by L. M. Abbott
Josh bent low against the wind, his head almost to his chest. “Is it much farther? I can hardly feel my feet.”
Pella turned right, counting as she moved, right once more and counted again, left, more counting, right again, counting, left and still more counting. She behaved in this manner until Cailean was dizzy. “Is this some sort of faery game?” she grumbled. “Where are you taking us?”
“I had to make sure Razuk didn’t discover the escape route by accident. He isn’t as stupid as he looks.” Pella indicated a huge tree just ahead with three massive trunks sprouting out in a W formation. The middle trunk contained a series of four small circular indentations arranged in a diamond shape. “That’s the way out.”
One foot suspended in the air, Pella swung her head right and left. A wail like a fog horn blasted through the forest. She froze. “It’s a capall. If we don’t move it may pass us by.”
“That won’t work,” Seamus said. “One’s already here.”
A black horse with red stripes snorted. The nostrils flared, blood shot eyes riveted on them. Grey scales dangled from the ends of the grey mane. Purple steam spouted from the large horn in the centre of its head. The capall drew back on its hind legs and opened its mouth, the lips black and thick like the tires on a toy bike. The horn noise blared.
All of Pella’s fingers twitched. “It’s calling the others.”
The capall’s head receded an inch into its neck and ejected purple mist through the horn.
“Run,” Pella cried. “The mist will paralyse you.”
“What will they do if they catch us?” Cailean asked taking refuge with Pella by the massive tree.
The faery moved to the centre trunk and placed the disc in each hole, starting at the top and going down the left side and up the right. A door formed in the middle trunk. “They’ll take you to their nest and feed you to their young.”
A spray of mist flowed towards Seamus. He dodged it and a second spray which immediately ensued. A third pursued him as he darted every which way to avoid it.
A grey plant sprang from the ground and wrapped around Josh’s ankles, dragging him into a mess of branches and leaves. The mist turned towards him. “I can’t move,” he shouted. The mist lowered, floating inches from him. Wind blew leaves in his face, the dust and debris clogging his eyes.
The mist dogging Seamus evaporated and he ran to Josh. A louder horn rang out. Another and another, closer and closer.
Pella pulled out the disc from the last hole and the door opened. “The rest of the capalls are coming. We have to go.”
“No,” Cailean said. “I can’t leave my friends.”
The mist above Josh dissipated and he managed to stand up. Seamus battled the wind to reach him, knife in hand and hacked at the plant which was tougher than leather. “It’s so dark,” he said. “I can hardly see.” The capall ejected another wave of mist.
Cailean ran to them. “Josh, get down.” He fell over like a sack of bricks on top of Seamus. Mist swooped over Cailean and she crumpled into a heap.
Three capalls galloped from the trees with horns bared. They charged, their angry cries a deafening pitch.
Pella’s scream drowned out every other sound.
Cailean woke up sitting against cool, hard earth. Her arms and legs were too heavy to move. She tried to speak but nothing came out. Her eyes couldn’t penetrate the eerie darkness.
“Is everyone still here?” She recognized Josh’s voice.
Pella clapped twice. Torches came on.
“Whoa,” Seamus said. “Can you teach me to do that?”
“This tunnel leads to Casfor,” the faery said. “No one, not even my brother, Wim knows of its existence. It’s a league long and took me many years to dig.”
Josh cleaned the dirt off his face with the tail of his t-shirt. “Why didn’t you tell us about the capall’s mist.”
Cailean coughed.
Seamus squeezed her hand as hard as he could. “Do you feel that?”
She moaned.
“The effects of the mist last ten minutes. Yours will wear off any minute now.”
“Not soon enough for me.” Cailean’s mouth felt like she’d bitten every inch of her tongue. Seamus helped her stand up. She wanted to hug both the boys but refrained. “I thought you two were gonners.”
“Seamus saved the day,” Josh said. Cailean heard no sarcasm. “He stuck a twig in one of the capall’s horn. Almost blew its own head off. The others seemed to get confused after that.” He shivered. “I nearly lost half my body in the tree’s doorway when it disappeared.”
