by Helen Harper
Barbie whinnied in agreement.
‘Lookee, lookee,’ Lily hummed.
‘Of course,’ I grumbled, ‘people generally liked Luke. No-one bullied him. He was a hero.’
‘Gale Adair was a hero,’ Lily said.
I froze. ‘Was he?’ I asked carefully. ‘Can you explain why?’
She gazed at me, her expression reflecting a clarity I’d not seen since we set off yesterday. ‘He saved people,’ she said. ‘They say he didn’t but he did. He was a good man.’
I stared at her. Unlike everyone else I’d seen so far, her aura was continually changing colour like a kaleidoscope. Right now, there were shimmers of blue not all that different to those I’d seen for Speck. It was frustrating that I had this key to people’s souls and I still couldn’t unlock it. ‘What happened, Lily?’
‘He was betrayed, Chieftain. Make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to you.’ Her aura changed again, settling into a cloudy white.
‘Lily,’ I hissed, ‘this is important. How was he betrayed?’
She placed her finger to her lips. ‘Shhh,’ she said. ‘There are ears. Ears of corn. Bunny ears. Big ears.’ She winked.
I looked up and noticed that both the Kincaids and the Darrochs had twisted round in their saddles and were frowning at us. I clenched my fists – and my entire body tightened. Barbie, sensing the movement and misinterpreting it, abruptly sped up into a canter. She narrowly avoided Diana Darroch’s huge bay gelding and made a beeline for Byron’s black monster. I tried in vain to pull her up but I guess his swishing tail just looked too tempting to eat.
Byron’s horse was unimpressed. He swung his round to take a bite out of Barbie.
‘Hey! Leave my horse alone!’ Okay, she started it but still, he was at least double her size.
‘Then keep your pony under control,’ Byron hissed.
Aifric smiled. ‘Help her out, Byron.’
Byron muttered something under his breath and pulled back. ‘You’re still doing it all wrong,’ he observed calmly, although the dark jade in his eyes suggested he was feeling something different.
‘Frankly, it’s a miracle I’m doing it at all.’ I rubbed my aching arse for good measure. ‘I don’t understand why anyone bothers with all this horse malarkey.’
Byron pulled up his reins, bringing the stallion to a halt. Barbie, of course, kept going. I twisted my head. ‘What are you doing?’
Byron’s eyes were fixed on my bum. ‘Curvy. You have some padding there.’ He scratched his chin. ‘It can’t be that sore.’
I glared at him. ‘Wanker.’ Was he deliberately trying to get a rise out of me?
There was the faintest grin. He nudged his horse forward again and gestured at the horizon. ‘Look at all that. Why wouldn’t anyone want to do this?’
I followed his finger. We were surrounded by undulating hills, each one cloaked in a myriad of colours, greens and browns and even purples. I focused on one distant patch of wild thistles. Even from here, the colour mimicked the aura around Byron’s head.
‘Okay,’ I conceded. ‘It’s pretty.’
He was watching me. ‘It’s more than pretty,’ he said quietly.
I sucked in my breath. One minute he was all snarly and the next minute he was flirtatious. I didn’t understand him at all.
‘I’m sorry I was so touchy yesterday,’ he continued. ‘You have an uncanny knack for winding me up.’
I shrugged. ‘Hey, I guess I have a gift after all.’
He still didn’t look away. ‘Whatever impression Tipsania might have given you, we’re not romantically involved. We’re just friends.’
I raised my eyebrows and thought of the necklace. ‘Perhaps you should tell her that.’
‘She knows.’
I wasn’t so sure about that.
‘I’m single, Integrity.’ His eyes glittered. ‘For now.’
There was a tight knot in the pit of my stomach. I cleared my throat and pointed at Barbie. ‘Aren’t you going to tell me what I’m doing wrong? It would be nice to be able to stand up when I get to the Foinse.’
For a moment he didn’t answer. I was about to repeat my words when he finally said, ‘Sure.’
Other than the mechanics of riding, he didn’t say anything else for a very long time.
