The blade shortened and melted into an altogether new shape. Where there had once been a deadly blade in Lugh’s hand, there was now a ring of pastry with multicoloured sprinkles on top. Lugh stared in utter disbelief.
“What is this?” he roared.
“A doughnut,” Brendan replied placidly. “A Hawaiian doughnut, to be precise.” Brendan shot a glance at Merddyn, who was grinning with delight.
Lugh, infuriated, crushed the doughnut and flung it away. He bunched his good fist and prepared to drive it into Brendan’s skull. Suddenly, the wood beneath his feet changed state and became a sticky brown liquid. Lugh sank into the floor up to his ankles, and the wood became solid again. His eyes went wide with surprise. Brendan smiled grimly and swung his arm with all his strength, striking Lugh’s shin just above the floor. There was a loud crack. Lugh howled in agony and fell backwards. The floor flowed open beneath him as he landed and then washed back over him, hardening so that his entire torso was trapped in the wood. Of his head, only his face was exposed. Terror filled his eyes.
Brendan, exhausted from the effort, pushed himself to his feet. He stood over Lugh, who strained futilely to free himself from his woody prison.
“This fight is over,” Brendan said.
Lugh ceased to struggle. He glared up at his vanquisher, cold grey eyes filled with hatred. “It has only begun, Brendan Morn.”
Brendan turned to the circle and looked for a weakness in the chalk line. Seeing a slightly narrow section, he reached out with his toe and wiped away the chalk. The circle flared and died.
Instantly, a streak of light shot into the circle, driving into Lugh’s face. BLT kicked and punched his vulnerable, prominent nose with wild abandon. “That’s fer cheatin’, ya big wally!” she cried.
“Get off me, tiny demon!” Lugh protested.
Brendan laughed. She had obviously been unable to resist eating her caramel. For once, he didn’t mind.
RULES
Now that the danger had passed, Brendan was overwhelmed by a wave of exhaustion. He tried to walk to the judges but staggered. Kim was instantly at his side to catch him. He leaned on her as he made his way to where the judges awaited him. The crowd parted, oddly hushed and watchful. He had done things that were thought to be impossible, and now they felt trepidation at being too close to this young boy.
He squeezed Kim’s hand gratefully and nodded. She stepped back, within easy reach if he needed her support.
Pukh rose to his feet and addressed Brendan with a warm smile. “Well done, Brendan. You have certainly Proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are your father’s son and a Prince of Ancient Lineage. Congratulations. You may now be accepted into a Clan as a fully fledged Faerie. I extend my invitation to join the Clan of Tir na nOg! We can use someone with your gifts.
“There is no Clan with more power and influence than mine,” Pukh continued. “You can be at my right hand. You have proven that you deserve the rank.” He cast a scathing glare at the helpless Lugh.
Brendan couldn’t tell if Pukh’s sincerity was just a show or he really meant what he said. Lugh was Pukh’s minion, and he’d tried to kill Brendan. The Lord of Tir na nOg could not be trusted.
“I don’t care about your Clans. I won,” Brendan said brusquely. “Now let me and my friends and sister go.”
“Of course,” Ariel agreed. “They will be Compelled to silence and freed.”
“No,” Brendan said. “That isn’t going to happen.”
Ariel’s pale face went even paler. “Those were the conditions of the bargain. They will be upheld.”
“That bargain was finished when Lugh pulled the knife,” Brendan said coldly. “The rules have changed. It’s time for things to be different.” Brendan looked at the faces of Og, Deirdre, and Greenleaf, full of pride and relief at his survival. Merddyn winked, and Kitsune Kai’s dark eyes were watchful, expectant.
Brendan turned to address the silent throng.
“I’ve done all that’s been asked of me. I’ve tried to follow the rules. I’m not going to do that anymore. These people…” He indicated the little group huddled on the floor. “They are as important to me as any Fair Folk will ever be. I love my new family. Aunt Deirdre, Greenleaf, Og: they have been as kind as they could be, but my Human parents were there in all the hardest parts of my life. They thought of me as their son. They took me in when my real father put me aside. I owe them everything.” He smiled at Delia. “My sister has been… a sister. We’ve fought tooth and nail. We’ve shared our childhoods and grown up together.” He turned to Harold and Dmitri. “My friends were there for me when I thought I was alone in the world. They risked their lives to help me, and I repaid them by not trusting them enough to tell them my secret. Well, that’s going to change. There will be no secrets anymore.”
Outraged voices cried out in protest. Brendan waited until the shouts ran their course. “I know many of you will disagree with me. Many of you will feel threatened. I want you to understand that I don’t plan on going out into the world and revealing your existence. Humans aren’t ready for that. Many of you feel they’ll never be ready for that. I think you’re wrong.”
He looked to Merddyn. The old Faerie was watching him with bright eyes, eager to hear his words. He smiled encouragement.
“The truth is, the Human world needs us. The Pact was a mistake. It was born out of fear and mistrust. Our two tribes, the Humans and the Faeries, were never meant to be separated. We’re two sides of the same coin. Faeries say Humans are destroying the world with their progress and their pollution, but then Faeries turn around and copy their technology, ape their ways. It doesn’t make any sense. We sit back and despise the Humans when we should be helping them, guiding them.
“That’s why the Pact must change. Faeries were never meant to be alone. Humans were never meant to be alone. We were meant to share the world, to complement each other. Instead, we’ve both been going our own ways, and now the Earth is suffering for it.”
Brendan addressed Pukh directly. “You, living alone in your fantasy world. You are the worst of all. You cut yourself off from what’s real and cling to the Old Ways. That’s absolutely the wrong thing to do. You can never return to the past.”
Pukh sneered, his normally handsome face distorted by disdain. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Humans can’t be trusted.”
“What? They’re less trustworthy than you? I doubt it.” Brendan laughed.
Maya danced from foot to foot. “Let me kill him, my Lord! Let me!”
“Try,” Brendan said evenly. He didn’t want another fight, but he wasn’t afraid of it either.
Maya stilled herself but her eyes beamed hatred at him. Brendan ignored her.
“I’m going to leave now. I am taking these Humans, my friends and family, with me.” He bent down and untied Delia as he spoke. When she was free, she worked on the others’ bonds. “You can do whatever you want. I’m going to live my life as I see fit. No Pact is going to rule me. I will judge each moment as it comes and do what I have to to survive and to be the person I want to be. My mum and dad are probably wondering where I am. I’m going home. It’s Christmastime and I’m going to celebrate with them. I don’t need a Clan. I have a family and I have friends.”
“Without a Clan,” Pukh said flatly, “you will die.”
Brendan’s voice was equally cold. “I’ll take my chances.”
He swept his eyes over the group. Deirdre’s face was unreadable. Greenleaf’s held a gentle smile. Ariel’s face was cold and distant. Pukh’s lip was curled in disdain. Merddyn smiled openly. Brendan looked for Charlie but caught only a glimpse of her as she disappeared in the excited crush of Faeries.
His eyes fell on Kim last. She smiled at him, an exasperated, eye-rolling smile that made him laugh in spite of the pain that racked his ribs.
Brendan turned to leave.
“Brendan!” Merddyn’s voice stopped him. The Ancient Faerie held the wrapped bundle that was his father’s sword out to him. Brendan hesitated. Did he really want it? Without it, he wondered if he’d ever be able to speak to