Seamus smiled. “Pella came to the rescue and pulled him in at the last second.”
“It was nothing,” the faery said and proceeded down the tunnel. “We’ll come out behind the gainntir.”
“The gainntir,” Josh said. “Neola told us that was the place of safe keeping. It seemed more like a prison to me.”
Pella didn’t meet his gaze. “You’re right. It is my people’s word for prison, where the wolves have been trapped, starved, unhappy for decades.” She sped up, the tunnel narrowing as she advanced.
“It’s a tight squeeze,” Josh said, all forced to walk one behind the other. “If the tunnel gets any smaller I’ll get stuck.”
“Not to worry,” Seamus said. “I’ll give you a shove.”
Cailean caught up with Pella. “Why are the wolves imprisoned? And why did you help the white one?”
“To help her fulfill the riddle,” Pella said and rushed ahead. Cailean stared at the faery’s back, now more terrified of what awaited them on the other side.
Pella came to a dead end displaying the same pattern of circles as on the W shaped tree. “This is the exit. Listen carefully. As I’ve said, I don’t know the exact location of the deed in the Orga. Once you find it, leave Casfor immediately.” She looked at Cailean. “The river will return you home as before.”
Seamus stooped down to the faery’s eye level. “Why can’t you help us get into the golden building, I mean the Orga?”
Pella flushed and her eyelids drooped. “If I’m found out, Wim will be punished as well.”
“Before you go,” Cailean said. “Why do the fairies want to keep the deed from me?”
“Razuk will wonder where I am.” Pella placed the disc in the circles and opened the door. “Good luck and good bye,” she said and scampered away.
Seamus gave a quick once-over of the area. “There’s a fountain and brick fence. No fairies around.”
Josh fumbled in his pocket for a candy and crammed two in his mouth. “They’ll help me think better.”
Cailean closed the door and waited until it vanished. She moved along the side of the gainntir, and assured the street was deserted, eased out only to dart back. A male faery came out of a house across the road. He paused, flicked a finger against his chin and went back inside.
“Maybe he forgot something,” Seamus said.
“We can’t wait,” Cailean said. They made it to the end of the horseshoe road and ducked into an ally way.
“There’s not a soul about,” Josh said. “It has to be their dinner time.”
They continued on, taking cover beside houses and trees, skirting around fountains. The Orga stood high on the hill, big, strong, beautiful. “One more street to go.” Cailean said, coming up behind a fountain. A male and female faery talked together on a bench. Water sprayed all over Cailean and spilled into her mouth as she hunched low, not even daring to blink. Josh stood beside her, a finger under his nose. One of his sneezes would be fierce enough to shake the city.
The female giggled, stood up and pulled the male to his feet.
Please don’t look this way, Cailean thought.
As if the female had read her mind, she turned towards the fountain. The children remained motionless, clothes and hair soaking wet. The faery spoke to her companion and he glanced at the fountain.
“We have to run,” Josh mouthed.
“No,” Cailean mouthed in return.
The fairies chuckled, and arm in arm strolled down the road.
The children ran up the road onto the grassy path along the side of the Orga. Seamus collapsed against the building. “What was that all about? Those fairies acted like they didn’t see us.”
Josh doubled over gasping for air. “That’s a phenomenon to ponder later. How do we get into the Orga without being seen?”
“There’s a ton of windows,” Seamus said. “All too high, even if we stand on each others shoulders. Worse, I noticed before that none of the houses have back doors.”
“Maybe the Orga’s an exception,” Cailean said.
Two fountains faced each other behind the golden building, separated by a flower bed overflowing with a plant that had red and black petals. It looked a cross between a rose and a lily to Cailean. “Wait a second,” she said. “The front door wasn’t locked last time we were here and we didn’t see anyone until we met Wim. I think it’s worth a try.”
They made their way to the door, slipped inside and crept along the corridor. “This is all too convenient,” Josh said. “Casfor is practically deserted. Two fairies pretend not to see us and we walk into the castle without the slightest hassle.”
