Demon Citadel

By Candy Rae

This world is not ours alone. We share it with the Cuetiachtli, the Children of the Gods. The Goddess Flidais has charged the kindred of our world, the Faie, with defending us from her vindictive sister, Cailleach, whose determination to take the place of Flidais would have devastating consequences should she succeed.This world is not alone. It is one of six; each cared for by their own deity and kindred, and linked only by the vortexes, which can only be crossed by those with mixed blood: the descendants of kindred and native species.

The thrilling conclusion to the Multiverse Muddle, Demon Citadel sees the end of the journey to stop the Goddess Cailleach's reach from encompassing our world. The last stand in the fight for the freedom of the sixth world looms, and with danger lurking around every corner, every decision made by the Faie and their allies could mean the difference between survival and desolation. Can they save the Sixth World from Cailleach’s tyranny?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Candy Rae
• Release date: Dec 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463809808

Candy Rae

Candy Rae has been an avid reader since childhood, with fantasy and science fiction appearing on her bookshelf in her first year of university when a friend introduced her to talking dragons. All her life, she has wanted to write, but it wasn’t until Christmas Day in 2003 that she sat down and started planning the book that, after many revisions, became the first book in the Planet Wolf series: Wolves and War.As a former accountant, Candy was notorious among her family for elongating her commute home by parking in a safe space and starting to write, having got into the habit of carrying a notebook with her wherever she went, a habit she continues to this day. When she’s not writing, her hobbies include knitting, tapestry, and trying to figure out ‘whodunnit’ in murder mysteries.Candy lives in Ayrshire, Scotland, with her large black cat, Sammy, and her Labrador-Corgi cross, Alex. She writes her books in British English with a Scottish flavour.

Book preview

THE MULTIVERSE MUDDLE

BOOK FOUR

* * * * *

DEMON CITADEL

* * * * *

Candy Rae

* * * * *

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * * *

DEMON CITADEL

Copyright © 2019 Candy Rae

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead; is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

* * * * *

BOOKS BY CANDY RAE

Planet Wolf - Wolves and War - Conflict and Courage - Homage and Honour - Dragons and Destiny - Valour and Victory - Ambition and Alavidha - Paws and Planets - Tales and Tails.

Dragon Wulf - Journey and Jeopardy - Gossamer and Grass - Flames and Freedom.

Flying Colours - Rascals and Renegades - Outlaws and Overlords - Sparkles and Sphinxes*.

T’Quel Magic - Ephemeral Boundary - Enduring Barrier - Eternal Bulwark.

Multiverse Muddle - Vampyre Crypt - Faie Castle - Surtr Chasm - Demon Citadel.

Sammy the Cat - Cat in Charge - Cat at Christmas - Dog not in Charge.

Stand Alone - Kill by Cure.

(* Forthcoming)

* * * * *

Demon Citadel is dedicated to all who fight against the demons of our world.

* * * * *

Cover Artwork by Harri Crawford.

* * * * *

AUTHOR’S NOTE

DEMON CITADEL is written in what is known as Britannic, or British English but with a Scottish flavour, the occurrence of Lallans, or Lowland Scots being the most predominant. There are spelling and pronunciation differences between Lallans/Lowland Scots and the different dialects and versions of English as written and spoken in other parts of our wonderful, diverse world.

As well as English, the Faie speak Cuetiachtli, the Old Tongue, which is a mix of English, Lowland Scots, and Scottish Gaelic together with some other languages, primarily Russian and German. For the purpose of this story, the Faie and the other races and kindred speak the same as how the author writes, which is rather handy otherwise no one but she would be able to make sense of large chunks of this book.

* * * * *

THE MULTIVERSE MUDDLE

VAMPYRE CRYPT - Bhampair Làrach Todhlacaidh

FAIE CASTLE - Caisteal Na Sìobhragan

SURTR CHASM - Surtr Glomhais

DEMON CITADEL - Deamhain Daingneachd

* * * * *

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE STORY SO FAR

PART ONE - NIMUE

CHAPTER 1 - VAMPYRE SKUADS

CHAPTER 2 - LOCH OF HOPE

CHAPTER 3 - BLOOD TIES

CHAPTER 4 - THOSE PESKY DREAMS!

