by Mary Swift
Killian started to climb. For someone who didn’t do anything he was surprisingly agile. He got about ten feet up and then stopped and looked down. “What are you waiting for? I’ll hold your hand if you’re scared.”
Finnegan started up the tree, he was certainly not going to admit to being scared. He joined Killian and the two of them continued as far as they could before the branches became too slender to hold them. They settled into a nook. The leaves concealed their hiding place well, but Finnegan guessed that if Dante or one of the protectors stood in the right spot and looked up they could still be seen. They would have to rely on luck.
“Be quiet.” Finnegan warned.
“Shouldn’t you be telling yourself that? You never shut up.” Killian whispered.
“I thought you were shy.”
“I am.”
“Well you don’t act like it.”
“I don’t feel shy when I’m with you. Now be quiet.”
“I have to tell you something about the Master Enchanter.” Finnegan said.
“Later.” he whispered.
From a distance they heard voices. The Master Enchanter was coming.
Chapter 65
Maeve’s death set off a panic in Wildbush. Killian was the obvious suspect but there was nothing to tie him to the crime other than the fact that he appeared to have left town just after her death. The only possible witness, Maeve’s stepdaughter Allison, was unwilling or unable to tell the mortal police what happened.
Talia didn’t care much if Killian was a murderer or not, although it did worry her that if he went to prison she might be stuck with Lucy. She had little interest in raising a teenage girl. But Killian seemed to have taken Lucy with him. She was relieved that she was not obliged to make appearances at their house. But it was strange for Killian to leave without giving her any word. She asked Logan to look through all of the walls in town to see if they were hiding somewhere but he found nothing.
Talia finally decided to go to her father. Henry was sitting in his library pouring over his mortal stamp collection with a magnifying glass. “No word from Killian?” he asked as she came in.
“No.” She sat by the empty fireplace. “What is my obligation here? Should I be looking for him?”
Henry set the magnifying glass aside and looked at her. “If he’s on the run then I doubt he wants to be found.”
“I know, but something doesn’t seem right. If he was going to run from the law he wouldn’t have taken Lucy with him. He wouldn’t put her in danger.”
“Perhaps Lucy insisted.”
“No, he would have found a way to keep her safe. He’s a good father.”
Henry raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised to hear you admit that.”
“I am too.”
Henry turned the page in his stamp album and picked up his magnifying glass. “Have you noticed who else is missing?”
“No.”
“That lawyer fellow, Finnegan Murphy.”
Talia had forgotten all about him. Killian said he had been following him and Lucy. “Do you think he had something to do with this?”
“I don’t know.” Henry said. “But I find it strange that he disappeared on the very same day as Killian and Lucy.”
Talia stared into the empty fire grate. It was strange.
“He is an enchanter you know.” Henry told her.
“Who is?”
“Finnegan Murphy.” Henry said. “Oh this is a fine one.” He picked up a stamp and examined it.
“How do you know Finnegan is an enchanter?” Talia asked. “Did he tell you that?”
“No, I met him once when he was boy in Firesea. He was a lad of about six or seven at the time. His father was the Master Enchanter of Firesea. I was part of the diplomatic party sent to negotiate the end of the war. Unfortunately the Master Enchanter happened to die the day we were there.” He raised his walking stick. “I killed him with this.”
“You what?”
Henry laid the cane across his desk and leaned back in his chair. “When we were at war with Firesea I went to Ambersea to plead for help. Their Master Enchanter was a wise woman, and very generous. She gave me this little item and taught me how to use it. It will kill anyone not born in Wildbush. I’ve used it several times.”
“Killian was right all along, he said it killed.”
“Of course he was right. He’s always right.”
“I thought it was simply your cane.”
Henry chuckled. “Of course you would.”
Talia didn’t like being laughed at. She had a good mind to hit him. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“There was no reason to until now. I think Lucy and Killian are in danger. Finnegan did an awful thing when he was a child. When I saw him here in Wildbush I was afraid something would happen.”
“But how did you recognize him? That was so many years ago. Is it another spell you have?” Talia asked.
“No, I never forget a face. And when he began spending time with Maeve I knew something was going on. I knew her from Firesea as well.”
“She was an enchanter too?”
“Yes. Maeve was the most beautiful young girl, long red hair and deep blue eyes. She was engaged to a rising star on the Firesea council. He was the man at the head of the peace negotiations, Devin Cramer.”
“Cramer?”
“Killian’s father. He was a foolish and dreamy man with delusions of lasting peace. I realize now how much Killian is like him. I tried to change that when he lived with us but I suppose it was inbred.”
“So you’ve known all along where Killian came from and you never told him?”
“Of course I have. Talia, you know why. We have no written history like the mortals. The past is to be forgotten. Why are you suddenly getting all sentimental about him?”
“I’m not.” she stammered. But her shaky voice gave her away.
Henry leaned forward in his chair. “You care about Killian.”
“He’s Lucy’s father, of course I do.”
“No, it’s more than that. I thought you loved Logan.”
