It had happened so fast. “I... I was sure of it.”
“It’s a bit of a mind melder, it is, to project. Maybe he was just your mind’s fear?”
Had he been there? Had she imagined it?
“Small room, ancient and dusty?” Aileen asked. “Right?”
“Small room, yes, but not dusty or ancient.” She doubted her own eyes. Moving lights and him. Had that been there? She moved and felt dizzy again. She held her head. “I don’t know.”
Her grandpa peered into her eyes and inspected her head. “It’s okay now. You’re safe.”
He pulled back a few strands of hair and gently pressed against her scalp. “Are you sure she’s not hurt?”
“I’m fine.” She took a few steps to her left. Her body wanted to go that way without her. “But he’s found me.”
“Poor lass, I shouldn’t have left you alone.” He hugged her so close she felt the need to cough. “What happened before you passed out?”
“Just trying out some objects.”
The fear had passed. Maybe she had imagined it. She took a deep breath.
“Aileen handed me some ring, and I saw, no, not just saw the sea. I was walking in the water. The tide splashed onto my legs.”
“It was only supposed to tingle the first few times. I was amazed, I have to say, but I didn’t know about the water.” Aileen threw up her hands. “She has more power than you realized if she’s interacting with the worlds.”
“She's afraid of water. That wasn't the best of starts." He turned to her. "This was supposed to help you, well, kind of ease into magic a bit. And test your abilities, see what you were capable of in a safe place.”
“So, you felt the water?” Eric looked shocked.
“Yeah, the tide washed right across my feet.” Riley lifted her left leg and inspected the bottoms of her jeans. Everyone’s gaze rested on the wet hem. “They’re completely soaked.”
Riley looked at each of them.
Aileen leaned against the stove. The salt and pepper shakers rattled and threatened to fall, but Aileen was not paying attention. She smiled and exchanged a glance with the man in the cloak.
“Yeah, I was standing in the tide.” Riley searched their faces again.
Her grandpa was rubbing his hand over his heart. He noticed her watching and stopped.
“Are you okay, Grandpa?”
“I’m fine, lass, just worried about you. And a little excited— we all are.” He gestured around the room. Aileen and the man in the cloak were beaming at her, and Eric’s mouth hung open. “You see, darling, water kills a projection, sends the projector out immediately. The best anyone I know has been able to do is bring back a small object. Why you should be any different has us all a little, well, flummoxed. Truth is, working a projection is dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. That’s why we have objects that condense the power, harness it. Makes it safe, keeps you grounded. That’s why Aileen started you off with something easy. Even then, things happen. But not like this. Your powers are new to you, though, and apparently, you are more powerful than we any knew. Anything could happen, I guess. We won’t make that mistake again. And we won’t send you alone if you project.”
“What are these powers then?”
“I don’t know for sure. Though, I have learned that there are more abilities than projecting, of course. You’re much more powerful than any of the wielders we gathered to teach you.”
Riley shook her head and stepped back toward the table.
“Have a seat, Miss.” Eric indicated the chair he’d pulled out, and she sat.
“Come on, lass. You have to have felt something over the years, even the slightest twinge?” he asked. “Odd things you noticed?”
Riley didn’t know what to say. The image of the twisted nail was foremost in her mind. Had she felt something then? “If I can see something happening in my mind, I can make it happen for real. Kinda.”
Her grandpa pulled up a chair beside her and motioned for the man in the cloak. “Like what?”
“Whatever I want to have happen.”
The man in the cloak brushed a wayward strand of hair out of his eyes and instantly Riley knew he was Eric’s father. He knelt beside her. “So, you projected and passed out? Was that because you saw the man who frightened you or because you lost the projection?”
“I don’t … I don’t know.” She fanned herself and wished she was outside where she could breathe. The kitchen was too warm.
“Open the windows, son,” the man directed Eric. “Need a breather, don’t you, girl? I’m amazed you seem mostly unaffected. She was fine, you say, when she did the first projection?” He turned to Aileen. “No nausea?”