CHAPTER 5 - CAITHNESS SKIRMISH

CHAPTER 6 - LADY OF THE LAKE

CHAPTER 7 - NINE SEALS

CHAPTER 8 - CALM BEFORE STORMS

CHAPTER 9 - CALL TO ARMS

CHAPTER 10 - NINE JOURNEYS

PART TWO - WOLF MOON RISING

CHAPTER 11 - KHIBINSKY MOUNTAINS

CHAPTER 12 - FOINAVEN MOUNTAIN

CHAPTER 13 - POLL GHLUP

CHAPTER 14 - TROLLAVAL

CHAPTER 15 - INISHTRAHULL ISLAND

CHAPTER 16 - KANGERLUSSSEUQ

CHAPTER 17 – KING’S DIVERSION

CHAPTER 18 - ISHPATINA RIDGE

CHAPTER 19 - HUDGEON BRIDGE

CHAPTER 20 - LOST EAGLE PEAK

CHAPTER 21 - ABOVE AND BELOW

CHAPTER 22 - OTHER WORLDS

PART THREE - WOLF MOON

CHAPTER 23 - KHIBINSKY TETRAD

CHAPTER 24 - FOINAVEN TETRADS

CHAPTER 25 - POLL GHLUP TETRAD

CHAPTER 26 - TROLLAVAL TETRAD

CHAPTER 27 - INISHTRAHULL TETRAD

CHAPTER 28 - KANGERLUSSSEUQ TETRAD

CHAPTER 29 - ISHPATINA TETRAD

CHAPTER 30 - HUDGEON TETRAD

CHAPTER 31 - LOST EAGLE TETRAD

CHAPTER 32 - ANCHOR TETRAD

PART FOUR - PEACE IS THREE

CHAPTER 33 - YGGDRASIL

CHAPTER 34 - DEAMHAIN DAINGNEACHD

CHAPTER 35 - CAILLEACH

CHAPTER 36 - GODS AND DEMONS

CHAPTER 37 - THE PARTING GLASS

CHAPTER 38 - EPILOGUE

CHARACTERS AND APPENDICES

* * * * *

THE STORY SO FAR

Author’s Note - If, in recent days, weeks or months (for those of us who have a good memory - I am most definitely not on that list), you have read the previous books, you might want to skip this part …

Within the Multiverse, there are six parallel worlds. They can bump into each other and when this happen passages between them appear and disappear.

The six worlds are the World of the God Ra - the Proterozoic World; the World of the God Lir - the Silurian World; the World of the Goddess Nantosuelta - the Permian World; the World of the God Herne - the Cretaceous World; the World of the God Aja - the Pleistocene World; and the World of the Goddess Flidais - the Holocene World. Our World.

The Gods and Goddesses cannot interfere directly in their worlds. This is an unbreakable rule set by their Father, the High God Jah although he overlooks some rule bending when it is for the greater good of the Multiverse.

We humans cannot see the World of the Faie although it exists alongside us. Some Faie live amongst humankind and hold down jobs, while others live behind the illusions set by the Priestesses of the Goddess Flidais.

There exists a renegade Goddess called Cailleach (and her less than bright brother). Cailleach does not have a world and has turned to evil. Up until recently, Balar had followed his sister’s lead in all things but now cracks are appearing in their relationship.

Over the last year, exploratory teams went to some other worlds in the Multiverse in an attempt to locate Cailleach’s Citadel and some individuals from the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Worlds became stranded on worlds not their own. Those from the Holocene have now returned but there are a number of individuals from the Cretaceous and the Pleistocene who remain here in the Holocene.

Goddess Cailleach’s plans to take over the Holocene World are complete. Despite recent setbacks she is ready to pounce, and is preparing to flood the world with her minions and the minions of her ally.

The Faie must stop her because if they do not our world will disintegrate into chaos. Cailleach will have lordship and dominion over every living creature.

As the King of the Faie has said, "this would not be a good thing."

* * * * *

However, the Faie are close to an understanding about how they might be able to stop her, by closing the vortexes, between the worlds that make up the Multiverse.

It must be notes that these vortexes can be unstable. Worlds and planets move and the parallel worlds of the Multiverse are no different.

Cailleach uses these vortexes extensively as her plans depend on her army being able to travel between the worlds.

As there are nine of these vortexes, the Faie will need nine seals to block unregulated movement and nine individuals to set the seals. There is also the little matter of the passwords needed to activate them … the uninitiated would call them spells.

The only people who can set the seals are descendants of an ancient Faie bloodline, the Mochuda.

Eleven descendants have been traced. They are Susan and John Gillycuddy (50:50 Faie/Human); Harold Wayman (50:50 Faie/Human) and his children Hamilton, Humphrey and Harriet (25:75 Faie/Human); the brothers Ailpein and Ailin (60:40 Faie/Human); Amelia Bunty (50:50 Faie/Human); Aksel (100 Faie); and Accalia (100 Faie).

