Azrael's Twins and the Circle of Stone

by Vincent Mortimer

  ‘You can’t say no!’ cried Niamh. ‘We couldn’t have beaten the Morrigan if it hadn’t been for Fingal and the pixies!’

  The king turned a solemn eye to Niamh. ‘You should be less hasty. Did I say anything about not honouring bargains? I will have to talk to your father about teaching you when you should talk and when you should listen. Not that that message ever sank in with him. You clearly are your father’s daughter.’

  Niamh looked sheepish and mumbled an apology to the king.

  The king continued. ‘As it happens, I agree we could not have released these lands from the witch without your help, Fingal. And so I will attend to the promises made by Niamh. You will have lands in this kingdom and our help whenever needed.’

  Fingal did not react but hung in front of the king’s face. ‘You’ll grant us lands? And we can come and go wherever we please?’

  ‘Just as any other citizen of these lands can,’ agreed the king.

  Fingal seemed satisfied. He spat on his hand and shot forward to give the king a stinging slap on the cheek.

  ‘Quinn tells me that’s the pixies most solemn manner of sealing a deal,’ said Murdock, leaning close to the confused looking children.

  ‘Thank you then,’ said Fingal. ‘And we may take you up on that promise.’

  Now it was the king’s turn to look confused. ‘You may take it up? We are offering you a place in this world as equals. You don’t need to live in the places between anymore.’

  ‘Ah, well there’s the problem, you see?’ said Fingal. ‘If we don’t then who’s going to watch those places now that the twelve are gone. No. We might come and go to these lands now you’ve made the offer. But we’ve been living in the shadows for so long that we might get a little blinded by the light. All we needed from you was to see the bargains honoured. You’ve restored our faith in the wizards and witches that rule this land. So you watch over your spaces and we will watch over ours. Besides, I don’t think your niece and nephew are finished with the spaces between.’

  The king looked from the pixie to Niamh and Grady and nodded. ‘As you will have it. But the Island of Lir in the middle of the lake will be forever yours regardless. I will make it so.’

  Fingal bowed to the king and then drifted over to the children. ‘You know how to find us now. You only have to call and we will be there.’

  ‘Thank you Fingal,’ said Grady.

  Fingal winked at him. ‘Remember, anger issues aren’t always a bad thing.’

  Grady smiled and held up a fist for a fist bump. Fingal swung close and rapped Grady hard with his own tiny fist. Grady pulled his hand back sharply, shaking off the painful sting. With a sly wink at Niamh, Fingal once again vanished in a flash of light.

  Grace stood silently at the trunk of the mighty tree that now stood in the clearing. As she looked up into its gently swaying branches Niamh and Grady joined her.

  ‘She is beautiful. Isn’t she?’ said Grace, putting an arm around the children’s shoulders.

  ‘How old was she when the Morrigan took her?’ asked Niamh.

  ‘A few years older than you are now,’ said Grace, still staring upwards. ‘She was closer to me than anyone else, but the Morrigan needed a new … host. Aoife thought she could fly her way out of any situation. She was unbeatable on any race course. When you win the broomstick biathlon next year take a look at the trophy. Her name is on there, four years in a row. She was an unusually powerful witch, much more powerful than me. More powerful than most in the kingdom. One day she left the castle by herself and … that was the end of her. She went to the circle of stone without telling anyone and the witch took her. By the time we found out there was no way back for her.’

  ‘Why did you use us as bait?’ said Grady. ‘You lost your own sister to the witch. You were prepared to lose us as well?’

  Grace pulled her arms back from Niamh and Grady’s shoulders as if burnt. ‘Do you really think that?’

  Niamh felt anger rising in her too. ‘You must have known someone was teaching me more skills than I could possibly pick up myself. Skills that you wouldn’t teach me.’

  Grace held Niamh’s face with gentle hands and stared deeply into her eyes before nodding. ‘You are talented in your own right and the Morrigan would have known that. She would have tried to build a bond of trust with you but for her it also made her vulnerable. You have to understand there was no choice in this. She was too well hidden from me. If you had not found her I could not have ended this and saved you, and my sister, from her. If she did not find you now then she would have done so later. You were always going to be a threat to her. That’s one of the reasons we took you to Avalon’s End.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell us?’ said Grady. ‘Why let us walk into a trap like that?’

