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saw what it is that effects this protection.
And what is that?
A ring.
A ring. Fionchadd raised an eyebrow. Interesting. How do you propose to
procure it? which I
assume you intend to do.
Ailill smiled grimly. That is the problem, isn t it? I can approach only so
closely, and I cannot summon him.
Have you tried summoning one of his kinsmen? If you cannot touch him, perhaps
one of them could. Or you could use one as a hostage.
Ailill s face brightened. Now you show yourself as my son. But there may be a
problem. I have tried summoning all those whose faces I saw graven in those
parts of his mind reserved for the beloved. But every time I tried, there was
Fire, weaker than that which protects, but still beyond my Power to quench.
No, I fear the ring protects them as well.
Fionchadd regarded his father levelly. So what is it you want from me?
I want you to help me. I cannot touch the boy, and I cannot touch the thing
that protects him. Nor do I
dare absent myself from court too often; Lugh would become suspicious, or if
not he, then Silverhand.
But there is a possibility that the ring protects him only from me. It might
not hinder you.
So you want me to help you capture the boy?
Ailill nodded. If possible. At least I want you to see how close you can come
to the ring. It would be best if you began now. Go into the Lands of Men.
Watch. Listen. Use whichever of your skills seem good to you. And report to
me. You know how to operate the Tracks, do you not?
do
Oh, aye, Fionchadd agreed absently as he began summoning another fish. My
mother taught me that art very well indeed.
Chapter VII: Oisin p. 107 Supper! JoAnne Sullivan called from the barbed wire
fence at the top of the pasture Big Billy shared with Uncle Dale. You men
gonna stand there starin at that sorghum patch all evenin ? Ain t gonna make
it grow no faster! She could see their varied silhouettes cut out against the
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lush green growth that filled the narrow, flat strip of land between the
pasture and the Sullivan Cove road: Big Billy, tall and heavy-set, stomach
gone to fat from too much beer and good food, but still well muscled; Uncle
Dale, taller still, rail-thin, and aged like a locust fence post; and beside
him in stair-step order: slender
Alec; David, shorter but more solidly built; and then Little Billy, who looked
like he would beat them all.
One more call s all you re gettin , and then I m gonna eat this stuff
myself now get up here!
Yes ma am, hollered Big Billy, smiling faintly.
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As they trudged up the grassy slope Alec and David fell slightly behind. Alec
clapped a hand good-naturedly on David s shoulder and bent close. Sorry about
this afternoon, he said.
David shrugged. No problem. I appreciate your concern, but I m just . . .
confused about some things, and I haven t figured them out yet.
That s the kind of thing we used to work out together, my friend.
David nodded grimly. I know, and I hope we can work this out too, but not yet
. . . not quite yet.
They had reached the top of the hill by then, and David held up the barbed
wire for Alec to climb through before followingp. 108himself. Alec glanced up
at his friend from the ditch beside the driveway and nodded resignedly.
You go on up, I ll be there in a minute, said David.
Alec raised an eyebrow. Well, don t expect me to leave anything for you; your
ma s probably given up on us already, and I for one am not one to give up on
your ma s cooking.
I won t, David called to Alec s back as he took off his glasses and rubbed
his eyes. Something was up again, he knew, as he surveyed the landscape. But
where? Nothing met his gaze. Finally he shrugged and followed his friend
toward the house. The itching wouldn t quit, though, and for a long moment
David stood on the side porch looking out across the intervening fields and
pastures toward the silver-red glitter of the lake far to the west, and then
abruptly up the gravel road to the bulk of the mountain. His eyes were burning
now, and his hand unconsciously sought the ring.
And then he saw it: right at the limits of sight, so faint as to be almost
invisible against the dark forest.
Just where the road marched in among the trees beyond the barn, he thought he
could make out the hazy figure of a man an old man in flowing gray robes and
that the man raised one thin arm and pointed up the mountain. It seemed, too,
that the old man held a walking stick in his other hand, with which he felt
his way. David blinked, and the man was gone.
David put down his glass of milk. I think me and Alec are gonna walk up to
Lookout Rock after supper, he announced as he speared a piece of roast beef
and looked quizzically over at Big Billy, who was applying himself vigorously
to his own generous portion.
We re gonna what
? cried a shocked Alec through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. Little Billy
giggled, but nobody noticed.
Alec slumped in his chair and glared at David through tired eyes. David, my
friend, I am weary to the bone. He pointed at himself with his fork. All
want to do is play a couple of rounds of Risk and go to
I
bed. I don t know how I let you talk me into putting in the whole day
following you around.
We didn t do anything but talk and go swimming.
And help your daddy pull the engine out of that old pickup.p. 109And,
besides, hanging onto the seat while you take every curve between here and
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