Unfortunately, only those of mixed blood, Faie and Human, can enter the vortexes.

In recent months, Faie scientists and mathematicians have managed to produce a four-dimensional map of the vortexes. The Faie can now plan their routes and can also, to a certain extent, work out when and where the other parallel worlds are close enough for the vortexes to link up. This will be a big help as they plan how to set the seals.

There is also a worrying theme that underlies this quest of the Faie, three sentences spoken by the God Aja to Harold Wayman.

< Your family provideth three and the architect who is not one of nine. Which is the most important, the means or the answers? Which shalt be the sacrifices? >

It seems Harold is not one of the nine so they will need another with mixed blood who is able to enter the vortexes.

Another worry is the word sacrifices. Aja’s words indicate that not everyone will survive the setting of the seals.

* * * * *

In the World of the Faie it is as if the air is holding its breath.

Everyone knows the war was coming.

Parents are sending their younger children away from dangerous areas, mostly in the areas of the nine vortexes and in the north of Scotland. The war will be fought, lost or won there.

With as minimal fuss as possible, the king, his councillors and his military officers are setting plans in motion, calling in in the kerns and sending them to where they can do the most good.

The campaign to thwart Cailleach has been centuries in the planning, ever since the last time Cailleach tried to destroy the Faie.

The operation is going like clockwork but is taking time. Evidence is growing that Cailleach is ready to pounce.

There have been a number of what the authorities have been describing as ‘unconnected incidents’ happening throughout Scotland. The Faie know better.

* * * * *

PART ONE - NIMUE

"I fay, to Niniueh, the worlds great Hall,

The Monarchs feat, high Court Imperiall.

Great Afhur menaces with whip in hand,

To entertaine thee (welcome) to his land."

(Francis Quarles (1592-1644))

(Surtr Chasm - The Multiverse Muddle - Book 3)

LOCH ARTHUR - KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE - SCOTLAND

She had been here in limbo for such a long time … a part of the world yet not a part.

Sometimes she couldn’t stop thinking she might be here alone forever. She felt so isolated she wanted to scream. However, there was no one to hear. What was the point of screaming to oneself?

The only thought keeping her sane was the knowledge that it would end … one day.

Goddess Flidais had promised.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 1 - VAMPYRE SKAUDS

"Daingneachd is Dunscaith Castle on the Island of Skye, Dalach informed Aed Mael and his advisors three days later and after they had checked and rechecked their findings. And the vortex she is using is on the nearby Island of Rùm."

"The Trollaval vortex? But it collapsed centuries ago!" Aed Mael protested.

"That’s not entirely accurate," said Harold.

(Surtr Chasm - The Multiverse Muddle - Book 3)

DAINGNEACHD - ISLE OF SKYE - SCOTLAND

Having escaped the destruction of her base at Inchnadamph, Goddess Cailleach was back in her citadel, considering what to do next.

Now that Vin-ran-olt-hix, her right-hand-Kobold for so many centuries was dead, whom should she appoint to replace him? Should she replace him? Did she need to?

Fact was, she didn’t think there was a need. Perhaps a number of more junior zapovjedniks would be more appropriate and yet another placed in overall command of her battle army.

She had other allies, one an old ‘friend’, the other a recent ‘acquisition’.

The first was Surtr. She had been in league with him, secretly, from before the time when the five worlds had become six. Together they had planned the slow and relentless campaign. Together they had worked towards this moment.

After the disaster at Sgàil Làrach last year, Surtr had introduced her to a fellow denizen of Drochchruinne. Drochchruinne was the Cuetiachtli name for that part of the Multiverse controlled by the Diathanolc, the evil gods.

His name was Mephistopheles the Ògadhfhlaitheas.

Cailleach was a bit afraid of Mephistopheles. She felt he was unpredictable and unpredictability made her nervous. She was also absolutely positive the ògadhfhlaitheas wasn’t telling her everything about his master’s plans.

As she approached the steps that led to what was left of the battlements, she managed to forget this, at least for a while.

In her citadel she was safe. She could even go topside and feel the wind blowing against her skin. As a deity, her powers of illusion were excellent and over the eons she had practiced hard. They were impenetrable. No one, not even her sister Flidais would be able to find her here, or those hiding in the depths.

Cailleach had forgotten all about her brother, the God Balar.

* * * * *

ISLE OF RAASAY - SCOTLAND

The island was small but beautiful, like so many of the islands off the west coast. The only route on to the island was by ferry, a journey of about twenty-five minutes, and being so remote and largely devoid of inhabitants (the island had a population of under two hundred) it was a firm favourite among wild-campers, people who camped not within the organised camp-sites but out in the countryside, alone.

