Read Online Jack Shian and the Destiny Stone by Andrew Symon - Free Book Online

sleeping forever. No one knows how it happened – it was long ago. But once we found out from Daid about that human wearing it when he went fishing, we had to arrange to get it from him.”
    “That was funny,” said Jack happily. “You should’ve heard this guy.”
    “Oh, I have – twice. I’m sure he deserved everything he got.”
    “So has Murkle really never done anything like this before?”
    Grandpa Sandy was silent for a moment. “He’s more of a theory tutor, I suppose,” he said eventually.
    Jack didn’t reply. The road along the glen was rocky, and he had to pick his way carefully to avoid twisting his ankle.
    “Ah! There’s your father,” said Grandpa, breaking the silence.
    “Come on. Ardmore’s a good few hours away,” said Phineas as they approached.
    “Can’t we use horses, then? Or a low road?” asked Jack plaintively. After the excitement of the cave a long walk was a big anticlimax. And on Hallows’ Eve, too.
    “The low roads here aren’t working,” replied his father. “Not even today. And we must move carefully: the local Shian are mostly Seelie, but they’re protective of their world here. Groups on horseback would be seen as hostile.”
    “Fenrig says the Shian here are more like Brashat than like us.”
    “Well, the island Shian don’t have much to do with the humans any more, it’s true. But not out of animosity. At least, not for a long while.”
    “So what’s the story with the flag, then?”
    “It’s Shian, only they lost it hundreds of years ago; it’s been kept in Ardmore castle since. We’re banking on it persuading the local Shian of our good intentions.”
    “And it’s surrounded by iron?”
    “That’s right. The locals would have loved to get it back, but the human family who keep it are canny enough to know how to stop that happening. Also, they have a friendly Urisk.”
    “Murkle talked about a Urisk once. They’re pretty fierce, yeah?”
    “Most certainly. For some strange reason, some attach themselves to human families. In this case that means the castle has an added defence for the flag.”
    “But Caskill can beat him, can’t he? I mean, that’s the whole point.”
    Phineas considered his reply. “He’s our best bet.”
    Jack’s heart sank. Wasn’t this supposed to be a formality? What if Caskill failed?
    The long walk continued after a break for lunch, and by the time the afternoon sun started to dip, Jack was really tired.
    “Is it much further? My feet are blistering.”
    If Jack was looking for sympathy, he was looking in the wrong place. With a great shout, Caskill began to move swiftly. For hours he had dawdled along, seemingly content to gaze at the autumnal countryside. But now his lumbering pace quickened to a loping run, and he uttered a series of yells.
    “He’s caught the Urisk’s scent,” said Phineas. “It must be out of doors.”
    The earth shook as the giant’s heavy footsteps thudded into the ground.
    “Our presence here is not going to be a secret for much longer,” observed Telos wryly. “How far’s Ardmore?”
    “A quarter of a mile. Ten minutes to walk it.”
    “We’ve better get a move on, then.”
    The company broke into a run. Rounding a bend, Jack saw his father and the others who had sailed up from Ilanbeg. Silhouetted behind them, in the grey evening light, was the castle, atop a cliff that fell sheer to the beach. And on the foreshore were Caskill and the Urisk, locked in battle.
     

9
The Urisk
    Half human, half goat, standing eight feet tall, the Urisk’s long hair swept from side to side as it dodged the branch which Caskill swung around his head. The giant’s swipes were fast and powerful, but lacked precision, and the Urisk hopped and skipped nimbly out of the way each time.
    “Caskill’s bound to get him,” said Petros with satisfaction.
    “I’m not so sure,” replied Rana. “He’s clumsy – look.”
    Caskill raised the branch above his head, and brought it down with a crashing