Azrael's Twins

by V. J. Mortimer

  McHavering took a silver flask from his pocket and pulled the cap off with his teeth. He offered it to Roland but the dragon master refused it. ‘I don’t have the cast iron stomach to drink that gut rot of yours, ye madman.’

  ‘Suit yerself. More for me,’ said McHavering, swigging back a big mouthful.

  ‘Keep your eyes on the game,’ said Roland. ‘Any minute now ...’

  As if on cue the egg suddenly started to change colour. The silvery glow turned quickly to yellow and then gold. The light began to stream through cracks in the egg as it started to rock more violently. The shell cracked open further and light flooded the stables. The racing dragons in their pens whimpered, lay down, and covered their eyes with their wings as the light spilled over them. The top of the egg suddenly split asunder as the head of the new phoenix forced its way out of the shell and stretched upward. It let out a cry as it entered the world anew. The children had never heard so pure a note in their life. It sounded like the cry of a bellbird but stronger and deeper, as if all the joy in the world were mixed into one note. It washed over the children and spread out across the grounds. The wolf pack lifted their heads and howled with delight as the rest of the phoenix forced its way out of the shell. It spread its wings and kicked away the remainder of the shell. Its coat looked slick and glossy but without the fire-like form that Belimawr possessed. It stretched its wings as far as they would go before lazily folding them back in to its sides. It looked no bigger than a large raven, but the children fancied they could see it growing even as it sat. No one spoke in the room as the new phoenix scanned their faces. It suddenly stopped when it saw the children.

  ‘You are the Twins,’ it said in a female voice – not the same honeyed male tone they had heard from the old phoenix.

  Niamh spoke first: ‘We’re not Twins – just brother and sister.’

  ‘That wasn’t a question,’ said the phoenix. Its voice was young, but not childlike. It was like the old phoenix in that it was sweet and mellow, but it also sounded chime-like, as if the wind was rustling the pipes of a crystal wind sculpture in a tree. It turned to Murdock and stared for a moment before it spoke. ‘Murdock?’ it asked.

  ‘I am. Welcome back.’

  The phoenix bowed slightly to the elf. ‘Thank you.’ It looked around the group again before continuing. ‘I have a memory – of Balthasar? Is he gone?’

  Grady answered quickly this time. ‘Definitely. We saw him being taken by the banshees.’

  ‘Did you find a body?’ asked the phoenix.

  ‘No. No sign,’ said Murdock. ‘But we don’t believe there is any more danger from him.’

  ‘Then we have all done well,’ said the phoenix. ‘Children,’ said the bird, turning back to Niamh and Grady. ‘I am sorry for what you had to go through, but you will see in time – it was the only way.’ Niamh and Grady stared back at the phoenix. ‘You don’t understand yet, do you. But you will.’

  ‘Understand what?’ said Niamh.

  ‘Another day. We have plenty of time to talk now, and no need to worry about Balthasar.’ The bird shook its feathers and rolled its head. ‘Thank you for your care,’ it said to Roland and McHavering. ‘What can I offer you as payment.’

  ‘I need nothing,’ said Roland. ‘It is thanks enough to see you enter this world. It was a rare sight, and a beautiful one.’

  ‘Then I shall grant you a call on my services at some point when you most need me. And you?’ it said, turning to McHavering.

  ‘There is nothing you can give me either,’ said the big man. ‘No one should receive two gifts from a phoenix. I won’t be greedy.’

  ‘Yes,’ said the phoenix. ‘Yes, you helped me last time as well, didn’t you? I have a memory but it is still cloudy. We will talk of it again − when I am stronger.’ The phoenix stretched its wings again and scooped up a few of the lightly glowing embers into its beak, guzzling them down. ‘I must go now,’ it said, before bunching its wings and leaping into the air. The crack of its wings sounded like a gunshot as the bird swept out of the stable door and into the air. Everyone in the stables raced outside as the bird disappeared out the door. They watched as it rose into the sky and then gasped as Iris roared and, leaping off the side of the building, let loose a tongue of flame that burst over the phoenix, illuminating it as it flew higher. The flame did no damage to the bird and, as the lancing blast of fire faded, it rose higher and higher in the evening sky with its coat now flaming brightly. The flames seemed to glow more intensely, and then with a flash of light the bird was gone.

