A Phoenix Is Forever

by Ashlyn Chase

  Lucky elbowed Shamus. “She has a point.”

  “About a cryin’ sister? Who cares?”

  “Not that. About the murder part.”

  Clancy stroked his red and gray beard. “We should give them a worthy craft and enough food so they don’t starve.”

  Shamus’s delight faded fast. “You’re not goin’ soft on these thieves, are you? They took your gold!”

  Clancy leaned in close, but Rory’s superior hearing picked up what he thought was an admission of doubt.

  “We didn’t take your damn gold!” he shouted at the leprechauns.

  “You did,” Shamus insisted. “Who else but a dragon would covet our treasure?”

  Rory set his hands on his hips. “Oh, I don’t know… Everyone?”

  Clancy finally addressed his brothers. “They should be kept alive. If we don’t find the gold in their keep, we may have to question them some more.”

  Lucky nodded. “I agree.”

  Suddenly the dragons found themselves on a fishing trawler, probably large enough to make it across the sea if the weather was perfect the whole way.

  “There. Now they have safe transport and all the fish they can catch,” Clancy said.

  Shamus let out a defeated sigh. “All right. I guess that covers our arses.”

  “Speaking of arses,” Rory yelled. “What do you little shites expect us to do for money if we land somewhere? Are we to sleep on the docks and starve while we look for work?”

  Lucky said, “Certainly not.” He turned to Shamus. “There are women aboard.”

  Shamus rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

  A dozen plastic cards rained down on the dragons, bouncing off their heads.

  “Ow,” Chloe said. “You bastards did that on purpose.” Then she picked up one of the credit cards and yelled, “Who the hell is Molly McGuire?”

  Shamus shrugged. “Does it matter? She probably won’t miss it for a bit.”

  “Surely we can have the treasure that you know belongs to us,” Shannon pleaded. “All you’re missin’ is gold. We have jewels, antiques, silver…”

  Clancy nodded and a jewelry box, a harp, and a silver tea set appeared on the deck. Suddenly the ship dropped a little lower in the water.

  “There’s more below,” Lucky yelled.

  “And what about our clothes?” Chloe called out. “Our instruments!”

  Clancy tossed his hands in the air and said, “Do I have to do everythin’?”

  “I’ll get them,” Lucky said. A moment later three small suitcases and their only means of income, the family’s musical instruments, landed on the deck.

  Suddenly Shannon shimmered off her nightgown, shifted into her dragon form, and flew at the cliff. Before either Rory or Chloe could scold her for changing in broad daylight, she bounced off an invisible barrier and landed in the sea, stunned.

  Chloe gasped. “Shannon! Are you all right?”

  A curl of steam escaped Shannon’s nostril. She righted herself and flew at the cliff a second time—faster, as if speed could break through whatever magic barrier the leprechauns had created. Again she bounced off and landed in the ocean. This time her eyes were closed and her wings were limp as she floated on her back.

  “You killed our sister,” Rory yelled. He shimmered off his sweat pants, shifted into dragon form, and swooped down to grab his precious baby sister’s limp body. After he’d returned her to the deck of the boat, he shifted back to human form and put his ear to the soft part of Shannon’s scaly chest, listening for one of her two heartbeats. Rory always suspected her softer nature was a result of those two hearts. He sometimes wondered if she’d also gotten Chloe’s, because his middle sister could seem a bit heartless at times.

  He heard a few faint beats. Ah, she’s alive. Damn good thing too, or I’d have found some way around that barrier to toast every one of the little bastards and serve them as s’mores.

  Lucky and Clancy leaned over the cliff and appeared somewhat concerned. Shamus folded his arms and said, “If she’s dead, she killed herself.”

  Clancy whirled on Shamus. “Shut your trap.”

  Shamus’s back stiffened, but he didn’t argue with his brother.

  Shannon groaned and her eyes fluttered open. She shifted back to human form and touched her head. “Ow.”

