Suddenly from across the room came a screech of anger. Eddie stopped forcing his way forward and Shy looked up just as Gust crashed into the huldra like a linebacker into an unsuspecting quarterback. The two smashed into the pine flooring. Almost instantly, Gust was flung from on top of Morrie, over his head and into the wall. The old man was up on his feet with surprising quickness. He immediately went on the attack, but the huldra had somehow morphed from Morrie’s shape into its natural form and was standing facing Gust. The creature held out its gnarled hoof-like hand, stopping Gust’s progression. It was like the white-haired old man hit a wall. He tried to keep coming at the creature, but his feet slid on the floor, like he was trying to move a mountain.
Now, the huldra shifted its arm slightly, and Gust began to choke. His hands scrabbled for purchase on the unseen force at his throat. He now began to slide back to the wall.
The boys stared, horrified. From where they stood, behind the huldra, the creature appeared as a hollow log. From the floor where they had tackled him, Eddie crawled towards his axe that he had placed under their bench.
Once again, Shy was spurred to action. He grabbed the first boy next to him and pulled him toward the backside of the huldra. They hit it as hard as they could with their shoulders, and heard another angry shriek from the creature, but as Shy watched, Gust continued to choke.
Then, the scene exploded with a concussive blast that made them all fly backward. When Shy opened his eyes, the huldra was gone. Gust was gulping air across the room. Eddie lay next to Shy with his axe across his chest, breathing heavily.
Seconds passed.
“What happened?” Shy finally asked into the silence.
“Eddie chopped into the backside of that thing.” Tad explained from behind them.
Shy turned to look at the boy. Eddie showed his teeth in a feral smile.
“It looked like part of a tree, so I thought maybe it could be chopped down like one,” he said. “I swung as hard as I could, and it kinda… well… it blew up!”
“Eddie killed the Huldra!” Henry yelled from the back.
Gust walked over, rubbing his neck. He shushed the boys, and pointed to the room that Clancy rested in.
“She fell asleep just before I heard the disturbance out here. I want to check on her.” Gust said as he began to step over to the room.
“Wait!” Shy whispered urgently. “Did we kill it? The huldra?”
Gust stopped, but didn’t turn back towards them. Rubbing his neck again, he said, “I don’t know Shylock… I just don’t know.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Shylock, that was a hábrók.”
Shy watched Daniel walk off, arm in arm with Eddie, then turned to Sawyer.
“Have you practiced your trout tickling much?” Shy asked.
Sawyer shook his head and smiled. “We haven’t had time trying to keep up with it because of you and… well… everything.”
Shy nodded, and then said, “C’mon… let’s go practice.”
Ralph and Sam joined them to make a larger, safer group.
As they hiked in silence down to the creek that flowed from the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, Shy thought about what had just happened back at the Lodge.
Clancy had indeed slept through the entire scene. Gust came back out from checking on her and said that they shouldn’t tell her about everything, or give her the sight. Shy was visibly relieved. Gust went on to agree that they should go on with the camp games as normal. He did not think the huldra, or Morrie, would be back anytime soon, but he wasn’t convinced that the creature was dead. He felt like Eddie may have bought them some time.
Then, he took Shy and sat him down at the table. The others followed. Meg went to get some of her girls to listen in also. Gust questioned Shy in depth about what he knew about the box, and the huldra’s plans. The others listened grimly. They all knew this was something that fell on their shoulders. They couldn’t take the topic of a fairy war to the police unless they wanted to end up in the psych ward.
Shy had raised his desire to try to call on the Lesidhe, his worry about what the fossegrimen had said… that they could not return the box and still get back, and even if they could, how Shy didn’t think the lake on the other side of the waterfall was even a safe, protected place for the box anymore.
After Shy had answered all of Gust’s questions to the best of his ability, the wrinkled face relaxed and he blew out his mustache.
He stood suddenly and said he needed to think. He directed the campers to go practice for the camp games, but to stay together if possible, and then he walked away.
Shy felt much better after everything was out in the open. Now he felt like he shared this burden fully with the others.
***
That night, after a long day of practicing and still tired from their adventures the night before, most of the boys went to bed early.
As Shy slid down into the Raven cabin, Eddie yelled from above, “Why can’t we get a fairy to take the box back?”
Once Eddie had shot down the slide, Shy quickly said, “What?”
“Well, since the… whaddya call them? Fey? Since the Fey can obviously get back and forth from the world on the other side of the waterfall, why don’t we just get Tom T to take the box back?”
Shy didn’t know what to say. It seemed like a workable solution, but it had never occurred to him to ask the nisse.
“Eddie, that’s brilliant! We need to find Tom T!” Shy was excited now, sleep forgotten. “C’mon!”
Shy didn’t hesitate jumping into the dark onto the trampoline below. By the time he had reached the nearby platform, Eddie had followed suit. The two boys moved quickly with the light of the moon, across swinging bridges, ropes, and planks. Shy wasn’t quite sure how to find the nisse. It had always found him. He realized that he was running in the direction of the Hive, and decided that would be a good place to start.
As he and Eddie approached the Hive, they could hear soft voices, in discussion. Shy moved to a spot where he could both look into the Hive and eavesdrop, and not be seen.