Aileen nodded. “I thought she was fine, anyway. Maybe fainting was a coping mechanism and not really to do with the projecting.”
“Are you, or rather, were you nauseated?” the man asked, looking back at her and taking the pulse in her wrist. She shook her head and rubbed at the chill bumps prickling on her arms. His hands were cold like all doctors she had ever known.
He pulled down her eyelids and massaged his fingers over her skull. Somehow, the normalcy of a check-up made her calmer.
“She’s fine physically.” He stood up. “Go get some hot food in the girl and then let her rest. She’s had a bit of a shock.”
Her grandpa helped her stand, though she didn’t need it. Aileen followed them into the yard. Eric and his father stayed leaning on either side of the door. When she looked back, they waved in unison. Aileen put a tentative hand on Riley’s shoulder and squeezed, and Riley suddenly had a keen need to have her mother there.
“Is something wrong with me? My magic?”
“No, my dear, not at all. Everyone has a little magic in them. Some people know when it will rain. Some pick up the phone before it rings. Some solve problems in their sleep. You just happen to have it in a sort of,” she struggled to find the words, “concentrated dose. You will do amazing things.”
Riley wanted it to be true. But not if it meant having to face that man. She shivered.
The wind picked up as they walked away from Aileen’s. It stung her damp skin, and she was glad. It made her feel real again, normal.
“Maybe you don’t want to talk, lass. I understand.” Her grandpa put his hand on her shoulder.
She shied away from him on reflex, and his hand dropped.
“It’s a lot to take in as you have. It should have been easier, but there you are. If someone is coming after you, he’ll have to get through the Order first. Every last one of us old ones will fight.”
“Who is in the Order?”
“All users of old magic headed by the most gifted wielder.”
“Like Gandalf?”
“Like your dad.”
9
Riley barely remembered the walk back to Donahue castle. Her grandpa’s revelation about her dad made her head spin. And weighed on her heart.
Her dad was the head of a magical order, and she never got to learn any of it. And all this time, everyone had been waiting for her to be something, do something. All of them just waiting on her. Her dad. Her grandpa. The order. The man who had attacked her.
Her grandpa spoke softly. “I’m sorry, lass. I thought you should know. I don’t know what to do without Sam here, but you need to know everything. We need to know everything. Since Sam’s been gone, the whole community fears—”
He stopped walking and stared off into the distance.
“Fears what?” Her heart stuttered. “I know he’s alive, grandpa.”
“How?”
She took a deep breath. “The gypsy told me.”
He furrowed his brow. “From the fair? I hardly think she—”
“Yes, a Romani woman named Tsura who saw dad and knew a lot about me just from her ‘seeing’ that she did.”
“You sure she was not an enemy? Or just playing your emotions?”
“Yes, she fought the man for me. Injured him with her magic. She took
a big risk.” The weight of what Tsura had done settled on her shoulders. She glanced at the ring the woman had given her.
A twinge of guilt hit her hard. She hadn’t said more than hi to Liz since she’d gotten here. Somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to pretend things were normal.
“It’s all my fault that everyone is in danger. Why do they want me?”
“Power,” her grandpa answered. “The old ones are not all good. Some walk the dark ways.”
“Who are they? The ones after me?”
“If we knew that, we could form a better plan. For now, we can only train you to harness your powers. If only Sam were here.” He looked at her. “I know you miss him. We all do. Good man, your dad. Don’t hold it against him, any of this. Everyone did what they thought was best.”
They walked on in silence until the castle came into view.
Her grandpa pointed toward the courtyard. “Look what the cat dragged in.”
Fergus and Jay were waiting there, sitting on the rim of the fountain with their feet propped against a wheel barrow of potatoes. Fergus was unwrapping a chocolate, looking quite serious, and Jay was whistling and whittling a potato.