  ‘Why did you do that?’ Grady silently asked Iris.

  ‘My gift to the phoenix, of course,’ came the reply.

  ‘You could have killed it!’ said Grady.

  ‘You need to learn more about the phoenix then,’ laughed Iris. ‘There is almost nothing I could do to that bird to damage it.’ The big dragon swooped low over the heads of everyone before thumping its wings one more time and sailing away into the deepening twilight gloom.

  ‘You two are very lucky,’ said Grace. ‘A royal phoenix egg hatching is rare – most people never ever get to see one.’

  ‘Then what was the phoenix saying to McHavering, about him being there last time?’

  ‘Your friend is older than you think, Grady,’ said Murdock, coming alongside them. ‘You of all people should know by now that appearances can be deceiving.’

  Niamh and Grady exchanged glances. More mysteries and more things they had not been told. What else had been kept from them, Grady wondered to himself.

  Grace could see the questions start to form in the face of Niamh and Grady. She quickly put her arms around the children and steered them back to the castle. ‘Come on, you two. You still need your rest. Hot chocolate and an early night, I think.’

  ‘Oh Mum,’ Niamh started to protest.

  ‘No complaints. Come on!’ Grace looked back over her shoulder as the children were given a push back up the path towards the castle. ‘Grab my broomstick?’ she said to Merritt, who nodded.

  As the children moved away Murdock came and stood beside Merritt.

  ‘Do you believe he’s truly gone this time?’ said Merritt.

  ‘I will believe it when I see the body. And even then I will not believe it until I see that evil spirit is taken to Tir na Nog and Manannan Mac Lir himself shows me the creature bound in his deepest cave.’

  ‘I really wish you hadn’t said that,’ said Merritt. ‘How much time do we have?’

  ‘Years – possibly. Months, certainly. Balthasar’s way back – if he can even find one – will be tough and he will be weak. But after what happened to the children in the vault – what we think happened – I don’t hold as many fears. In months they will be much stronger again and in not too many years there will be no one who can match them.’

  Merritt nodded. ‘They could have died in there,’ said Merritt quietly.

  ‘You knew what could happen, Merritt,’ said Murdock. ‘And you know what’s at stake. They had to find their own way and now it looks as though they have an ... unexpected ally in Quinn. He is stronger than anyone imagined. If things had gone differently, if Balthasar had not managed to kill his twin, then you would not be in this position now, but remember this was your plan. And you are only half done with it. This is what you said we should do, so this is what we must do. There is no going back.’

  Merritt laughed quietly to himself. ‘Going back. That’s just what the kids asked if they could do just a few days ago. Go home, to Avalon’s End.’

  ‘Home is where you and Grace are, Merritt,’ said Murdock. ‘You are their greatest strength. And their greatest weakness. Where you go so do they. And if you are weak then so will they be.’

  ‘I will be as strong as needed,’ said Merritt. ‘I will be.’

  ‘Come on now,’ said Murdock, trying to brighten up the mood and slapping Merritt on the back. ‘I think we can find something to celebrate the return of the phoenix with tonight, don’t you?’

 
Merritt threw his arm around the elf’s shoulder and smiled. ‘Of course we can.’

  Far overhead the cry of the phoenix rang out. The chiming voice seemed to lift the spirits of Merritt and he smiled as they started to walk back up the path to the brightly-lit castle.

  The children’s broomsticks touched down outside the gates of Rookwood Hall. It was their first day back after the events in the vault. Around them other children walked and ran through the entrance, some of them stopping to point before walking off in hushed conversations. News of what had happened up at the castle had been hard to contain. Rumours were rife and no one was exactly sure what had happened, but everyone knew it involved Niamh and Grady – whatever “it” may have been.