“I hate to admit it,” Seamus said. “Maybe Pella lead us into a trap.”
Cailean walked down the hall. “It’s a chance I’m willing to take.” They reached the room with the glass wall and she put her ear against the white door. “I don’t hear anything.”
“That doesn’t prove it’s empty,” Josh said. “Anyone could be in there, reading, writing or simply gazing out the glass wall.”
“And they might not,” Seamus said. “Only one way to find out.” He flung open the door. The clear bubbles on the ceiling shrank and expanded as before. Seamus looked up at the lanterns. Each one bore a lit candle. “Could the deed be hidden in one of those?”
“If it is,” Josh said. “It’s nothing but ashes now.”
The children started the search with the book case. Seamus picked up an emerald figurine of a capall. “Whoa,” he said as it changed shape. The horn on its forehead gave off a faint purple mist. He dropped it back onto the shelf.
Josh pulled out a book from the bottom shelf. “The deed might be in one of these.” He turned several pages. “I can’t read a word. Must be written in faery language. Oh, here’s one I recognize. Gainntir.”
Seamus snatched the book from him. “We’re here to find the deed, not read.”
Cailean turned a book upside down, shaking it. “This seems a bit obvious. And not much of a hideaway. Maybe there’s a secret compartment behind the bookcase.” Balls of dust carpeted the floor, a sure sign the case had remained stationary for years. They felt for any buttons or special levers, and finding nothing, checked under the table top and chair seats then hurried back into the corridor. A turn to the left brought them to a winding staircase. A purple carpet ran up the centre. The railing was made of marble and felt warm to the touch. At the top was another long corridor with yellow walls lined with lanterns. Purple doors ran the full length of both walls.
Seamus whistled softly. “There has to be at least twenty rooms.”
They decided to start at opposite ends and meet in the middle. Cailean went to the first door and listened for sounds from within. Seamus and Josh beat it down the hall. Satisfied no one lurked inside, she went into the room. It was bare with not one piece of furniture or picture on the wall. A single window looked out over the fountains and the odd red-black flowers. She heard door after door open and close in rapid succession. Cailean rushed into the hall.
“It’s no use,” Josh said. They’re all empty. Not even a curtain on the windows.”
Cailean checked her watch. “Four o’clock. In one hour, Mr. Murphy can start demolishing the forest. We’re never going to make it on time.”
Seamus headed for the stairs. “Three more floors to go.”
The next level consisted of bedrooms on one side, all exact duplicates of each other: bed fitted into a nook under the window, one lantern hung from the ceiling with a long chain and gold flecks along the top of the walls. A portrait of Neola graced the wall across from the bed. Cailean had the sensation the mirpha’s eyes followed her as she rummaged through, behind and under furniture. A kitchen contained pots sitting in a row on a long wooden table. Ovens fashioned from the stone walls looked like they’d never been used. At the end of the hall, five libraries were situated one next to the other. Neither one had a window. The lanterns caused the book covers to change colours with every flicker of the candles. The search yielded nothing and the children raced to the spiral staircase. It led directly up to a door.
“I’ll be happy if I never see another door again,” Seamus said.
Cailean put her ear to the wood before entering the biggest room she’d even seen. She was sure Loon Cove library would fit into one corner. Sunlight filtered in through a large diamond-shaped window just below the ceiling. The walls were painted dark red with black lines running from ceiling to floor. Stone shelves spread all the way around the room, crammed with figurines of dogs with elongated fangs, crows, ancient Roman soldiers with swords, and dragons with scaled wings. They changed position every few seconds.
The figurines turned towards the children. Josh didn’t take his eyes from them. “This is getting too creepy.” He kept his voice low.
A glass cabinet in the middle of the room housed a slender iron object lying on a cushioned marble slab. Cailean darted over. “That looks like a railway spike.” She turned the glass knob on the side of the cabinet and took it out. “1900 is engraved on the head. The same as the ones embedded in the Railway Rocks.”
Josh examined the spike. “Look. There’s also an outline of a face, one half is human, the other is an animal.”