So it was that a group of eleven hill-walkers had decided to spend a long weekend on the island. The area chosen had been the idea of two of the most experienced in the group. They had decided that if they hiked north along a routeway called Calum’s Road they would find a good place to make camp.

They had arrived early that afternoon in a blue minibus hired for the occasion. The wind was getting up but that wasn’t unusual on the islands of Scotland’s west coast. The cold proved a great incentive to getting the tents pitched and the windshields erected and they were up and ready in record time.

The two youngest, this was their first trip, were sent to dig the hole that would be used as a lavatory. It was a job not much loved by anyone but the two picked up the shovels with a shrug, a smile and a wry look.

Do you think we can go to see the castle ruins tomorrow? asked Jack of his fellow digger, sixteen-year-old Alan. Jack was keenly interested in ruins, especially those of the military variety. He was intending to join the army next year.

Alan shrugged. He was only here because his parents had insisted. Alan had been getting into what his mother was apt to describe as, ‘a little bit of trouble’ recently and what his father called a ‘lot’ of the same. They had insisted Alan come with them to Raasay. Last time they had returned after a weekend away to the aftermath of a very messy party. The aggrieved Alan wasn’t much interested in going to look at anything.

Might surprise yourself and find it interesting, urged Jack. Brochel Castle was once one of the homes of Clan MacLeod. Lots of bloody battles; just like those games you were playing on your tablet on the way here but the real thing. All you need is a bit of imagination.

I suppose so, mumbled Alan, but without much enthusiasm.

Sooner we get this hole dug the better, added Jack with a shiver. Wind’s getting up.

* * * * *

Jack and Alan were sharing a small, two-person tent which they had set a little way from the other ‘grown ups’ tents. Alan woke first, conscious of some unfamiliar noises. It was difficult to tell exactly where they were coming from but they were making him sufficiently nervous for him to reach over and shake Jack awake.

Jack! he whispered.

There was no reaction. He shook him harder.

Jack!

Jack stirred.

Whassat?

Listen! There’s something happening outside.

They could hear someone shouting but they couldn’t make out the words. Then a scream rang out, cut short.

That’s Mum, exclaimed Alan and began unzipping his sleeping bag.

Wait! ordered Jack, flinging a restraining hand on top of his tent-mate just as they heard a bloodcurdling chortle and an evil sounding laugh, then another, this one accompanied by a greedy slurping.

It sounds as if some animal is attacking them. I have to go help, said Alan in a desperate voice. He was struggling but the other lad was heavier and much stronger.

Be quiet! That’s not an animal. It’s people!

They lay in the tent, listening to bumps, thuds and muttering voices. What was happening? Who were these men?

Their voices were strangely sibilant and were speaking in a language the lads didn’t recognise.

Jack started to slice open the back of their tent.

We have to get out, he whispered. We have to go and get help.

But Mum and Dad …

You’re of more use to them alive, said Jack, pushing Alan through the gap, grabbing their boots (in their damp-proof bags) and his pack. He didn’t bother looking for Alan’s pack. There wasn’t time. He reckoned it wouldn’t be long before the attackers started looking around and found their tent. Come on. Crawl up towards the road.

As they reached the road ditch and hid beside a prickly but thick gorse bush, down hill in the campsite the screaming started again, a gurgling screaming that rose in intensity then stopped with an abruptness that made both lads shiver.

The terrified lads waited behind the bush for what seemed like hours, until they couldn’t hear anything. They debated going down to find out what had happened then decided against it. They were so frightened about what they might find and Jack, who had more common sense than Alan realised that there was probably nothing they could do anyway.

What decided Alan though was Jack’s suggestion that the creatures might start hunting them!

He agreed to go with Jack and find somewhere to hide, as far away as possible from Calum’s Road.

* * * * *

A VILLAGE CLOSE TO PERTH - SCOTLAND

It was the media sensation of the week.

---

VAMPIRE SERIAL KILLER STRIKES AGAIN!

---

Jamie Strachan read the headlines, pulling one paper after another down from the rack.

"You going to buy all these there papers?" asked the salesperson, eyeing the resultant mess with a jaundiced eye.

---

ELEVEN CAMPERS MISSING!

---

Jamie blinked, but he knew they couldn’t have kept these incidents under wraps for much longer. In fact, in Jamie’s opinion, it was a wonder the news hadn’t broken before now, what with the two missing couples from Aberdeen last month and that family in Ayrshire.