  Grace answered without needing to think. ‘Because you are my children. And if my parents told me not to do something then I would not have listened. You had to find your own way in this. But we were always there. Always ready. And now there are few who could equal what you two are together.’

  ‘It doesn’t feel like it,’ said Grady, shaking off his mother’s touch.

  Tears appeared on the edge of Grace’s eyes but were bitten back. ‘Remember, no matter what you feel, what you think, there is one thing which makes us stronger. We are family and blood. And we will always be there for you. Together.’

  The wind rustled the leaves of the tree again as Grace finished speaking. At the edge of hearing a voice on a breeze drifted down to the ears of Grace, Niamh and Grady as they stood. ‘Together…’

  The three turned their eyes upwards at the ghostly word. There was no doubt what they had heard. Grace put her hand on the trunk of the tree and felt the energy pent up within. The trunk was bigger by far than any one person could put their arms around but she leaned close and hugged it regardless.

  Niamh and Grady saw their mother’s tears as she leaned against the knotted bark and stepped up beside her. As they placed their heads against the tree, and laid their ears alongside it they heard, or felt, perhaps, a voice from within; ‘I am here for you, always…’

  Grace smiled and whispered, ‘Forever together.’

  Chapter 28

  Destiny’s Duties

  The rhythm of the castle began to speed up as preparations to return to the Dragon’s Lair were made. Niamh and Grady found themselves spectators as servants came and went packing clothes and other items for the return journey. They sat on a stone wall with a grand view down the lake towards the home of the trolls. The island that lay off the end of the peninsula on which the castle sat was being hurriedly cleared of people so that it could be turned over to the pixies. But the children felt strangely detached from the hurly burly of it all.

  Grady held a carefully wrapped package in his hands. The wands of the twelve sorcerers had not left his side since they were handed to him at the circle. There was still a duty to perform that night, their last before they left.

  Quinn waltzed around a servant who unexpectedly appeared in his way as he wandered out to join the children. He gave them a sparing nod and sat alongside, but didn’t speak. There didn’t seem to be words to say.

  Eventually Niamh sighed and turned to Quinn. ‘We know how to read the final chapter in Azrael’s diary.’

  ‘How? Who told you the secret?’

  ‘Azrael. Before he died. It’s a simple trick in the end.’

  A greedy look stole over Quinn’s face. A look the children last saw in the Vault of the Treasures. ‘Can you teach it to me?’

  Niamh leaned back from Quinn. ‘Not when you look like that.’

  ‘Sorry,’ he said. In a flash the look was gone. ‘Old habits and that …’

  ‘Yeah, well, not just old habits but bad habits,’ said Grady. ‘And no. We can’t teach it to you. It needs us. It needs the Twins. We have to join with them to read the diary. Like, really join with them. Let them take over.’

  ‘Seriously?’ said Quinn, looking startled. ‘How? Why?’
/>
  Niamh scowled and stood up sullenly, tightly crossed arms showing her discomfort. ‘I think it’s another trust thing. Test. Whatever. If we don’t do this then the secret stays in the book. And there’s something there we have to read.’

  ‘We think the writing is like some sort of stereo message,’ said Grady. ‘If you don’t see it through two sets of eyes it will never be readable. And there’s only one way to do that. The Twins. Azrael knew what he was doing when he wrote that diary. There was only one way to read the secrets.’

  ‘Is it dangerous? I mean, if you let the Twins take over, what will happen?’

  ‘Well, either they will take control forever and we’ll be trapped in our minds going slowly mad – or in Grady’s case, more mad. Or we find a way to take control back ourselves.’ Niamh glanced towards the gap in the hills that hid Morrigan’s Daughter. ‘We did that in the circle of stone. I don’t know if we can do it again.’

  ‘But either way, there’s something else we need to know,’ said Grady, letting Niamh’s insult pass. ‘And it’s in that book.’

