Jack Shian and the King's Chalice Part 20

"Atholmor said if the Brashat get the Cup, it could make them so strong they'll challenge us for the square in Edinburgh," stated Rana. "And then they'd get the Stone."

"How are we all goin' to get to the cave? There'll be Congress members and Brashat all over the place," said Ossian.

"Lizzie and me can use our bonnets," said Rana. "And we brought along some others too."

"What other ones?" demanded Petros.

"A shifter," said Rana airily, "and a beetler."

"You've never got a beetler, have you?" exclaimed Jack. A cap that shrinks you to the size of a beetle! How cool is that?

Rana smiled smugly. "How d'you think I heard what the Congress was talking about yesterday?" she said. "Freya's been very busy, and she's a good friend."

"Freya showed me the shifter while she was making it," said Jack. "It's brilliant."

"You can have it, then, and Petros can take the beetler," announced Lizzie.

"Well, that gets three of us into the cave, I guess," said Jack. "But crawling all the way could take hours. And anyone might step on you."

Petros's face registered his disgust at the thought.

"I'll manage," said Ossian confidently. "The Brashat won't be lookin' for me, anyway."

"Maybe we should hand this back to the Congress," said Petros apprehensively. "I want to go back to Edinburgh."

"We'll go together," said Jack firmly. "How're you going to get back to Edinburgh, anyway? You can take the beetler when we get near the cave. Once we get inside we'll just have to play it by ear."

Petros grunted, but didn't reply.

The tree trunk's cavernous interior was home to many creatures other than the five youngsters. However, Petros and Jack had no luck in trying to get earwigs to run races, and Lizzie announced that she detested staying in a place with so many spiders.

By mid-afternoon, Petros had gravitated to kicking the inside of the trunk in sheer frustration, leading to a short but heated argument with Jack about how best to give themselves away. Rana and Lizzie had ventured outside again using their bonnets, but had seen no one. Ossian cautioned them against straying too far.

"We have to keep an element o' surprise," he said. "Showin' ourselves too early could ruin everythin'."

"This is the dullest Hallows' Eve ever," said Lizzie after a long pause. "We should be out playing tricks, not stuck in a tree with spiders."

"I bet Purdy and Freya are having fun now," said Rana moodily. "They'll be up on the esplanade, or doing all sorts down the High Street."

"Let's tell stories, then, or have some songs," said Jack. "Who knows any good ones about Hallows' Eve?"

"I've got one," said Ossian, and he began: Witchie-hags shall come, shall come, And demons will be in among, While Shian tricks will tease Dameve All on the night of Hallows' Eve.

"I thought you said you didn't mind some of the humans," said Rana angrily. "Why d'you call them that?"

"I've met some bad ones. They don't care for where they live; they poison the water and the plants. And they think they're so smart."

"You really don't like them, do you?" said Lizzie.

"They don't even like each other," said Ossian heatedly. "You look at this place, Dunvik. There used to be three or four villages near here. Now there's no people, they all got driven away. Keldy's the same. And the ones you do meet, they're so noisy." He paused for breath, but Rana b.u.t.ted in before he could continue.

"Well, Mum's dad was a human. That makes us a quarter human, so you'd better watch what you say, Ossian."

"I don't hate all o' them," muttered Ossian.

"Let's change the subject, shall we?" said Petros.

The five fell silent, and for a while nothing was said.

The light outside started to dim, and suddenly the interior of the tree was infested with small midges. The youngsters swiped away at them, but it made little difference.

"Can't we burn something to get rid of them?" asked Lizzie, which drew a withering look from her brother.

"We'll head out in fifteen minutes," said Ossian. "It'll still be light enough to see."

The next quarter of an hour dragged by. Like the others, Jack had become thoroughly fed up. The tree's interior seemed to be closing in on him, and he longed to get out and stretch his legs properly. As yet more birds returned home to the tree to settle for the night, Ossian finally decided that it was safe for them to leave.

29.

Hallows' Eve

Rana and Lizzie were first out, trusting in their bonnets. They crept back to the camp, but found no one. Rana took her bonnet off, turned back and indicated this to the boys, then she and Lizzie carried on. Above the sound of a few chattering birds, Ossian whispered that he would make a tour of the nearby forest before meeting up with the others close to the cave. Jack and Petros nodded agreement, and set off after the girls. Cautiously, they followed the path downwards.

