by Helen Harper
‘Is everything alright?’ Aifric called out from the front.
‘Fine! Fine! I was just making sure you were all paying attention!’
I received a few scowls. Oops.
Once they were facing ahead again, I pulled Bob out. The little bastard had bitten me. I mimed pulling his head off and he pouted. He pointed to my ear and gave me a pleading puppy-dog expression. Sighing, I lifted him up. He perched between my ear and my skull and I pushed my hair forward to cover him. That was when his incessant chatter began.
‘I’ve been paying close attention, Uh Integrity. These guys are very dull and most of them really don’t like you.’
Tell me something I don’t know, I thought, concentrating on not tripping on the sharp scree as the path grew steeper and more precarious.
‘The only one who thinks you’re alright is that Byron fellow. The one you want to cover in whipped cream and eat for dessert. The Diana woman is starting to soften too. Everyone else hates you. Even the fat pony.’
Unable to answer him without drawing attention to myself, I grimaced.
‘It’s kind of cool that I can come here though. I thought I’d be blocked, but because I’m a supremely magical being I’m clearly allowed to enter.’
Either that or, by using his key, Malcolm had opened up the path for anyone who followed. It was a shame that Lily had stayed behind, if only because she would have proved to Bob that he wasn’t as unique as he liked to think.
‘You should make a wish now,’ Bob whispered. ‘To test the magic. If my magic works here, I’m obviously far more powerful than any Sidhe. And you need to know if my wishes still work for when they all try to kill you and you can’t teleport yourself away.’
Crapadoodle. He had a point – although they’d find it a damn sight harder to do me in without their Gifts. As long as I kept my wits about me, I’d be fine. Anyway, I had a back-up plan; I always had a back up plan.
Several stones skittered down, knocked loose by our feet. I could hear William Kincaid breathing heavily as he braced himself against the sharp mountain walls. I reached out to steady him but he flinched away. His choice.
Although technically we were still outdoors and the sky remained visible, the angle of the slopes on either side of us meant that we were almost completely shrouded in darkness. Only a chink of light allowed us to see where we were treading. The passageway grew narrower until we were forced to sidestep down it.
‘Your ancestors really made it hard to get to this Foinse thing, didn’t they?’ Bob commented. ‘They didn’t trust anyone.’
I considered this. Bob was right; trust appeared to be the one thing that was seriously in short supply where the Sidhe were concerned. The Clans, who’d put the Foinse here and made it so that no one person could reach it without the support of others, hadn’t trusted anyone. And the Moncrieffes didn’t trust anyone enough to tell them they were essentially penniless. And they all seemed to distrust me.
My foot slipped, sending a tiny avalanche rumbling down.
‘Be careful!’ Aifric snapped from the front. The stress was obviously getting to him.
‘Can you do something more interesting, Uh Integrity? I’ve been cooped up for days. Go and trip that dude in front of you. He doesn’t like you anyway and the Kincaids have already done their part. You don’t need him any more.’
I resisted the urge to strangle Bob. Anything to shut him up, though. Spying an expensive watch round William Kincaid’s wrist, a fit of mischief took me. He was so focused on not falling that he’d never notice. It was time I lived up to his lack of trust.
Counting my breaths so I timed it perfectly, I let my foot slip again. This time, however, I cried out sharply and fell against William. My right hand grabbed his wrist, ostensibly to stop me crashing into him and making us all topple like a line of dominoes.
William grunted back and tried to pull away but I looked at him desperately. With more scree sliding around our feet, he also lost his balance and was forced to grab me. By this point, I’d loosened the watch enough for my purposes. Expensive ones like these, with leather buckles, were always the easiest. Keeping my finger in the right spot to avoid the prong from slipping back in, the buckle detached completely and I palmed the watch.
‘I’m so sorry,’ I said again.
‘Aifric said to be more careful!’ Kincaid snapped.
I hung my head apologetically. As soon as he’d righted himself and was following the others down, I passed the watch back to Bob.
‘Uh Integrity,’ he whispered in my ear. ‘You are a goddess.’