  ‘When do you plan to read it?’ said Quinn.

  ‘Tonight. After we’ve delivered the wands to the lake edge. Are you still coming to help?’ said Grady.

  ‘What do you think!’ huffed Quinn. ‘Who knows what will come out of that lake when you bring those wands down there.’

  A buzzing noise made Grady reach into his pocket and draw out his iWand. ‘This’ll be Mum wanting me to pick up something or put something away. See you later,’ he said as he whipped open the iWand and began to walk back into the castle.

  Niamh stood as Grady walked off. ‘Bree will be there tonight too,’ she said, smiling.

  ‘Why would I care?’ he said in a vain attempt to hide his blush.

  ‘No reason,’ said Niamh, waltzing away. ‘Just thought you might like to know.’ With a final wink she turned and ran after Grady, leaving Quinn looking flustered.

  Night fell with a cold edge to it as the children led a long line of people down the steep steps cut into the stone of the hillside. Down and down the steps ran until they reached a flagstoned path that emptied out onto a stony beach.

  ‘Now what do we do?’ said Grady uncertainly.

  ‘Where are the wands?’ said Brighid, appearing beside them.

  Grady unzipped his sweatshirt, reached inside, and drew out a leather bound package. ‘Seems a shame to let them go,’ he said.

  ‘The legends say these wands were delivered to the sorcerers by the people of the lake – not the people that lived around the lake, but in the lake. The only condition of their use was that they were returned when they were no longer needed. You are delivering on a promise made many centuries ago. You should be proud.’ Brighid sounded as though she herself was proud that the children should be the ones to return the wands. ‘Draw them out and place them by the lake edge.’

  Grady placed the package on the ground and gently unwrapped it to reveal the beautiful workmanship within. As he did so a flash of light made him rock backwards onto the shore. A luridly dressed leprechaun stood there, a mischievous grin on his face.

  ‘Fitzhollow!’ yelled Grady as he picked himself up. ‘Can’t you turn up like everyone else without trying to scare me like that!’

  ‘Sorry about the entrance,’ said Fitzhollow, without the faintest trace of regret in his voice. ‘We heard about the wands and wanted to see them before they were sent back to their makers.’

  ‘We?’ said Niamh. ‘There’s only you.’

  Fitzhollow looked around and groaned. ‘He’s gone and got himself lost again. Stay right there,’ said the bandy-legged leprechaun before disappearing in another flash of light.

  ‘Typical,’ said Murdock, though there was humour in his voice.

  Another flash of light heralded the return of Fitzhollow but this time he held his partner upright by the scruff of his neck. Fitzhollow let go of Hooligan’s collar and the drunken clurichaun dropped to the ground, holding his head.

  ‘This had better be good,’ said Hooligan, as he lay motionless.

  ‘Would ye look, ye eejit,’ said Fitzhollow, kicking his partner and pointing to the wands laying in front of them. The sight of them seemed to sober up Hooligan who reached gently towards the beautifully crafted instruments.

  ‘The wands of the twelve,’ he said quietly. ‘I never thought we’d see them.’

  ‘What’s so special about these?’ said Grady.

  Fitzhollow looked up at Grady (truth be known he was so short he looked up at practically everyone). ‘Everything we know about making wands, all the lore we live by today when we make them comes from these twelve wands. These aren’t normal wands. The magic used to create these wands doesn’t exist in the world these days. They are beyond rare.’

  ‘They are, Fitzhollow,’ said Brighid firmly. ‘And they must be returned to the lake people tonight. Don’t get any ideas.’

  ‘But all I wanted was to hav…’

  The leprechaun was cut off by Niamh. ‘Look!’ she cried, pointing to a shimmering line of lights that wound its way along the lake edge towards them.

  ‘The trooping faeries,’ said Grace, placing her hand gently on Niamh’s shoulder.

  The line of light wound its way around boulders on the lake edge. As it came closer the faces of many small faeries that made up the line became clearer, outlined by the incandescent blue light with which they all glowed. They spread out through the crowd on the shore before making their way down to the lake edge.

