LITMIR.BIZ

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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?’

      ‘Well, everyone I ever told tried to kill me. Now that I think of it, you tried to kill me without even knowing.’

      ‘I am sorry for that.’

      ‘No probs, you were just doing your job. Speaking of jobs, shouldn’t you be leading an army into battle?’

      ‘My army awaits but I must show you something before we leave.’

      I dressed quickly and followed him into the ruins of the Hall of Knowledge.

      ‘You left something behind last time you were here.’

      ‘Oh yeah, my banta stick, I almost forgot.’

      ‘Do you remember where you left it?’

      I tried to think back that far. Days in The Land seem like lifetimes. ‘I think I left it in there.’

      We rounded the corner into the courtyard and I saw it. The hazelwood banta stick that Dahy had given me, and had once belonged to my grandfather Liam – Runelord of the Hazellands. It was exactly where I had left it.

      ‘You cannot take it back.’

      ‘Why not?’

      ‘Take a closer look.’

      I had stuck it into the ground in almost the exact place where Essa had found the roots of the Tree of Knowledge. I drew closer and had a good look. Three green shoots with tender leaves had sprouted from the sides of my stick. My grandfather’s hazel staff had taken root.

      ‘It looks as if a hazel will once again bloom in the Hall,’ Lorcan said behind me. ‘A new Tree of Knowledge perhaps?’

      I touched it. It was too young to speak, but I could feel the life in it.

      Lorcan placed his hand on my shoulder. ‘This is a good omen. Good luck, son of hazel and oak. When we next meet, it shall be in your father’s house.’

      ‘I’ll buy you a beer.’

      He smiled and left me alone with the young hazel. ‘This is for you,’ I said aloud to a grandfather I had never known.

      It was strange being on horseback without Acorn beneath me. Lorcan had lent me a mare named Cloud. She was smaller than Acorn and lived up to her name by giving a softer ride, but I refused to get too friendly. It felt like I was having an affair with another horse.

      I was relieved to find that our route wouldn’t be taking us through the Yewlands – I didn’t want to go through that again. Apparently, the only reason we went that way the first time was to make sure no one was following us. I can understand that. There is no way I would take a walk among the yews again, unless my life depended on it. Even then I would have to think about it.

      There were nineteen of us in our party. On horseback were: Mom, Dad, Nieve, Essa, Fergal, Araf, me and ten Leprechaun goldsmiths. Gerard and Dahy rode in the front of a wagon pulled by a pair of magnificent workhorses. I thought the horses I had seen here before were big, but these things were colossal! They might as well have been elephants for the size of them. Gerard’s wagon was packed with about three dozen massive barrels of wine, but they pulled them as if they were hauling feather pillows.

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