“I do love Logan, he’s my husband. It’s just that- Oh never mind just tell me what happened. How did Killian get here?”
“The only reason I’m telling you this is because of Lucy.”
“Yes I know. Will you just say it?”
“It’s really quite simple. Devin was engaged to Maeve but he was having an affair with Finnegan’s mother. I’m not sure if it was going on when Finnegan’s father was alive or not, I suppose it doesn’t matter now. Anyway, the widow Murphy became pregnant with Killian and the Firesea council forced Devin to break his engagement to Maeve and marry her. Shortly afterwards peace talks broke down and we went back to war for the next couple of years.
“Ambersea joined us and Firesea was finally forced to surrender. By that time Killian was three years old, his older brother Finnegan was twelve and extremely jealous. There are always gifts sent by the surrendering circle to the victorious one. Finnegan saw his opportunity and he cast a spell which forced his little brother to become one of those gifts.
“There was nothing anyone could do but to put the boy on the wagon and send him here. Devin and his wife were devastated but the spell had been cast, they had no choice. I agreed to take Killian as a favor, although another child was the last thing I wanted. Finnegan was exiled from the circle shortly afterwards.”
“At twelve years old?” Talia asked. “By himself?”
“I assume so.”
Her son Kip was twelve. She could not imagine how he would survive on his own. “But what about Maeve? She’s been here for years. Why?”
Henry shrugged. “I assume that she was angry at Killian for interfering with her engagement, had she married Devin she would have been on the council and wielded considerable power.”
“But why wait so long to get revenge?”
“I can only think that Killian was protected in our circle. When he left he and Lucy bec
ame vulnerable.”
Talia and her brothers had been so cruel to Killian as children. They had always assumed that he was an unwanted orphan and treated him as such. She never imagined that he had parents who might have loved him or that he belonged somewhere.
“Didn’t you find it odd that Killian could cast such a complex spell?” Henry asked her. “I’m afraid our own circle is rather weak. A Wildbush enchanter could never accomplish that. Look at what you did, turning a man’s hair red. The enchanters in Firesea would have a good laugh over that.”
“I never thought about it.” Talia admitted.
“I figured as much.” Henry said. “You’ve been a mighty disappointment Talia. If your mother had lived she would have been ashamed of you.”
“I try my best Father.”
“No you don’t. You beat your first husband any chance you got. I don’t even want to know how you treat Logan. You barely acknowledge your own daughter and you ignore your sons. You’re nothing but a failure Talia.”
She didn’t say anything.
“You’re going to fix this.”
“When Killian returns I’ll be nicer to him.”
“Talia, Killian and Lucy aren’t going to waltz back into Wildbush. Something has happened to them, something has been done to them.”
“What am I supposed to do about it?” she cried.
“I’ve made a decision, you, Logan and I are going to find them.”
“We don’t know where they are.”
“Do you want to leave your daughter’s fate to chance?”
Talia hesitated. She didn’t want to leave the circle. She had no way to protect herself. She realized for the first time that she had wasted her spell.
“We’ll start in Firesea.” Henry told her. “The Master Enchanter will have ways of finding them. Killian is a Firesea enchanter, they are obligated to help him. He’s not exiled, he’s done nothing wrong. They have no reason to cause him harm.”
“And they’ll help us?”
“I don’t see why not. Granted they are isolated and somewhat unusual, but I was given a very warm reception when I visited.”
“But that was over thirty years ago.”
Henry took his pipe from his pocket. He patted the other pocket looking for his matches. “We have nothing to worry about.”
“Fine. I’ll go.”
Henry found his matches and lit the pipe. “I wasn’t giving you a choice. I’ll arrange for the boys to stay with Logan’s parents. Be ready to leave at seven tomorrow morning.”
* * *
“I wonder if I’ll be able to see through walls in Firesea.” Logan said as they got into Henry’s car the next morning. The automobile was the most foolish contraption Talia had ever seen. There was nothing wrong with a horse and buggy. Logan sat in the front seat grinning. He apparently thought it was one big adventure. “Gosh, I can’t wait to meet these Firesea people.” He looked at Henry’s house. “He’s coming downstairs.”
“Great.”
A few seconds later Henry emerged through his front door. He walked briskly to the car and got in. “It should take a few hours to get there so you might as well get comfortable.”
Talia groaned.
Logan turned around and looked at her. “The boys will be fine with my parents.”
Talia wasn’t worried about her boys. She was looking forward to a break from their constant noise. It was herself that she was concerned about. She didn’t want to go to Firesea and face enchanters more powerful than herself.
Henry started the automobile. “Are we ready?”
“I am.” Logan said cheerily. “I made sandwiches this morning, just let me know when you’re hungry.”
“Talia, are you ready?” her father asked.
She sighed. “Yes.”
Henry’s face clouded. “This is for your daughter, remember?”
“I know.” she snapped. She felt like hitting someone.
“You would be wise to keep your mouth shut if you’re going to have that attitude.” Henry said.