Chapter Twenty One
It was around eleven when the path we were following began to narrow. Although I was more comfortable astride Barbie after Byron’s help, I could still feel tension across my neck and shoulders. Every time I turned round, either the Kincaids or the Darrochs were spitting silent venomous looks in my direction. Once the Foinse was fixed, I definitely wasn’t going to stick around to find out whether they would make a move on me. It might be paranoia but they certainly appeared to hate me enough to want to get rid of me for good after I’d served my purpose.
Forced into single file, we meandered down the valley. With our goal getting ever closer, everyone dropped into a meditative silence. Even Lily ceased her humming. I supposed it made sense; this was a pilgrimage that no one had completed for years because of the difficulty in getting together at least four different people from four different Clans to make it. For once, I wasn’t at a disadvantage; I didn’t think anyone knew what to expect.
The path gradually changed from worn dusty grass to sharp stones. The horses were forced to slow down and pick their way down carefully. It seemed to suit Barbie; for once she wasn’t at a disadvantage. As the sides of the valley grew narrower, however, I wondered if her wide girth would make it. I could feel claustrophobia setting in when the slopes at either side became so steep that the blue sky was nothing more than a strip above our heads.
We eventually emerged into a small circular clearing, deep within the hills. The cliffs were just as craggy and foreboding and the atmosphere remained oppressive. All the same, a wash of relief overtook me. It wouldn’t be long now.
The others jumped lithely off their horses. I stayed where I was. I wasn’t convinced that, even with Byron’s helpful advice, I’d be able to walk without bowed legs. I was going to take my time.
‘Look,’ Diana Darroch said softly, pointing ahead. ‘There it is.’
I frowned. ‘It’ was another gap in the landscape leading to another narrow passageway, almost identical to the one we’d just left. The only difference was that this one was even darker and even more of a tight squeeze. I eyed the gap then glanced at Barbie. There was no way she’d fit. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I would fit.
Malcolm strode forward, halting right in front of it. He placed his palm flat against the air. That was when I saw what had really grabbed the attention of the others. There was a ripple in the air, almost like heat rising – but this was Scotland in October. It might be a sunny day but it was still damned cold.
As I watched, he pushed his hand further in. It was as if he was pressing against a vast, invisible force. He shivered and quickly withdrew.
‘We’re here,’ he announced. ‘I can feel it.’
My skin prickled and when I glanced down, I saw goosebumps on my arms.
‘We shall have to leave the horses here,’ Aifric said.
‘How far is it to the Foinse?’ I asked. If it was going to be a long hike, I wasn’t sure my aching muscles would make it without a hot bath and long massage first. I looked at Byron. Perhaps he could…
‘I don’t know,’ Aifric replied. ‘A few hours, I expect.’
‘We should eat first,’ Diana said. ‘Then we can leave the rest of our supplies here.’
He pursed his lips. ‘Good idea.’
Byron walked past me. He was whistling and carrying some wood which he must have collected from the campsite. He turned up and gave me an arch look. ‘You’re going to have to get off sometime,’ he said. His mouth curled up in a smile. ‘Barbie needs the rest. Would you like some help?’
I had a sudden vision of falling on top of him because I couldn’t hold my own weight any more. He’d definitely be carrying some wood then, I’d straddle his ches
t. It would be similar to our position in the penthouse – except the ground was hard and there was an audience.
‘It’s fine,’ I sniffed. ‘I can manage.’ I looked helplessly round and caught Lily’s eye.
She beamed at me and danced over. Byron’s smirk grew then he continued on his way.
‘How are you, Chieftain?’ she asked.
‘I’m okay, Lily but I might need a bit of help getting down. I’m rather stiff.’
‘I wouldn’t worry about it too much,’ Malcolm interrupted. ‘I’m sure after the Foinse is opened, you won’t feel any pain at all.’
Lily and I stared at him. I licked my lips. ‘And why is that?’
He gave me a long look filled with cold amusement. ‘It’ll be so reinvigorating that’ll you’ll forget all about your aches.’
Or I’ll be an unfeeling corpse, I thought. I’d received his message loud and clear. I glanced at Aifric who was murmuring to William, the Kincaid Chieftain. Would he step in? Would Byron?
‘Give me your hand, Chieftain,’ Lily said. ‘I’ll help you.’
