Loch

Chapter 34

O’Brien’s pained shrieks died a gurgling death along with the rest of her. With one final twist of its neck, the beast flung her torn body onto the islet. Maddock ducked as one of her arms tore free and flew past his head. He spared a glance at the shredded corpse, then turned his eyes back toward the guardian of the lake.

The beast met his gaze with its black-eyed stare. She tilted her head like a confused puppy.

Maddock felt himself relax. Perhaps she sensed that they meant her no harm. He wasn’t sure why he’d suddenly decided the creature was female. It was the mental association with Nessie, he supposed.

The aquatic reptile gazed at him for a few seconds, and then she opened her mouth and let out an angry hiss.

“Take a step back, there, Maddock,” Bones said.

“We need to get the cauldron back inside the circle,” Maddock said, eyes locked on the beast. He took a step forward, and it hissed again.

“Maybe she won’t mess with us,” Grizzly offered. “She’s the guardian of the treasure.”

“The treasure we’re now holding,” Maddock said, still watching the angry creature, which swam slowly, inexorably closer to them.

“But we were protecting it, too.”

The creature let out a high-pitched shriek and shot toward them.

“Try telling her that,” Maddock said.

The beast struck, and Maddock did the only thing he could. He struck at her with the sword.

A flash of blue, and the creature drew back, a shallow gash across her snout. She hissed and struck again. Slowed by his injured leg, Maddock barely managed to dance out of her reach. His weak blow struck her across the back of her powerfully muscled neck. Another flash of light, but no damage that he could see.

“Looks like you’re just pissing her off with that thing,” Bones said.

The sound of his voice drew the beast’s attention. She snapped her head around to face him.

“Whoa, Nessie!” Bones said. “Just chill, girl.”

His words fell on deaf ears, or whatever orifices a plesiosaur used for hearing. The creature snapped at Bones, and only his lightning-fast reflexes kept the snapping jaws from closing around his throat. He ducked, and then came up fast, stabbing her throat at the vulnerable place where her head joined the neck.

It could have been a killing blow, but the beast was too quick. With a flash of blood-red light, the spear head sliced a narrow cut along her neck. The beast snapped at the spear, caught it in her jaws, but couldn’t hold on. Red light danced along the blade, an electric sizzle crackling through the cavern. With a pained, angry shriek, the creature let go of the spear just as Maddock staggered forward on his injured leg, sword raised high.

For a moment, he was certain it was over. The sword flashed, gleaming blue, sweeping toward the exposed neck of the legendary beast. But his sword fell on empty air, and clanged down on solid rock in a shower of blue sparks.

“You almost killed me, Maddock!” Bones shouted.

“I was trying to save you!”

“Look out!” Grizzly cried.

Something powerful struck Maddock across the back of the thighs. His legs were swept out from under him and he hit the ground hard on his back. Pain radiated in all directions from the base of his spine. He tasted warm salty blood in his mouth.

“That hurt.” He forced his eyes open to see Bones leap backward as the beast’s powerful tail swept back toward him.

Somehow, Maddock managed to roll to the side. He felt the rush of foul air and the splash of dank water as the tip of the tail sliced through the air mere centimeters from his face.

“I got the cauldron back inside the symbol, but she’s not stopping,” Grizzly said. “Maybe she’s immune to the magic.”

“Either that or she’s got the bloodlust in her,” Bones said, fending off the creature with another thrust of the spear. “No telling how long it’s been since she’s tasted human flesh. This chick’s got the munchies. I guess a Tuatha snack wasn’t enough to satisfy her.”

Maddock’s eyes flashed from the beast to the cauldron in Grizzly’s hands.

He had an idea. A crazy, foolish, probably doomed to fail idea, but it was the only one he had.

“Give me the cauldron.” He snatched the gleaming kettle, turned and looked around. There, a few feet from him, lay O’Brien’s severed arm. Grimacing, he picked up the severed limb and dropped it into the cauldron.

“Bones, keep her distracted for just a couple more seconds!”

“What the hell does it look like I’m doing?” Bones ducked behind the statue of Danu as the creature snapped at him again. She struck the statue, shattering the face of the ancient Goddess as her fangs snapped shut.

Maddock staggered to the edge of the lake, as close to the beast as he dared. He scooped some water into the pot then set the cauldron down at the edge of the triskele.

“Dinner time!” he shouted, clanging the sword against the rim of the cauldron.

He stumbled backward, barely keeping his feet. Beneath them, the Celtic pattern once again burned with a powerful intensity.

Brilliant light danced within the depths of the golden gem inside the cauldron. The cauldron itself began to glow, and then, the water inside began to boil. Steam spiraled upward, spinning in strange tendrils like gossamer threads.

Despite its grisly contents, the aroma was like no scent Maddock had ever smelled. It reminded him at once of venison, good bourbon, and fresh cucumbers.

“Am I crazy, or does that smell like chocolate chip cookies?” Grizzly asked.

“Smells like the chicken wings at my strip club,” Bones said.

The beast seemed to notice, too. She cocked her head and stared at the cauldron, the fight forgotten. Slowly, she lowered her head toward the bubbling liquid.

“When she starts to eat,” Maddock whispered, “run!”

The beastie of the lake plunged her head into the cauldron, dipped up the steaming brew, birdlike, raised her head, and let it run down her gullet.

Maddock didn’t have to tell the others what to do. Equal parts adrenaline and desperation overcame their injuries, and they ran, leaping from stepping stone to stepping stone, and back onto the ledge. As they vanished into the dark tunnel, Maddock stole a glance back to see the creature still devouring the contents of the cauldron.

“The cauldron of the Dagda, from which none came away unsatisfied,” Grizzly panted as they ran. “That was brilliant!”

“Maddock gets one good idea a year,” Bones said. “I just try to be somewhere close by when he does.”

They emerged from the Well of the Seven Heads two hours later, much to the surprise of a confused-looking pair of nuns. One let out a shriek and the pair turned and fled.

Maddock looked down at his torn, dirty, blood-stained clothes, and thought he understood. Then he remembered he still carried the sword of the Tuatha.

“Just like Maddock to scare off the hot chicks.” Bones, still holding the spear, peered over the edge of the well.

“Don’t worry. I won’t make a habit of it.”

Bones narrowed his eyes. “Leave the puns to me, Maddock.”