A Dragon, a Gargoyle, and a Faery Steal the Show, page 8
“Aw, now he’s just being nice,” Máire said, but the Doyles looked very pleased indeed.
They fell silent as the game began. Aiden tried his hardest to keep track of everything, but with so many people throwing punches, it wasn’t the easiest. Róis was more than happy to sit with him and chatter away. She had gotten over the speechless, shy phase of her crush very rapidly, and now she wouldn’t shut up. Pity she wouldn’t have first-hand knowledge of what had happened with Declan, Clayton and Torloch. Aiden would have very much liked to grill someone for the details of that story.
A set of ten massive chairs made of what looked like solid rock were situated in a circle on the grounds. Twenty gargoyles took positions at the edge of the circular ground, and when the gong sounded, they all tensed, getting ready to run. The opening riff to Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back In Town” sounded through the speakers, and all the players rushed for the chairs. Some made it onto the chairs, and some did not, and it quickly became something of a brawl, a bar fight without the beers. After “the boys are back in tow-ow-ow-ow-ow-n” the music cut, and the gargoyles froze.
“If you move without the music going, you’re out. And you can only punch,” Róis explained. “If you use your feet, you’re out.”
“So, the point is to keep the chair until the song ends, exactly like a game of musical chairs?” Aiden clarified as he watched a gargoyle do a handspring off the seat, landing with an impressive punch to another gargoyle in the chest, sending him flying backward. The first gargoyle then swung himself around using the back of the chair before anyone took the seat.
“Yes, but instead of one less chair, there’s half as many chairs as players,” Róis said, sounding as if she were quoting the brochure.
“That makes the game go a little faster,” the dragon said.
“One would hope,” the girl said.
“You’re not having fun?” Aiden asked.
“Let’s just say the Games aren’t that much fun to watch if you can’t join in,” she said. “I’d rather be playing, but I’m too young.”
The dragon hoped the laughter bubbling in his chest didn’t show on his face. “How old do you have to be to play?” he asked in an innocent tone.
“Eighteen,” she told him, frowning grumpily.
“Well, there’s time yet,” he said.
“I’ll be a hundred before the next coronation,” Róis said, somewhat determined to be in a bad mood.
“Maybe you could suggest a round of junior events on some occasion,” Aiden suggested. “I’m sure Torloch would help out if you needed him to.”
Róis brightened at the idea. “I like that. I’ll ask him. If he ever shows up.”
“He’s probably just caught up in the game,” Aiden said. “Say, is that very large gargoyle taking up two chairs?”
“Yes,” Róis said, barely glancing at the field.
“Is that allowed?”
“Of course,” she said, giving him a funny look. “Otherwise, a tourney referee would call foul and he’d lose points.”
“Right,” Aiden said.
After seventeen tracks, including “Sharp Dressed Man” by ZZ Top, "London Calling" by The Clash, “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, and Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone”, the single chair was taken, and a winner proclaimed.
The Doyles gathered at the scoreboard before lunch, to see the current places. They had to wait their turn as a few others had the same idea. Aiden noticed Declan hovering nearby, and when Frank went to join him, Aiden didn’t know what to make of that. Róis tugged him forward as the space in front of the scoreboard opened up.
Twelve names were listed, with their score next to the name. Enda Maguire now had the top spot, with fifty-four points. In second place was Shaunie O’Ryan, with fifty-two points. Weggy Smith was third with thirty-nine. Two of the Ryan triplets were on the board - Michael at number ten with twenty-six points, and Darren at number twelve with twenty-five.
Róis saluted the giant gargoyle who had held two chairs successfully for a time, before being double-teamed and taken out, as they passed him on the way to lunch. Lunch was a selection of sandwiches from Flannigan’s Eatery and Lucky Loaf Bakery. They offered every sandwich under the sun - ham and cheese, turkey and cranberry, tuna, egg salad, pastrami and Swiss, Italian and even a veggie combo. The baked goods from Lucky Leaf were as varied and delicious. Aiden munched on a chocolate chip muffin and watched the activity in the distance as the last game arena was set up.