I realised that her aura had changed again. It was a crisp green that reminded me of spring. ‘Are you sure? I don’t want to squash you.’
She flexed her muscles. ‘I feel very strong.’ She tapped her head. ‘And the cobwebs have gone. It’s good here.’
‘It’s the Foinse,’ Diana said. ‘It’s affecting her.’
I heard Byron grunt. ‘It’s affecting me too. I can’t light the fire.’
We turned to him, watching him flick his fingers. No matter what he did, nothing worked. He grinned ruefully. ‘Does anyone have a lighter or some matches?’
Aifric grimaced. ‘I was afraid of this.’
I watched them warily. ‘Afraid of what?’
‘We’re too close to the Foinse. Its hold here is too strong. Our Gifts won’t work.’
Diana’s brow furrowed. ‘How are we going to fix it then?’
‘There will be a way,’ Aifric said.
‘How do you know?’
‘Because there has to be,’ he replied simply.
Tension uncoiled deep within me. How could this have happened? How could they be so poorly prepared that they’d not thought about this eventuality? It was beyond ridiculous.
I made an effort to get off Barbie and swung one leg round. Sharp needles of pain shot through my legs and I thought better of it.
‘You should never walk into something without knowing what the possible outcomes are!’ I said, throwing my hands up in the air even though it made me wobble dangerously and almost fall off the saddle. ‘We might make the Foinse worse instead of better! I put my trust in you lot. I thought you knew what you were doing!’
‘Shut that bitch up,’ the Darroch Chieftain muttered.
In a flash, Byron was in front of her. ‘Don’t call her that. She didn’t have to come here and help us.’
Actually, I kind of did, Byron. You forced me into it.
‘Yeah,’ sneered Malcolm, ‘you don’t want to annoy her. She might go nuts just like her father and murder us all.’
‘That’s enough!’ Aifric roared. ‘I understand tensions are running high but this is neither the time nor the place! We have far greater things to worry about. This young lady has endured two attempts on her life and yet she’s still here. Do you remember when you found the adder in your bed, Dorienne? You didn’t leave your lands for a year after that! She’s here helping and she’s braver than the lot of you.’
I felt flustered at the attention and unhappy that my outburst had caused a scene. All these Sidhe wankers – myself included – had a lot of pent-up frustration. Maybe I should recommend yoga?
‘We’ll go to the Foinse and see what the situation is,’ Aifric continued. ‘If we can’t fix it without our Gifts, then at least we can try to understand what the problem is. If we need to go back to the Cruaich and re-group then that’s what we do.’
I was alarmed. I didn’t want to spend any longer among this lot than was necessary, even if a delay meant there was less likely to be another attempt to kill me. Besides, if I stuck around to find out what had really happened to my parents and the rest of the Adair Clan, I wanted it to be on my terms, not because I was forced to wait for someone to come up with a solution for the Foinse.
I looked at their faces. There was a lot of anger towards me, bitterness towards Aifric and resignation that our quest was already doomed. Taylor was a great believer in positive thinking when it came to heists. If we walked into a job thinking we were going to fail, then we would. What was needed around here was some optimism.
I drew in a breath. ‘I’m sorry. I spoke out of turn. I am sure that our combined intellect can find a way to restore the Foinse. You guys are the best and brightest of your Clans. Of course we can do this.’
‘Go Chieftain!’ Lily yelled.
I winced at the sour expressions on the faces of the Kincaids and Darrochs. Yoga was out and a group hug was probably not a good idea, either. We needed something – however temporary – to band us together.
‘Let’s take a photo!’ I burst out. ‘All of us together. Then we’ll have it for posterity.’
There were a few grumbles. ‘Good idea,’ Byron said briskly. ‘Do you have a camera?’
Shite. I thought quickly. ‘No, but I’ve got my phone.’ I dug it out of my pocket. ‘You lot get together and I’ll take it.’
Lily shook her head solemnly. ‘No, Chieftain. I will not travel any further from here, so I’ll take the photo. The Saviours of the Foinse together!’
The others looked at Aifric. He smiled and nodded. ‘Come on then.’