  “What were you thinkin’, Sister?” Chloe demanded as she rushed over with a tarp. “I get the first time, but the second? Did the first bump on the head knock the sense right out of you?”

  “Finn… I need to see Finn. How will he know what happened? He’ll think I’ve just run off and left him.”

  “No, he won’t,” Chloe said. “You two have been joined at the hip since you were sixteen. He’ll know somethin’ is drastically wrong.”

  “And that’s supposed to comfort me?” Shannon moaned.

  Chloe just held up the tarp while her sister shimmered back into her nightgown. Soon Shannon was bawling again.

  Rory began fiddling with the controls in hopes of getting the boat started. He couldn’t stand it when his sister cried. “Try to buck up, Shannon. I’ll do whatever I can to get this vessel to a safe haven. From there you can call or text or whatever you want to do to him.”

  Chloe smirked. “I’m sure she wants to do more than that to him.”

  Shannon let out another wail, and Rory narrowed his eyes at his middle sibling. “You’re not helpin’, Chloe.”

  At last the engine caught and he pushed the throttle forward. They sped west. Eventually he’d figure out all the controls and possibly even hit Iceland.

  * * *

  Amber, along with the other flight attendants, boarded the plane from Iceland back to Boston.

  She noticed a young red-haired woman with her adorable daughter—the resemblance couldn’t be missed—seated in her first class section. She thought she heard the woman explaining to the little girl that she could have snapped her fingers and they would have been home instantly, but she didn’t want the girl to think that was the normal way to get around. The little girl nodded and her big, blue eyes didn’t blink, as if the explanation made perfect sense to her. It made no sense to Amber. She must have misheard.

  All was going well until a bit of turbulence ruffled the plane’s smooth path. Amber happened to be standing next to the mother’s and daughter’s seats.

  The captain announced over the intercom, “Sorry, folks. We seem to be experiencing a bit of rough air.”

  At that moment the plane bounced dramatically, and Amber braced herself against the passenger’s seat and the overhead bin. “No shit,” she muttered under her breath.

  The woman giggled as if she had superior senses and had heard the inappropriate comment over the engine noise.

  “Please be sure your seat belts are fastened,” the captain continued. “Flight attendants, return to your seats and buckle up. It’s going to be a bit bumpy.”

  The woman seemed to be glancing at Amber a little more frequently than she’d expect—almost sizing her up.

  Oh well… If she’s going to lodge a complaint against me, it will take the decision to quit or not to quit out of my hands.

  Amber had been flying the skies ambivalently for several years. After high school, she didn’t have the money for college and didn’t know what her major would be, so rather than waste her mother’s hard-earned money, she’d decided to go to work. She figured as soon as she discovered her passion, she could go to college and by then she’d have a bunch of money saved up for school. Maybe it was time…

  A few hours later they made a safe landing in Boston, and Amber waited to deplane after everyone else.

  The redheaded woman and the adorable mini-version waited until they were the very last passengers.

  Amber couldn’t help being a little nervous. Did the woman want to confront her on her language? Chastise
her privately? She wouldn’t blame her. The little girl didn’t act as if she’d heard Amber swear, but using such language was inappropriate nonetheless. Yup, it was definitely time to think about finding another job. This had to be a sign of burnout.

  Ah, good. The woman walked past her and disappeared into the crowd. Amber headed for the airport bathroom.

  When she entered the restroom, the redhead was washing her hands.

  Damn it. She hadn’t seen the woman enter, but here she was. It must be a sign. Amber would have to stop trying to avoid her and just face the consequences of her stupid remark. Or maybe the woman wasn’t upset at all. Better to keep it casual and see.

  “What a beautiful little girl,” Amber said.

  “Thank you,” the woman responded, beaming. “She really is a great kid.”

  The little one giggled and nodded.

  “Awww… What’s her name?”

  “Nikki,” the mom said. “And I’m Brandee.” She extended her clean and now dry hand to shake Amber’s, so she grasped Brandee’s hand for a firm handshake. Brandee held it a little longer than necessary and a smile spread slowly across her face.

