The Iron Cursed

by J. M. Briggs

  “Uh, thank you.”

  Leugio didn’t know what else to say and they lapsed into silence. He glanced at the two warriors serving as their escort. Both them were well armed while all he was carrying was an iron sword. Flaitheas’ horse drew a little ahead of his as they came down into a small valley. A creek trickled along next to them, and the valley offered protection from the wind.

  “We should stop and let the horses rest,” one of their escorts said.

  “A good idea, Aodh,” Flaitheas agreed.

  She stopped her own horse and dismounted in one smooth, graceful movement. Leugio did not. He almost twisted his ankle when he finally hit the ground. Flaitheas glanced his way with concern, but he smiled in silent reassurance. Flaitheas shook her head and guided her horse to the water, where it began to drink.

  Flaitheas, Aodh, and their other guard Nyle quickly pulled out some of their supplies for lunch as Leugio looked around. The valley was small, but there was a collection of boulders off to one side. Something here tickled at his senses and he wasn’t sure what it was. He took a drink from his water skin and looked around one more time before joining the others. It was nothing fancy, but the dried meat and bread was welcome. Overhead clouds rolled over the sun and Flaitheas looked up with distaste.

  “If it starts storming we may not make it tonight,” Flaitheas complained. “Eat quickly and let’s hope the horses will make it.”

  “We’ll make it,” Nyle assured her. “You worry too much.”

  “If we run the horses too hard then we absolutely won’t make the village.” Aodh was much calmer. “We won’t linger too long.”

  Then Leugio felt something. It was odd, like a whisper in the back of his mind or a hand just barely brushing against his skin. He sniffed at the air as the odd sensation grew and settled into his chest. It was familiar. Leugio froze. In his chest, the small flicker of magic was growing, like embers that had been suddenly fed dry moss. His fingers flexed and the magic started to gather. It was heady and exciting and frightening all at once. Holding back a smile, he struggled to keep the rush of magic away and focused on what was happening. He grasped the iron brooch on his cloak and blinked in surprise as the magic hummed against the metal.

  Something moved in the corner of his eye. He heard Aodh make a sound of alarm and glanced towards the man. Something dark and quick passed through his vision too quickly for him to see clearly. Leugio looked around, trying to spot whatever it was, but it was either too quick or there were multiples. Shadows were appearing and vanishing out of nothing every time his eyes settled on a spot. In his chest, the magic was dancing in response, but he didn’t know what to do with it.

  They were always in the corner of his eyes, even as he spun around trying to catch sight of them. An odd sound filled the air; caught between a growl and a laugh. It wasn’t frightening exactly, but it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The shape in the corner of his eye stopped, but Leugio didn’t turn to examine it. Instead, he stayed still and did his best to examine it. The shape was sort of dog, reminding him of Kent, but at the same time the shape was a little too fuzzy. It was almost like it wasn’t there.

  “Pookas,” Flaitheas said softly. “Troublemakers. We haven’t time for this.”

  Her words made the pitch of the noise change. It was deeper now, and Leugio’s chest tightened with an odd sense of hurt. He wasn’t sure what to make of it, but the impression was firmly in place now. Licking his lips, he listened to Flaitheas speak with their escorts in a sharp and clear voice.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Leugio said. His mouth was moving before he understood what was happening. “I know you don’t mean any harm.”

  The hurt was easing and he exhaled slowly. Flaitheas turned to look at him in confusion even as the odd blur of black continued to move behind her back. “We are in a hurry. I’m afraid that there are reports of the Sídhe taking children from a village a few miles from here. We need to get there by sundown and help them. Please, leave us be and let us help those who called for us.”

  There was another change in tone of the noise around them. Then the black shapes flickering in the corner of Leugio’s eyes began to move away. Relaxing slowly, he watched the shapes until they hit the shadow of a tree and vanished. Leugio blinked and exhaled slowly. His eyes were dry and sore, but he couldn’t deny a flutter of satisfaction in his chest.