The final event was an Escape Room of sorts, within a giant maze. The bleachers had been removed, and instead, huge screens were placed around the castle grounds, with chairs in groups to create cozy viewing areas. A main screen was over by the pond, with rows of chairs like a movie theater. A diagram of the maze was constant in the top right corner, with bright colored dots indicating the trackers they had put on the contestants. The three remaining quadrants of the screen switched between the body cams of the players. At the moment, they were doing warm-up stretches, jumping jacks, and breathing exercises, except for one fellow who looked like he was taking a nap.
The announcers started their pre-game chatter, and Aiden heard the voice from yesterday - Frank’s uncle - had joined today’s commentator. He left the Doyles at their chosen TV watching area, and wandered around the grounds, figuring he would run into Torloch eventually, nodding at people as he passed. Only a few people stared in what would be considered a rude manner, and Aiden could place a few more faces with names. The Swordsmaster Sage and her husband Oscar waved at him, and he stopped at their little gathering.
“This is Aiden Moss, a friend of the Doyles,” she announced to the handful of gargoyles at the little table. She turned to him and winked. “These fine people are teachers at the school. I won’t bore you with introductions, as I’m sure you’re off to find more fun things to do with the youngsters.”
“I am looking for Torloch,” Aiden confessed.
“Last time we saw him, he was getting some sandwiches over that way,” Oscar supplied, and the dragon smiled in thanks, heading off in that direction.
The flicker of a floating shadow caught his attention, but it disappeared when he turned to look directly at it. He stood for a moment and recalled Clayton’s warning, and though he tried to put it out of his mind, it hung around as persistently as the shadow, making the dragon slightly paranoid. Several more times during the period, he thought he saw something or someone out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned his head, the person was gone.
Finally, the dragon had enough. He waited until he saw the shape again and very methodically bent down to pretend to tie his shoelaces, letting his hair fall over his face. Using the pose as cover, he glanced up through his hair and saw a dark-haired woman watching him. She was in jeans and a plain white T-shirt and wore sunglasses and a hat that effectively concealed most of her features.
Aiden stood slowly, making no sudden moves and being careful to be half-turned away from her. He wandered closer, looking at the groups of gargoyles talking and laughing, some with drinks in hand or little snacks that were laid out on tables near the televisions. When he glanced to his left again, the woman was gone, and no matter where the dragon looked, he couldn’t find her again.
He sighed, turned around and ran into Latriona Higgins. She was either very overdressed for spectating, or all dressed up for the dinner banquet, in a very short pencil skirt, sheer stockings, and a gold strapless top. He was glad her hair was on the blonde side because he didn’t want to think she had been the one stalking him.
“Hello, dragon,” she purred. Her breath smelled of orange juice, and Aiden made sure to move back as she stepped forward to keep a respectable distance between them.
“Miss Higgins,” he said. “How are you?”
“As well as can be expected,” she said, her pout an unsubtle bid for sympathy and further questions which Aiden did not feel any compunction to provide.
“Well, I do hope you feel better, Miss Higgins,” he said and started to turn away.
“Wait!” she said and grabbed at his arm.
She missed, stumbled forward, and would have fallen if Aiden had not caught her. She looked up at him, slowly blinked, and then smiled.
“Do you know where Torloch is?” she asked.
“I’m afraid I do not,” he said, hoping he sounded regretful enough to convince her. Not that he would have told her where the gargoyle was even if he did know.
“Oh, that’s too bad,” she said. “You know, you’re not too bad looking, dragon.”
“Thank you, Miss Higgins,” Aiden said, trying to gently extricate himself from her arms while making sure she was steady enough to stand on her own two feet.
“Have they shown you the hot springs?” she asked, looping her arm back around his neck. “They’re very nice. Very…invigorating. I can take you, if you like.”
“Well, I’m a little busy at the moment,” Aiden said.