  What was that about?

  A woman in a crisp business suit joined them and stood next to Brandee. She seemed happy to see her. It wasn’t unusual for travelers to bump into people they knew at the airport, so Amber didn’t think anything of it until…

  “I might have a candidate for you,” Brandee whispered to the businesswoman, who gave Brandee a smile.

  “Do you now?”

  Brandee tipped her head in Amber’s direction, but she was already on her way to a stall. When she turned to close the door, she saw the woman pat Brandee on the head and say, “Good girl. I’ll take it from here.”

  Brandee didn’t seem to mind the businesswoman’s condescending behavior. She simply smiled and then addressed her child. “Is it time for a diaper change, honey?” The toddler nodded.

  When Amber exited the stall, Brandee and Nikki were gone and the businesswoman was washing her hands…again. Must be a germophobe.

  She observed the flight attendant until Amber glanced at her and smiled. She was about to tell the woman to have a good day when suddenly she wasn’t there. The whole restroom wasn’t there! She wasn’t there. She was surrounded by fog and couldn’t see a thing. Where the hell am I? Suddenly the fog cleared and she was alone. What. Just. Happened?

  * * *

  By some miracle, Rory and his sisters made it to Iceland. They stood on the shore, shivering.

  “I need a coat and a place to get out of this wind,” Shannon said.

  “We’re all freezin’ our arses off,” Chloe snapped.

  “At least the leprechauns gave us our clothes,” Rory said. “Jeans and sweaters are better than your nighties.”

  Chloe snorted. “To be sure. That was so feckin’ nice of them.”

  Rory’s teeth chattered. “I spotted a cave off the south coast. We have our own source of heat. If the place is private, we’ll be safe. But as far as coats are concerned, if either of you have a suggestion, let me know.”

  Chloe withdrew a credit card from her pocket. “I think Molly wants to go shopping.”

  “You can’t!” Shannon said. “That doesn’t belong to you.”

  “These are desperate times, Shannon,” Chloe hissed out between her teeth.

  “Look,” Rory said. “The credit card company will reimburse Molly. I’ll take Shannon to the cave I saw, and we’ll get a fire going. Then I’ll come looking for you. Where do you think you’ll be, Chloe?”

  Chloe bit out some kind of oath. “Sure. Baby our baby sister some more. That’ll really help her get along in the real world.”

  Rory set his hands on his hips. “If we split the chores, we’ll be comfortable that much sooner. We can stand here and freeze to death while we argue, or you can give me a direction so I can come find you in an hour or so.”

  “Fine,” Chloe said. “I’m headin’ northwest.” She pointed a long, un-manicured finger at a building right off the dock. The place looked like a clothing store with all sorts of outerwear in the window. “What size do you wear?”

  Rory rolled his eyes. “Just buy me somethin’ extra large and extra warm.”

  “You can send Molly whatever-her-surname-is a check to cover it later,” Shannon said.

  Chloe laughed. “Yeah, I’ll do that. I’ll be sure to give the police our return address too.”

  Rory grabbed Shannon’s wrist before he started swearing and marched off in the opposite direction.

  “You don’t have to drag me, Brother. I’ll come willin’ly.”

  He sighed and let go. “Thank the gods. At least one of you can be reasoned with.”

  Although she had to run to keep up with his long-legged strides, she caught him. “Chloe’s not really upset. It’s just her way.”

  “Well, I’m glad you’re not that way. Otherwise I’d probably be an only child by now.”

  Shannon laughed.

  It was the first smile he’d seen from her since they’d left Ireland. He knew she hadn’t accepted their lot. It was just a tiny truce until the next hissy fit. He also knew better than to bring up the name Finn Kelley or she’d begin to weep again.

  How had he wound up in these circumstances? They hadn’t done a thing. The leprechauns had hidden their castle from humans for centuries, and for the last several years, while the castle crumbled, they’d lived quietly in a cottage on the property far down the dead-end road, away from prying eyes. Suddenly they had been dragged from their beds and marched against their will to the castle, which was no longer hidden but standing—albeit crumbling—on the cliffs in plain sight of the ocean.

