The Legends of Orkney

by Alane Adams

  Before he could twitch a muscle, a blast of witchfire burned his hands, sending the sword flying from his grip. His eyes flew open. The sword clanged across the paving stones to land at the feet of a lanky young witch.

  He gaped in surprise.

  Perrin Tarkana.

  Kalifus growled in disbelief. It couldn’t be. She was dead. He had killed her. So why did it make him strangely happy to see her?

  Because a sister witch was restored, he told himself. He had a right to be pleased. More green lightning flashed across the open space. Catriona squealed in outrage as she was zapped on the rear end.

  Behind Perrin, a smirking Endera stepped from the shadows of the blacksmith shop into the square.

  Forgetting Howie, Kalifus crossed to Catriona’s side, taking a protective stance. Agathea crouched on the other. The remaining witches fanned out, forming a wide circle. They ogled the group in the center eagerly like they were about to witness a playground fight.

  Catriona’s eyes glittered with malice as she stared down her opponent. “You dare show your face after killing Ariane?”

  Endera sent another blast of fire at Catriona’s feet, making her step sideways. “That hag deserved it,” she said, sauntering forward slowly.

  Catriona’s eyes turned red at the arrogance in Endera’s voice. “She deserved your allegiance,” she hissed, but then she vanished. She reappeared in a cloud of gray smoke behind the upstart, sending fingers of glowing fire at Endera.

  Endera disappeared before it struck, reappearing on the other side of the square. “She was weak. Like you. Not fit to lead this coven.”

  Kalifus made a movement toward her, but Catriona held up her hand, staying him.

  “And you think you are fit? The coven follows me.” She looked around the tight circle of witches. Their faces gave away nothing. Unease made Kalifus shift on his feet. He couldn’t tell if they were on her side or not. Hestera’s face was like pudding, her lips pursed in a straight line.

  Catriona changed tactics, flinging her arms wide. “Let us not fight on this glorious day. Let us celebrate our victory.”

  “Our victory came with a price,” Endera challenged. “You promised me Agathea’s life.”

  Agathea’s chin dropped as she hissed at Catriona. “How dare you!”

  Catriona waved her off. “It meant nothing. Endera doesn’t have the power to take your life.” She turned to Endera. “Agathea has the blood of Rubicus. We are sisters in every sense. She’s not as weak as cousin Ariane.”

  “Watch me.” Endera snapped her fingers, disappearing in a black cloud of smoke.

  In an instant, she appeared at Kalifus’s side, slipping the enchanted obsidian blade from his belt. Before he could react, she pivoted and thrust it upward into Agathea’s chest. The witch screamed, her body arching. Catriona released a bolt of green lightning at Endera, but the deed was done. Agathea’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground, the blade embedded deep in her chest.

  Catriona screamed loudly in rage and anguish, sending a giant wall of fire at Endera. She rolled nimbly to the side so only the edges of her skirt caught fire.

  “Mother!” Perrin stepped into the circle, sending a blast of witchfire at Catriona, but the girl’s magic was weak. Catriona batted it away and released a rolling ball of green fire at the young witch.

  Kalifus stepped in to deflect it. “No. She is a witch, one of us.”

  Endera laughed behind his back, patting down the flames. “What’s the matter, sister? Your pet not behaving? Tsk, tsk, I’d say you’re losing your touch. Too bad he wasn’t so protective of his warrior friend. I had to leave him behind with Sinmara.”

  Kalifus felt like he had been punched in the gut. Leo left in the underworld? Across the square, he locked eyes with Howie. His old friend shook his head, like it was all Kalifus’s fault. Guilt made him uncomfortable and angry. If they had just stayed back in Pilot Rock, none of this would have happened. He seethed at the unfairness of it, his skin prickling with anger. He stepped forward to battle at Catriona’s side, but she held him back with one hand.

  “No, Kalifus, this is between me and Endera. So this is what it’s come to, Endera,” Catriona said haughtily. “A battle for the right to lead. Very well. You shall have your fight.” The clock began to strike the hour. “Before the clock is done chiming, you will be finished, and my army will be inside the gates. I hear their battering ram now.”

