Jack Shian and the Destiny Stone (19 page)

“We were all off guard,” reassured Phineas. “But we have to work out how to escape.”

“This place is even worse than Nebula; none of the charms will work here,” said Finbogie despondently. “Our sceptres are useless.”

“I’m sorry,” mumbled Iain Dubh. “The bridge near finished me; the temptation of the food and the wine was too much.”

“We’ll get there.” Enda tried to sound reassuring. “But first we must get out of here.”

“Hasn’t anyone got a hex that will fix that mallison?”

“The only one is the ungula hex,” replied Phineas. “And for that we need swords. Nothing else works here. Iain, you and your men are tired – get some rest. Enda and I will work out what to do.”

“And me, Dad. I’ve still got Trog’s knife.”

“We might be able to use that to pick the lock, if the mallison ever goes to sleep.”

“Couldn’t we reach through the bars and cut her feet off?”

“She’s out of reach; and any noise from her would bring the others.”

A scream came from outside the room.

“What … what was that?” Daid’s voice trembled.

“It sounded like Kedge,” whispered Ossian. “I shouldn’t have let him go.”

The mallison cackled as another scream floated through the walls.

“That’s one of the Tams, isn’t it?” whispered Jack. “What’re they doing to them?”

“Let’s just concentrate on getting out of here, shall we?”

A gloomy silence descended. Jack was so sleepy, he found himself nodding off, despite the bitter cold. He had no idea how long he had been asleep when he came to with a start.

Jack looked round. Iain Dubh and the other Nebula men were asleep; so were the others from the Shian square. Even Enda was snoring gently.

“Dad,” Jack tugged his father’s arm. “The bars on the gate aren’t that close together. I might be able to get through.”

“You can’t go on your own; we’ll have to open the gate. And we’ve still to get past that mallison.”

A figure stirred in the gloom.

“Jack,” whispered Finbogie. “Have you got your jomo bag?”

A shaft of light in the darkness. Jack lifted his shirt to reveal the Sintura belt.

“Careful! Make sure she can’t see,” hissed Finbogie as Malicia stood up and peered through the bars of the gate.

The noise of voices seemed to raise the others. Enda and Ossian, quickly sensing what was needed, formed a wall, blocking the mallison’s line of sight.

“I’ve got it!” croaked Jack, wanting to shout.

“And has it got the three dirts?”

“Aye: from Dunvik, and Ilanbeg, and Antrim.”

“You remember what to do?”

“Just fling them at her feet. She’ll get confused. I’ve got everything else in here too!”

“The jomo should stun her,” said Phineas doubtfully, “but it doesn’t open the gate.”

“I’m sure I can get through the bars; then maybe I can find a key,” said Jack hopefully.

“Hema took the keys. I can’t let you go on your own.”

“Dad, we haven’t any choice,” urged Jack. “I’ll go and find the swords, and bring them back.”

“How are you going to find them?”

“I’ll find a way. We can’t just wait here and do nothing.”

“Phin, he’s right. If someone doesn’t get out, we’ve no chance at all,” said Enda. “Come away now; I’ll get the mallison to the gate. Ready, Jack?”

Jack nodded, and Enda strode the few paces to the gate.

“I’m Irish; I demand to see the consul.”

The mallison got up, and hobbled to the gate. Peering up at Enda, she scowled, and spat.

“Hah!”

Jack sprang forward, and threw the three mixed dirts at the mallison’s feet.

There was a muffled
whump
, and a puff of smoke. When it cleared, the mallison stood by the gate.

“It hasn’t worked,” hissed Ossian.

Then the mallison fell. Dead to the world, she lay on her back, eyes closed, a bemused smile on her face.

“Quick!”

Jack knelt down, and squirmed into the gate. It was a tight fit. Gasping, he wriggled first one way, then the other.

Wish I hadn’t eaten so much tonight …

Agonisingly slowly, Jack inched his way forward. The mallison sighed, and smacked her lips.

Holding his breath, Jack finally wriggled through the bars of the gate, collapsing on the other side. His shoulder hurt like anything, but he forgot this when he saw the mallison’s eyes start to open. Grabbing his satchel with the haemostat bandages, he tiptoed past her, and found himself in a long dark corridor. He heard the mallison rise to her feet, and bellow at the prisoners.

“Get back to yer beds, scum. Enjoy yer last sleep!”