“What are we doing,” Eddie whispered quietly.
“Looks like Gust, Tad, and Meg are having a meeting without us,” Shy said as he strained to see anything in the dark, through the black screens of the Hive. “Sit tight for a sec… I want to hear what they are saying before we go barging in there.”
Eddie nodded.
As Shy listened, he let his eyes wander a bit. Suddenly, next to a tree opposite where they stood, his vision pulled and popped. There was Tom T, doing the same thing they were, listening. The creature made no sign that he knew they were there, and it was too far away to get its attention without yelling. Shy wasn’t willing to yell until after he heard what the discussion was about. He strained his ears.
“… he has done it once already, and based on the goblin attack by his house, and other events, they knew he had the box… or at least suspected.” Tad’s voice worked its way to them across the empty space between them and the Hive.
“It’s still too dangerous…” Gust’s baritone voice rumbled.
“What would you do with it here? It is even closer to the army that they are massing. Daniel came to me today after they had been practicing for their camp games…”
“I know, Tad. He told me about the tracks he had spotted also.” Gust interrupted the younger man. “I actually did go and check them out. I am impressed that the Glamour hides their tracks too. I suppose they can control how much of them it hides or not… and they are probably under orders to be stealthy. It is concerning… If this comes to a battle, do the Seelie have an army?”
Silence and mosquitoes filled the night air, as the conversation paused. Shy imagined Tad shrugging his shoulders, even though he could not see that detail through the screening of the Hive’s walls.
“Regardless, I don’t want Shy to have to carry this burden again. Perhaps… yes, perhaps we could…”
The conversation dropped to whi
sper level, and Shy and Eddie could no longer hear.
“I think we need to go ask exactly what they are planning…. It obviously involves me.” Shy whispered to Eddie.
The other boy just nodded again, he was just happy to be along for the ride. Eddie had decided that sticking close to Shy meant being close to the action. The unassuming, humble kid always seemed to be the one who things happened to. Eddie was really happy that they were becoming friends now.
Shy watched Tom T as they began to move. The nisse still gave no indication that he knew Shy and Eddie were there. Shy maneuvered them around so they approached the Hive from behind Tom T. If he could talk to the nisse first, then he could present the idea to Gust and the others immediately.
As they silently padded up on the platform behind the diminutive creature, it began to speak.
“Master Shylock, always the center of things. Inside they debate the fate of the world like it is nothing. They do not understand what all is at stake, and what a mistake they are proposing. They speak of your future… you should join them.”
“We are going to, but first we wanted to speak to you.”
The nisse sat up suddenly. To Shy’s eyes, it seemed as though his ears perked up and twitched.
“Speak quickly…” The now distracted nisse said.
“Well, we wanted to know if you would be able to carry the box back to the lake… since it seems like you fey can go back and forth between this world and that one…” Shy trailed off as the strange alertness that had settled on the creature disquieted him.
The nisse now focused intently on Shy. It did not respond at first. Then it said, “Shylock, I know your intentions are pure, but sometimes that is not enough. You are ignorant as to the power this box holds… the sweet temptation of its power. I am not able to convey this to you evidently…”
“I DO know!” Shy interrupted. “I have been stressed about this ever since…” He began angrily.
The nisse silenced him by holding up a finger.
“I cannot carry the box. Do not offer it to me. Do not think I have not been tempted to take it. The power is too much for one such as me. I would open the box. I know that. I am bound to not take it from one that I serve, thus I am bound to protect it as I do you. But, if you offered, I could take it and would try to use the power to protect us, but would fail. It is simply not within me to resist. Do not offer it to myself or others of my kind. They are not as wise as me. Besides, young one, the time for returning the box has passed. The lake has dried up, the servants set to protect the box are no longer. There is no protecting it now…”
Again, the nisse seemingly heard something. Shy tried to listen, but heard nothing beyond more urgent whispering in the Hive. Tom T jumped to his feet, twirled his staff, and shot off at a speed that was unnatural in itself.
Shy looked at Eddie. The boy had been quiet throughout the exchange. He simply shrugged his shoulders and nodded towards the Hive.
Both boys ran and jumped across the empty space that guarded the Hive. They landed at the same time with a thud onto the pine flooring. Meg jumped and let out a small squeak at the sudden intrusion. Tad and Gust looked at each other and smiled.
Shy looked at Eddie who couldn’t contain his smile. Shy was beginning to like him more and more.
“Who else would it be?” Tad said as he continued to grin.
Shy faced the trio, and looked from one face to another, searching where to start. He saw Gust’s eyes twinkle, and said to the old man, “What were you all talking about in here?”
Tad spoke up quickly, “Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?”
Before Shy could answer, he watched Meg punch Tad playfully in the arm.
“We overheard a bit of what you were saying. I know you were talking about the box… and about me… and about what we are going to do with it.”
“I still don’t understand why you are up.” Tad said as he rubbed his arm and glared at Meg. “Weren’t you guys complaining at supper how god awful tired you were?”
“We were tired… We were even in the Raven, but then Eddie came up with what we thought was a great idea…” Shy said.
