Page 60 of Last Wish
He cuffed me on the side of my head and I went reeling. I let out a muffled squeak and righted myself. Although the hood was claustrophobic, it was vital that I stayed calm. Brochan would have understood my message. It was me the Sidhe were worried about so the chances that there was a guard watching Candy now that I’d gone were slim. Brochan would have a good chance of freeing the Wild Man. We needed all the help we could get.
I was hauled up again and elbowed in the back. I stumbled forward, almost completely disorientated. Then I felt myself moving downwards, no doubt onto the gangplank. The wood under my feet felt unsteady and I could hear the sea lapping angrily against the side. I considered pitching to the side and falling in but, between the cuffs and the hood, there was too much that could go wrong. I told myself to act like a good girl. I could still find a way around Aifric’s machinations.
I wished I knew more about Muck. I’d thought there would be time to research it properly before the wedding so any reading I’d done was scanty. I knew it was a tiny island – less than two and a half miles from end to end – and the native population reflected its size. Beyond that, we could have been landing on the moon for all I knew about the place. Its size meant we wouldn’t have far to travel. Given how long it took me before my feet hit solid ground and I left the gangplank that was just as well.
I was jostled and shoved and yanked along. At least there was a proper tarmacked road so I didn’t stumble as much. I sensed someone else join us, muttering a barely audible conversation to the guard as we shuffled towards wherever we were going. Then something scratched at the back of my neck and I felt the fabric of the hood shift. A moment later, Bob’s weight settled in its usual spot behind my ear.
‘Don’t speak,’ he warned in a low whisper. ‘This is the first time they’ve been distracted. They’re watching out for me and I have no desire to become genie kebab because of you, Uh Integrity.’
He was all heart. I exhaled and let out a soft murmur, simply to let him know that I understood.
‘Good. Now listen. You know from my message about Taylor how he’s doing. It’s not looking good for him at all. He’s a lost a lot of blood and I’m not sure he’ll make it beyond the end of the day. I think there might be some organ damage. You need to prepare yourself for the worst.’ He sighed. ‘Humans are so delicate.’
Tears pricked at the back of my eyes. No. I was not going to let him die. Not if it killed me.
‘Tipsania is here too. She’s been locked in a room in the hotel. I can’t get near the place. There are guards and magic barriers everywhere. Aifric Moncrieffe isn’t taking any chances. Byron is somewhere in that building as well but he’s got people round him constantly. I don’t think he’s a prisoner but his father’s not leaving him alone. Angus has gone to see if he can sneak in but he’s a lost cause. They both are.’
I hissed. Bob was taking far too much for granted ? and he wasn’t finished yet.
‘Speck and Lexie are waiting offshore in a fishing boat they nicked in Mallaig. After I give them the signal, I’m going to count down from twenty. There will be an explosion. I can’t do much about the handcuffs but I’ll get this hood off. As soon as I reach one, you’re going to run left. Just keep running. It’s less than five hundred metres to the shore then a short swim. I’ll make sure everyone is kept off your tail. After that, you’ll be free and easy.’
He had to be kidding. I had never heard Bob sound so serious in all the time I’d known him but this had to be a joke. I was not going to run away and leave everyone else behind. I shook my head vigorously.
Bob tutted. ‘Integrity,’ he said, using my real name for emphasis. ‘Byron and Tipsania can look after themselves. Aifric is not going to hurt them, no matter what happens.’ That was probably true but I wasn’t leaving. ‘Taylor is dying,’ Bob continued. He did his best to sound matter of fact but I heard his voice catch. ‘I’ve spoken to him and he understands. All he wants is for you to get away safely. If you stay here, you will die alongside him. That much is a given. I need to start the countdown. We don’t have much time.’
I shook my head. No chance.
‘You’re an idiot,’ Bob told me. He didn’t sound surprised. ‘I should tell you then,’ he said heavily, ‘that over on the western side and far out to sea where they can stay undetected are about a thousand trolls. They commandeered an ancient ferry. If you die, they will attack. It’ll be a bloodbath and most of the blood will be theirs. Leaving now is the safest option.’
Nope. Still not going to happen. The trolls’ presence just meant I’d have to work harder at not corking it. I was not running away. It had been the best option for me when I’d been a kid but it wasn’t the best option for me now.
Bob cursed. ‘You’re still not going to leave, are you?’
Got it in one. It was showdown time between Aifric and me. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I’d have preferred to have the upper hand or some element of surprise but I wasn’t going to cry about it. I had to deal with this. My parents had named me warrior and I was going to war. Enough was enough.
‘Integrity,’ Bob said, sounding completely miserable, ‘you still have a wish left. You could use it. But unless…’ He sniffed and altered tack. ‘It’ll end badly. You know it’ll end badly.’
I shrugged. Yeah, it would, but as much as Taylor’s death would destroy me, I wouldn’t subject him to the whims of a genie wish. Goodness only knows what might happen and he’d already made his feelings pretty clear when Morna died. I’d almost made that mistake then; I wouldn’t do it again. But, regardless, the wish was there.
‘This is all my fault. If I’d come with you to the MacQuarries…’ Bob started. I growled. Aifric. This was Aifric’s fault and no one else’s. ‘Please, Integrity,’ he pleaded. ‘Please escape.’
I straightened my shoulders and started to walk more quickly.
‘Hey!’ the guard barked. ‘What’s the rush? You keen to die, scum?’
Bob made one last ditch attempt. ‘Integrity…’
‘I’m going to face him,’ I whispered. ‘It’s time.’
Chapter Fourteen
Two hours later, after spending the entire time in what at best guess from the smell and the plastic bowl was a portaloo, I was feeling less confident. It wasn’t that I didn’t think I could outsmart Aifric or that I was afraid of what pain I might have to go through, it was the waiting. I’d been adept at lying in wait for hours during my time as a thief if the situation called for it but I’d always known what I was waiting for. Now I didn’t have a bloody clue what was going to happen.
Bob had left ages ago to inform the others that I wouldn’t run away, so he was no help. All I could do was to cool my heels and turn over every possible eventuality in my mind. Few of them ended well. It was almost a relief when I heard the door unlock and the guard came to take me to my fate.
‘Hey,’ I yelled.
There was a grunt then he lifted up the front of the hood slightly to stare in my face. Unfortunately he got far too close and I caught a whiff of unpleasant halitosis but it was worth it to see the light outside. If Aifric was going to de-hood me, I didn’t want to waste thirty seconds adjusting my sight while he chopped off my head.