Jack felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle. He hurried away down the corridor, but it was so dark, he wasn’t sure where he was going.

Footsteps ahead! And voices!

Jack froze. In the gloom he could just make out the outline of a door. Hurriedly turning the handle, he entered.

A single candle flickered in the gloom. Jack heard a gasp of surprise, and reached down for Trog’s knife.

“Shh!”

It was a high-pitched squeak of a voice …

I’ve heard that before.

A second candle was lit, and the room brightened. Jack could make out the Ashray, sitting on the side of a small wooden bedframe. There was no mattress. The tiny creature looked famished.

“Will you take us away?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“I need to get our swords: d’you know where they are?”

“I’ll show you if you promise to get us out.”

“We’ve all got to get out of here; but I’ll need your help to free the others. And we’ve to find our friends – the ones who left the meal early.”

“Ahh …”

“What d’you mean?” demanded Jack, his voice rising. “What’s happened to them?”

“Shh! Be quiet! Hema will hear you.”

“Look,” said Jack firmly, “I’ve got to find the swords and free the others. Can I trust you?” He paused. “Wait a minute. You said ‘Take us away’. Who else is there?”

The Ashray put her finger to her lips, blew out one of the candles, and picked up the other.

“Come with me.”

She led Jack through a connecting door. Putting the candle down on a bedside table, she shook a slumbering figure.

“Come on; we’re going.”

The figure stirred, then sat up. In the light of the flickering candle, Jack could see it was the girl who’d served them at supper.

“We’ve to show this boy to the storeroom; then we’re going.” The Ashray shook the girl’s shoulder. “It’s nearly dawn.”

Rubbing her eyes and yawning, the girl got up, and threw a shawl over her shoulders.

“There’s something else we need as well,” said Jack. “Some grey sandstone, chipped off a bigger block. And a feather, with a golden tip.”

“The Gusog?” squeaked the Ashray. “It’s in Hema’s room; but she’ll be in the …” She paused, and looked at Jack. “She’s busy. Let’s go.”

“What about the stone? We think Malevola brought it here.”

“No. No stone.”

The girl tugged the Ashray’s arm, and indicated Jack with a nod of her head.

“What is your name?” asked the Ashray.

“Jack. Jack Shian. I’m from Edinburgh … well, Rangie.”

A half-smile passed over the girl’s face, and she beckoned them forward.

The three went back into the Ashray’s room, then tiptoed out into the silent corridor.

“This way.”

The Ashray turned right, then paused as she came to a corner.

“Have you got a sceptre?”

Jack shook his head. “Ours don’t work here. And anyway, I’m not fourteen yet.”

Tutting, the Ashray led them round the corner in the corridor, and up to a large wooden door.

“This is Hema’s room. Let’s hope the beastie isn’t here.”

She turned the handle cautiously. The door creaked as she peered in.

“It’s all right; there’s no one here.” The Ashray led them in, leaving the door slightly ajar. Her candle fluttered as she walked up to a large glass-fronted cabinet.

“There’s your feather.”

Resting on a purple cushion was a single tattered white feather. There was no obvious colouring on it.

“Is that really the Gusog feather?” asked Jack incredulously. “I thought it had a golden tip.”

There was a low growl from behind them. Jack spun round, and saw the silhouette of a huge dog … Only it was bigger than any dog he’d ever seen. Jet black, it slinked towards the three of them, its claws clicking on the stone floor.

The Ashray squeaked in alarm, and pulled the young girl aside. The dog advanced slowly on Jack, its yellow eyes fixing him with a cold stare.

Jack grabbed Trog’s knife, and desperately tried to think …

Kynos hex? No chance, not on a beast this size … What was that Cu-shee hex Enda taught me on the boat?

He brandished the steel knife, and was about to swipe at the beast’s paws when it sprang forward and struck Jack’s right hand. Blood welled as the knife spun out of reach. The dog stood for a moment, staring at Jack. It growled again, a mesmerising, terrifying sound.

Jack backed up against the cabinet, his eyes darting frantically from side to side. He tried to ignore the saliva dripping from the great beast’s jaws.

The dog advanced a pace, and then there was a loud yelp.

Jack looked to his left. The young girl stood, Trog’s knife in her hand. Blood gushed from the dog’s right haunch, and the beast turned round to face this new enemy.

