The Riddle (Keepers of the Key Book 1)

by L. M. Abbott

  Josh pointed to the far corner. “We…we’re not alone.”

  Neola sat on a white bench, the two ends curved upwards and out. Her gown flowed along the floor and she strummed the pearl coloured strings of a harp. “Hello,” she said in a voice matching the soft chords she played. “Such a delight to see you again so soon.”

  “We came for the spike,” Cailean said. “Please give it to me.”

  “Come get it if you dare.” Neola laughed, a shriek shriller than a fire alarm.

  chapter 20

  Golden winged silver butterflies gathered over Neola. Silver drops fell on her gown and hair, exploding into so much glitter that she resembled a volcano spuming red, orange and purple larva. Cailean shielded her eyes against the brilliance. Butterflies flittered among the harp string as the mirpha played. Their wings vibrated with each pluck. The silver liquid they shed evaporated into the strings, releasing bursts of silver sparkles.

  Neola’s fingers stilled. She caught a butterfly in her hand and brought it to her lips. “Lovely insect,” she cooed. Her voice rang out like the sound of a flute which would have been pleasant if it hadn’t been pitched too high. “The humans remain, standing together like muted puppets. They haven’t decided if they are brave enough to meet my challenge?” She set her captive free, and once more long fingers swept across the harp strings.

  “What are we going to do?” Josh said.

  “Find the spike,” Cailean said. “Pella said it was in the Currka.”

  “Not exactly,” Seamus said. “She thought Wim might have hidden it in here. Hey! There’s something... I gotta check this out.” He headed towards Neola.

  Josh raised his voice a notch. “Seamus, you spell bound by her or something?”

  “Don’t be stupid.” Seamus whooped and ran back. “Does the harp look a little odd to you?”

  “What do you mean?” Cailean said. The green haze appeared and she saw the harp clearly.

  Josh leaned forward. “It’s too far away. Besides I can’t see with all the silver drops and fireworks display.”

  “Look at the bottom left corner of the harp,” Seamus said. “Where the two sides join together.”

  “They look like unicorn horns painted white,” Cailean said. “Wait. One’s a little different. The horn had a rounded head.” She lowered her voice. “The spike’s hidden in plain sight. I never would’ve noticed.”

  “I see it,” Josh said. “Neola’s not going to sit quietly by allowing us to destroy her harp.”

  The butterflies’ wings fluttered to the rhythm of the harp music. “She’s tiny,” Cailean said. “I’ll hold her while you both take care of the harp.”

  Josh frowned. “Why isn’t she summoning help?”

  Seamus shooed away a small group of butterflies. “So far there’s only these pesky insects. We need to get the spike before she brings in Razuk.”

  A butterfly landed on Cailean’s wrist. “Seamus, wait,” she shouted as he moved forward. Through the flashing colours, she watched the mirpha’s gown shimmer and the hem flare out, quivering like it moved on a thousand tiny caterpillar legs. She knew Seamus didn’t notice because he dodged a swarm of butterflies which pursued him as he attempted to outmanoeuvre them. Her gaze shifted to Neola. The sleeves of her gown swelled out, silver scales sprouted from her eyes running down cheeks and over her ears.

  Seamus crept forward. A group of silver drops erupted in front of him forcing him to stop. Neola’s lashes thickened and grew up over her head covering it like a helmet. Her hands formed into claws, the back of the gown swirled like a spin top into a short, thick tail. Seamus advanced to the side of the bench. The creature parted its lips, displaying long, jagged teeth. It spewed out a line of fire.

  Cailean ran towards Seamus. “Get down. The fire’s heading straight for you.” She threw herself at him, both crashing to the floor as flames whizzed by. The singed edges of her hair burned her neck. Black smoke caked the inside of her mouth.

  Josh rushed over to them. “Cailean, why did you knock Seamus off his feet?”

  Seamus squirmed out from under her. “Have you lost your mind? Do you want the spike or not?”

  She looked at the lizard-like Neola. The morphed leader beat her steel hard chest. Another blast of fire spilled across the room. She pulled Josh to the floor.

