Jack Shian and the Destiny Stone (3 page)

“Konan told us where Marco was. He said something else too, only Grandpa said it was just a story.”

“The Stone key?”

Jack nodded.

“It’s no story. In fact, it’s why your mother and I quarrelled.”

Jack took a deep breath.

“I know you want to ask about her. And it’s right you should know.”

“Grandpa told me she was … highly strung.”

Phineas’ laugh was hollow. “Well, that’s one way of putting it.”

He’s still got tears; but his eyes aren’t so happy now …

“Jack, I don’t know how much you know about families. They’re complicated; your mother certainly was.”

“Was?”

“Is, for all we know. Life in Rangie just didn’t suit her. She’d found someone else.”

“Who?” Jack clenched his fists.

“A human. She was going to leave.”

“Leave me too?” Jack’s voice was no more than a whisper.

“I don’t know. But she said she would leave me if I ever went to see Tamlina.”

“You knew Tamlina?” gasped Jack.

“I’d heard of her; and I’d heard she had something that makes the Shian stronger. The Raglan stone was a chance I couldn’t pass up.”

Raglan stone …
Jack’s mind raced. Tamlina had said that when she’d come out of her trance, the first time he’d seen her.

“The Raglan stone helps Shian to get stronger … but how?”

“I couldn’t tell you how it works. But it’s powerful. I wanted to show Father – your grandpa – that I could do something worthwhile. When Sheena found out, she said she would go.”

Sheena. Jack had almost never heard his mother called by her name. It had always been ‘your mother’. It was strange to think that she even
had
a name. So many things about his family were … uncomfortable.

“What about my sister? Is she … you know?”

Phineas laughed, heartily this time.

“Yes, she’s really your sister. But that’s all I know. You’ve both grown up without your father; and I’m truly sorry. I can try to make some of that up to you. As for Cleo, well I suppose she’s had her mother …” His voice trailed off.

Jack closed his eyes, hoping things would go away.

“Does Grandpa know all this?”

“About her human? No, I never told him.”

“Grandpa and Uncle Doonya just told me that she couldn’t cope after you’d gone. They looked everywhere, but couldn’t find her.”

“They wouldn’t have thought to look in the human spaces. She didn’t let that on to anyone. She was always very … secretive.”

“‘Sheena of the shadows’?”

“You heard that one, did you?” Another hollow laugh. “It’s what some people in Rangie used to call her.”

“So the Raglan stone would help you to become powerful?”

“Not me: I meant it for the Congress. I thought that would show your grandpa what I could do. But the Grey got to me before I could find Tamlina. And Tamlina didn’t have it when you last saw her, did she? Grandpa used the Pulviscin charm to cremate her; but the Raglan wouldn’t have burnt. I’m guessing Malevola took it.”

“But Rana finished Malevola off on the giant’s bridge at midsummer.”

“She’ll have taken it back to her own home – Tula. That’s why we’ve got to go there and get it back.”

“How hard’s that if Malevola’s dead?”

“She may be gone, but her cronies will be there. They’re Boaban Shee, Jack. That’s why we’ll need the charmed bandages.”

“Boaban Shee? They’re like vampires, aren’t they?”

“Sort of. They drain their victims’ blood; but they don’t bite them. They use their nails. That’s why the haemostat bandages are vital. And the swords – they can’t stand Shian steel.”

“Gilmore talked about a swordsman, just before you came. Is that you?”

Phineas stood, and adopted an
en garde
stance, imaginary sword in his right hand. Then, swiftly advancing, he cut and slashed the air, vanquishing make-believe enemies.

Then he stopped, puffing. Sweat trickled down his brow.

“I’m not as strong as I thought I was.”

He sat again.

Great
, thought Jack.
We’re about to take on vicious enemies, and he gets tired fighting the air.

“Don’t worry,” said Phineas. “We’ve a few weeks before we leave. Plenty of time for me to get fit again. And it’s the equinox tonight. That’ll help.”

“So where’s Tula, then?”

“Difficult to say. It’s off the north coast, but it’s almost impossible to find. It’s always covered in cloud, or fog. Some even say it moves around. But that’s where Malevola came from; and that’s where she’ll have hidden the Raglan stone, I’m sure of it.”