  “What just happened?” Flaitheas asked. She was looking around in confusion. “Did you use magic?”

  “No,” Leugio replied. “I just told them, well, you heard me. I guess they just wanted to play and then realized how serious we were.”

  “Pookas are trouble.”

  “Apparently they aren’t unreasonable,” Leugio said. He shrugged and almost took a step back from the look in Flaitheas’ eyes. “I’ve never encountered them before now.”

  Then Flaitheas nodded. She still looked bemused; maybe a touch angry, but not at him. A soft chuckle escaped her. Then she sighed in relief and motioned towards the horses. She tossed him a packet of food and then hoisted herself up onto her horse. It seemed the break was already over. Then again, Leugio wasn’t sure that he wanted the Pookas to think him a liar. He shoved some smoked meat into his mouth and clambered up onto his own horse. It made a sound of protest but thankfully stayed still long enough for him to balance.

  “Hopefully they won’t follow us,” Aodh muttered. He led them out of the small valley, glancing around nervously. “You can never be sure with Pookas.”

  “They seemed to understand our situation,” Leugio said. “They probably know when to stop.”

  “Pookas torment villages.” Flaitheas turned around on her own horse to look back past him. “There are plenty of reports of the bad luck they bring.”

  “Maybe it was deserved?” Leugio offered. “But let’s keep moving and focus on the Sídhe.”

  Flaitheas’ eyes met his and he saw what might have been respect glowing in them. It might have been silly, but he straightened up on the back of his horse. They didn’t speak of the Pookas any longer, but Leugio found himself wondering just what they were really like. There’d never been Pookas in his own village, but he’d heard plenty of stories. It seemed at the very least that they disliked the Sídhe, or maybe they had sensed his magic building.

  The spark was easing now that they were away from the Pookas. Leugio moved his reins into his left hand and opened his right. Small white sparks danced out of his fingertips and hovered in the air like snowflakes. He flexed his fingers thoughtfully as the sparks dissipated. It seemed that the magic came more strongly when he was around the Faery creatures. He would have to remember that.

  It started to rain and Leugio shuddered as the droplets rolled down his cheeks. His cloak was helping to keep the water off of him, but the wind was picking up. In the distance he could hear the rumble of thunder. Part of him wanted to stop, but the reports of the Sídhe and them taking children kept him going. He remembered all too clearly the terror when he’d realized that Keelia had been taken. That was not something he’d leave others helpless to.

  “There it is,” Flaitheas said, drawing Leugio’s attention to her. Flaitheas was pointing to a collection of buildings on a nearby hill. “We’ll be there soon. With any luck, they’ll have more information for us. Father is very concerned about all the Sídhe activity.”

  “I’m in agreement with him,” Leugio said darkly. “I don’t like all this sudden activity on their part. There were always stories about an occasional sighting or them taking a child, but lately there’s just so many.”

  “Father is worried it means they are planning something big,” Flaitheas said. “Or that they have a new leader.”

  Leugio nodded slowly as he considered the idea. It would explain a great deal, but he had no idea if the different mounds scattered across the land could even communicate. Were they connected at all? Or were there mysterious messengers who had managed to stay hidden from them all? Both ideas made his uneasiness
grow and he looked toward Flaitheas, waiting for her to say something more.

  She stayed silent, looking out across the landscape with a sad expression. Then she shook her head and gently urged her horse forward. Their small band moved on, but Leugio tensed. In his chest, that odd sensation was building once again. He looked over his shoulder, wondering if the Pookas had followed them without him realizing it. There was nothing that he could see behind them. The dark clouds had blotted out the sun and his sight was limited. Yet there were no shadows in the corner of his eye. They kept moving towards the village, but the feeling didn’t ease. It only grew worse.

  “Leugio?” Flaitheas called. “Are you alright?”

  “I…” He licked his lips. “We need to hurry. Something is coming.”