  Seamus stood up. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “You were almost burned alive.” Cailean showed them her singed hair. “Neola’s changed into some sort of dragon.”

  “Your hair’s not burned,” Josh said quietly. “And Neola isn’t a dragon.”

  A butterfly pitched on Seamus. He dropped to the floor, his eyes towards the ceiling. “They’re coming this way. Don’t just stand there.”

  Josh jerked his head upwards. “Who’s coming?”

  “Two of the biggest, ugliest snails I’ve ever seen. They have wings as big as kites.” Seamus’s eyes roamed across the ceiling. “Their teeth are on the outside.” His left shoulder twitched. “One bit me.”

  “Snails?” Cailean said. “There aren’t any.”

  Seamus’s arm sagged by his side. “It’s gone numb and there’s blood everywhere.” He darted to the right, then to the left.

  Cailean wiped invisible sweat from her face. “We’ll never get to the harp through the flames.”

  Josh spun around to Neola. “No, I’m not,” he scowled at her.

  Cailean grabbed him by the front of his t-shirt. “Who are you talking to?”

  “Neola, she’s sitting there with a victory smile on her lips telling me I’m next.”

  Cailean cringed. All she saw was the monster with red holes where the eyes should be. Butterflies hovered around Josh’s head, then flew away.

  Seamus cradled his arm and dived to the floor. “They’re trying to pluck out my eyes.” He swiped at the air with his good arm. “Help me.”

  Josh knelt by him. “The snails aren’t real. You have to believe they can’t hurt you.”

  Cailean hooked her arm through Josh`s elbow and yanked him back to her. “That flame was a little too close.” She felt sweat seep into her eyes.

  Seamus rolled around. “A snail’s chewing on my ear.” He swung his arm in circular motions, his breath loud, heavy.

  “Both of you listen to me,” Josh said. “Neola isn’t a dragon and there aren’t any giant snails. Try to block out the images.”

  Cailean took hold of her charred hair. “There’s soot on my fingers. Can’t you see it?”

  “There’s a butterfly stuck to your wrist.” Josh plucked it off leaving a single drop of blood.

  Cailean collapsed near Seamus, who mumbled that the snails were trying to carry him away. Her leg squatted the butterfly on his hand. He became still. Cailean’s eyes opened wide and she didn’t move.

  “Neola,” Josh screamed, running at her. “What did you do to my friends?” The mirpha sat quietly, beautiful in the magnificent robe. Josh snatched her by the arms and lifted her off the seat until her feet dangled in the air.

  “Put me down,” she yelled. “How dare an inferior touch me without permission.”

  “I dare even more,” Josh said and threw her upwards.

  “You’ll regret this,” the mirpha shrieked as she vanished into the ceiling.

  Cailean’s body tingled, needles and pins pinched every inch of her. Seamus moaned.

  Josh hurried back to his friends sitting close together. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m all right,” Seamus said. “Though I’ve never been this tired even after three hours of hockey practice.”

  Cailean rose up a hand. It dropped down to the floor. “Neither have I.”

  “You can all rest later,” Josh said. “Neola’s bound to return with reinforcements.”

  “That was some throw,” Seamus said. “That’ll teach the old hag not to mess with us.”

  “I’m not finished yet,” Josh said. He seized the harp and smashed it against the bench. There was no sound as the wood splintered in
to a thousand pieces and flew to the four corners of the room in slow motion. The strings lay across the bench. The butterflies swarmed over each piece of wood, carried them to the bench and reassembled the harp. The spike rolled to a stop next to Cailean.

  “Now all we have to do is get home and see if this stops the machines.” The door opened wide enough for someone to see inside, then opened a little wider. Pella’s head came around the edge of the door. “Where’s Neola?” she whispered.

  The children blinked from the intense reflections of sunlight off the mirrors. “I sent her through the ceiling,” Josh said. “She kind of disintegrated into it.”

  “Did you find the spike?”

  Cailean held it up.

  Pella hurried inside. “How did you overcome the illusions?”

  “I didn’t experience one,” Josh said.

  Pella looked startled. “The butterflies must’ve touched your skin. That’s how Neola summons the illusions.” She looked at Josh with big eyes. “Why weren’t you affected?”

