Read Online The Snowmelt River (The Three Powers) by Frank P. Ryan - Free Book Online

Christianity.”
    “He suh-suh-suh-says he had a buh-buh-blackout.”
    Kate murmured, “It gets worse and worse!”
    “We think Grimstone was a thief when he was younger. He stole stuff for the old man, who was an antiquarian. But when he saw the cross with the sigil embossed on it, it—well, it took some kind of possession of him. He says he had a blackout. But we think he killed the old man to get the cross.”
    Padraig looked deeply worried. “It came from a barrow, you say?”
    Alan turned to his grandfather. “What’s wrong?”
    Padraig placed his hands on Mark’s and Mo’s shoulders, as if hardly able to believe what he was hearing.
    Alan snorted. “Hey—the guy’s loopy!”
    Kate looked at Alan with a frown. “But you heard what they said. They’ve seen how this thing glows when he talks to it.”
    “Silver can look like that.”
    “Nuh-nuh-nuh-no! It buh-buh-burns.”
    “Burns?”
    Mark agreed with Mo. “When Grimstone holds the sigil to his brow. When he’s calling it Master, it burns his skin. You can hear it sizzle—you can smell it.”
    Alan shook his head. “Mo? Is this true?”
    Mo nodded.
    Mark added, “Grimstone won’t allow anyone else to touch it. Or even to go near it.”
    “Grandad, have you any idea what’s going on here?”
    “I’m not altogether sure. I know a little about such things. I wish I knew more.”
    “But what are you thinking?”
    “Well, I’m thinking we need to grasp what’s really going on here. We have the four of you coming together here, with what appears to be important aspects of your lives in common. Happen it’s fate.”
    Alan scoffed. “Hey—come on!”
    “Don’t you be telling me you haven’t wondered for yourselves?”
    Mark objected. “That’s as crazy as Grimstone.”
    “There must be something happening to you—all of you. Are you having any unusual thoughts? Or unusual dreams?”
    Kate blurted, “Mo and I, we’ve been sharing the same dreams.”
    “What dreams?”
    “We keep seeing a mountain. But it’s not one we recognize. It towers up, like a great pillar of rock, with a figure on the top of it.”
    “You’re sure you don’t recognize it?” There was a light in Padraig’s eyes, now examining Kate’s expression.
    “No. It’s nowhere I remotely recognize.”
    “What about you lads?”
    Mark shook his head.
    But Alan looked thoughtful. “If it’s dreams about places you guys want, the only place I ever dream about is the River Suir. I dream about the river a lot.”
    Padraig was thoughtful. “Mountains and rivers! It certainly seems as if something is building up around you. Something—or someone—is trying to communicate with you, perhaps.”
    Mark lifted his eyebrows. “I suppose I’d better go check my e-mails.”
    Kate thumped him. “Don’t you dare mock this, Mark Grimstone!”
    Padraig cleared his throat, as if making up his mind about something. “Well now, isn’t it time we all were a little more honest with each other? And that goes for you too, Mr. Tricky-the-loop.” He tapped Mark’s shoulder.
    Mark exchanged glances with Mo. “There was something Grimstone said. He was talking about some kind of old power that was a threat to him. Stuff about the town being old but the power was older.”
    “Ancient power?”
    “Suh-suh-something about a puh-people from before the Cuh-Cuh-Celts.”
    “I’m trying to remember how he put it. Like an old power, almost buried and forgotten, yet still lingering.”
    “Huh-huh-huh-he talked about the ruh-ruh-rivers too.”
    “Ancient power to do with rivers?”
    Mark said, “I’ll give you his exact words, Mr. O’Brien. ‘It is my Lord himself, my sacred Master, who senses the threat—the threat is to Him . . . here in this town—in the old power that still lingers here.’”
    “What manner of threat?”
    Mo spoke softly. “Thuh-thuh-three ruh-ruh-ruh-rivers!”
    Everybody looked at Mo, astonished. Then Mark nodded. “Something about a heathen