Chapter 21

Homecoming

A few minutes later Rory, Biddy, and Lizzie flew in through the balcony atop of the griffin. Wardicon, who had also returned to his old form, followed them inside.

Lizzie got down quickly and ran over to hug Brendan and Dorian. “I thought I’d lost you!” she cried.

“I’m like a bad penny, Liz. I always turn up.”

“I don’t even know what that means, but I don’t care.” Lizzie realized at that moment how much her brother meant to her, but there was no way in the world that she was going to let him know it—especially not in public. She pulled out of the hug and slugged him on the arm. “Don’t ever scare me like that again, stupid.”

“Ouch,” he said with a knowing smile while he rubbed his arm.

They were joined by Rory and Biddy as Wardicon and the griffin watched from a respectful distance.

Wardicon landed softly near the group hug and cleared his throat. “I must offer my thanks to you all and especially to your father. Usis sends her regards as well.”

Dorian nodded. “He hung on bravely, but in the end…” her voice trailed off.

“I know he’s gone, but without him delaying the witch, you would have never made it here to foil her plans.” Wardicon looked at her with wise eyes. “It’s hard to understand, but he will be remembered as a hero. That is his legacy.”

Brendan nodded and Wardicon nodded in return and took to the skies. “My Sidhes await my return. Know that we are at your beck and call, Queen Dorian.” The Sidhe King took to the air and flew off the balcony.

They waved goodbye and watched as the magic they had absorbed faded away.

“Huh,” laughed Biddy, landing gracefully on the stone floor after her wings were gone. “Looks like the magic held up just long enough.”

Rory’s bow vanished. Lizzie’s staff turned to a haze of purple smoke. Dorian’s red glow and gold shield blinked out of existence. Only Brendan’s sword remained.

“No fair!” protested Lizzie. “Why does he get to keep his?”

Brendan leaned in close to Lizzie and whispered. “Because I’m cool like that.”

She slugged him again.

When Dorian had recovered enough, the group mounted the griffin and took to the skies. Gorgoch caught up with them somewhere between Scotland and Ireland.

“I see that you prevailed,” he said as his features shifted to something like a smile.

“It was at a cost,” replied Dorian. “My father was lost to us.”

“Take it from me, Dorian; he’s never really gone.”

“Thanks for all your help, Artie,” said Brendan.

Gorgoch stared at him for a moment and then nodded. “You’re welcome. Something’s different about you, my friend.” Brendan didn’t quite understand, and his face must have shown it. “Just be careful.” Gorgoch faded from sight.

Dorian glanced at Brendan. “What was he talking about?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. Before he had too much time to think about it, his pocket vibrated.

He pulled his cell phone out. “Hello?”

“Uh, Brendan?” hiccupped Oscar. “I think I’ve made a very important, if not odd, discovery.”

“What are you looking at?” howled Colym from the top of his favorite sitting rock.

Oscar turned back to his phone. “I think I’ve either discovered Leprechauns or I discovered that I should never, ever drink.”

Colym stood up and tried to shoo Oscar away. “Be gone with you, figment.”

Oscar stared at the little green-clad fellow in absolute confusion. “I think I need help, Brendan.”

Brendan chuckled. “Just find a nice spot to lay down and we’ll be there in a little bit.” He ended the call and laughed. “My dad is in Corways.”

“Oh?” replied Dorian.

“Yeah, and I think he just met Colym.” Brendan smiled.

Dorian had to smile back. “Then let’s hurry so Colym doesn’t ruin our reputation any more than he already has.”

Riding on the griffin was a much different ride than with Gorgoch. It was the difference between a speedboat and a sailboat. Gorgoch was careful to not make anyone sick or to scare any of the passengers, but the griffin seemed to make that its priority. Thankfully, the beast’s back was large enough to house all three of the full sized passengers and the two carry-ons.

Lizzie tried to peer through the wind to find out where they were, but even if she had been able to see anything, it was doubtful that she would have recognized any landmarks. So she decided to ask instead. “Are we there yet?”

Both Dorian and Brendan scowled at her and she chuckled. “Just kidding, but seriously, how long until we’re there?”

Dorian had the best view since she was in the front. “Judging by the speed of our new friend, I’d say we’ll be there in less than an hour.

True to her prediction, the griffin touched down in the center of Corways in fifty-three minutes. Of course, when it landed, the Leprechauns in town scattered and screamed and it was a scene of general terror, but after a little assurance from Dorian, the little people came out of hiding.

The griffin pawed the ground as if to say sorry.

“Dorian!” cooed the crowd. They shouted out greetings and good cheer, but inevitably someone asked about Duncan.

“He… ” was all she managed to say.

Brendan held her hand and took it from there. “King Duncan died a hero.”

Biddy stood proudly on the griffin’s back. “It is a tale for another time, my friends.”

Rory walked up behind her and put his arm around her shoulders. “Dorian is now queen.” He struggled with his words and everyone in town knew why. Duncan had been loved, and he would be missed. “Please, allow us to settle in and there will be time to tell our adventure.”

“Oh,” remembered Lizzie. “Has anyone seen a tall human around here?” After a few smart alecks pointed at her, a few others pointed down the trail. “Thanks.”