  “Not one touched my skin. I can walk through a nest of mosquitos and not get bitten.”

  “Say that again,” Seamus said. “He’s a human bug repellent.”

  “You must return to Loon Cove at once. Neola will reappear within the hour.”

  “Where did I send her?” Josh asked.

  “The Currka is the gateway to the Isle of Anera. The mirpha dreads that place more than anywhere in either of our worlds and will be extra angry she was driven there by a mere human child.” Pella’s fingers twitched. “Excuse me a moment,” she said and left, returning in seconds with a bucket. “There’s two more outside containing fountain water. Pour it over yourselves and run as fast as you can to the river.”

  “Fine by me,” Josh said, going to the door. “I’ll bring the other buckets in.”

  Cailean remembered the white wolf. The animal’s eyes had given her a feeling of warmth, of home. A strange sense of loneliness overcame her. “We can’t go yet.” The last two lines of the riddle played over and over in her mind. ‘Release the guardians of the key through the arc of no return.’

  Pella looked at Cailean like she’d threatened to kill her. “Why not?”

  “We have to set the wolves free.”

  Chapter 21

  Butterflies swarmed around Pella’s head, creating a crown without touching her. The full length of her hair was cloaked with them when she went to the door, closed it and twisted the knob to lock position. “We can’t free the wolves,” she said. “Neola will never allow such a thing.”

  “I won’t leave without at least trying,” Cailean said. “We can’t ignore the last two lines of the riddle.”

  Seamus swat a butterfly with his shoe as he quoted the lines Cailean mentioned. “‘Release the guardians of the key through the arc of no entry.’ I don’t see what the Guardians of the key have to do with the wolves.”

  Pella kept her grip on the doorknob. “He’s right, Cailean. Leave now with the deed while you can.”

  “Not without the wolves. They disappeared the same time as the spike went missing. There has to be a connection.”

  Pella’s gaze darted to the ceiling. “Please leave. Neola will return very soon.”

  Seamus moved to the faery’s side. As he did the butterflies rushed from her like they had been frightened.

  “I think Cailean’s right,” Josh said. “The spike is most likely the deed which protects her land. What if the key is another word for deed?”

  “If that’s the case,” Seamus said. “The keepers of the key are the fairies and they don’t need releasing from anywhere.”

  Pella unlocked the door. “Exactly. So now may we go?”

  Every butterfly descended to the floor, carpeting the entire area.

  “I agree with Josh,” Cailean said. “The key is the deed which in turn is the spike. The fairies stole the spike the wolves guarded. Therefore, the wolves were the first keepers.”

  Seamus looked at Pella. “Seems to me they’re both trying to make the wolves fit the riddle.”

  “It’s more than that,” Cailean said. “I sense, no, it’s more an instinct that I’m right. In any case, no one knew who took the spike from the rock or why.”

  “I think we do,” Josh piped in again. “The rock wasn’t damaged in any way. Who but fairies with special powers could do that without damaging the rock.”

  Pella cast glance after glance at the ceiling. “The butterflies are preparing for Neola’s return.” One by one the insects left the floor flying to the ceiling. “Make up your minds one way or the other. We have to get out of the Currka.”

  Cailean held the spike out to Seamus. “I`m not leaving without the wolves. Take this to Loon Cove and hope it stops Mr. Murphy’s project.”

  “No way. I’m staying with you.”

  “That goes for me too,” Josh said. “We came together, we leave together.”

  Pella threw a bucket of water over Cailean. “Humans are more trouble than a herd of capalls.” She dumped the remaining buckets over Seamus and Josh. “You’ve given me no choice but to help you. First, we have to get to the gainntir.”

  “You mean the prison,” Seamus said with disgust.

  Cailean secured the spike into the waist band of her jeans and followed Pella into the street bustling with fairies. “Stay close to me,” Pella said, shutting the door to the Currka.

  “Who are you talking to?” a voice barked out.

  Pella’s hand slipped from the knob to her side, her fingers twitching, an obvious sign to Cailean the faery was nervous. Did Razuk notice as well?