  Kalifus had almost forgotten the battle raging outside. The relentless banging had grown louder, the shouts of the Balfins raised in ever-increasing volume. He frowned. How was Captain Teren holding the gates? Those Balfin apes should have knocked it to pieces by now and joined them in the square. He was tempted to go check, but he didn’t dare leave Catriona in case Endera’s cronies got it in their mind to back her.

  The clock gonged again. Ten more to go. Catriona pointed one gnarled finger at Endera. “Let everyone in Skara Brae watch me destroy you once and for all,” she called. “And when I am finished, my hold over this coven, and this world, will be absolute.”

  “Mother, be careful,” Perrin warned, but Endera raised her hand to silence the girl.

  “No. She is right. It is time we put this to an end. Catriona has tainted this world long enough.”

  Two more gongs echoed.

  “Watch carefully. You don’t want to miss this.” Catriona was cocky, arrogant.

  Endera held two glowing spheres over her hand. They sparked and crackled with energy. “Oh, I won’t miss.” She drew back and flung the fireballs at Catriona. Catriona never moved, never flinched. The balls were aimed straight for her head. At the last second, she lifted her palm and caught them, extinguishing them with a flick of her wrist.

  “Is that all you’ve got?” She covered a yawn with one hand.

  Endera’s face turned red. “No, you old crone, I’ve got more. A lot more.” She swung her hands in a circle, creating a vortex of witchfire like Kalifus had never seen. It was a cyclone, swirling and blowing, growing larger and larger until it towered three stories over them. It swept forward, consuming Catriona inside it. Kalifus stood by, horrified and helpless. Endera glowed triumphant, and then the cyclone went out with a sputtering gasp, and Catriona stood there, unharmed. Kalifus relaxed, grinning.

  Catriona brushed her hands down the front of her dress. “I am immune to your pathetic little spells, Endera. Have you not yet grasped the power of my dark magic?”

  “How could you . . . that’s impossible.” Endera’s face was shocked.

  “Nothing is impossible for me, dear.” Catriona flung her arms wide and cried out, “Mordera, cirrus exodi!”

  Kalifus watched in awe as the skies grew dark and a curtain of gray clouds moved in. A sharp wind blew across the square. Inside the clouds, a swirling bolt of energy formed.

  Endera backed away. “Stop. Enough.”

  Catriona’s eyes were wild with vengeance. “Not until you’ve taken your medicine, Endera.”

  As the last gong rang out, Catriona raised one fist and then threw it forward. From the turbulent center of the cloud, a jagged bolt of lightning cut through the air, headed straight for Endera.

  Endera threw her arms up in defense, but the lighting pinned her in place, illuminating her with white fire. Her body jolted and spasmed, her back arching sharply as thousands of volts of electricity slammed into her. Her hair stood up wildly as the current ran through her. Her mouth was wide open in a silent scream. Endera’s body began to smoke. Her clothes burst into flame. Catriona clapped her hands twice, and Endera simply exploded into a cloud of ash.

  “That’s for Ariane and Agathea,” Catriona spat.

  Immediately, the dark clouds parted overhead, dissipating into nothing.

  “Mother!” Perrin ran forward, but there was nothing left but a pile of ashes.

  Kalifus would have cheered, but he was struck silent by Perrin’s obvious grief. The girl dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

  Catriona t
hrew her head back, laughing loudly. She raised her fists in the air, whirling to face the coven. “Bow to me and call me your queen, or face the same fate.”

  Hestera was the first to acquiesce, dipping her chin to her chest. She was followed down the line by every single Tarkana witch, save for Perrin, who continued to kneel in shock.

  Catriona gloated. “Is there any who challenges my right to lead? Anyone?”

  Silence. Not a sound escaped the coven.

  Catriona began to smile in triumph when a splash of sticky mud sprayed her face.

  She blinked as gooey sludge dripped from her hair.

  There was a giggle from behind an oak barrel. Kalifus could think of only one person who would dare throw mud at Catriona.

  Mavery.

  He turned and searched for the little imp. There, by the black-smith’s shop. He blasted the barrel, exposing her hiding spot.

  “You missed, troutface,” Mavery said, giggling behind her hand and not looking in the least bit frightened.

  “What are you doing here?” Kalifus asked. Before he could recover his wits, an arrow landed in the dirt at his feet.

  “Hey, lunkhead, miss me?”

  That voice. Kalifus recognized it. He turned slowly.