Dorian, Lizzie, and Brendan walked down the path until they came upon Colym’s sitting rock. Colym wasn’t currently perched on his rock in a drunken stupor. He was actually curled up next to Oscar beneath a tall, thick trunk in a drunken stupor.

“Colym, you lazy bum, get up and get into town,” suggested Dorian.

The stereotypical Leprechaun roused and protested. “But why? This human is so warm, and he smells like my favorite drinks.”

“Get moving.”

“Fine.” Colym got to his feet and staggered across Oscar’s chest. He reached the end of Oscar and fell into a small growth of grass. A giant Burp! sounded from the patch, which was then followed by the distinct sound of snoring.

Dorian shrugged and Brendan leaned down and poked Oscar on the arm. “Wake up, Dad.”

“Huh?” He smacked his lips with the thirsty sounds of waking from a nap.

“Come on, Dad, get up,” prodded Lizzie.

Oscar opened one eye, feeling out the environment. “Brendan! Lizzie! It’s you!” He tried to scramble to his feet but the pounding headache behind his eyes wouldn’t allow that to happen.

“Easy now. I got you.” Brendan put an arm under his dad’s arm and hoisted him up.

Oscar noticed Dorian and smiled.

“Oh, Dad,” began Brendan. “This is Dorian.”

“She’s his girlfriend,” teased Lizzie. Both Dorian and Brendan blushed giving Lizzie great satisfaction.

“Shut up, Liz,” Brendan replied playfully.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, young lady.” Oscar shook Dorian’s hand.

The O’Neals and Dorian took their time walking back to the village. Oscar went on and on about his crazy dream and Leprechauns—remembering nothing of his encounter in Wales or the fact that he had stowed the music box deep in his suitcase—but when they entered the town square he abruptly stopped talking.

“Are you seeing this, too?” he asked the others.

“Seeing what?” teased Lizzie again. Brendan shot her a sour look, but she kept the smile plastered on her face.

“The… the… the Leprechauns,” Oscar shouted. The griffin spread its wings and stomped the ground. “And whatever that is!”

“Yes, Dad, we see them, too,” Brendan said, assuring his father.

“Oh, okay. So this means?”

“Basically it means all that stuff that we think of as magic and myth are real,” confirmed Lizzie. “Kind of freaky, huh?”

Oscar agreed and then asked for two aspirin and a glass of water.

…

The Leprechauns were some sort of clan, thought Brendan. They had found the torn up little rental car and had magically mended it to its original crappy self. Magic could only do so much, it seemed. It was in that little car that Dorian drove the O’Neals to the airport.

Screeeech!

After sliding to a stop at the curb, Oscar threw his door open and bent down to put his head between his legs to keep from vomiting.

“Did I do something wrong?” Dorian smiled shyly.

“Nope, he’s just fired up about how great of a driver you are,” lied Brendan.

Oscar took the car and drove it around to the rental place and left instructions for the kids to meet him at Gate 4 in twenty minutes.

“Thanks for all your help, Lizzie.”

Lizzie shook off the thanks. “It was my pleasure, Dorian. I learned a lot on this little trip.”

“Do you think your dad was okay with what he found out about your ancestors?”

Brendan shrugged. “I think so. Just knowing that the O’Neals had lived in that area before they came to the States seemed to satisfy him.” Brendan scratched his head. “Though, I’m a little disappointed that it turns out we aren’t descended from Leprechauns.”

“Well, you performed as admirably as any Leprechaun,” smiled Dorian. “And besides, your clan worked side by side with my ancestors all throughout the Magick Wars, and you continued their legacy.”

Lizzie looked up at the sight of a red sports car zooming their direction. “That’s the chump who splashed us.”

“Oh yeah.” Brendan held out his palm and the front tire blew apart, sending the red car into a spin. It spun all the way into a small retention pond where the water was just up to the half way mark on the door. The sunglasses-wearing dude inside tried to wipe all the muck off his face.

“Cool,” said Lizzie. “Hey, wait a minute. You get to have magic powers to take home? No fair!”

“I already told you, I’m cool like that,” he smirked.

“Bye, Dorian.” She hugged the Irish girl and stuck her tongue out at Brendan before walking away, talking to herself about how ridiculous it was that Brendan had magic and…

Dorian fixed Brendan with a stare. “Why is it that you still have your power long after the rest of us lost ours?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. The name Nauda ran through his mind. Morna had called him Nauda’s champion, but he still didn’t know the name, and he was too afraid to ask Dorian about it. He knew he had Google on his phone, and he told himself to take some time to learn all about this Nauda.

She stared at him again.

“Honest,” he said holding up his hands to display his innocence. “Luck of the Irish, I suppose.” He gave her his most charming smile. “Oh, thanks for hanging onto my sword for me. I don’t think they would have let me on the plane with it.”

“It will hold a place of honor in Corways, but,“ Dorian smirked in a sultry way. “I want you to take this back to America with you.”

Brendan’s heart leapt to his throat as Dorian wrapped her arms around his neck. He could barely breathe when she smiled and leaned in for a kiss that was truly magical.