  Brighid began to grow in size and splendour. Flames rippled across her back as she bowed formally to the faeries. ‘The wands are returned as promised. Will you take them home?’

  One of the faeries, taller than the others, stepped forward and bowed. Its mouth moved but all the children heard was a sound like water flowing over rocks in a stream. The crystal chimes meant nothing to them.

  Brighid smiled. ‘She said thank you for returning the wands and asked if you two were the Twins.’

  Niamh looked surprised. ‘They know about the Twins?’

  ‘The story of the Twins is ancient, Niamh, as you know better than most. Why wouldn’t they ask the question?’ Brighid spoke again but this time not in plain speech. The faerie looked surprised but bowed to the children before turning and taking one of the wands. Faerie after faerie followed until there were only two wands left. The leader of the troop spoke again in the sing-song voice to Brighid, who laughed and turned to Fitzhollow.

  ‘You may have your wish after all,’ said the phoenix. ‘They want you to take these two wands. One belonged to Fionnuala, the other to her brother. They want you to look after them, if you will.’

  Fitzhollow looked dumbstruck. ‘Will we? Why yes! We will! Of course we will!’

  Brighid’s look became deadly serious. ‘But they give them to you with a caveat. They are not for you to own. There will come a time when the wands will be needed again. When they are, you will have to pass them on.’

  ‘To whom?’ said Hooligan.

  ‘That is not yet clear,’ said Brighid. ‘But they can see things we can’t. Will you do this for them?’

  ‘Can these things cure a hangover?’ said Hooligan, who received a clip around the ear from Fitzhollow for his troubles. ‘Alright. I know they shouldn’t be used for that.’

  Brighid laughed lightly. ‘I’ve no doubt you will learn some special secrets from the wands, Fitzhollow, but take care of them. They still have a part to play.’

  ‘I will,’ said the leprechaun. ‘We both will.’

  The two little men nodded an acknowledgement to the children before vanishing into the night.

  The trooping faeries barely waited for the flash of light to disappear before they turned towards the lake and, carrying the wands, began to walk out over its gently rippling surface. As they moved out the features blurred into one line of light until, not far from shore, they stopped. The surface of the water appeared to boil as a watery form began to rise from th
e surface, shimmering in the moonlight. A crown sparkled clearly on the figure’s head.

  ‘Lir,’ said Merritt breathlessly. ‘That’s King Lir.’

  The figure bent down to the faeries and collected the wands before standing tall and acknowledging the party on the shore. Without ceremony he slipped slowly beneath the surface of the lake, the wands disappearing with him.

  The trooping faeries did not linger either but turned for the shore. They strode back towards the forest, the line winding up and into the trees. In seconds they had vanished like a memory into the darkness of the forest.

  ‘I think we are done here,’ said Murdock.

  ‘I agree,’ said Grace, pulling her jacket more closely around her. She put one arm around Niamh while Merritt did the same to Grady. ‘Let’s go home.’

  Niamh stared at the unreadable words on the page in front of her. They flowed and oozed across the page like some oily flat creature. At the back of her mind she could feel Persephone waiting, poised to leap forward.

  ‘They aren’t going to read themselves,’ said Grady. He ran his fingers over the floating script. The page felt alive under his hand.

  ‘I know,’ said Niamh. ‘I wish we could be sure that, you know, that we’ll come back afterwards.’ She sighed deeply before taking Grady’s hand. ‘Let’s do this.’

  Grady nodded, closed his eyes, and tried to clear his mind the way he had when Hephaestus first taught him how to cast the invisibility charm. The stillness came easily this time and the presence of Hephaestus stole silently into his mind.

  ‘Hello again,’ came the Twin’s voice.

  ‘Can we trust you?’ said Grady, without any pretence at politeness.

  ‘Let’s see what happens.’

  Grady huffed to himself and squeezed Niamh’s hand. ‘Ready?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes,’ said Niamh.

  The change was immediate. The linking of the two Twins filled the minds of Grady and Niamh in the same way it had in the circle of stone. The overwhelming rush of energy was not absorbed by the heat of battle this time, and the children’s hearts beat suddenly faster.