  Flaitheas straightened up and looked around them quickly. They seemed to be alone, but Leugio looked down at his hand. White sparks were beginning to gather around his right hand. Flaitheas gasped in surprise.

  “There!” Aodh shouted. He gestured to their right.

  Five Sídhe appeared on the rise of a small hill. They were all dressed in heavy leather armor and carried bronze swords. Magic rushed through his arms, expanding outward from his chest. It had a core, a center, Leugio realized with surprise. Unsure of what else to do, Leugio tugged at it and the magic came forth.

  The Sídhe rushed them. Aodh shouted something, but it was lost in the roars of the Sídhe. White sparks flooded around his hands, illuminating the area around him. One of the Sídhe looked at him with wide eyes. It lunged at his horse, swinging its bronze sword in an arc through the air. His horse screamed and Leugio tensed as the beast quivered beneath him. In a burst of adrenaline and fear, he jumped off its back and stumbled away. Magic flared in his hand and Leugio spun on his heel to face the Síd. His foot slid on the damp ground, but he stayed upright.

  Frantically, he willed the magic into shape. He begged it to stop the Síd. White sparks rushed together and formed a bolt of magic like an arrow. It sped through the air and struck the Síd. The Síd’s leather armor fell apart, dropping in pieces to the ground, and it staggered. More magic rushed through his arms and he threw it forward, commanding it to form an arrow. The magic hit again and the Síd vanished in a burst of golden dust.

  More magic spilled out of his hands. His heart was racing and the sparks hovered in the air, waiting for him. Leugio’s mind sputtered for a moment before grasping onto to the memory of the arrow. He turned to find Nyle fighting sword to sword with one of the Sídhe and Flaitheas dodging a blow from one of them. Throwing his hand forward, Leugio pushed the magic forward, willing it into another arrow.

  The magic responded immediately. All the sparks rushed together and formed into a tight long bolt that sailed through the air. The bolt caught the Sid attacking Flaitheas right in the neck. With a sputter of pain, the creature began to dissolve into golden sparks. There were three left: one was fighting Nyle who was now on foot, and Aodh had two attacking him and his horse. The beast was rearing up and trying to escape the Sídhe, which only made it impossible for his rider to hit either of them. Aodh hit the ground with a groan, barely rolling away from the sharp hooves of his horse.

  Leugio opened his hand and more white sparks appeared. Another bolt of white hit one of the Sídhe, which began to turn towards him as its armor collapsed. Leugio called forth the magic and, remembering what had happened in the tunnel, sent a wave of white sparks through the air. They rippled like a lake after a rock was tossed in, shoving the three Sídhe away from the humans. Nyle and Aodh’s horses began to run away while the two men shouted.

  The three Sídhe were all looking at him now with calculating eyes. Two of the Sídhe still had their weapons. They moved quickly, advancing on him. More white sparks illuminated the hillside. Thunder rolled in the distance and rain droplets hit his cheeks and arms. Panic was beginning to take over as the Sídhe lunged. A bolt of white hit one and he jumped to the side to avoid the other. The third growled at him as the one he’d hit dissolved into gold dust.

  “A mage.” The Síd glared at him. “The Lord will destroy you. He’ll take the world and you’ll have no power!”

  “A lord?” Leugio repeated. “There’s a new leader then?”

  The Síd swung at him, and white magic flashed off of his hands. A bolt of white slammed into the Síd, who screamed as the magic flickered across its body. Leugio’s eyes swung to the third Sídhe that was running away. Nyle, on his horse, rushed over and struck it in the neck with his iron blade. It fell to the ground and began to dissolve. Exhaling, Leugio urged his heart to slow down and gasped for air. His knees trembled for a moment, but he managed to keep standing.

  Flaitheas was still on her horse and the other two were finally coming back around on their steeds. She was staring down at him even as her eyes darted to the now empty space where the Sídhe had been. The awe radiating off of her helped Leugio stay calm. The magic in his chest was dimming slightly, but he was aware of it. Ready and waiting.