Her grandpa gave a shrill whistle of his own. Fergus dropped his chocolate and frowned in their direction before picking it up and popping it in his mouth. Jay stuck the carved potato into one of his massive pockets and stood.
“Afternoon, Mr. O’Donnell. We are here per instructions from the lady to deliver you these fine potatoes in person.” Jay pulled Fergus to his feet, and they both saluted. “Forgive Fergus, sir. He suffers from general malaise.”
Fergus stuffed his hands back in his pockets and grimaced at Jay who was tapping the side of the wheel barrow. “You will be wanting the barrow for wheeling them to your larder, I’m sure. We’ll take our leave now, sir.” They bowed, eyeing her grandpa and then her.
“Miss.” They bowed again.
Her grandpa bowed back. “Thank you, gentlemen, and please thank Aileen for us.”
“Will do, sir.” Jay nodded and tugged his hat off. “Will you be needing Fergus and Jay any further?”
“We thank you, no, good sirs.”
“Our pleasure.” Jay bowed again and came up holding a piece of paper. “Our card, sir. Good day to you. Miss.” He waved his hat in her direction before putting it back on and shoving Fergus.
Riley waved, and Fergus winked at her.
“Those two are nuts.”
Riley agreed, murmuring, “Nuts should stay together.”
“What’s that dear?”
“Oh, just something Emma said that kinda stuck with me.”
“Ah, yes, Emma, good woman. She employs those two a lot.” He pointed to the card.
Riley read it aloud. “No job too small. The smaller the better. Fergus and Jay, Esquires. Inquire at Mangan’s bar.”
She sat down on the rim of the fountain and picked up a potato. “Are they lawyers?”
“Who knows with those two? Anything is possible. I’m going on in to see if the electricity’s on yet. Are you sure you’re okay, darling? I may not be the best man to see to your education after all. I have made a mess of things.”
“No, Grandpa. I’m just, you know, sort of digesting it.” She paused. “Does Mom ... Is she…? Is…?” Riley didn’t know what to ask.
“She told me once never to mention magic to her again. I tried to tell her she had her own gifts to be used, but she wouldn’t listen. Said there was no room in her life for nonsense. I hate to think what we’ll tell her when she gets her next week.” He grimaced. “I don’t like keeping things from my Gillian, but … well, that’s a thought for another day.”
Riley pictured her mother at home on the couch, her merino throw across her legs, the crossword in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. A normal life. The scene comforted her, making her a little homesick. She could almost smell the dark roast. But the thought that her mom might not let her learn magic worried her.
“You’re going to break your necklace, pulling on that charm like that,” her grandpa admonished.
Riley let go of the ruby slipper and cleared her thoughts. Like her grandpa said, she’d worry about it later. She glanced up at the castle.
“Is the electricity on?”
“Yes, finally. I know it’s a lot of work, but I feel I at least owe Sean the small favor of keeping up what’s left of the old place.”
“I’m sure he appreciates it. I wish I could have seen it before all the remodeling.”
“It was a glory, sure enough. I always felt connected to the old ways here. Sean used to say this castle was part of him, just as much as his right arm.” He paused. “I wish things had been different.”
“Me too.”
“Go on up to your room to rest. I’ll be up in a bit. We can talk?”
She nodded, absentmindedly lifting the golden key from her necklace.
“Careful.”
“Oh, right.”
She realized what she was touching. The key. What Eric had said made her eager to get that note, but not without meaning to.
She headed up to her room where it was safer to try. She got comfortable lying on the bed and reached out for the key. She blew out the breath she had been holding. Nothing happened. No projection. No empty flat that Eric had talked about. Her shoulders slumped. Maybe she didn’t have all these amazing powers after all.
She needed to get her mind off herself. Off her powers. Helping her grandpa with the mystery of Sean’s disappearance would be a welcome distraction.
Riley hopped back up and picked up Sean’s journal off the dresser.
She flipped through the pages and found nothing.