I slid down from Barbie, using Lily as a crutch to stop my knees from giving way. Then I handed her the camera. Aifric took centre stage and placed his arms round the shoulders of the Darroch and the Kincaid Chieftains. Their smiles were fixed and forced – but at least there were smiles.
Diana and Malcolm joined in. I stood awkwardly to the side until Byron beckoned me. He placed his arm round my waist and grinned. Malcolm leaned as far away from my body as possible. Subtlety was clearly not his thing.
‘What did Cinderella say when she left the photo store?’ I asked Malcolm. Byron’s arm tightened. I tried to ignore the way he drew me closer and that his hand was holding me possessively.
‘Everyone say cheese!’ Lily said.
‘Some day my prints will come,’ I said, pasting on a huge smile. ‘Cheese!’
We posed. Diana extricated herself from the group and grabbed the phone to examine the result. ‘It’s good,’ she declared. ‘We’re beautiful people.’
Byron and I exchanged amused looks. I shrugged, banking down the desire to stay where I was. He still smelled far too good. I pulled away, gave the photo a cursory glance and tucked the phone back into my pocket.
‘I’ll make sure you all get copies,’ I promised. ‘Or we could set up a Foinse Facebook page. Every year we could meet back here and have a reunion.’
‘Don’t push your luck,’ Malcolm muttered. Aifric shot him a warning look.
‘Is there any food we can eat before we set off that doesn’t require cooking?’ he enquired.
Diana rummaged around in her bag. ‘I’ve got fruit.’
‘Perfect. Ten minutes, fill your stomachs and then we shall depart. Lily, you are content to stay behind and look after the horses?’
She nodded eagerly. The animals didn’t look particularly thrilled. I leaned over and massaged my aching thighs, willing some life back into them. I had the feeling I was going to need it.
Chapter Twenty Two
The first up were the Kincaids. They conferred briefly and then Malcolm walked up to the shimmering barrier. Everyone else took several respectful steps backwards, including William. Just to be certain I couldn’t be accused of listening out for his true name, I shuffled as far away as possible and stuck my fingers in my ears, but I still watched carefully. I wanted to see how this worked.
With his back t
o us, Malcolm leaned in. I could tell from his shoulders that his breath had quickened and he was feeling more nervous than he wanted us to know.
There was a sudden, blinding flash of light and a faint chiming ring. Something wriggled in my inside pocket. I gritted my teeth.
‘I hadn’t realised there would be light like that as well,’ Diana said to Aifric.
I cursed inwardly. Thanks a lot, Bob. The genie continued to wiggle around as Malcolm turned round and looked at me suspiciously. I folded my arms to try and prevent Bob making a bid for freedom and smiled.
Malcolm sniffed. ‘The Kincaid key has done its job,’ he intoned, spreading his arms wide.
I rolled my eyes at the melodrama and, taking my place at the rear, followed the others in. I looked back at Lily. She beamed and waved at me. ‘See you soon,’ I called. Or so I hoped.
Bob took advantage of my momentary distraction and shoved his way upwards, appearing at my collar before hopping down my arm.
‘I’m bored,’ he mouthed.
I glared at him and tried to grab his tiny body. He danced away. ‘Get lost!’ I hissed.
William Kincaid, directly in front of me, turned and frowned. I tried to smile at him but it came out as a grimace. He turned back, fortunately without noticing Bob, who was stretching languidly.
I lunged for the genie and he leapt backwards.
Trying to convey the importance of the situation to him, I glowered and put my finger to my lips. He smirked and nodded, then lifted his hands to mimic a rolling camera. Eh?
He held up two fingers. Exasperated, I realised he was playing charades. I tilted my chin, pointedly ignoring his antics. When he finally worked out I wasn’t going to play, he tutted loudly, making Kincaid turn round again. I took advantage of the moment, seized Bob’s squirming body, then thrust him behind my back.
‘Sorry,’ I apologised. ‘I almost slipped.’
‘Don’t you dare fall into me,’ he hissed.
I started to nod, just as there was a painful nip on my index finger. I let out a cry. This time everyone turned round.
‘Is everything alright?’ Aifric called out from the front.