  “Your magic...” Flaitheas started to say. She shook her head. “It’s amazing.”

  “Thank you,” Leugio replied softly. He was looking down at his hands and smiled a little. “I’m getting better at using it.” Then he looked over at his horse, it was moving badly, with a slash across one flank. “That’s not good.”

  “You can ride with me,” Flaitheas said quickly. “We should be able to get help in the village.” She looked at him and nodded. “And now, perhaps we know what is happening.”

  “A new leader,” Leugio agreed. “I don’t like the sound of it.”

  “Neither do I and nor will father.” Flaitheas looked like she wanted to say more, but a flash of lightning made her grimace. The rain had yet to ease. “Come on, Leugio.” She held a hand out to him and Leugio eyed the horse doubtfully. He looked back at his own horse, but Nyle had taken the reins and was leading it slowly. “I promise I won’t laugh,” Flaitheas promised. “You just killed three Sídhe. No one is going to judge you about being bad on horses.”

  Holding back a laugh, Leugio climbed on behind her. After a moment of hesitation, he rested his hands on her hips, not sure what else to do with them. Nyle caught his eye and grinned. Leugio knew his cheeks were heating up but pointedly ignored it as Flaitheas urged the horse forward.

  19

  News Comes

  Alex’s eyes struggled to adjust to the light. Her arms shuddered as she tried to lift herself up and then gave out, sending her sprawling back onto the soft surface again. In her chest her heart was racing so hard that her ribs were aching. The flutter of magic in her gut was hot and filled her limbs with a heavy hum. Every muscle was ready for a fight and Alex quickly took stock. She was on a soft surface, but it wasn’t her bed. She was dressed in her jeans and her shoes were still on. There was an ache spreading through her chest, different from the muscle ache and familiar. Too much magic, a voice supplied helpfully, but Alex pushed it away.

  Sitting up a little, she turned her head and exhaled in relief. She was in Merlin’s living room with the mages. The others were exchanging nervous looks that Alex didn’t understand, but she didn’t have the energy to ask. A slight smell of smoke reached her nose and she turned to inspect the sofa. There were small burn marks on it. She didn’t remember those.

  “Did I….?” she asked softly.

  “You discharged some magic,” Merlin said easily. He sounded very calm. “Don’t worry about it. Simple enough to fix. Are you alright?”

  Alex’s mouth still tasted of ash. She could still hear that sharp wind. But she didn’t want to reveal any of that. Instead, she pushed a little harder against her quivering arms and sat up. Morgana leaned forward and gripped her arm, helping her swing around so she could slump against the back of the sofa.

  “Thanks,” Alex said with a forced smile. Her throat hurt a bit; a dull, scratching sensation. “I’m okay.”

  Morgana looked at her with sharp, irritated green eyes that spoke volumes. Pushing herself into
the back of the sofa, Alex tried to make herself smaller under that gaze. Then Nicki came over with a glass of water. Taking it with a soft smile, Alex sipped slowly at first and then started gulping down the cool liquid. It sent a small jolt of pain up through her skull but soothed the heat in her throat.

  “You were screaming,” Nicki told her unhelpfully. “What did you dream about? Was it Brekszta again?”

  “Uh… yeah,” Alex answered. She licked her lips and dropped her eyes to the glass of water. Taking another sip, she avoided Nicki’s eyes. “It was weird.”

  “Alex?” Merlin called, a hint of warning in his voice. It rang through her head and some part of her was instantly cowed. “What happened?”

  “I, uh...” Alex looked up at Merlin and then at Morgana. Then her eyes jumped over to the other mages, then to Lance and Jenny who were frowning deeply at her. “It’s hard to explain… I did get pulled back into that nightmare. There was this fog and I could see some figures, but I didn’t want to see those people again.” She dropped her eyes, gripping the glass of water tightly. “So I pulled on my magic and everything changed.”