“Because it would make her powerful?”

“Some say it’s like the Destiny Stone in Edinburgh. It’s got a real power.”

“Shouldn’t we be concentrating on getting the Kildashie out of Edinburgh, then?”

“The Destiny Stone’s protected, Jack; the Kildashie may never work out how to get it. But if the Boaban Shee are using the Raglan stone, that’s bad.”

“If they keep it on their island, what’s the harm?”

“Sooner or later the Kildashie will get it. Remember they seem to be controlling the Thanatos: they can be very persuasive.”

Jack thought back to Tamlina’s ring, and the execution scene it had shown. He shuddered.

“Come on,” said Phineas, standing up again. “We’ll get some lunch. Then you’ve got lessons with Finbogie this afternoon, haven’t you? He’s going to show you lot something special today.”

Finbogie’s lesson
had
been good, even if it hadn’t been a one-to-one. Learning how to use a sword, now that had been cool. Rana and Lizzie showed some promise too, and Fenrig. Finbogie had stressed that this was just basics, but even in a few hours, Jack felt he had mastered them. He’d stayed practising for ages with Finbogie after the other apprentices had given up, and now resolved to show his father what he could do. After all, he was a swordsman too.

Jack strode from the field where they’d had their lessons, and made for the house, swishing the blade Finbogie had given him. He noted the activity outside the house as tables and chairs were set out, and garlands strung over branches, but as Jack stepped through the doorway his shouted ‘Hello’ got no response, and his enthusiasm faded. The island was so busy these days that it was unusual for the house to be empty.

Probably getting ready for tonight’s party …

Temporarily at a loss, Jack wandered along, examining the book shelves. So many books; how did they find time to read them all? He noted the wall-mounted season-wheel, which showed that they were indeed turning towards autumn. There was something reassuring about the wheel; it didn’t lie. His eye was caught by an old leather-bound tome. Picking it idly off the shelf, Jack sat down and flicked through.

This new section’s got a picture of an eagle. ‘In the beginning …’ But it’s near the end,
thought Jack.
And it’s long. It would take years to read this one.

He flicked further back. The people’s names were strange. Jack flicked on, trying to find something he recognised.
Ah! Something about a riddle, that should be good
.

“Out of the eater came something to eat …” Jack read aloud.

“It’s good to see you reading that.”

Jack dropped the book as he jumped up and turned to face Marco.

“I … I was looking for my father.”

“It’s all right.” Marco stooped down and picked up the old leather tome. “I don’t mind you reading. But take care of the books, please.”

Jack blushed, and avoided Marco’s gaze.

“Your father’s down at Trog’s Bay with Murkle. They’re practising their duelling. You can wait for him here. He shouldn’t be long.”

Jack sat down, and accepted the book from Marco.

“I think you’ll find you were … there,” said Marco, opening the book at the page Jack had been reading.

Jack was relieved when Marco left, and he resumed his reading.
Strange riddle … ah. There’s the answer. Huh?
Jack read back a bit, to find the start of the story.
A lion? Coincidence that, seeing as Marco’s a …

“
En garde!
”

Jack turned to see his father in the doorway, brandishing his rapier. He looked suddenly …
alive.
Proudly, Jack got up, and held his own sword ready, facing his father.

There was a blur, three sharp metallic twangs, and Jack felt his sword fly out of his hand.

“I couldn’t resist that,” laughed Phineas.

“You don’t look so tired now.”

“I can feel the equinox coming; it’s healing me. I’m glad to see Finbogie has started you on some useful stuff.”

“He’s already taught me loads of useful stuff,” pouted Jack. “But the swords are cool. He said we would need them against the Boabans.”

“That’s only half of it,” replied his father. “You need to be able to use the sword, but to banish them you have to …”

“Cut off their feet, and use some kind of hex. Finbogie told us.”

“Did he teach you the hex?”

Jack shook his head.

“Well, I’ll teach you that soon. Maybe when we’re travelling. It’ll take some time to get there. We’ll need to teach you the hexes for Cu-shee as well.”

“The Black Dog of the North? Gilmore showed me the bandage hex.”

“That’s for the wounds they cause; you need to know how to fight them too. They don’t like Shian steel either. We’ll cover that when we’re sailing.”

