in a grin.
“Well, well, well! Here he is himself. Welcome, Brendan, me boy!” He made his way through the throng toward them.
Brendan’s stomach fluttered. Everyone nearby had heard Og’s booming greeting. Most eyes turned to search for him and he wished he could disappear. Some of the faces were filled with curiosity, a few were unreadable, and a few revealed undisguised disdain. He tried to cling to the happy mood and ignore the worry that gnawed at his mind once more.
Og found them a rough trestle table and they sat down.
“Will ye have a pint of ale, then, Brendan? Put hair on yer chest?”
“No thanks, Og,” Brendan declined. “My mum wouldn’t approve.”
“She wouldn’t even know!” Og declared.
“Gotta stay sharp,” Brendan insisted.
“Suit yerself,” Og conceded. “What do ye think of the Clan Gathering, me lad? Impressive, what?”
Brendan nodded. He cast his gaze about the clearing, marvelling at his surroundings. If only Harold and Dmitri could see this. They’d flip! Brendan immediately felt a stab of sadness. He could never share this with them. He’d made that decision when he’d Compelled them to forget. Now he was alone. Well, not exactly alone. He had Greenleaf, Deirdre, Og, and Kim. He had Charlie.
He watched her as she waded through the crowd to the bar. She had really wrapped herself around his life in such a short time. He didn’t know how he felt about that. She was certainly very beautiful. She was fun to be around. But he’d seen another side of her: she was desperately lonely and sad. He remembered her crying in his arms and saying, “I never wished you harm.” What did she mean by that?
She sensed him staring at her and turned her head to smile at him. His heart tightened. He was about to wave at her when his eye caught a sharp movement behind her shoulder.
Brendan saw Lugh, the tall, sinister Faerie companion of Pukh. The silver-haired Faerie bent over and spoke angrily into Charlie’s face. The revellers parted for an instant, long enough for Brendan to see that Lugh had a huge hand clamped on Charlie’s shoulder.
Brendan was out of his seat in an instant and forcing his way through the crowd. After a few curses and well-placed elbows he reached Charlie. Just as he arrived, he heard Lugh’s sharp voice.
“You must reconsider. Pukh will not be pleased if you refuse him.”
Charlie shook her head fiercely, her jaw jutting out. “I don’t care what he threatens me with.”
“Let go of her,” Brendan demanded.
Lugh stared hard at Brendan with his cold grey eyes. Finally, he said, “This does not concern you, Princeling. Begone.”
“She’s my friend.” Brendan tried not to let the fear jangling in his heart show in his voice. “So it does concern me. Let her go.”
Lugh continued to stare at Brendan, hand firmly clamped on Charlie’s arm.
“Let de girl go,” said a deep voice, echoing Brendan’s demand.
Leonard stood with a wooden keg on his shoulder. His muscles bulged from the strain of holding the barrel upright. His dark face was serious as a gravestone as he stared Lugh down.
Lugh’s lip hovered at the doorstep of a sneer. He let go of Charlie’s arm and without a word stalked off into the crowd.
“Thanks, you guys,” Charlie said. “But you didn’t have to worry. I’m fine.”
“What did he want?” Brendan asked.
“It was nothing.” Charlie waved the question away, but Brendan saw the lingering fear in her eyes.
“It didn’t seem like nothing. What did he want?”
“Nothing I could give him.”
“That Lugh is a creepy dude.”
Charlie’s face clouded. “Yeah, he’s creepy, all right. You should stay away from him. He’s dangerous.”
“Believe me,” Brendan said, “I’ll keep a healthy distance from that guy. I just don’t like the way he was bugging you.”
“I can take care of myself,” Charlie said. “Lugh and Pukh do not have your best interests at heart, Brendan. Believe me.”
“How do you know?”
Charlie looked down, boring a hole in the sandy ground with her foot. She seemed about to say something, but Kim’s arrival interrupted her.
“Hey, everybody,” Kim said with a wave.
Kim was decked out in clothes that Brendan had never seen her wear before. She was usually a T-shirt and jeans type, but today she was total Faerie. She wore skin-tight green leather trousers and a tight embroidered silk tank top that showed off her elaborate vine tattoos. Her hair was dusted with gold and her feet were bare. Her field hockey stick was slung over her shoulder with a green leather strap.
Brendan found he could only stare, speechless, his mouth hanging open. Kim smirked.
“And hello to you, Brendan.” Kim was obviously delighted at Brendan’s reaction. She smiled in turn at Charlie. “Hello, Charles.”
Charlie merely smiled, a little insincerely.
“Come on, everybody,” Kim said, clapping her hands. “It’s time!”
“For what?” Brendan asked.
“The Solstice is minutes away,” Kim explained. “Deirdre is the Greeter. And after that, the Proving.”
Brendan’s stomach fell away. At that moment, a bell began to toll.
^ 58 I’m sure there are some clever clogs out there wondering why this boat is different from the barge that took Brendan and Charlie across to the island. It is a peculiarity of the Ferryman’s guild, “The Brotherhood of the Ways.” Their vessels are changeable, growing bigger or smaller as needed to convey people across boundaries. As an aside, Ferrymen aren’t the only members of the Brotherhood of the Ways, or at least the Brothers don’t all appear as Ferrymen. They are elevator operators, train engineers, balloon pilots, taxi drivers, tollbooth operators, wagon drovers, or any other person who drives some kind of vehicle. Just so you know. An entire book could be written about the Brotherhood, and maybe it will be someday if any Brother ever consents to an interview.
^ 59 Saint Christopher is a Catholic saint who is the patron of travellers. Medals are worn by those who hope that he’ll look out for them on long journeys.
SOLSTICE
“What’s going on here?” Delia asked. “Some kind of hippie festival, or what?”
“Keep your voice down,” Harold begged. “We’re trying not to attract attention.”
Though they didn’t know it, they were following in Brendan’s footsteps along the path. Since Chester had managed to open their eyes back on the wharf, they could now see the Beautiful People, as he called them.^ 60 The people had a vibrancy and a glow that normal Humans didn’t, and their clothing was more outlandish and exuberant. The little troop waited until the last of the strange people had made their way along the path and then dashed in, darting from tent to tent for cover.
“Do you hear that?” Chester said suddenly. They all listened as a clear, high tone rang out across the island. As soon as the sound began, the Beautiful Ones hurried up the path.
“Let’s go!” Delia cried, heading off in pursuit. The boys hesitated a moment before setting off after her.
They followed the crowd and soon found themselves in the clearing where the Community Centre was. They stopped short in astonishment at the impossible village of tents.
“Holy crap!” Harold breathed.
The bell changed in tone, rising slightly.
“Come on,” Delia said. “We’ll be late.”
“For what?” Dmitri asked.
“I intend to find out.” Delia smiled fiercely and moved forward. The three boys shared a look and then started