  Pella turned to him with a huge smile. “I’m talking to myself, Razuk.”

  “You told yourself to stay close to you. Do I look that stupid to you?”

  You do, Cailean thought.

  Pella maintained her composure. “Of course not. I was singing a human song I learned many years ago.” She hummed a few notes. “Don’t you think it`s pleasant?”

  Cailean’s heart fluttered ever so slightly. The tune was the melody her mother sang to her. “Human music.” Razuk spat on the ground. “You should be ashamed of yourself.” He pushed Pella aside and went into the Currka.

  Pella almost swooned before she moved into the street. “That was too close for my liking.” She ran whenever the crowds thinned out. “Razuk will be angry if I’m late,” she said each time someone looked at her with a quizzical expression. She received nods of understanding.

  “Pella,” Seamus said when the streets were clear. “Did the fairies steal the spike?”

  The gainntir came into sight. “We’re here,” Pella said and took off like she was late for an appointment. She didn’t slow until she was at the back of the building. “Razuk would’ve crushed me like a black butterfly if he knew what I was doing.” She looked towards Seamus and Josh with a visible shiver. “Goodness me. Your hair looks creepy without your heads.”

  “I wish I could see that,” Seamus said. “Maybe take a picture.”

  Pella pulled out the silver disc from her pocket and inserted it in the tree. “I have no idea how to go about freeing the wolves.” The hidden door opened and she led the way along the tunnel. “If Neola even suspects what we’re doing she’ll order them killed without a moment’s hesitation. Razuk would take great joy in carrying out the command.”

  Once the tunnel widened out, Josh walked alongside Seamus. “I believe the riddle holds the clue to their escape,” he said. “We need to find the arc of no return.”

  Pella speeded up every few yards. “There is no such thing as an arc of no return.”

  “Are you sure?” Cailean said. “It has to be down here somewhere.”

  Pella opened the hidden door. “Please beware of the capalls.”

  Dark as night, an icy wind blew with a force strong enough to make the children stagger. A horn blasted, then a chorus of them relaying a message to each other. “They know we’re here,” Pella said. “I hear them coming this way. We’d better get t
o the wolves’ cave.”

  Cailean grabbed the hem of the faery’s feather jacket. “There’s a problem,” she said. “The capalls are on the edge of the forest near the cave.”

  “There’s another route which leads to the cave’s back entrance.” Pella penetrated deeper into the forest. She wound her way between black, skeletal trees, stumps and rotted animal corpses. The sound from the horns seemed to bellow from everywhere. “Beware of the branches,” the faery reminded Josh.

  “I can’t see a thing,” Seamus said and turned on his pen-sized flashlight.

  The wind stung exposed skin like a horde of angry wasps. Cailean’s eyes watered. Both her friends’ teeth chattered. Pella didn’t seem bothered in any way. Cailean pulled her sleeves down over her hands. “Casfor’s so much warmer and nicer than down here.”

  “This forest isn’t underground,” Pella said after a slight hesitation. “We’re still in Casfor. This is called the Wailing because of the high winds.”

  Josh kicked aside a large fallen branch. “The Torture is a more suitable name.”

  “No way this is Casfor,” Seamus said. “We walked downwards when we were in the gainntir and in the tree tunnel.”

  “A simple illusion created by Neola to further intimidate her captives.”

  “Yuck,” Cailean said, slapping a hand over her mouth. “What is that horrible smell?”

  “I don’t smell anything,” Josh said.

  Seamus sniffed. “Me neither.”

  Pella veered right past a tree with eight crooked branches sticking out from the trunk like the tentacles of an octopus. It shed black, crusty bark leaving behind open, yellow gooey gouges. “Cailean, you have a heightened sense of smell for a human. Quite normal for you now.”

  “Not so fast, Pella. What is that horrible smell and what did you mean by normal for me now?”

  The blasts of horns echoed closer. Pella trembled. “We’re near the capalls feeding grounds. They eat meat and that includes humans.”

  Cailean sighed. “They’ve killed and eaten most of the wolves, haven’t they?” It was more a statement than a question.