“Are you coming on the boat with us?”

“I’m sure I’ll be strong enough in a month’s time.”

Jack thought back to how tired his father had become just fighting the air. A gruelling sea journey, with vicious enemies along the way, seemed a tall order. Still, he seemed to believe he would get better.

Supper was eaten as the falling sun neared the horizon. The whole Shian congregation were present, now about 100 in all. By the gloaming hour, the revellers sat replete, wistfully watching the darkening sky.

“Friends,” called Marco, “you are all most welcome to this equinox feast. I know that some of you felt we did not celebrate midsummer properly. I hope tonight has gone some way to making up for that.”

A whoop of delight from Rana.

“I am also aware that many of you are keen to reclaim your homes from the Kildashie and their allies. I would ask Kedge to bring us news of the situation.”

Jack blinked hard. In all the excitement of the party he hadn’t even seen Kedge … but there was no sign of Ploutter. He hadn’t seen either of them since their jaunt in the High Street more than a year earlier.

“I am Kedge, from Rangie, near Edinburgh.” Kedge’s voice was faint. “The Kildashie have the city in terror. No Shian is safe; and the areas outside the city are nearly as bad. It’s been freezing since the Kildashie took over.”

His clothes tattered, and his right arm hanging limp by his side, he cut a pathetic figure.

“Tell them what happened.” Luka spoke gently.

“They caught me trying to get into Cos-Howe with my brother. Sometimes they use Thanatos to give out punishments. They tied me to a chair; then they took Ploutter …” He paused a moment and took a deep breath. “They sat him in front of me, and put his eyes out. Then they took a sledgehammer …” He sobbed, his shoulders heaving.

“Urrgh!” Lizzie covered her face at this picture of torture.

Jack felt his scalp go cold. He’d seen this … or some of it: when he’d looked at Tamlina’s ring. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry.

“I never liked Ploutter,” whispered Rana, putting her arm around her sister’s shoulder. “But no one deserves that.”

“What the Thanatos did to Ploutter has been done to many others. They
are
a vicious enemy, fearing only the death that awaits them in Sheol.” said Marco.

“Murkle told us about Sheol once,” said Jack. “It’s Shian hell. And if you’re nearly dead when you’re sent there, you’ll die, soul and all.”

“The Kildashie,” continued Marco evenly, “seem to have turned the seasons back.”

“Then how’d we get them out?” shouted Ossian.

“Only with the right force, and at the right time.” Marco spoke evenly. “You will need many more to have any chance of regaining your homes.”

“But they have the Tassitus charm,” yelled a voice.

“Perhaps,” replied Marco evenly. “They
are
strong, have no doubt of that. And especially in the bitter cold, for that is their element.”

“More friends are coming from Ireland,” announced Enda. “In the next few weeks they will teach you about life on a boat. Some of us will sail to the north islands.”

“Seven boats will go north,” stated Marco. “Their fate will determine when others can go to the mainland. As you all know, certain feast days are more auspicious.”

“Who’s going by boat?” demanded Ossian. “And what kind of tasks will they have?”

“Those who are being considered will know soon enough, for they will have to undergo training. But your knowledge of some of the island Shian will be valuable.”

Jack wondered about getting up and repeating what his father had said about Tula island; but a stern look and a slow shake of the head from his father changed his mind.

What’s he got to hide?
thought Jack
. We’re all in this together, aren’t we?
He resolved not to mention his vision of Ploutter’s death – for now.

“Your first stop will be Nebula,” stated Luka. “There you must consult the Hebseelie Court, for with their help you will find other allies.”

“Where’s Nebula?” hissed Petros. “Sounds bloody uncivilised to me.”

Jack shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t care where it was; just so long as they got going; but he could sense Petros’ reluctance.

“Those who sail north will begin training tomorrow,” stated Marco. “Your enemy is formidable; but know too that you have right on your side.”

“The next few weeks will be tough,” added Enda sternly. “Only those who prove themselves, and those with a special role to play, may come.”

I’m not missing out on that,
thought Jack.

“And now,” proclaimed Luka, “I see that the merging of day and night is almost upon us. Would Phineas please come forward?”