The girl and the Ashray backed away, but the beast was on them instantly, growling and snapping. The Ashray squeaked in alarm, and the girl cowered as the beast stood over them. Its eyes glinted in the darkness.

It leapt, slashing at the girl’s left arm with its razor-like claws.

A silent scream, as the claw sliced through flesh.

Jack reached quickly into his Sintura belt, grabbed the devil’s shoestring, and slipped it onto his wrist.

“
Abcanidæ!
”

The beast sprawled, its front legs caving in.

“Quick! Throw me the knife!”

The girl slid the knife along the floor, and Jack grasped it quickly. In a flash he swept the blade horizontally, and cried out, “
Terra nasus!
”

Thank you Enda, thank you thank you thank you for teaching me that.

The dog’s back paws flew to the side wall, and the beast slumped, yelping in pain. Turning round, it tried to jump at Jack, whose eyes grew as large as saucers. As the dog’s head sailed towards him he half-closed his eyes and held the knife in front of his face.

There was a squelchy thudding bark as the blade entered through the lower jaw and emerged just between the beast’s eyes. If such a creature can be said to look surprised, then the look on this beast’s face was pure astonishment. A strangulated gurgling came from the back of its throat, as it jerked backwards and fell sideways, kicking madly with its back stumps. Blood spread quickly over the cold floor. The gurgling slowly subsided, the legs stopped thrashing, and the beast lay still.

Then, raising its head one last time, it howled.

A death-embracing, sickening howl that pierced Jack’s brain.

“They’ll know we’re here now.” The Ashray skipped over the corpse and opened the cabinet. Grabbing the feather (nearly as tall as she was), she made for the door, pausing only to grab a bunch of keys from a hook behind the door. “Come on.”

“Just a minute.” Jack wiped Trog’s knife and reattached it to his calf, then reached into his satchel and withdrew two bandages. Beckoning the young girl, he wrapped one deftly around her bleeding arm, then the other around his right fist.

Finally, something useful from my lessons!

The girl looked at him and smiled.

“Hurry!” The Ashray’s squeaky voice was urgent. Running further along the corridor, she opened the next door along, and indicated to Jack a stack of swords, loosely covered by a cloak.

“How many can ye carry?”

Jack grabbed two swords in each hand, but quickly realised that if he was to fight he could take no more. He looked helplessly at the Ashray for a moment. Intercepting his look, the girl stepped forward, and also grabbed four swords.

“We’ll let the others out, then they can come back for the rest,” smiled Jack. “Let’s go.”

The three hurried back along the corridor. It was hard running and carrying four swords, and Jack dropped one of them as they rounded the corner. As it clattered on the bare floor, Jack imagined the sound carrying everywhere.

He scooped the sword up again, and they made for the cell; but just as they neared it Malicia stepped into the corridor.

“So, ye got out, ye wee maggot. Sanguina!”

“Quick, Jack! The keys!”

Phineas' urgent shout came as Malicia, teeth bared, leapt up, her cloak floating as she soared forward.

Jack dropped three of the swords, and fell to the floor. As the mallison floated close, he swung the fourth sword at where he thought her feet should be.

“
Ungula!
”

There was a scream of rage and pain as the mallison's left foot flew off. Jack looked with horror at the foot on the floor …

It's not a foot! It's a hoof!

Malicia crumpled to the floor. Seeing this, the young girl grabbed the keys from the Ashray, and flung them towards Phineas' waiting hands. The barred door flew open as Sanguina turned into the corridor, her eyes ablaze. Blood dripped from her mouth.

“Ye let them escape!” she roared at the hapless Malicia, who spun around on the floor, cursing and weeping in equal measure.

“My foot! The little snake has taken my foot!”

“Get her other one!” shouted Finbogie, as the prisoners burst out of the cell and grabbed the swords.

Jack nimbly hopped over Malicia's trailing leg, and hacked at her right ankle.

“
Ungula!
”

As hoof parted company with ankle, Malicia gave a loud cry, and rolled over. Blood seeped from both stumps. Sanguina halted just yards away, and surveyed the scene. Phineas, Ossian, Enda and several others brandished swords, and began to advance on her. She withdrew her wand, but Phineas skipped forward and sliced it out of her hand before she could use it. With a cry of fury she flew back the way she had come, shouting for help.