John Lenahan - Shadowmagic

I have seen people who were depressed and down on their luck, but I had never seen a truly broken man before. The man who entered the room was in bad shape.

‘This is Brone from the village of More,’ Lorcan said.

‘I know Brone,’ my father said. ‘You run the Riverside Inn-I have fished there.’

Brone perked up a bit when he saw Oisin but then the weight of his news pushed back on his shoulders and he looked down. ‘It’s gone, Lord Oisin, all gone.’

‘What is gone, Brone?’ Dad asked gently. ‘The inn?’

‘Everything, my lord.’ I didn’t think he was going to say anything more, but then he gathered what little strength he had and went on. ‘A week ago I was upriver fishing when I heard an awful sound, and then a wave came that threw me out of my boat. A wave came upriver! I never heard of such a thing. My boat was damaged, so I had to walk back to the village, but when I did-it was gone. At first I thought I was lost but I was not-I was home. Not one stone was left on top of another. Everything-everyone, gone.’ Brone could speak no more. A soldier caught him before he could fall and led him out of the room.

Dad looked to Lorcan for confirmation. Lorcan nodded yes.

‘Why would he do this? Why destroy a village as peaceful as More?’ Dad said as he sat heavily into a chair.

‘I think it was a simply a test,’ Lorcan said.

‘A test for what?’ Dad said, smashing his hand on the table. He looked at Lorcan with daggers in his eyes and then composed himself.

‘For this.’ Lorcan unrolled a sheet of paper on the table. It was obviously printed plans of Castle Duir, as seen from above. Around the castle was a thick circle in red ink with thinner lines circling under the castle and then back into the outside circle. It was obvious even to me what it was.

‘You are saying that Cialtie is going to circle the whole castle with a circular amulet?’ Dad asked.

‘We think he is almost finished,’ Lorcan said.

‘That is why he was hoarding all of the gold,’ Gerard said, understanding. ‘Can you imagine how much gold it must have taken?’

‘I saw this in a Shadowcasting, but I didn’t know what it was,’ Mom said in a faraway voice. ‘How could I know? How could I imagine anyone would do such a thing?’

‘Let me get this straight,’ I said. ‘If Cialtie sets this off, he kills any army attacking the castle-right?’

‘If Cialtie sets this off,’ Nieve replied, ‘it could destroy all of The Land and everything in it.’

‘Is there any chance of getting another boarburger?’ I asked the Imp that was serving food. He replied with the customary blank look I seemed to get from everyone around here when I tossed in a Real World reference.

I was delighted to sink my teeth into some meat. The Fili food was amazing but I was tired of nuts and berries. The Imps had barbecued a couple of dozen boars. They were so good it made me think that McDonald’s should have McBoar on the menu. Araf, Fergal and I were chowing down, while most of the others were having high-powered meetings: Essa was off with Nieve, and Mom and Dad were with Gerard. After my second burger I spotted Essa walking among the ruins and excused myself.

I found her standing alone, staring at the stained-glass window of the woman sitting in the hazel tree. She saw me and quickly turned away, wiping her eyes.

‘Hey, are you OK?’ I said.

‘Yes,’ she said, putting on a brave face, ‘it’s just this place. How would you say it?- It freaks me out.’

I laughed, and so did she, but it was a bit strained.

‘Are you sure that’s all?’ I asked.

She looked away and didn’t answer.

I took her hand in mine and said, ‘It will be alright.’

She turned and looked at me, but I still couldn’t read her expression. ‘So you have become an oracle, have you?’

‘I have talents you can’t even begin to imagine,’ I said, flashing a smile that I learned from Fergal.

And then the strangest thing happened. She threw herself into my arms and kissed me-hard. It wasn’t a tender kiss. It wasn’t even passionate-it was almost desperate. Then she turned and started to run off, saying, ‘I can’t do this.’

I grabbed her arm before she could go. When was I going to learn never to grab Essa when she wanted to leave? She did her customary anti-attack manoeuvre-which meant I ended up on the ground, with her holding my arm behind my back in an extremely unnatural position.

‘Ow, ow, ow,’ was about all I could say.

‘We have a battle to prepare for,’ she said, letting me go, and stormed off.

‘Hey!’ I shouted after her. ‘You kissed me, remember?’

I sat there, rubbing my arm, and thought about Sally. She may not be as beautiful as Essa, but at least she was less painful.

‘Girl trouble?’ It was Dad, with a smile on his face, the first smile I had seen him wear since he heard about what Cialtie was doing.

‘Are all the women in The Land that fiery?’ I asked.

‘The good ones are,’ he said and helped me up. ‘I’m just about to meet with Lorcan. I think you should be with us.’

Lorcan and his generals were standing around the table, looking at the map of Castle Duir. They all came to attention when Father and I entered the room.

‘Lorcan, your army is not large enough to breach Castle Duir.’

‘It must be, my lord, we have to attack before Cialtie completes his circle of gold.’

‘How do you know it is not finished already?’

‘We must assume it is not. If it is finished-all is lost.’

‘We must assume that the circle is complete, but all is not lost. Cialtie thinks his weapon is a secret and therefore has not bothered to guard it sufficiently. Deirdre says that the perimeter of the castle is only patrolled by a single troop of Banshees.’

‘That is so.’

‘I assume you have some goldsmiths in your ranks.’

‘Half of my army are Leprechauns, my Lord, they know how to work gold.’

‘Give me ten of your most trusted goldsmiths. Cialtie’s ultimate defence may prove to be his downfall. Can your army be ready to march at dawn?’

‘It can, my lord.’

‘Can you make Castle Duir in two and a half days?’

‘We can.’

‘Good. Deirdre, Nieve, Conor, Fergal, Essa, Araf and myself shall try to gain entrance to the castle on the morning of the third day. If all goes well, my brother will open Castle Duir for you.’

‘And if all doesn’t go well?’ I said, and instantly regretted it.

‘Then,’ Dad said with a sigh, ‘there won’t be anyone left to worry about it.’

That night Gerard opened several barrels of his finest wine.

‘Remember when Cialtie came to visit me a little while back?’ Gerard said as he tapped another barrel. ‘Well, he came in person to complain about the quality of the wine I was sending him.’

‘What a jerk,’ I said.

‘No,’ Gerard said, ‘he was right to complain. I have been sending him swill for years. This is the good stuff, but I can’t let him have it. It shall go to people who deserve it.’

All of the army got at least a cup. It wasn’t a celebration, it was more like a ceremony-something solemn.

That night I had another dream. Dad’s right hand was on fire. I tried to run to him but I couldn’t move. I was forced to watch him burn as I was frozen solid.

Lorcan woke me at dawn. ‘Good morning, Lorcan the Leprechaun,’ I said, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

‘I would appreciate it if you stopped calling me that.’

‘Sorry, General, what can I do for you?’

‘Why did you not tell me you were a prince of oak and hazel?’