LITMIR.BIZ

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guards on the tower didn’t even notice what was happening. Cialtie walked away, whistling. The guards only noticed me when I tried to attack my uncle. They grabbed me and threw me over the wall. I awoke screaming on the floor.

      Dad was the only person up in the breakfast room. He looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Dreams?’

      ‘Yeah,’ I replied, ‘intense.’

      ‘Me too. When I left The Land I missed the dreams terribly, but I forgot what the nightmares were like.’

      We swapped dreams. His was much more vague than mine but we suspected they were both similar. Dad thought we should talk to Nieve about it.

      ‘How can you trust her?’ I asked. ‘She tried to kill me – twice!’

      ‘That’s one of the reasons I know I can trust her.’

      ‘Huh?’

      ‘Look, Nieve is my sister and I love her. I know it caused her much pain to try to kill you, but she did it for the good of The Land. She places duty above all else.’

      ‘So why isn’t she stabbing me in the back as we speak?’

      ‘Your mother and I have a plan, and the Shadowrunes have told us it might work.’

      ‘I thought Aunt Nieve didn’t believe in this Shadowmagic stuff.’

      ‘She’s coming around.’

      ‘So, Pop, what’s the plan?’

      ‘Cialtie is using my hand, that’s how he got the Duir Rune.’

      ‘What, you think he carried your hand through the Choosing?’

      ‘More probably he got someone else to do it, but yes, he practically admitted it when we were in the dungeon, remember?’

      It took me a second to think back that far. ‘I do.’

      ‘Well, that proves my hand is still working, and your mother thinks she can reattach it.’ He flashed a cheeky grin worthy of Fergal’s uncle.

      ‘You’re joking.’

      ‘No, she definitely thinks it can be done and so does Nieve. There are just a few difficulties.’

      ‘Like what?’

      ‘We have to break into Castle Duir, find my old hand and perform an unauthorised Choosing ceremony in the Hall of Runes.’

      ‘That doesn’t sound easy.’

      ‘It is not.’

      ‘How are you going to do it?’

      ‘That I haven’t figured out yet, but we have time.’

      ‘Can we take Cialtie out at the same time?’

      ‘Getting in and out of the castle and reattaching my hand will be hard enough without adding assassination to the plan. One thing at a time, Conor. If I get my hand back, the Runelords will follow me. Then we deal with my brother.’ He looked away, trying to contain his hate. Despite what he said to Fergal, revenge was an emotion he was struggling with too.

      Fand came to the door and said, ‘Our Pooka guest is awake.’

      ‘Will he live?’ Dad asked.

      ‘No,’ Fand replied. I could feel the compassion and pain in her voice. ‘He has asked to see Deirdre.’

      ‘Deirdre?’ Dad said in surprise.

      ‘Yes, she is on her way.’

      She led us to the room of healing. The Pooka we had brought through the blackthorn wall was propped up in bed. The last time I had seen him he had been covered with blood – the Fili had cleaned him up but he looked bad. His skin had no colour and his lips were blue. Fand was right, he wasn’t going to last very long. Mom arrived right behind us.

      ‘Do you recognise him?’ Dad asked.

      ‘No. Poor thing.’

      Mom went to the Pooka’s side and held his hand. What life there was left in him sparkled in his eyes when he saw her. ‘Are you Deirdre the Shadowwitch?’ he said in a high, pathetic voice.

      I thought for a second that Mom was going to be insulted by that question, but she simply replied, ‘I am.’

      ‘I was sent by Lorcan.’ I could hardly hear him. He was using every ounce of his strength to speak, maybe even his last ounce of strength. ‘We need your help.’

      His voice became so faint that Mom had to lean in and turn her ear to his mouth. From the expression on her face I could tell it wasn’t good news. She took a tiny piece of gold out of her pocket and placed it in the Pooka’s mouth. He instantly changed into a wolf again. Mom stepped back – so did I, and I was on the other side of the room. He let loose a mournful howl and died – then changed back into a man.

      ‘What did he say?’ Dad asked.

      Mom covered the Pooka with a sheet, and faced us. ‘He said Cialtie is going to kill us all.’

TWENTY-TWO

      THE ARMY OF THE RED HAND

      ‘Before he died,’ Deirdre began, ‘the Pooka told me that Cialtie had the power to destroy all of The Land.’ We were back in the breakfast room. Everyone was there except Fergal, who was still asleep.

      ‘Do you believe him?’ Essa asked.

      ‘I do. He also said that Lorcan needed my help, immediately. But I don’t know where Lorcan is or how I can help.’

      Araf, Essa and I looked at each other, but Dad looked at me with one of those Dad looks. I was going to have to break my solemn vow. I opened my mouth and waited for the lightning bolt to hit me. ‘Lorcan has an army of Leprechauns and Imps,’ I said, with resignation in my voice. ‘They call themselves the Army of the Red Hand and they’re in the Hazellands. They are planning to attack Cialtie. Just don’t tell Lorcan the Leprechaun I told you. I don’t want that guy mad at me, he’s mean when he’s angry.’

      ‘I don’t think he will mind you telling,’ Dad said, holding up his handless arm, ‘after all, he named his army after me.’ Dad stood and put on his serious face. ‘It has begun. I knew it would, I had just not expected it to be so soon. I fear we are going to war with Castle Duir. Deirdre and I shall leave to join Lorcan’s army immediately. This fight is ours and I will not force anyone to come. If you choose to go home, I will not think any less of you.’

      Fand was first to speak. ‘Neither I nor the Fili will go into battle with you. The memory of the last battle of Castle Duir is still with us. However, I support you. Remember, the freedom of the Fililands is yours. There is always refuge here for you.’

      Dad bowed low – the bow of a king to a queen.

      ‘I am with you,’ Araf said, standing. ‘This battle is not only yours. I would have joined my fellow Imps even if you had not returned.’

      ‘I am with you, and so is my father,’ Essa said as she got to her feet.

      ‘You can speak for Gerard?’ Mom asked.

      ‘I can. At this moment he is making his way to meet with Lorcan.’

      ‘How do you know this?’ Mom asked, her eyes narrowing a bit.

      Essa reached in her satchel and produced a sheet of gold framed in dark wood. It looked like an old school slate to me. Everyone else gasped in awe.

      ‘Is that an Emain slate?’ Araf asked with awe in his voice.

      ‘It

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