  When the leprechauns demanded that the Arishes produce the gold that was missing from their coffers, Rory had thought they were daft. Apparently Clancy had discovered the loss and had convinced his cronies that the dragons’ love of treasure had finally gotten the better of them.

  When Rory and Shannon reached a deserted part of the coast, they found a large cave in which they could make a temporary home. Dragons weren’t seafaring creatures, and he was glad to be on solid ground.

  Shannon’s face screwed up and tears glistened in her eyes.

  Oh no. Here we go again.

  “What it is, luv?” he asked, dreading the answer.

  “Is this what we’ve come to? Livin’ in some hard, dank cave? I miss our peat fire and our lovely flowered sofa. There’s not a comfortable spot anywhere.”

  Rory patted her shoulder. “I need you to make it as homey as you can. Just start a small fire and keep it goin’. I have to fetch Chloe and show her where we are. The three of us will put our heads together and come up with a better plan soon.”

  Shannon’s gaze dropped to her feet. Not long after, he saw shivers rack her body and a fat teardrop fall from her chin. “I hope Chloe gets us some warm boots—I mean Molly.”

  He thought he’d pull out every last hair on his head if he had to put up with his soggy sister much longer. “Come now. How can you start a fire if you’re just goin’ to put it out with tears?”

  She took a few deep breaths, and he could see her trying to wrestle herself under control.

  “That’s a good lass. I’m sure you can warm the place a bit while I’m gone. Just don’t move so Chloe and I can find you again.”

  “What am I supposed to keep burnin’, Brother? Rock?”

  Do I have to think of everything? “We’ll bring some newspapers and branches back as fuel and give you a break. For now, just heat the rocks with your breath. That may produce a bit of steam, but it’ll warm the air.”

  Shannon sighed, then took a deep breath and blew out a stream of fire aimed at the cave walls.

  “Perfect. Thank you, luv. I’m off to fetch our surly sister.” Before Shannon could think of an
ything else to complain about, he rushed out the cave’s entrance and picked his way over the rocks toward town.

  * * *

  When Amber finally reappeared in the airport bathroom, she mumbled, “I need a vacation,” and went straight home to her apartment building. She thought she must be losing her mind and just wanted to lie down—after having a much-needed drink. She ignored the sign on the elevator door. It was in small print and official looking. Probably a notice that the landlord would be spraying for bugs or something. She spied the same notice on each tenant’s door as she fumbled with her keys. At last she let herself into her apartment and grabbed the notice, intending to look at it later.

  Dropping her flight bags outside the kitchen, she took a mini wine bottle out of the fridge. She glanced at the notice on her way to the living room and almost dropped the bottle of Chardonnay. An eviction notice?

  “Holy mother!”

  “I’m right behind you,” a woman said.

  That caused Amber to whirl around and repeat herself loudly.

  “I said, I’m right here!” The white-robed woman slapped her hands over her ears. She had long, thick, white hair. Her robe was belted with a vine of ivy.

  “Hey, aren’t you the woman from the bathroom? Brandee’s friend?”

  “Sheesh. Have a seat, girlie. We need to talk.”

  Amber hesitated. The woman wasn’t carrying a weapon, although something about her seemed ultimately threatening. As if to affirm the feeling, thunder rolled and the sky outside the window darkened. Amber stumbled backward and sat down hard on her beige linen sofa.

  “That’s better,” the woman said. “I’m aware you don’t know who I am, so I’ll introduce myself. I don’t have time for your disbelief, so save me the trouble and just go with it. Okay?”

  Amber nodded woodenly.

  “Good. The truth is, I’m Mother Nature. Those who know me call me either Goddess or Gaia. That’s my title and my name. You should begin by calling me Mother Nature just to drive the point home.”

  Amber heard herself say, “Okaaay,” in a little girl’s voice.