“Ah, I see you’re reading Sean’s journal again.” Her grandpa stood in the doorway. “Thought we’d explore the castle a bit now that the lights are on. If you wanted to.”
“I do, but sit down.”
“Uh oh. Bad news?” He adjusted his glasses and looked at her expectantly.
Riley found herself twisting her hands like her mom did when she was nervous. “No, I want to help you find out what happened. Maybe you can tell me a bit more.”
“Sure, though I don’t know what there is to tell.”
“Anything you can think of. I want to know what happened to him too. I want to learn to use my powers. Then I can help you get justice for Sean and peace. For you too.”
“Sha, darling, you’re an angel, you know that?” He slapped his knees. “Maybe I should give up the hunt. Dr. Brown is the only one who knew. He fled across the water over sixty years ago and took Sean’s mother. But not before he sent Maureen to a boarding school in northern England, at least that’s what Mangan told me.”
His shoulders slumped. “The only people who could help us are long dead. The servants may have known, but they never talked.”
“Is Maureen still living?”
“I don’t know. I could never find her, don’t even know if that’s really what happened to her.”
“Oh.” Riley traced an absent fingertip across Sean’s golden initials. “Well, we know he hated Brown.”
“Passionately,” He agreed. “He was sure that Brown was evil. It wasn’t that he was a stranger. Sure, many's a man who disliked him for that only, but Sean never felt that way. He tried to like Brown, wanted him to help his sister, but Sean saw something in Brown that drove him red.”
“Brown had been his father’s physician when he died. After, when Brown was treating Maureen, Sean became obsessed with getting his mother to dismiss him.” Her grandpa heaved a sigh, “She was a weak woman, his mother. Sean’s father had taken her from her homeland. She was a stranger herself, see? A pampered lass if ever there was. Used to seeing only reflections in her pier glass and never considering others, even her own children.”
Riley cringed.
“And that’s the holy alls of it. He was just a boy weighed down with a man’s responsibilities and the heaviness of a broken heart. He never really moved past his
father’s death. He swore dark things were involved.” He sighed and patted Riley’s knee. “Let’s just say we’ve hit a blind tonight and go do that exploring, eh?”
“Sounds good, Grandpa.”
“All right, let’s start in the study. That’s as good a place as any. And I’ll tell you the story of the talking gargoyle as Sean told it to me.”
“Sean told it to you? I thought it was a legend of Ireland or something.” Riley followed him into the hallway and waited as he turned the lights on.
“No, all Sean. Oh, he was full of stories, he was. Always with a new adventure from this Finan he had made up in our youth. Finan was Sean’s own middle name, just as it was his father’s. I guess he liked the character to be part of him.” He chuckled. “There was this one story of Finan the Brave, he called him, where he’s turned into a bird and must find three golden feathers before the moon’s change. I had almost forgotten how many Finan stories he told until now.”
Riley stepped over a hole in the hall’s floor. “How did Finan get the feathers?”
“Let me see.” He tapped the side of his head. “I believe Finan went to the Blessed Fountain, no, that was when he needed a drop of water to destroy the Pond Witch. Let me think on it a moment.”
Riley held on to his vest and gripped his hand. She could barely see in front of her in the dark hall. “Where are the lights?”
“Not working down this way yet, but inside the study works.”
“Oh.” Riley strained to see the pictures on the walls. She could just make out a few landscapes and one portrait of a young girl with a dog on her lap. “What ever happened to Finan the Brave?”
“Right. Well, to find the feathers, Finan climbed to the nest of Selwyn the Songweaver, a golden griffin whose magic could kill a mortal if he tried to harness it. Finan had only the choice to live out his life as a bird of prey, scavenging on the dead, or to risk everything to restore his humanity. He took the chance to be human and lived.”
He took a breath and added, “There’s more to it, but my old brain isn’t quite up to snuff. Not that it was ever High Toast anyway. Ah, well, maybe it’ll come to me in the wee hours. You know how that is.”
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