  A girl stood at the top of the steps to the Great Hall. She was dressed in a green velvet cape over fur-trimmed boots. Another arrow was nocked in her bow, a full quiver slung over her shoulder. Her white hair stood up in tufts. She looked tired, but a fire burned in her eyes.

  He found he was gawking. Keely had transformed into a completely different person. Not just her appearance. She had a fierceness about her, but at the same time, an aura of grief hung over her, as if she had paid a high price to be where she was. A splinter of pain pierced his heart. He had missed her, he realized.

  “Impudent wretch!” Catriona was fuming as she wiped mud from her face. “Kill that witchling,” she barked at Kalifus, but Kalifus was frozen in place, his gaze locked on Keely.

  Catriona snapped her fingers at a coil of rope. The rope whipped up and danced around Mavery like a whirling tornado. Before the girl could move, she was wrapped like a mummy all the way up to her neck. Rope stretched across her mouth, gagging her screams. Catriona flung her wrist, and the rope dragged Mavery along the ground and then whipped up and looped around a beam in the blacksmith shop. She hung upside down, swinging by her ankles as if she were in a cocoon.

  Kalifus felt another splinter pierce his shell. He should help Mavery. But he couldn’t bring himself to move. His eyes were glued on Keely.

  Catriona planted her hands on her hips to study the earth girl. “My, my, how Odin’s Chosen Ones have failed. The warrior boy is lost in the underworld. The other had his pathetic army defeated. And the one you tried so hard to save,” she patted Kalifus on the shoulder, “is loyal to me now.”

  “Sam will never be loyal to you,” Keely said. “He’s one of us. And Leo’s right here.”

  From the shadows of the Great Hall, a pale figure stepped forward. Leo had a bruise on his temple, and his eyes were sunken, but he was alive. Kalifus felt an impulse to run to him, but Howie was there, slapping Leo on the back, nearly knocking the boy over as they celebrated. Jealousy ran through Kalifus. He had once been part of their tight little band.

  Keely marched down the steps, shadowed by Leo and Howie. They made a solid line facing off against Catriona and Kalifus.

  “I don’t believe you,” Keely said. “Sam would never hurt me, would you, Sam?”

  “My name is Kalifus,” he said, but it was an effort. Seeing Keely had unsettled him, made him uncertain. More splinters dug into his gut. He felt like he was bleeding internally.

  “Who’s Kalifus?” Leo asked.

  “I am Kalifus.” He rapped his fist to his chest for emphasis, or maybe to remind himself. “How did you get into the city?”

  “We came in the back door,” Keely said. “You know, scaled the cliffs, risked life and limb. All to get to you.”

  “Join us,” Leo said. “We’re on your side.”

  His side? Kalifus almost laughed aloud. If Leo only knew what he had done, who he really was. A murderer. He might think twice about trying to save such a lost cause.

  “I’m willing to give you a second chance,” Howie said. “Even though you did try to kill me,” he added dryly. “Just step over here away from that ugly witch and join us.” He held the Sword of Tyrfing pointed squarely at Catriona.

  A tiny sliver of hope no bigger than a single atom flickered to life in Kalifus. Maybe it wasn’t too late for him after all. But the next instant, the crushing weight of his guilt extinguished the light. He dug his fingernails into the skin of his palms, needing the stinging pain to add weight to his words. “I don’t need your help or your pity. This is who I am. You’re all just too dumb to see it.”

  Keely had been optimistic that once Sam saw her, he would miraculously bounce back to his normal self, but it seemed there was still a lot of work to do. He looked hollow, his skin pale, his eyes yellowed with whatever toxin was inside him. She tried humor, forcing a chuckle out. “Got it all under control, do you, Sam? Catriona is about to take over Skara Brae, and when she’s finished, she’s going to use you to help her return Orkney and all its magic to earth. You know what that means? She’s a psychopath, Sam. Our entire world will be in danger. You have to stop this.” Keely’s hand went into her pocket and clasped the Moon Pearl. It felt cool and smooth under her fingers. Somehow she had to get it to Sam.

  Before he could answer, Catriona pushed him aside.