“I’ll keep it good and shut.” she hissed. She sat on her hands to prevent herself from slugging her father or Logan. This was going to be unbearable.
Chapter 66
Nora wanted off of that island and away from Dante. If Killian’s pen was here then he probably was too, but first she had to find Tom, and then Lucy. She knew Killian would want her to help his daughter before him. Finnegan was here somewhere too. Nora still didn’t know if he had kidnapped Lucy or if he was abducted with her, whatever the case he was on his own.
She put Killian’s pen in her pocket and ran down to the dock, only one of the three boats they had taken to the island remained. The boy who had rowed them over was staring into the distance. “Hey kid!” she shouted. He turned around. “Row me back to shore.”
“I don’t take orders from you lady, only the Master Enchanter.”
“I’m the Master Enchanter’s wife.”
The boy shrugged. “So?”
“Never mind then.” She brushed past him and climbed into the boat.
“You can’t do that.” he cried.
“Just watch me.” She grabbed the oars and began to maneuver the boat away from the dock. As she did a group of men in red suede shorts came around from the other side of the island.
“We need that boat.” one of them shouted at her. They ran down the embankment and splashed into the water. They grabbed the sides of Nora’s boat.
“Stop that!”
“Shut up lady.” one of the men said gruffly. They rocked the boat until it tipped over and dumped Nora overboard. The water wasn’t deep and she was able to stand up easily.
“You bastards!” Her heavy wool dress made it difficult to wade through the water.
The men ignored her and proceeded to haul the boat away. On the dock the boy was laughing. “I’m the Master Enchanter’s wife you know!” Nora called after them.
She trudged out of the water and sat on the ground. The mainland was only about a mile away but she wasn’t confident that she could swim it, the water was cold and there could be strong currents as she got further out. She looked at the boy. “How can I get off this island?”
“You can try and swim, but I doubt someone your age will make it.”
“I have to get away from my husband.”
The boy looked skeptical. “The Master Enchanter is everything, why would you want to get away from him?”
“Because I have to.” Nora said. “Have you cast your spell? Does it have something to do with rowing the boats?”
“I’m a mortal.”
“Where are your parents?”
“I don’t have any.”
“Is there anywhere to hide?”
The boy looked confused. It was obvious he didn’t understand that she was in danger. “The Master keeps an office right there.” He pointed to a white stone building a few hundred yards away.
Nora ran to it. She felt Killian’s pen through the wet wool of her dress, it was time to try her idea. She pushed on the office door and found it was locked. Nora looked over her shoulder. The boy was back to staring out to sea. She took the pen from her pocket and wrote on the door, open. The door swung open. She went inside and shut the door.
The office was one large room. A massive oak desk dominated the space. Bookcases lined two walls, she headed straight for them. As she expected the only volumes were ones by Dante. He was either extensively published in Firesea or he had created these for his own amusement. The one book she knew he really had published was there too. A quick check of the table of contents brought her to the poem she had suddenly remembered.
On page thirty seven was Enchantment by Fire. It was about a boy who lured a girl with a magic fire of blue flames. Eventually the girl became so consumed with the beauty of the fire that one night she walked into it and disappeared. When she reemerged a year later she could cast the blue fire whenever she wanted.
Nora had always found it a strange p
oem. Dante had dedicated it to her but she had never understood what it meant until now.
Chapter 67
Lucy sat in the back garden of her grandfather’s house staring at the rose bushes. Devin was inside reading the old treaty from when her father was sent to Wildbush. She had been trying all morning to figure out how to get out of Firesea.
She could try and make a run for it, but the circle gate was locked at all times. Even if she managed to get out she was sure the rangers would catch up with her. She had considered casting her spell as a way of escaping, but she was afraid of making a mistake and ending up in worse trouble.
She was mulling over her options when Devin opened the backdoor. “There’s someone here to see you.”
Lucy jumped to her feet. “Is it my father?”
“No. It’s a ranger. Commander Cormenic.”
Arden. Lucy was surprised but not unpleased.
“Should I stay with you while he’s here?”
Lucy tried to hide her annoyance. “No.”
“It’s customary-” Devin began.
“I’m not from here.” Lucy snapped.
Devin put his hands up in surrender. “Fine.” He stepped aside and Arden walked into the backyard smiling.
“Hello.” He was wearing dark pants and a white shirt.
“Hello.”
“I thought I would come and see how you are doing.”
Lucy looked over Arden’s shoulder. Devin was staring out of the window at them. Arden turned around and said something under his breath. Devin suddenly vanished.
“What did you do to him?”
“Nothing really. As a ranger I have some abilities to control people. I just sent him away for a while. It doesn’t last long, and it only works on citizens, not rangers or protectors. He’ll be back.”
“I wish I could do that.”
Arden frowned. “Why? Is he hurting you?”
“No. He’s fine I suppose. But I don’t want to be here. I want to go home to my father. I’m going to leave as soon as I can figure out how.”
Arden sat down. The morning sunlight picked out the blond flecks in his sandy hair. “You can’t leave Firesea, no one can without the Master Enchanter’s permission.”