A Raucous Time

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  Deep within the cavern, Rhyllann’s head came up. Someone was calling to him. Someone in trouble called his name over and over. In a persistent strident tone. Really this was too much. He’d nearly reached the end, and now he had to start all over again. But the rhyme was all mixed up in his head with pistol shots and wild talk of Caliburn and treasure and Celtic myths.

  He couldn’t help anyway. Even if he wanted to. A gunman waited up top. Patiently. To ambush Wren and Crombie at the top of the steps. There was no other way out of this place. Rhyllann fixed his eyes on his special window and started again. The setting sun’s rays streamed through the crevice creating a pool of light, distracting him. If it landed on Caliburn, like a message from above, that really would be too much.

  Illumination flooded Rhyllann. Shrugging off Crombie’s smelly old jacket, he sprinted over to Caliburn. His hand slapped against the hilt, his fingers curled to grasp, and his arm swept upwards, pulling Caliburn from its resting place. It flew up as cleanly and sweetly as a bird taking flight. Hearing movement behind, he swung round. Caliburn followed perfectly balanced, already an extension of Rhyllann. Declan stirred, dread crossed his face as the mythical sword shimmered before him.

  ‘You quick – over there.’ Rhyllann motioned to the crevice high in the cavern wall, with Caliburn. ‘Your brother needs help. He’s been shot! Don’t you care?’ Declan Crombie merely stared, his eyes were as blue as his brother's but his face looked haggard, and slack. Rhyllann grew impatient, they didn’t have time for this.

  ‘Move. Or else.’ He waved Caliburn menacingly. Crombie’s brother lumbered to his feet to obey in double quick time. In the distance far away, he could hear Wren’s voice. Protesting now that he wasn’t moving until Crombie had his wounds bandaged. Rhyllann took a running jump, using Declan's back and shoulders as a human ladder, and thrust his head and torso into the tunnel's entrance. He wriggled further into the hole, feet kicking back against Declan’s body. Then he hissed for him to sit back down and not to move, else he'd be back – with Caliburn. Wren would buy him time but he couldn’t stall forever.