Both Knights laughed. Then, Finn hurried down the steps and flung his arms around the older Knight, secretly pleased he was as tall as Gideon. A fierce embrace, then they stepped back and examined each other.
“What’s with this showing up a day earlier stunt? Tara and I were all set to pick you up at the airport.”
“Why, simply following a family tradition. Here. Leave that be, lad.” Gideon stopped Lir, who was trying to pick up the duffle. “’Tis too heavy for you,”
“Oh, I can do it. I’m strong.” Taking the bag by the strap, Lir walked backward, hauling the bag through the grass to the steps. “See?”
“He’s as stubborn as his mother.” Finn watched with pride as his son dragged the duffle—almost as big as he was—up one step at a time, then wrestled it through the door. He turned his head in time to catch Gideon’s expression. “What?”
“As stubborn as his mother, eh?”
“Well…”
Gideon chuckled. “Speaking of Tara, where is she?”
“Grocery store. She lost the coin toss. Speaking of wives—”
“Were we?”
“We are now. When are you and Kel O’Shea going to get married?”
“And what is so wrong with a long courtship whilst enjoying our extended visit to Éireann?”
Finn rolled his eyes. “Only you would call five years an ‘extended visit.’ You’re not getting any younger, you know, and—”
A shadow ghosted across the yard. They stiffened and looked up, freeing their blades in twin flashes of bronze. Overhead, a crow floated past on inky wings, a black X against the blue sky. It cawed once, mocking them, then flew away, heading west toward the wooded foothills. Their eyes followed the crow’s path, then they glanced once at each other.
“The lad?”
“We’ll take him with us—he loves hiking with Tara and me. We’ll just make this short tracking practice. He’ll be safe enough with two Knights.”
“And Tara?”
Finn pulled a cell phone from his pocket with his free hand. “Texting her right now to let her know where we are.” As he tapped a thumb on the screen, his son burst through the door, task complete.
Jumping off the porch, Lir hurried over. His eyes widened when he spotted the drawn weapons in the Knights’ hands. “Are you and Knight Lir going hunting, Dad?” He licked his lips, clearly wanting to ask.
“We are.” The older Knight winked. “And you best call me Gideon. ‘Twill make things less confusing.”
Lir nodded, shifting from foot to foot, gaze locked on his father.
Finn grinned down at the earnest face, so like his own. “What do you say, son? Up for a little search and destroy?”
He laughed when his son threw back his head and shouted. “Faugh a ballagh!”
Author’s Notes
While these author notes mostly repeat the ones from the first three books, I’ve included a wee bit of information on the Burren.
Finnegan MacCullen: My protagonist is based loosely on the Irish legend of Finn McCool or Fionn mac Cumhail. This story cycle, called The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn mac Cumhail, follows the adventures of Finn as he grows from boy to legendary warrior.
Lir: The warrior-father from The Children of Lir story cycle. All I really took from that cycle was the name Lir. However, Gideon’s name is a nod to the legendary Welsh figure Gwydion. That character was a warrior, but also a bit of a trickster. I took that trait and gave Gideon a sarcastic bent.
Mac Roth: A friend and strong right arm to one of the early kings of Ireland. A fitting name for Gideon’s old friend and avuncular figure to Finn.
Scáthach: A formidable warrior and instructor of the young heroes. She trained many a famous figure from Celtic mythology, including the legendary warrior Cúchulainne. “Cu-Chulainne,” by the way, means “The Hound of Culain.” He is often referred to as the Achilles of Celtic mythology.
Warp spasm: This, too is a part of Celtic lore. This battle frenzy gave warriors extra strength and speed and helped them ignore injuries until after the conflict.
Torc: A neck ring made from strands of metal twisted together. Most are open-ended at the front and were worn as a sign of nobility and high social status. Many examples of these have been found in European Bronze Age graves and burial sites.
Deadnettle: A plant used as a curative tea amongst various peoples in northern Europe and the British isles.