"Where's the cave, then?"

"Ossian said it overlooked the dark loch. The water's over that way the cave must be nearby." Then Jack paused. The muscles beside his eyes were twitching furiously, and he was aware that the birdsong had ceased.

"Why's it so quiet?" he whispered. "What's happened to the birds?"

Petros stopped and listened. "You're right. Something's frightened them off."

Thwack!

A flinthead arrow shot past Jack's face, embedding itself in a tree behind him. On impulse, both boys began to run. Petros was furiously trying to retrieve something from his pocket. In seconds, he had pulled out a dark purple cloth and placed it over his head. Instantly he shrank down out of sight.

The beetler cloth, of course!

Jack had no option but to continue, although he had little idea of where he was heading.

Reaching a large yew tree, he ducked behind it, gasping for breath. After a minute, the thumping in his chest quietened and his breathing settled. Straining, he listened for any sound that might be his pursuer. Nothing. Cautiously, he peered out.

Zap!

The hex lifted him bodily from the ground. Struggling to turn his head, Jack saw with relief that Rowan from the Congress was standing ten yards away, holding his sceptre up.

"Well, well, so we find you at last," said Rowan calmly. "You have been a slippery little boy. And where are your cousins?"

"I don't know," gasped Jack.

"You're lying!" shouted Rowan. Then, collecting himself, he said, "We'd better take you to join the Congress."

He lowered his sceptre, breaking the hex. Jack fell to the ground, landing on his satchel.

Relieved that he would at least see Grandpa and Uncle Doonya, Jack gratefully got up. Rowan shoved him in the back and Jack stumbled forwards.

"Not far to go now," taunted Rowan after a few minutes. The sound of the water was louder, and Jack could feel rock breaking through the forest floor.

The cave must be near.

And then Jack's blood almost froze. From behind a tree stepped a Hobshee. Short, a malevolent grin spread across its face, it leered at Jack. He turned to Rowan who, to his amazement, just smiled. Rowan shoved Jack again, and he fell forward down the slope. Picking himself up, Jack saw more Hobshee milling around. He could smell roasting meat too.

"Here we are!" said Rowan with malicious satisfaction. "Now you can join the rest of your family!"

Jack stepped around the rock and saw that it was the side of the cave entrance. And there in the gloom, huddled together with their backs to the opposite wall, were the members of the Congress. Jack blinked disbelievingly. His grandfather, grimacing in obvious pain, had a gash above his eye. They all looked cowed, beaten, but why? Jack took a step forward and got his answer. Several Brashat, Briannan among them, were aiming sceptres at the prisoners. For that undoubtedly is what they were. Dazed, Jack stumbled forward. Grandpa Sandy looked up, but made no sound.

"Ah, I wondered how long it would be before these meddle-some youngsters showed up," crowed Briannan. "I trust that you have brought all your wretched friends with you?"

Jack looked imploringly at his grandfather. Then he noticed a small fire at the side of the cave, above which sausages were crackling and spitting on a griddle. Despite the appetising aroma, Jack saw to his disgust that Fenrig was the cook. Jack clenched his fists and moved instinctively towards his antagonist, but he got no further. A bolt from Briannan's sceptre caught him square in the chest. He staggered back, gasping, a searing pain in his lungs.

"I can see that you will have to learn the hard way, like your interfering grandfather," said Briannan coldly.

He motioned to another Brashat, who stepped forward and picked Jack up by the arm, shoving him roughly towards his uncle. Briannan then turned and mocked the Congress.

"My young Fenrig found the invisibility tailoring we taught him most valuable: all those conversations about lost treasures ... quite the little spy, isn't he?"

As Fenrig smirked under his father's praise, a hoodie crow flew into the cave, settling on his extended left forearm. Soundlessly, it opened its beak and deposited a tiny beetle onto Fenrig's left palm. The bird hopped off onto the ground, instantly transforming into a young woman of fifteen or sixteen.

"Thank you, Morrigan," drawled Briannan. Seeing Jack's look of astonishment, he continued, "I don't believe you've met Fenrig's sister, have you?"

Morrigan preened herself. Jack recognised her from the midsummer festival. She was undeniably pretty her eyes were gorgeous but she had the same smugness and condescension exhibited by her brother.

"Now, what shall we do with this insignificant beetle?" sneered Fenrig, making as if to clap his hands.