Seamus took a look. “Could be a dog or a wolf. Why would the fairies have this?”
Sweat broke out on Josh’s forehead. “The cabinet wasn’t locked. Now I’m convinced this is a set up.”
“No way,” Seamus said. “We outsmarted the fairies is all.”
Cailean spied the figurines along the far wall. “I think we’re in trouble,” she whispered.
Josh backed into the glass cabinet. “We’ve got to get out of here right now.”
A soldier leaped from the shelf, its sword drawn. Another leaped to the floor beside it. A thump from the side signalled a third sailing off the shelf. More joined their comrades, forming a circle around the room. Once all the soldiers were in place, they grew taller, towering over the children.
“They’re not dangerous,” Seamus said. “Real soldiers don’t wear dresses under tin armour. And look at the women’s feathers in the helmets.”
“Don’t let that fool you,” Josh said. “Roman soldiers wore tunics like that and the armour was made of iron.” The men marched towards the children, swords extended, the tips sharp. The floor vibrated with each step. Josh buried his head in Cailean’s shoulder. “We’re dead.”
Chapter 17
Cailean slid the railway spike into her pocket. “Seamus is right. Those soldiers are only rock. They can’t really hurt us.”
“Tell them that,” Josh said. “Their swords look real enough to me.” His eyes roamed around the room. “The door’s blocked off.”
The soldiers advanced, the tap, tap of their leather boots on the floor even like a well-trained army. A soldier pulled a knife from its belt and hurled it towards the children. They dived to the floor as it spun over their heads and smashed into the case. The glass shattered and spattered across the room sounding like rain drops on a tin roof. The cushioned marble slab landed with a smack so close to Josh’s face, it grazed his cheek.
Seamus brushed glass from his hair. “I’ll distract the soldiers while you two go for the door.”
“No,” Cailean said. “That’s too risky. There must be something else we can do.”
“No time,” Seamus said, already on his feet and waving his arms in the air. “Come get me
.” He hollered and hooted, moving away from his friends. Soldiers changed direction and marched towards him, the strips of their iron armour clanging around their thighs as they gained on him. The helmets red feathers shivered. “That’s it, you bunch of empty heads,” Seamus jeered. “See if you can catch me.” He whooped and whistled, leading the stone men farther away from his friends.
Cailean and Josh dashed across the room, glass crunching under their feet.
The legion honed in on Seamus, swords raised. “Hurry,” he shouted. “I’m running out of room and they’re getting awfully close.”
Cailean tried the handle. It rattled but didn’t turn. “Someone’s locked us in.”
“No wonder the soldiers let us get this far,” Josh said. “They expected the door to be barred.”
The soldiers advanced on Seamus, and with a final stomp halted inches from him. He dodged a sword aimed at his upper body, but was nicked in the neck. He dropped and crawled between the legs of a soldier. Glass cut into his arms, spotting the floor with flecks of blood. He bolted to his friends before the soldiers had time to turn around. “We can’t outrun or outsmart them for much longer,” he said, dabbing at the blood on his neck.
The soldiers performed an about face and strode towards the children, backs straight, laced leather boots in unison once again, swords extended, blades glistening. Broken glass crunched into dust with each stride, rising like fog, coating the walls and the children. Josh blinked to clear his eyes. “We’ll be crushed into dust in a few minutes.”
Cailean felt the warmth on her as sunlight streamed in through the diamond-shaped window. The glass chips sparkled with a multitude of colours. Mere paces from the children the soldiers lowered their swords and rested the tips on the floor.
Only Josh’s irregular breathing was audible. “What are they waiting for?” he said.
Cailean watched the soldiers pack together, strong, confident. “They’re biding their time because they know we can’t get out.”
Seamus made a final attempt to open the door.
A smash from above and more glass showered down. The chocolate brown winged Newfoundland pony flew in through the window and landed next to Cailean. The grey pony swooped in and set down by Josh. The noise of rock grated against rock as the soldiers swung up their swords to a defence position in front of their chests.