  ‘Ready?’ said Niamh to Grady.

  Grady took a deep breath and held his sister’s hand for a moment. ‘Of course,’ he said – the words simply arriving in Niamh’s head.

  Niamh smiled and the two children walked down the pathway to the school entrance. As they did, the rest of their gang ran out to meet them. Emily and Devin were the first to greet them with Bree and Hugh only footsteps behind.

  ‘Niiiaaammmhhh,’ squealed Emily, throwing her arms around Niamh in a big hug. Devin jumped onto them as a small scrum of children formed around them.

  ‘Watch out for that squealing, Emily,’ said Niamh, wriggling her ear to get over the welcome from her friend. ‘Remember, it’s only a short step from squealing to cackling.’

  ‘It’s soooo good to have you back,’ said Devin. ‘Now I don’t have to listen to Emily’s babbling during lunchtime anymore!’

  ‘That’s nice!’ said Emily, shoving her friend.

  ‘Hey Niamh, Grady,’ said a voice from behind them. The children turned to see Quinn standing a few feet away. No one had seen Quinn since the events in the vault. He had been kept away from everyone else. Some rumours said he was being held in the dungeons, other rumours suggested he had been spirited away from Avalon all together. But here he was standing taller than he had looked before. His clothes were tidier and neater than ever before, and his hair was cut differently, so instead of hiding his face behind his fringe it swept back opening up his face to the world.

  ‘Race you to the river, guys,’ said Bree, jumping onto her broomstick.

  ‘No, I think I’d rather stay here with Niamh,’ said Devin dreamily.

  ‘No Devin, I think you really need to race me to the river with the others, NOW,’ said Bree, more firmly nodding her head towards Niamh, Grady and Quinn.

  ‘Wha... oh yeah. Of course. I really feel like a race right now, actually.’

  The other children jumped onto their brooms and shot off – Bree letting out another cackle which was followed by a joint chorus of ‘Bree – No CACKLING’ from the others.

  ‘You’ve changed,’ said Grady, once the broomsticks had disappeared.

  ‘Yes. Well ... no point hiding any more,’ he said, shuffling. ‘It didn’t really seem to turn out that well for me last time – hiding behind things, that is.’

  ‘Murdock gave me this to give to you,’ said Niamh, reaching into her bag. ‘He said you’d be around today.’ She held out Quinn’s wand to him, handle first.

  ‘Thank you,’ he said, taking it gingerly and putting it straight into his blazer. ‘I wondered when I might get it back.’

  ‘It’s not like our wands,’ said Niamh. ‘Where did you get it?’

  ‘Promise not to tell anyone?’ said Quinn.

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘I made it myself.’

  ‘Yourself!’ said Niamh incredulously. ‘How? Why?’

  ‘I figured that if I had a wand that looked a bit strange, it would help with the whole image thing ... you know, crap wizard, crap wand. You must admit it did work, the image thing I mean.’

  ‘I didn’t even know we could make wands!’ said Grady. ‘Can you show me how to make them too?’

  ‘If you like,’ said Quinn quietly, smiling.

  ‘Do you know I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you smile?’ said Niamh.

  ‘Well, I haven’t had a lot to smile about before,’ said Quinn.

  ‘Well maybe we can help change that, then,’ said Niamh.

  ‘What will you do now?’ asked Grady.

  Quinn shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I’ve always had revenge on my mind and suddenly there’s no one left to take revenge on. Gilly once said, “Beware the man who realises his dreams”. I never really understood until now. I had a plan. And it might have turned out a bit strange, but I did manage to get revenge on the person who was responsible for killing my parents but ...’