"No!" shouted Jack, finally getting his breath back.

Fenrig held his right hand just a couple of inches above his left, on which the tiny beetle scuttled, never daring to go over the edge.

"In view of the auspicious nature of this day, I think we will be gracious to our young captive."

Fenrig dropped the insect, which transfigured back into Petros as it hit the ground. The youngster sat up, bewildered and scared. Doonya crouched down, beckoning Petros to join him.

"That beetler disguise is the worst move I ever made," he muttered to Jack. "I thought that bird was going to eat me. b.l.o.o.d.y terrifying. And her breath smelt foul."

Rowan stepped forward, his sceptre held at waist level, pointing at the prisoners.

"And you, Rowan," Petros's fear turned to anger, "to betray the Congress."

"The Congress is finished. It's weak. It was dragging the whole Shian people down into the mire. Now we will have strong leadership, and the Shian will rise again."

Uncle Doonya gripped the shoulders of Jack and Petros. Jack realised with a sinking feeling that none of the Congress could speak, and now Grandpa Sandy slumped against the cave wall. At first, Jack thought he had fainted, but then he saw that his grandfather was watching the sky out of the mouth of the cave. Briannan stepped forward.

"See, the moon rises. Soon the Cup will be revealed, and the Brashat will know the secrets of life and death!"

Everyone turned to gaze at the moon as it made its way above some trees beyond the cave. Its light was weak, the night not yet being truly dark, but an eerie glow filled the mouth of the cave. Briannan turned round sharply and extinguished the griddle fire with a bolt from his sceptre. He stared at the back of the cave.

"Where does the light fall? Where is the Cup?"

Gradually, a corner at the rear of the cave began to smoulder, and a few flames flickered. The Hobshee retreated, their yelping cries betraying their fear of the unknown. Briannan, with no such qualms, strode forwards. Plunging his hand into the base of the flames, he grasped the Cup. Withdrawing it in triumph, he turned round and brandished the prize. Though tarnished and covered in cobwebs and grime, the Cup still glimmered.

"The King's Cup!" he proclaimed triumphantly. "Now is the time for the Unseelie to take control! Amadan will surely reward us for this."

Jack saw Atholmor wilt as they all beheld Briannan in his triumph. Grandpa, still slumped on the ground, looked pale. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. Doonya sat, transfixed, as everyone watched Briannan stride out of the cave. The flames had died down, and the cave suddenly seemed very dark. Realising that this might give the prisoners some notion of escape, Rowan twirled his sceptre and stuck it in the ground, spreading a bright glow over the front of the cave. The prisoners squinted at the sudden illumination. The returning Hobshee sneered, taunting the prisoners with mocking cries. Though small in stature, they more than made up for this in menace. Jack shrank from them as they approached.

"I think in honour of our great victory a most auspicious night on which to triumph we might allow these wretches their voices back," said Briannan, clearly delighted with his prize. "Konan, keep watch on them. They may speak, but not leave the cave. We'll go back to the hermit's cell."

A figure Jack knew he'd seen before now stepped into the cave, his face disfigured as if by fire. A chill swept through Jack, and he felt sick. As Briannan left to examine the Cup in more detail, Konan shuffled awkwardly forward, sceptre in hand. His eyes came to rest on Jack, and they narrowed. The chill in Jack's bones became a frost.

"You," said Konan with difficulty, his mouth tracing the words with effort, "you are the upstart pup of Phineas. You have his eyes. He caused this," he indicated his disfigured face, "before we met the Grey. Nine icy years before I escaped. Ha! I mastered time there."

With what might have been half a smile, he patted one of his pockets before scowling again.

"But I live as an outcast. When this night is done, I shall send you to join your father in his frozen tomb."

Konan stepped back. The talking had quickly tired him.

"Now you may speak. But if you try to escape, I'll kill you. And the Hobshee would welcome the chance to celebrate Hallows' Eve with some flesh." He sat back on a ledge of rock, keeping his sceptre trained on the prisoners.

"Jack, Petros, are you all right?" Grandpa spoke slowly, his voice frail.

Jack smiled weakly, and Petros hugged his grandfather.

"We're OK. How about you?"

"Briannan was showing off," mumbled Grandpa. "He caught me a blow on the head."

"But how'd they capture you?" asked Jack apprehensively. "You must've been here before them. Didn't you see them coming?"