I smiled and took out the letter opener, gesturing to it and hoping he’d do as I asked.
‘Very well,’ he said. ‘But only so I can examine this beauty in more detail.’
I shook my head and pointed ahead. I needed him to wait until the next key was used. A flash of light here would be impossible to hide.
Sensing rather than seeing him nod, I flicked my hair out to cover both the watch and him. There was a sliver of light ahead. At least we were almost at the next lock.
‘We’ve made it to the cavern,’ I heard Dorienne Darroch say.
‘Thank fuck,’ Kincaid muttered.
One by one we squeezed out. The relief of getting back to a more open space was overwhelming. I gulped in air and looked around. The light was deceptive. Rather than natural light filtering in from above, it was an eerie glow reflecting from thousands of green lights in the roof of the cavern to the dark pools below.
‘Glow worms,’ Bob hissed in my ear. ‘Nasty unfriendly creatures.’
Diana gasped. ‘Is it magic?’
‘Glow worms,’ I said knowledgeably. ‘Lovely little things.’
She sent me an approving glance. Perhaps Bob was right and she was feeling less antagonistic. The genie, however, was unimpressed at my showing off and flicked my ear lobe. I jumped half a foot in the air.
‘I’m still a bit stiff from all that horse riding,’ I explained when the others looked at me, puzzled.
‘You or me, boy?’ Aifric said, addressing Byron.
Byron gestured ahead. ‘Please.’
Aifric gave a tiny smile and stepped up. Just as before, we stood back to give him privacy. I put my hand on the letter opener to remind Bob to make tracks – but this time he timed it rather badly. The flash of light came about three seconds after Aifric whispered his true name.
Aifric looked round, a strange expression on his face. ‘All I’ve done for months is research this journey. There was nothing about light flashes when the keys were used.’
I tried to look stupid. It must have worked because his gaze slid over me to his older companions. Neither Dorienne Darroch nor William Kincaid had a clue, of course.
Aifric shrugged. ‘Let’s hope there’s nothing more up ahead that I don’t know about,’ he said. ‘Fixing the Foinse is going to be hard enough.’ With that, he straightened his back and plunged in, the strange light from the glow worms throwing dappled shadows across his body.
Byron raised his eyebrows at me, as if to check I was okay. I flicked back my hair and threw him a kiss. His emerald eyes glinted then he turned and joined his father. The two Darrochs followed then Malcolm Kincaid plunged in. William, however, hung back.
‘Don’t get any ideas about the Steward’s son,’ he hissed. ‘You won’t be around long enough to see them come to fruition. In any event, he’s spoken for.’ The spite in his voice was unmissable. For good measure, I blew him a kiss too. He snorted loudly and strolled into the cavern.
I watched him go. If anyone was going to make a move against me when this was over, Chieftain Kincaid seemed to be the most likely. Vowing to keep a close eye on him I followed him. I hoped that whatever he was planning he’d do it quickly. I wasn’t sure I could take much more waiting around for the stab in my back.
The cavern was rather pretty. The green light cast by the worms should have created a horror film effect; instead, the place was soft and welcoming. I sidled b
etween the stalagmites (or was it stalactites? I could never remember) and enjoyed not being squashed between walls of stone. It was like walking through a grand cathedral; I wouldn’t have been surprised if organ music suddenly bellowed up ahead.
With more space to manoeuvre, the others abandoned single file. Their heads bobbed as they conferred: Byron and Aifric, William and Michael, Diana and Dorienne. I tagged along at the back, taking in the scenery. Even without the hushed voices of the Sidhe, the cavern wasn’t silent. There were splashes of water falling from the smooth, rounded ceiling. There was also a strange but not unpleasant whine that whistled past my ears. When the others stopped moving and I realised where the sound was coming from, my stomach dropped.
‘Shite,’ I whispered.
There was a rope bridge stretching from the edge of the cavern across an abyss. I couldn’t see the bottom but I bet it was a long way down. Picking up a loose stone, I threw it over the edge. It was a good ten seconds before it struck something. For the first time since this journey started, I was glad that Brochan, Lexie and Speck weren’t here with me. Speck would have a heart attack.