Amandán: Mythical Irish and Scottish figures which are said to reside in fairy mounds. They are feared because it is believed their touch (called the fairy stroke or poc sídhe) is said to cause paralysis or death.
The Burren (in Gaelic: Boireann, meaning “great rock”) is a protected area located in County Clare, Ireland, on the southwestern corner on the Atlantic coast. This karst landscape is about 300 square miles and filled with gigantic slabs of limestone and rolling hills. It is wild and remote and made my heart sing an ancient song of Ireland when I visited it.
The Song of the Tuatha De Danaan: The words that open the novel and are recited throughout the book are a portion of the famous early Irish “Song of Amergin.” This translation is from the article “Echoes of Antiquity in the Early Irish ‘Song of Amergin’” by Lloyd D. Graham, 2010.
The lines Gideon sang in the final chapter were from “The Minstrel Boy,” written by Thomas Moore; 1179-1852.
Acknowledgments
Ah, Dear Reader, it’s been a high joy and great pleasure to have shared Finn’s and Gideon’s adventures with you. Strange, is it not, that so much could happen to one boy in the course of less than a year’s time?
I want to thank all of you who have read and recommended these books to others. You’ve made my books a success by spreading the word of Finn’s adventures. In a way, you’re like the bards of ancient times—sharing the tales of heroes and heroines with others. A happy thought, eh?
Will there be more tales of Finnegan MacCullen and Gideon Lir? Yes, in a way. You see, once you’ve read a book, those characters continue on in your head (they certainly have occupied a great deal of my mindspace for the last four years) and I am more than happy to pass them to you for safekeeping. Promise me you’ll take care of them.
Once again, I must list those who have shared this journey with me and my boyos: Kelly Hager, my dear friend and publicist (who never failed to end every conversation or email with the words: More Griffin, please.) Here you go, Kelly. More Griffin. My pleasure at bringing my two “sons” together in one book is boundless. People often ask me if I have children. I always reply: “Yes—two boys. The oldest is an absolute angel. The youngest? Not so much.” Cracks me up every time.
My friends and editors, Trish Wooldridge and Vikki Ciaffone. What can I say to you two? We have laughed (a lot) and argued (very little) over these books. In a very real sense, you wrote them with me. Shield Maidens—I salute you.
Thank you, also, to the Spencer Hill Press team: Jennifer Carson, head of Spencer Hill Middle Grade; Jessica Porteous, Managing Editor of Spencer Hill Press; Lauren Owenby for exquisite fine-tuning, Rich Storrs, the closing editor on all my books (and one heck of a funny guy, and whose passion for good books is only exceeded by his passion for his students); and Lisa Amowitz, graphic artist, for another out-of-this-world cover. And, I must include a special thank you to Ethan Wright, who explained the nuances of guy strategy when it comes to girls. Ethan, you are wise beyond your years, my friend.
And to Wes. Mo chara in all ways.
About the Author
Darby Karchut is an award-winning author, former teacher, and compulsive dawn greeter. She’s been known to run in blizzards and bike in lightning storms. When not dodging death by Colorado, Darby is busy writing urban fantasy for tweens, teens, and adults.
The other books in The Adventures of Finn MacCullen series are (in order): Finn Finnegan, Gideon’s Spear, and The Hound at the Gate.
Her young adult books include Griffin Rising, Griffin’s Fire, and Griffin’s Storm (yes, that Griffin) w
hich were recently optioned for film rights. Her adult urban fantasy books, written as Darby Kaye, include The Stag Lord and Unholy Blue.
Visit her at www.darbykarchut.com.
A portion of the net profit of each copy of the books in The Adventure of Finn MacCullen series goes to The Gava Kids (Topnaar Education Fund). The Gava Kids is a non-profit organization focused on educating and empowering Topnaar students from the southern African country of Namibia. They work with traditional Topnaar community leaders to identify children based on need; most are either orphans or are from extremely compromised family situations. For more information, visit them at www.gavakids.com.
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