She giggled. “Not now, silly. Later tonight.” She leaned closer. “Meet me by the rose bushes. At midnight.”
She pulled back and looked at him, licked her lips, then turned and walked away, only misstepping once. Aiden watched her, and part of him felt he really should accompany her and get her back to her room or to one of her friends who could look after her. He talked himself out of that idea and hoped she would be too drunk to remember her offer. He was not sure he wanted to find out what that woman would do if scorned. A few minutes later, he did meet up with Torloch and relayed the meeting to him.
The gargoyle whistled. “That was a close call, mate.”
“I’m almost sorry the biggest thing I have to worry about is a-” Aiden stopped, not quite able to bring himself to describe Latriona Higgins with the word he wanted to.
Torloch had no such aversion. “A floozy?”
Aiden didn’t have a response. A rousing cheer from all around them indicated someone had made it out of the maze, and they turned to the nearest screen to see Shaunie O’Ryan had been awarded the top score for deciphering all the clues, riddles, and puzzles, and making it through the fastest, beating the second place Adam McDonagh by nine seconds.
“He’ll get a lot of points for that,” Torloch noted. “The maze tests both physical dexterity and mental skill, and-”
“I was wondering when that was going to be tested,” Aiden interrupted with a sly smile.
The gargoyle grimaced before continuing. “-and a large bulk of your total score is based on that, to the point where if you choose not to participate in this game, you’re unlikely to place, no matter how well you did in the previous games.”
“I like that,” the dragon said.
“I was sure you would, which is why I told you.” Torloch said and switched to his best announcer voice. “And now, the event you’ve all been waiting for…dinner time!”
“Actually, there’s a Juniors Charity Fashion Show, then dinner,” Aiden said.
“Way to burst my bubble,” Torloch said. “What are we doing in the meantime?”
“I take it you’re not going to the show?”
“That’s for the mammies and grannies,” the gargoyle said. “Of which I am neither.”
“So, what do you want to do?” Aiden asked.
Torloch thought for a moment, then grinned. “Come with me.”
They went around to the back of the castle. Several trucks were there, and people were unloading boxes and packages. Some were marked with “FRAGILE” and others with “PERISHABLE”. A steady stream of people hurried in and out of the doors, with hands full on the left and empty on the right.
“They’re bringing in the foodstuffs for the final banquet and the gifts,” Torloch explained. He pointed to a high tower above them. “The gifts go in the vault up there for inspection before they’re moved to the queen’s personal quarters.”
“It takes a lot of people,” the dragon said, watching the activity.
“It’s considered a great honor to assist with the coronation event, and people try to help out with at least one or two things,” Torloch said. “The tourney referees, setting up the stage and the gifts, being assistants for higher-up positions, and such.”
“That’s nice,” Aiden said.
“You don’t look convinced,” Torloch replied.
The dragon laughed. “It’s just that my people have a different concept about gifts. We would never have this many people around our stuff and certainly not advertise where we were putting it.”
“That’s because you’re a bunch of grumpy loners who wouldn’t know the craic if it hit them in the face with a club,” Torloch said with a fond grin. “You want to go help?”
“Eh, better not,” Aiden said.
“Come on, it’ll be good,” Torloch said. “We’re just taking some heavy boxes from the trucks, nothing serious.”
The boys ambled up and offered their services. The person in charge directed them to help unload two food trucks, and their strong arms made light work of the massive pallets of potatoes, crates of eggs, and freezer chests of minced beef and lamb. A Coordinator marked things off on his list as they were carried past, and when they were done, they were awarded with a sandwich and a packet of biscuits for their good deed.
They took their spoils off to the side and continued to watch the activity as they ate their snack. Aiden noted a lone figure off to the side, partially hidden by some shrubs as they sat around the corner from the main entrance. He leaned to the side for a better look and recognized the fellow.
“That’s Frank McFinn,” Aiden said, indicating a man sitting on the steps to a small side entrance, leaning back against the stone railing with his eyes closed, a lit cigarette in hand.