  “We’ve wasted enough time for one day.” Catriona raised her hand, and three single bolts of green lightning shot out, wrapping around the throats of Keely, Howie, and Leo. The bolts lifted them off the ground so that their feet dangled. Catriona called over her shoulder. “Hestera, make yourself useful and take the coven to dispense of the Orkadians holding the gate. The time for mercy has ended. I want our sister Vena to see this victory.”

  Hestera grumbled, then motioned to the loitering coven. They hurried across the square toward the sound of the bang-ing—all but Perrin, who remained in a daze on her knees.

  The lightning sizzled and crackled around Keely’s neck but didn’t burn. Instead it tightened, slowly squeezing off her wind-pipe. Howie was kicking and choking next to her. Leo alone was calm.

  “Don’t struggle,” he urged. “Conserve your strength.”

  Catriona raised her other hand and drew her finger in a circle. A ring of fire sprang up around them, orange flames leaping tall. She splayed her fingers out and then slowly drew them into a fist. The circle grew smaller and smaller until the three heroes writhed and twisted in the flames that threatened to ignite their clothing.

  “Join me, Kalifus,” Catriona shouted, her eyes glittering with triumph.

  Keely’s eyes reached out to Sam, urging him to look at her. If he joined Catriona, her heart would break. He began to raise his hand.

  “Don’t, Sam!” she cried. But Sam wasn’t Sam anymore, she realized with a sinking heart. Fire burned from his palm, cutting a traitorous trail across the cobblestones until it joined with Catriona’s stream. Keely’s pain intensified until her whole body felt like it was being stabbed with tiny knives.

  “Why shouldn’t I?” Kalifus shouted. His yellowed eyes reflected the poison that raged inside him. “This is who I am. Who I have always been. A Son of Rubicus.”

  Keely fought with every last ounce of strength she had. “No. You’re Sam. The guy who copies off my Algebra notes and stands up to bullies. You can’t give up on yourself, Sam.”

  But her friend’s expression didn’t change. “Sam is dead. Kalifus has risen to take his place,” he said.

  The words sounded like nails on a chalkboard to Keely’s ears. Catriona cackled with victorious glee as her and Kalifus’s combined forces intensified until the pain was unbearable.

  As Keely’s strength faded, her hand opened up, and the Moon Pearl slipped out. It fell to the ground
and rolled through the flames straight for Sam. Hope skyrocketed in her as he knelt to retrieve it, but before he could touch it, a sharp pointy boot came down on it, grinding it underfoot.

  Keely’s last shred of hope was crushed under Catriona’s heel.

  But then a strange white vapor swirled around Catriona’s feet. Ice sprang up, climbing up her boot and pinning her in place.

  Anticipation made Keely grin. She knew what was about to happen. The Moon Pearl was encasing Catriona in ice, the same way Audhumla had done to her back in the Cave of Shadows.

  The witch magic choking them was cut off as Catriona struggled to free herself. “What is this magic?” She zapped her feet, but the electrical bolts ricocheted off the ice. She turned to her protégé. “Help me, Kalifus! Stop this magic.”

  Kalifus-Sam had to release Keely and the others to add his powers to hers. Grateful to catch her breath, Keely waited to see what would happen. The ice rose quickly, passing Catriona’s knees to reach her waist. The two witches tried futilely to blast it away, but it simply raced faster until it reached Catriona’s neck. She managed to screech out her rage before the ice swallowed her up, silencing her.

  “What have you done?” Kalifus-Sam roared, advancing on Keely.

  “I’m trying to save your butt,” she shouted back. “So why don’t you stop acting like a jerk.”

  Catriona’s eyes glowed under the ice. Water ran in rivulets down the sides. The Sam imposter returned to her side, trying to blast his way in.

  Keely stepped closer. “We don’t have much time. Catriona will be free in minutes.” The ice was melting fast. Cracks formed and spread in the surface. Keely put a hand on Kalifus-Sam’s arm, feeling the scorching heat of his anger. “Fight the darkness inside you, Sam. I know you can beat it.”

  “You don’t understand.” He dropped his palms, putting out the witchfire, and reeled away from her. “You don’t know what I’ve done.” His voice was etched in pain.

  “You killed Brunin,” Keely said calmly.

  Kalifus-Sam turned red-rimmed eyes to her. “You know?”

  “Ymir showed me,” she said. “I’m sorry that you had to do that. You must have had a good reason. The Sam I know would never hurt someone he cared about like that.”