‘That rope must have been here for decades,’ Diana said in a low, worried voice. ‘How can we be sure it’s safe?’
I waved my hand. ‘I’m good with heights,’ I chirped. ‘Once the Darrochs have opened the way, I’ll go first.’
‘The hell you will.’
I glanced at the source of the growl. Byron. Why was I not surprised? ‘We need you for the final section,’ he said, his face dark. ‘The rest of us can afford to slip and fall. You can’t. Someone will have to go first to make sure it’s safe.’
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Malcolm Kincaid looking disgusted.
‘I’m lighter than the rest of you.’
‘No.’
Looking at his son curiously, Aifric spoke up. ‘I’m sure it’s safe. I’ll go first. But make sure no more than one person is on the bridge at any one time. Dorienne, will you do the honours?’
The older of the two Darroch women bit her lip and nodded. By now I was finding the whole true name thing rather dull. I dutifully stepped away and covered my ears. She did her thing, leaving everyone puzzled when no flash of light followed.
‘Is that a good sign or a bad sign?’ she asked, her eyes wide.
Nobody answered. I would have patted her on the back reassuringly but I was tired of everyone flinching away from me so I simply shrugged and smiled.
Aifric’s first few steps were slow and shaky. He gripped the ropes as he shuffled along. It wasn’t until he was about halfway along that the group’s breathing returned to normal. So much for the Foinse being the only difficult part of this journey.
Encouraged by Byron, I went next. I wasn’t a complete fool. I tested my weight first, gingerly taking the first section. When I was sure the rope was secure, however, it was very satisfying to skip across in a fraction of the time that it had taken Aifric.
When I reached the other side, he smiled. ‘You really do have a head for heights.’
I grinned back. False modesty wasn’t my thing. ‘Yeah,’ I agreed, ‘I do.’
The others followed one by one. Despite his muscle, Byron was pretty fast. From his quickened breathing when he came off, though, he’d found it harder than he was letting on.
‘Are you alright?’ I inquired solicitously.
‘Oh, I’m perfect,’ he replied, straightening up. His eyes glinted as if he dared me to disagree.
‘Of course you are,’ I said quietly.
The Darrochs were both slow but steady. Malcolm Kincaid crossed with so much sweat streaming off his forehead and into his eyes that I was amazed he could see anything; his father struggled even more. His skin turned white as he inched his way, the ropes swinging dramatically on several occasions as he struggled to keep his balance. When he finally arrived, he threw me a nasty look even though my expression was bland.
‘You want to say something, Adair?’
‘It’s Taylor,’ I reminded him. ‘My name is Integrity Taylor.’
He flexed his fingers. Considering how tightly he’d grabbed the rope, they had to be stiff and sore. ‘Yes,’ he sneered. ‘I’d be ashamed of my Clan if it were yours.’
I didn’t deign to reply and turned my back. ‘I guess I’m up next,’ I said lightly. ‘Let’s go.’
After the rope bridge, the ground was fairly even. There was enough space to walk comfortably and even the scree underfoot was less of an issue. All the same, my stomach was twisting in nerves. Whether it was because I was worried about the Foinse or because I was about to acknowledge the importance of my true name – and therefore my Sidhe heritage – by passing the final hurdle, I wasn’t entirely sure. At least the tunnel we were moving along was getting darker so the others couldn’t see my tension.
The first indication I had that we were getting close was when we rounded a corner and I felt a breeze on my face. My eyes might have fully adjusted to the gloom but I still couldn’t make out anything that might be Foinse-shaped. I imagined that the Foinse would be like a small fountain with streams of multi-coloured magic bubbling up instead of water. Unfortunately, everything ahead was a dark black well .
I sniffed the air. For a long time, in fact since we’d entered the cavern, it had been growing gradually staler but now there was something different about it. It was almost fresh. I picked up my pace. We were almost there; I could feel it.
When we turned another corner, the Foinse was there. It was a huge chest bathed in light, although goodness knows where the light was coming from.