“What was your idea?” Gust asked Eddie.
The boy had edged off to the side, but now they all looked at him and he began to fidget with a hole in his shirt.
“I guess… well… I just said… I just asked why we didn’t get one of the fairy creatures to carry the box back to the other side of the waterfall.”
The three adults just looked at each other, dumbfounded.
“It could work, I suppose…” Gust began to caress his long mustaches.
“No. It’s no good. Won’t work.” Shy interjected.
Now Gust raised his eyebrows at Shy and the two counselors turned back to look at him.
“We,” Shy motioned to include Eddie, “just spoke with Tom T about it. He said the power of the box would be too tempting to try and use it for himself and other Seelie. It’s not an option. Now, what were you guys talking about?”
Gust blew out a breath and said, “You’re right Shy, we were talking about what to do with the box if you aren’t able to enlist the help of these Lesidhe… Which reminds me, the full moon will be out the evening that the camp games start. We are all going with you on this adventure, kid.”
“Wouldn’t miss it!” Tad chimed in enthusiastically. “Especially after you left me out of this rescue attempt.” He added as he locked eyes on Shy.
Shy wouldn’t be distracted. He said, “But what are you thinking we should do if the wolf howling doesn’t work?”
“Tad thinks you should take it home, again, over the summer. I think that is too dangerous, but I don’t see a better option.” He added as he locked eyes with Tad. Some special meaning passed between the two of them and didn’t go unnoticed by Shy. He was suspicious, but the moment soon passed.
All Shy could do was say, “If it comes to that, I can hide the box. I have Shep to protect me, and the box.”
As he said those words the message of Tom T popped into his thoughts: You are ignorant as to the power this box holds… the sweet temptation of its power.
***
Shy kept to his own thoughts on the way back to the Raven, which suited Eddie well. He swatted away a mosquito, and let his thoughts wash over him as he followed the sandy-haired Shy back to their cabin.
Eddie wondered if Shy had noticed the exchange between Tad and Gust, when they were explaining their plan. Eddie had caught the look. When Gust had said that he didn’t see any other option, he had given Tad a look that said he actually liked the other option. He wondered if he should bring up what he noticed to Shy. Then, he wondered what the other option was, and why they would keep it from Shy. Should he say something?
It was strange, Eddie felt a loyalty to this boy he now followed. In fact, he noticed that they all seemed to. The other boys, the girls, they all seemed to listen to Shy. He was so humble and unassuming, and always seemed so serious. It didn’t matter though, no one ever seemed to make fun of him, or not take him seriously. Eddie felt like Shy just moved forward where he wanted to go, regardless of what others thought. He didn’t let them dissuade him from what he knew was right. He should ask Shy to teach him how to do that; how to be a leader like that. Did Shy trust him? The kid probably didn’t even think about it. Maybe a way to gain some more trust would be to tell him about what he saw pass between Tad and Gust… it just didn’t feel right.
Suddenly, as Shy reached a platform not far from the Unicorn Horn, and as Eddie was still making a precarious crossing on one of the narrower plank bridges, they heard a bellowing roar! Eddie sped up his last few steps to grip the railing of the platform Shy was on. Simultaneously, Shy rotated to the direction he felt the sound had come from. It was to the north, the opposite side of the Forest cabin skyways from where they now stood. Without hesitation, Shy headed in that direction.
“Hey, wait up!” Eddie called out as he sprang after Shy.
The two were
like wraiths in a graveyard, flitting lightly across the aerial bridges and pathways in silence. Shy now began to hear signs of a struggle, or some sort of ruckus. He couldn’t make much sense of it though. There were clicks and yips interspersed with hard raps. Then, they heard another roar.
Shy knew they were close now. Upwards they ran, and when they topped the narrow staircase onto the next platform, his vision pushed through a series of five small pops. He saw a small scale battle taking place in the dim moonlight. Tom T twirled his staff, connecting continuously with multiple goblins that skittered up the tall trees. Their short swords were no match for the longer length of the staff, and the nisse was keeping them at bay, but was not winning. The two boys watched in awe.
Then Shy’s vision pulled his eyes to a nearby tree. When he pushed through the Glamour, he spotted a dark mass moving slowly up a tree near where the battle was taking place. Tom T saw it as well, Shy knew, because the nisse kept looking in that direction, seemingly checking its progress. Shy stared, trying to process what his mind was seeing. It moved like an inchworm in a way. The lower half would curl around the thinner tree, then the upper half would extend, seemingly grip the tree at a higher point, and then the lower half would be pulled upward. The process would repeat. It was climbing fast. Shy’s brain, however was still unable to match the shape with things he knew.
He pointed the shape out to Eddie, and then Eddie pointed out a similar mass in another tree. Shy had not seen that one. Things were looking rather ominous, and to make it worse, Tom T appeared to be tiring. Shy felt like he needed to do something. This attack is obviously the type of thing that Tom T had been dealing with the whole summer, trying to protect Shy and the box. That is why he had been looking thinner, tired, and probably why he was falling behind on chores that he used to love. Shy knew he had some responsibility for the situation.
The Huldra Hostility Page 21