“How the feck do you know Frank McFinn?” Torloch asked, crumpling his sandwich wrapper and placing it in the rubbish bin cleverly concealed against a tree trunk, but marked with a red flag so it was easy enough to find.
“He was with Úna at one of the games today,” the dragon said. “Why?”
“He hangs out with that creep Declan on occasion, so not my favorite person,” the gargoyle said. “Hanging with Úna, you say? Let’s go see what he’s up to.”
Frank looked up when they came over, took a long drag on his cigarette, blew out a stream of smoke over his shoulder, and didn’t say anything as they stood there.
“That’s a bad habit, Frankie,” Torloch noted.
“Go to hell, Doyle,” Frank said.
“That’s not very nice,” the gargoyle said. “I heard you’ve been hanging around my sister.”
Frank’s eyes slid to Aiden, and it almost looked like he was going to make some kind of slur in comparison, but then he thought better of it. He just sighed and took another drag. “I’m really not in the mood for this right now, Doyle,” he muttered.
“Eh, what’s bothering you, Frankie?” the gargoyle smirked. “Would you rather be kiss-arsing with your pal Declan?”
“He can go to hell, too,” Frank spat.
“Whoa,” Torloch said and looked genuinely surprised. “That’s strong.”
“He’s the one who’s supposed to be here,” Frank grumbled. “Instead, he’s off drinking and having a party and a good time. Showed up for all of two minutes to get his name on the list so he could prance and preen and pretend to be a good person, then he stuck me in his place for the actual work.”
“If you’re so mad, why do you hang out with him, you gobshite?” Torloch said.
“That’s none of your business, Doyle.”
“It is if you’re going to be hanging out with my sister,” the gargoyle countered.
“She’s a grown woman. She can look after herself,” Frank smirked.
“Oh, I know she can,” Torloch said with an easy shrug, but his face was dark. “I can also look after her.”
“You and your fire-breathing sidekick?” Frank snorted. “He might have to improve his aim if that’s going to make me shake in me boots.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Torloch frowned, standing up and uncrossing his arms.
“Come on, let’s go,” Aiden said, sensing a fight on the horizon and preferring to head that off.
An argument simmered in Torloch’s eyes, but he allowed himself to be pulled away, and the two went back to the main part of the castle to make small talk with the people still hanging around after the last game. At exactly 6:50 PM, Torloch headed for the dining hall, so they were some of the first in the door. They spent half a minute looking for friends to eat with, but when they didn’t see any of Patrick, Flynn, Niall, or any of the Doyles, they grabbed their plates and found a couple of seats in the back corner. The dinner was a fantastic lamb stew and mashed potatoes, and it made Aiden think of his cozy kitchen.
“Are you thinking of your kitchen?” Torloch asked as he shoveled buttered carrots and peas into his face.
“No,” Aiden lied.
“You know, you have a very specific expression when you’re thinking of what to make for dinner and if we have the necessary ingredients,” Torloch said. “You have that expression on your face now.”
“Well, you’re not very good at reading my expression, because I’m definitely not thinking about dinner or ingredients now,” Aiden said. “Although I may have been thinking of my kitchen for a brief moment. Before moving onto thinking about something else.”
Torloch raised his brows in question.
“I think someone has been stalking me,” the dragon confessed. “I keep seeing someone watching me, a woman, I think.”
“Not Latriona Higgins?”
“Not Latriona Higgins.”
Torloch grinned. “That’s great. Did you get her number?”
Aiden sighed. “Be serious, Torloch. Whoever it is ran away when I tried to go talk to her.”
“You’re really worried?” the gargoyle asked.
“I’m trying not to be,” Aiden said. “But I have to admit, I’ve been a little on edge, thanks to Clayton’s little visit.”
“It’s probably nothing,” Torloch said. “Or something that arse Declan thought up to rile you up.”
“Probably,” Aiden agreed, though he couldn’t help but think that wasn’t it at all.