  ‘But it’s not enough, is it?’ said Niamh. ‘I’m sorry you lost your parents, and your twin. It must be awful,’ she said, taking Quinn’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

  ‘It’s okay. Really,’ he said. ‘It’s not like I knew them. I have pictures of them somewhere round but Mum and Dad – the ones from here anyway – they’ve always been really good to me, so I don’t make a big thing of it. I don’t think I’ve been much of a son really. I haven’t, you know, given them much back.’

  ‘Maybe time to start now then?’ said Niamh.

  ‘Maybe,’ said Quinn, scratching at the gravel path with his foot.

  ‘You don’t know how. Do you?’ said Niamh.

  ‘Haven’t had much practice, really.’

  ‘Would you like some help?’ said Grady.

  Quinn stared at him for a moment. ‘What do you want in return?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Nothing? Everyone wants something,’ snorted Quinn.

  ‘Not everyone,’ said Niamh, smiling.

  ‘You know you people really aren’t from this world, are you,’ said Quinn. ‘Everything here comes down to how strong your own magic is – might is right.’

  ‘Might just leads to fights,’ said Niamh. ‘A great wizard told me that the real trick with magic is knowing when not to use it. That’s the mark of a truly wise wizard. Or witch.’

  ‘Sounds like a truly short-lived witch,’ said Quinn.

  ‘Well, as far as not doing magic when you can goes, you win the prize round here. You’ve been doing it for years,’ said Niamh.

  ‘Yes, but ...’ Quinn began.

  ‘No buts,’ said Niamh. ‘You know you’re a great wizard. All we need to do is watch our backs for each other.’

  ‘You know we three are probably stronger at magic than practically everyone at this school now?’ said Grady.

  ‘Who else do you think knows?’ said Quinn, turning to the face the school. Other children ran past them while broomsticks zipped above their heads.

  ‘Here at school?’ said Niamh. ‘Well, Ms Maladicta, obviously – she knows everything round here. Our teachers might – McHavering, for sure.’

  ‘Bree and Hugh,’ said Grady.

  ‘Definitely,’ said Quinn, turning red as he recalled what he had done to them.

  ‘Maybe one or two others?’ said Niamh. ‘But outside of the castle, not many.’ The children stood for a moment more before they heard the five minute warning bell ring for classes.

  ‘Better go,’ said Quinn, picking up his bag and walking towards the school. Niamh and Grady did likewise and together the three stepped across the lawn leaving footmarks where a light dew still sat on the grass. ‘Do you think he’s still out there ... somewhere?’ said Quinn.

  ‘Balthasar?’ said Niamh.

  ‘Of course,’ said Quinn.

  ‘Maybe.’

  ‘Then we really do need our backs watched, don’t we,’ said Quinn.

  As if in response the crystal chime cry of the phoenix rang out from high above. The children looked up but could see nothing. They shared a knowing smile and broke into a run towards the school doors. They knew with certainty that no matter where they were, help would always be close at hand

  Table of Contents

  A Few Notes on Pronunciation

  Prologue

  Chapter 1 The Watcher in the Forest
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  Chapter 2 Secrets & Legends

  Chapter 3 A Disappearing Act

  Chapter 4 Homeland

  Chapter 5 The Dragon’s Lair

  Chapter 6 A Werewolf in the House

  Chapter 7 The Dragon Master

  Chapter 8 A Library of their Own

  Chapter 9 Fitzhollow and Hooligan

  Chapter 10 Testing Times

  Chapter 11 The Library and the Lore Master

  Chapter 12 Azrael’s Twins

  Chapter 13 Broomsticks and Stories

  Chapter 14 The Principal Witch

  Chapter 15 Magic in the River

  Chapter 16 Battleground Breakthrough

  Chapter 17 Detentions and Danger

  Chapter 18 Blasting Spells and Dragon Dung

  Chapter 19 Viper Flight

  Chapter 20 The Counsel of Friends

  Chapter 21 The Festival of Samain

  Chapter 22 Dragon Race

  Chapter 23 A Question of Trust

  Chapter 24 Deception and Diversions

  Chapter 25 Secrets in the Vault

  Chapter 26 New Beginnings