Shadowmagic - Sons of Macha (42 page)

‘I think, Dahy,' Lugh said, ‘I think I am going to kill you with your own blade.' Lugh reached through the wind tunnel he had created and grabbed the handle of the hovering knife. That was the last anybody saw of him. Dahy had made the handle of the knife out of Connemara marble. The moment the oracle touched it, he got old real fast and the dust he instantly became blew away in the last breeze he ever made. Then lots of things happened all at once.

The first thing was the arrows. As soon as Brendan saw Lugh dust it, he let the arrows fly. Since I had no idea what the game plan was, I decided to make sure I got the Connemara Druids back to the safety of the castle walls. From above it might have looked like I was running away but the reason these people were here was me. I didn't want perforated Irishmen and Irishwomen on my conscience.

A huge Banshee battle scream rose from the army. I had to cover my ears but as I looked to the Irish Druids they were all pointing and smiling. I looked back and saw the Banshees in full retreat. Then I heard more screaming – this time less Banshee-like. I looked to the north side of the castle and saw Jesse riding in front of the entire Brownie army as they charged at the now retreating Banshees.

The reason why Banshees are such good warriors is that they have that sixth sense that tells them when they are going to win. Conversely when they are going to lose, they know that too. King Jesse and the Brownies joining the side of the good guys was too much for them – they scampered.

A Banshee scream from Cialtie's sorceress made me turn. She was throwing sparks and fire from her fingertips but Nieve and Mom were repelling it until it backfired on the sorceress and she was blown off her feet. Dahy walked up to Macha who smiled seductively at him. He unceremoniously clocked her in the head with his banta stick.

Dad drew his sword and came for Cialtie. For a guy who had just lost two armies, a ghost army and a god, he didn't look as worried as he should have been. As Dad approached he just stood there with his hands at his sides. If it was me I think I would have stabbed him right then and there but Cialtie knew his brother. Dad placed the edge of the blade at Cialtie's chest. There was still so much noise around I didn't hear what Cialtie said. I watched his lips move and I saw the shock on my father's face. Then I saw him mouth ‘
Rothlú
', and he was gone.

Essa ran up and hugged me. ‘Are you all right?'

‘Yes,' I said incredulously. ‘It looks like we all are. This is the strangest war I have ever been …' I didn't get to finish that statement due to the huge wet kiss that she planted on my lips. I guess now that the war between Duir and the Banshees was over, so was the war between Essa and me. In both conflicts – peace felt good.

Jesse galloped up to us and performed an impressive moving dismount from his horse Fluffy. I bowed my lowest bow and he did the same.

‘King Codna,' I said.

‘Prince Conor,' he replied and then ran and gave me a very un-royal-like hug.

‘Thanks for coming back, Jesse.'

‘It wasn't me – it was them,' Jesse said, pointing to his troops who were still chasing Banshees out of the field. ‘With each step home, the angrier my people became. After a night at camp my commanders came to me and said they wanted Cialtie and his Banshees to pay for deceiving them.'

‘Duir thanks you all,' I said, bowing again.

‘Aw, any excuse to see my old friend Conor.'

What minutes before had been a battlefield began to resemble a family outdoor barbecue. Brendan came down and was snogging Nieve. I saw Dahy carrying Macha into the castle fireman style. I know it's not right for a grandson to think like this but after what she did to Ruby, I hoped they put her into that smelly dungeon that I was in the first time I got here.

Mom and Nora were on either side of Fand helping her back to the castle. Fand had been as strong as a steel girder during her spar with her mother but now that it was over she looked frail. Dad stood staring off into the distance. I came around his side and searched his eyes trying to figure out what he was looking at. He wasn't looking at anything. He was lost in thought.

‘You OK, Dad?'

‘Yes,' he said long and slow. Then he looked at me and smiled. ‘Yes. Why shouldn't I be? We won. Or actually we averted a war, which is even better.'

‘You are a victor in peace, Father.'

‘A victor in peace,' Dad repeated. ‘I like that. If only I could resolve all of my conflicts without bloodshed.'

I stepped over to where Dahy's blade was still sitting in the ground. The handle was roughly hewn out of marble and the blade was completely covered with gold. I picked it up. ‘Good idea. Whose was it?'

‘Dahy's,' Dad said. ‘When it comes to killing bad guys – Dahy knows his business. Be careful with that. Actually, can I leave you with the job of making sure all of the Connemara marble is locked safely away?'

‘Yes, Your Highness,' I said with a mocking bow.

Dad laughed. ‘I give you one chore and you get stroppy.' When I straightened up he placed his hands on my shoulders and then brought me in for a hug. ‘I'm so glad you're safe, son.'

‘Me too … I don't mean I'm glad I'm safe, I mean I'm glad you're safe too.'

‘I understood,' he said loosening his clinch. ‘Oh, and I need the Lawnmower back for a little while.'

‘OK,' I said, undoing the buckle on the belt that the Sword of Duir hung from. I handed it to Dad. ‘You need it for some official kinging thing?'

‘Yeah,' he said. ‘Something like that.'

The Connemara Druids were all milling around in a bit of a daze. I asked them if they would help me move the marble inside and they all agreed – happy to have a job to do. In no time we had all the pieces of the Real World locked up in one of the dungeon vaults.