Diana, who was close behind me, gasped. With the chest perched on a stone pedestal and the light cascading from above, it was like entering an ancient temple to pay homage to a god.
I felt the final barrier before I saw it. When I was less than ten feet away from the chest, I could no longer press forward; there was an invisible force field around it. It was clear, though, where the light was coming from. Hundreds of metres above us there was a round hole. If I squinted, I could make out a dash of blue.
‘We’re in the centre of the mountain,’ Malcolm said, awestruck.
Byron drew a breath. ‘It’s your turn, Integrity.’
I nodded, glancing at the others to make sure they were going to give me the same privacy that they’d been given. There was a calculating expression in William Kincaid’s eyes but Aifric gripped his elbow and pulled him back. Giving them a tight smile, I turned my attention to the last lock. I pressed my palms against the barrier and marvelled at the magical craftsmanship that must have gone into making it.
I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed my name. ‘Layoch.’
The sensation of the barrier shattering was extraordinary. I felt a wash of power surge through me. Basking in its glow, I smiled. For the first time, I felt what it was to be Adair. I revelled in the moment – until Malcolm pushed past me, making a beeline for the chest.
He grabbed the corners and lifted. Nothing happened. I watched his shoulders strain and heard him grunt but the chest didn’t budge. Byron joined him, as did Diana. The three of them heaved but it still refused to open. Aifric, Dorienne and William joined them, all six of them scrabbling and straining. I folded my arms and kept back. There was no visible lock on the front, other than a simple iron latch. Sheer muscle was going to be a waste of time. There was a lightly coloured panel of wood on the left-hand side that told me everything I needed to know.
‘Aren’t you going to help us?’ William Kincaid spat.
I arched an eyebrow. ‘If six of you can’t open it, one more person isn’t going to make any difference.’
Aifric stepped away, his shoulders sagging. ‘She’s right. There has to be another way. We must have missed something.’
Diana joined him and pursed her lips. One by one they moved back until only Malcolm remained there, huffing and puffing. ‘It has to open!’
‘It’s not going to. We’ll have to take it with us and find a way to pry it
open back at the Cruaich,’ Aifric said decisively.
‘It’s massive! How will we carry it?’
‘We’ll just have to manage.’
The six of them took up their positions and attempted to lift the chest off the dais. It didn’t budge.
‘It’s stuck fast,’ Byron grunted. ‘This isn’t the way.’
Aifric cursed. ‘There must be another key. It shouldn’t be this hard.’
William Kincaid kicked it. ‘Blasted thing!’
I smirked, wondering how long this would go on for. Really, they were lucky they had me with them. For now, I amused myself by watching their wasted efforts.
It was Byron who noticed first. He glanced over and clocked the expression on my face. He abandoned the chest and marched over. ‘There aren’t any records of a container like this. It’s obviously not ancient like the Foinse is.’ He eyed me. ‘You know what to do to open it.’ It wasn’t a question.
I smiled. ‘I’m a thief, Byron. I do this for a living.’
Both irritation and amusement flitted across his face. ‘Go on then.’ He cleared his throat. ‘The rest of you need to get back. Give Integrity some room.’
Malcolm snorted. ‘She won’t be able to open it if we can’t.’
Aifric looked at me. ‘Step back,’ he ordered. He gestured at me. ‘On you go.’
I rubbed my palms together. Malcolm and William rolled their eyes but Diana simply looked curious. ‘You’re going to have to give me some room,’ I said. ‘I need the light and you’re blocking it.’
I walked round the chest, examining it from every angle. Although it looked heavy and cumbersome, the craftsmanship was superb. It was designed to appear deceptively simple. The reality was anything but. I couldn’t help feeling a tinge of admiration for our long-deceased Sidhe ancestors who’d placed it here. They didn’t just want the four strongest Clans to prove they could work together to reach it. They wanted them to prove themselves worthy of it too. They’d obviously decided there was no point in throwing open the source of the country’s magic to a bunch of people who didn’t even have the smarts to open a box.
