Page 16 of Dead Air
There was also the matter of the new sun god, Lennox MacIlwraith, and his mentor, Merlin Oglethorpe. The elder white witch was extremely powerful and learned in his own right and had been a thorn in Hugh Dùbhghlas’s side for decades. That was why Cenn was there but the idea of Niall being a pawn in Dùbhghlas’s vendetta grew more and more obscene by the day.
It shouldn’t have mattered to Cenn. He would either win and add Dùbhghlas’s dark, dirty soul to his collection of horrors, or the wretched warlock would prevail and rid the world of two mystical nuisances. There was also the chance that MacIlwraith would outmatch Dùbhghlas. The young demigod had a lot to learn but he was gifted and already powerful.
If Cenn was smart, he’d seal the deal and get the hell out of Dodge before MacIlwraith arrived with his hellhounds. Cenn’s metaphysical money was on MacIlwraith and his band of merry misfits and if his instincts were correct, it would only be a matter of months before he could collect Dùbhghlas’s soul.
Why did it have to be Niall?
The question had plagued Cenn from the moment Dùbhghlas chanted the hapless mortal’s name into burning sulphur, requesting the trade. In his haste to outwit the warlock and possibly end MacIlwraith and his friends, Cenn had overlooked the not so minor matter of the pawn. That mistake was proving to be a major hurdle and riddled with complications.
Two new complications had arrived at the park just before dawn with a pair of particularly nasty bear poachers. Cenn heard their footsteps and their whispered plans, carried on the early morning breeze, and was hoping to keep Niall distracted and unaware until they moved on.
“Do you see any eggs?” Cenn had his notepad ready as Niall held up a log and squinted beneath it. They were both still clipped into their harnesses and had rappelled down to Niall’s “secret” spot to hunt for nesting salamanders. Niall had been shaky when they were preparing their lines and as he lowered but had insisted he was fine, despite returning to the scene of Roger Tompkins “unfortunate” demise.
“I have to get over it. I live and I work here. So do the salamanders,” he had stated with a defiant tilt of his nose. His thoughts and his mood improved once he went to work, gingerlylifting rocks, logs, and piles of leaves so they could spy on the park’s sacred salamanders.
“I see eggs!” Niall whispered excitedly. “Looks like…maybe ten.”
Cenn cheered softly as he wrote. “Excellent!”
“Oops, there’s mama! Sorry to disturb you, madam.” Niall lowered the log and held up his hands apologetically, making Cenn snort and roll his eyes.
“We wouldn’t want her complaining to management,” he murmured, checking the time and underlining the site’s coordinates. That seemed like something a proper biologist would do.
“I don’t want to be an inconsiderate neighbor.”
“You? Never,” Cenn replied with a flirty wink, enjoying how flustered Niall became.
“Stop it. I wouldn’t have taken that tea bag if I had known it was your last. You should have told me.”
Cenn waved it off. “I’m kidding and more are on the way. I’ll just have to pop up to your place for a cup this evening.”
There was a dramatic sigh from Niall as he lowered to inspect another pile of damp debris. Shenandoah salamanders preferred shady, moist areas and there were plenty on this craggy corner of the mountain’s peak. “I suppose I can endure the visit…” Niall said wearily, craning his neck as he searched under soggy leaves and clumps of moss.
“Should I bring dinner?”
Niall shook his head. “My freezer is stuffed. Wait until you see all my bags of frozen soups and casseroles,” he said, then rolled his eyes. “I don’t know why I thought that would sound impressive or interesting.”
“I’ll reserve judgment,” Cenn said and gave Niall a reassuring nudge. “I’ve met men with worse hobbies.”
As if to prove his point, they heard a gunshot, making Niall jump to his feet and spin toward the sound.
“That wasn’t very far from us!” Niall gave his line a tug, shaking it out and grabbing the free end before he backed to the edge and jumped.
Cenn ran to stop him but was too late. “Niall, wait!” he called after him, groaning when he heard Niall drop onto the ground below, unclip, and take off running. “Damn it!” Cenn whispered as his head fell and he scrubbed the back of his neck. “I was really hoping you wouldn’t get involved.”
He had no choice but to dash after Niall, invisible as he flew down the mountainside and darted around trees. The poachers were less than half a mile away and Niall was like a fury, leaping over rocks and fallen branches, and sprinting toward the creek ahead. He spotted them, their red hats and orange vests glowing amongst the foliage.
“No!” Niall cried when he saw the dead bear in the stream. “Get away from that animal right now. Over here!” he ordered and pointed at the spot ahead of him, unconcerned with the belligerent stares and stiff nods traded between the poachers.
Both appeared to comply, stepping onto the creek’s bank and lowering their rifles. “We got a permit,” the younger man called “Buck” shouted but Niall shook his head, storming into the water to get a closer look at the bear.
“You’re on federal land and hunting is prohibited,” he stated, lowering and bracing his hands on his knees. “And I don’t think he’s big enough to meet the weight requirement.”
“Shoot! We thought we was on my cousin’s property,” the older one, named Albert or “Al,” claimed with an “Aw shucks!” shrug but Niall wasn’t buying it.
“Driver’s licenses and permits,now!” he demanded as he stomped out of the water and between the poachers. He yanked his walkie-talkie off his belt, sealing his fate.
“You don’t wanna do that, son,” Buck warned, raising his rifle and aiming it at Niall and sealinghisfate with Cenn.