Later I had a meeting with Brendan and Nora. They wanted to go back to the Real World right away but Essa had sorceress stuff to do with Mom and Nieve. There had been protective snap spells placed all over the castle and they needed to be removed before one of us hurt ourselves. So we promised to go to the Real World in the morning to retrieve Ruby.

Araf found me right before sundown and said Graysea wanted to see me. He had a look on his face that made me worried.

‘Is she OK?'

‘She is fine, she … she wants to talk to you.'

‘OK,' I said as he walked away. For as long as I have known that big guy I still have a hard time reading his thoughts.

I walked to the infirmary a bit slower than I could have. To be honest I was a little bit dreading seeing Graysea. Don't get me wrong, I still think she is one of the most beautiful and the sweetest women in all of The Land, but I was in love with Essa. From the moment I saw her – 'till the day I die – it's Essa and it was unfair to Graysea not to tell her that. It was just that it's never a good time to tell Graysea anything. She did that smothering me with kisses thing when she saw me and she had those lovely puppy dog eyes – it was just … hard to break her heart. And now that she was injured, I felt like I was kicking her when she was down. But I had to tell her.

I found her out of her tank and in a hospital bed. She looked so much better than the last time I had seen her. She had colour in her cheeks and her face lit up with a healthy smile when she saw me. She started to get out of bed but her Imp-healer grumbled, ‘Graysea', and she meekly obeyed and sank back into her pillows.

‘How is my Mertain wounded warrior?' I said kissing her on the cheek. She didn't answer and when I looked at her again her expression was disquieting. ‘Graysea, are you OK?'

‘Oh, yes,' she said, forcing a smile. I gave her a stern look and she said, ‘No really, I'm fine, Conor. I found out that it takes me a lot longer to heal myself than others. My prison guard,' she said pointing to the Imp-healer, ‘says I'll be up and around in a couple of days.'

I relaxed. ‘That is very good to hear. So why the long face?'

‘Well,' she said, looking down at her hands, ‘you know I am very fond of you?'

Wait a minute
, I thought,
that's what I was going to say
.

‘You know I'm very fond of you,' she repeated, ‘but I think that maybe we …'

‘Hold on – are you breaking up with me?'

Graysea's angelic face started to crumble into tears. ‘Oh, my poor sweet Conor. I don't know what to say. I just don't think it's fair of me to lead you on any more.'

‘You are. You're breaking up with me. Why?' I said indignantly. I know it makes no sense. I should have been relieved. Hell, I had gone in there to break up with her but the male ego isn't a logical thing. ‘Is there someone else?'

She once again concentrated on her hands and then nodded yes without looking up.

‘Who?'

‘I didn't mean for anything to happen.'

‘Who?'

She lifted her gaze and pointed over my shoulder. I turned to see Araf duck back behind the doorframe like a naughty schoolboy.

‘Araf! You're dumping me for Araf?'

‘I'm sorry, Conor. I healed a small cut he had and then we started talking. It's just I need someone who talks to me.'

‘And he does?'

‘I'm so sorry, Conor.'

I looked back and the Imp was once again peeping around the corner. ‘Araf,' I shouted and he ducked back around again. ‘You come back here,' I said as I stormed towards the door.

‘Don't hurt him,' Graysea called from her bed.

When I got to the doorway Araf was already halfway down the hall speeding like he was in an Olympic walking race. The sight of Araf, the toughest guy I know, running away from me, added to Graysea saying, ‘Don't hurt him', made me smile and that smile popped the stupid male ego bubble that was growing in my head. I ran after Araf and as I did I started laughing. He looked behind and started running. As I have mentioned before, for a big guy Araf can move awfully fast. I finally had to call to some guards to stop him, ‘In the name of the prince.'

‘Honest to the gods, Conor,' Araf said, panting, ‘nothing has happened.'

I forced a stern countenance onto my face; it wasn't easy.

‘We just started talking and then we talked some more. But nothing has happened. I haven't even kissed her.'

I just stared. It was fun watching Araf ramble.

‘I'll leave Duir immediately.'

I had to grit my teeth to stop from cracking up. ‘You haven't kissed her?' I asked.

‘No … Your Highness.'

When he said that, I had to turn away. I'm pretty sure he thought I did it 'cause I was mad. When I composed myself I turned back and said, ‘I think it's about time you did.'

‘I beg your pardon?' Araf looked very confused. ‘About time I did what?'

‘Kiss her, you idiot.' I placed my hands on his broad shoulders as a Fergal-like ear to ear smile erupted on my face. ‘You are two of my favouritest people in all of The Land. I couldn't be happier. I'm delighted for you both.'

He tried to say something but nothing came out.

‘Now that's the Araf I know and love.'

He hugged me, almost breaking my back, and then ran off to the infirmary for that first kiss. With a sigh I remembered my first mermaid kiss – it's worth running for.

Speaking of kisses, now that she didn't want to kill me, I thought it might be a good moment to spend a little time with Essa but Mom and Nieve had her working late. I had a meal with the Connemara Druids but didn't have the strength to hang out with them. They were so enthusiastic. The older ones were getting that immortality buzz where they kept saying how they hadn't felt this good in ages and all the rest were going on and on about how good the apples were. I know I was just like them but I was really tired after all the almost dying stuff, so I snuck away to my room.

My head told me it was too early to go to bed but my body vetoed that thought as soon as I hit the mattress. It wasn't until I was horizontal that I realised just how stressful a couple of days I had had. I closed my eyes for a long peaceful sleep. But as so often happens in The Land – dreamland was not restful.