck, and smiled.
I’ve got the Sphere.
He looked over to Petros, who waved back. Grandpa Sandy was looking over at Jack and gave a broad wink before resuming his conversation with Armina. Finbogie was in earnest conversation with Uncle Hart, but looked up at that moment and acknowledged Jack with a nod of the head. And Rana: she’d been great on the bridge, saving Grandpa’s sceptre and helping to defeat the demons. Even dispatching Malevola.
“Now do you believe me, Jack?”
Jack untied the Mapa Mundi and held it out in front of him. As it formed into the Sphere, he scanned the two circles. What did they show?
An outline of the west coast of Scotland … falling leaves … and the north coast … some islands …
“You’ll stay until the autumn,” said Marco with a smile. “So you’ve several months yet – plenty of time.”
In the second circle, a large earthen mound … and standing stones … and a growing crowd, people from lots of different countries by the look of them.
“Well?” Marco’s tone was even.
“We’ve to meet up with others …” Jack’s voice trailed off as he peered at the circles again. There was a bright low sun there … and snow. His brow furrowed.
“The midwinter sun,” said Marco helpfully.
“But we don’t go out during the winter,” replied Jack innocently. “Everything’s put on hold. For us, anyway: the Kildashie seem to like the cold.”
“Then the Kildashie won’t be expecting you.”
Jack felt a tight knot in his stomach. A winter attack!
Prologue
Jack flung the stone into the rock pool as hard as he could. The splash soaked his shirt, but he didn’t care. This waiting around was so boring.
Midsummer – now that had been exciting. Hunting the swordfish of fortune; finding the Mapa Mundi; raising the giant’s bridge; defeating Malevola and the Grey; rescuing his father.
My father …
But he’s still so weak, thought Jack; all these years I’ve longed to find him, and it was two months before he could even talk. I still hardly know him.
But I’ve got Tamlina’s ring.
Jack took the ring from his Sintura belt and stared hard at the Triple-S spirals. What did they mean?
“Good things come in threes,” Tamlina had said. Well, there were three spirals. Were they really the Destiny Stone, the Chalice, and the Mapa Mundi?
The sun glinted off the ring, and with a jolt Jack saw the spirals begin to turn. He felt a sudden whooshing sensation – like the low road, only faster. Instinctively he closed his eyes, but instead of the blur of shade and light of a low road journey, in his mind’s eye Jack could see the street outside Cos-Howe in Edinburgh.
Two men, each tied to a chair, and facing each other. There’s snow all around them, and a burning brazier next to one. The picture’s blurred; I can’t make out their faces … There are three tall men approaching … That’s Boreus! And he’s slapped one of the prisoners hard … Now he’s holding the man’s head so it faces sideways. Someone else is coming … He’s put a sword in the fire. He’s holding the hot blade up to the prisoner’s eyes …
Bleeurgh! That’s gross!
Jack opened his eyes and took a deep breath. He felt sick.
That was disgusting!
Jack shook his head, trying to clear the image seared into his mind, but it was no use. Like a film loop in his head, he kept seeing the sword slicing into eyes.
He puked.
1
Frustration
“What’s the matter, Jack?” asked Rana.
Jack started, and wiped his mouth. Had she seen him puke? He wished his cousins wouldn’t creep up on him like that. Glancing apprehensively at the ring, he noticed that one of the spiral arms had faded. He tried to concentrate.
“I thought I saw something. There was snow.”
“Snow? What planet are you on? It’s not even autumn yet.”
“Shut up, Rana.” Lizzie sounded concerned. “Jack doesn’t look well.”
“I’m alright. I was thinking about the Kildashie.”
“That uncivilised bunch,” snorted Lizzie. “It beats me how they can order the Thanatos around.”
“It’s the Tassitus charm,” said Rana confidently. “If they can control sound, they can do what they want.”
“And they’re near the Stone too,” added Jack. “That must make them stronger.”
The Stone of Destiny. Jack hadn’t seen it that many times, but he’d known it was giving power to the Shian square. Only now the Kildashie and the Thanatos were there, and they were torturing people.
I’d better not say anything about this to Dad. He’s still not strong enough to handle this – whatever this is.
“More darrigs and dwarves have arrived,” announced Rana. “There are some nearly every day now.”
“This little one said he came from Lomond,” said
Lizzie. “It was freezing there.”
“It’s freezing wherever the Kildashie are,” said Jack, thinking of the snow in his vision. “I wish we could do something to get them out. This island’s getting crowded.”
“You’re just in a bad mood because you’ve had to start lessons again,” mocked Rana. “Mum didn’t waste any time getting you and Fenrig back to work when Gilmore arrived, did she?”
“It’s not fair. Petros doesn’t have any lessons. I’ve got to spend every morning stitching.”
“At least that gets you away from his wife,” pouted Rana. “Barassie’s so fussy. All that stuff about what we can wear in the tents, what we can wear outside …”
“And all her rules about behaviour,” interrupted Lizzie. “They’re a pain. She never stops criticising.”
“Gilmore’s alright, I suppose,” said Jack. “Good luck to anyone who escapes from the Kildashie. I just wish we were planning how to stop them getting the Destiny Stone and the Chalice.”
“At least we’ve got the Sphere, the Mapa Mundi,” said Lizzie. “They can’t make the magycks complete until all three are together.”
Jack smiled at the thought. He’d been the one to defeat the Nucklat and retrieve the Sphere. To begin with, Marco and Luka had even said he should keep it. But it had been an open secret that he had it, and each day Jack feared someone coming to steal it. All these Shian arriving on the island: maybe there were spies among them? In the end, Jack had entrusted the Sphere to Marco, but so far he’d kept Tamlina’s ring. Tucked away in his Sintura belt, it was invisible, but people must know he had it … He’d got a strange buzz from it sometimes, but nothing like that vision …
That was an execution …
“Anyway,” continued Rana, “the Sphere showed us leaving here in the autumn.”
“I’ve never said I wanted summer to finish before,” said Jack. “But Marco’s season-wheel is turning so slowly. I just wish we could get on with it.”
In his heart Jack knew that the Sphere had shown an autumn departure, but each week brought more news of Kildashie atrocities. Surely it was time to fight back?