Buy? Oh. Yes, yes, I am, answered Jamie, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet, being careful (as usual) not to pull his personal weapon out too. That had happened one morning in a little village shop like this one. The elderly lady standing beside him had fainted on the spot, thinking she had stumbled into a hold up and he had had a lot of explaining to do with the authorities, the authorities on that occasion being a slow witted village policeman who had not been happy at being called away from his breakfast.

After paying for the untidy paper bundle, a can of cola (gooseberry flavour) and a bag of apples, his boss was partial to the latter, Jamie hurried to his car where he settled down to read without any interruptions.

---

ISLAND OF TERROR!

---

As he scanned the article, Jamie learned that the disappearances had occurred on the Isle of Raasay, east of the Isle of Skye.

It was confirmation, if any was needed, that the muster of Cailleach’s army of Kobold was close to completion.

---

BLOOD TRAIL FOUND!

---

All armies required food.

On the Isle of Skye, the week before these eleven campers had vanished, a farmer’s flock of sheep had been destroyed by what the investigators had described as a senseless frenzy of killing. More interestingly, at least to Jamie who knew the identity of the likely perpetrators, was the fact that some of the carcasses had been found devoid of blood, as if they had been sucked dry.

And on Raasay, the week before that, the entire stock of raw meat belonging to a community store had been stolen during the night.

Jamie sighed.

They had all worked so hard keeping the existence of the Kobold a secret, worked so hard at protecting humankind from attacks like these. They had failed.

---

IS THERE A GANG OF SERIAL KILLERS STALKING SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS?

---

Jamie looked at the question. This newspaper was usually one of the least sensational, priding itself on its impartiality and on ‘getting the facts right’.

It had got the facts wrong but the interpretation of the events was preferable to the truth.

Jamie turned to the last newspaper in his pile.

---

ARE VAMPIRES REAL?

---

After a quick perusal of this article, not on the front page this time, thank goodness, Jamie knew the Media were getting much closer to the truth than they ever had before.

Someone had made the connection.

There had been a number of what the press were now calling ‘bloody vanishings’ in the Scottish Highlands around the same time as the English investigation into thefts of blood and meat at that slaughterhouse near Pickering the previous year.

The spate had happened shortly before the Faie had taken out the Kobold base at Rosedale Abbey, and a few months before the enemy’s abortive attacks on the Faie strongholds in Scotland.

Some of those victims had been found devoid of blood, others were missing their internal organs.

This journalist, perhaps he had better search her out, had done her research well. He wondered if there was any way they could persuade her not to investigate any further but knew that outcome unlikely given the nature of journalists.

They didn’t need any Apocalypse theories scarpering through the web right now. This was not the time to alert the Aonnan. If they found out what was really happening panic would ensue, greatly hindering the Faie campaign against Cailleach.

His mobile phone rang. It was his boss on the emergency number, and Jamie was sure this was not Fionn phoning to make sure he had remembered the apples.

Perhaps the ‘end of the world’ scenarios were out there already.

* * * * *

DAINGNEACHD - ISLE OF SKYE

What neither the Faie academics, military commanders, nor anyone else for that matter were aware of, was the fact that Goddess Cailleach was miles ahead of them in knowledge and means.

She knew all but a few of the ‘where’, most of the ‘when’, a good number of the ‘how’, and most of the ‘who’.

She had been making plans to stop the Faie and their allies from activating the vortex seals for centuries, long before the Faie were aware there was a way to stop her from using the vortex as her personal roadways.

At the same time as Jamie was reading through the newspaper headlines, she was scanning the Internet, laughing. Really, these humans were so … so … so very stupid, steadfastly refusing to accept that she and her minions, together with her allies and their slaves were not only corporeal but presented a very real danger to their way of life and to the lives of every grandparent, parent and child in the world.

She had managed to keep the depredations of the skauds of Kobold to a minimum with the promise that once the war was won, they would be let loose to blood and pillage as much as they pleased.

Once the Kobold warriors had reached their attack positions, and with the agreement of her allies, it was a nuisance having to defer to another’s wishes, Cailleach would give the attack order but before that could happen there were still some tasks to be completed.

Cailleach sighed. She hadn’t thought she would miss her deceased Commander-in-Chief, Vin-ran-olt-hix so much. Even the inefficient sub-commanders Gra-hix and Zin-hix would have been preferable to Vin-ran-olt-hix’s replacement, the utterly incompetent and tremendously stupid Dip-zan-olt-hix.

Problem was, the Demon Surtr liked Dip-zan-olt-hix as did Surtr’s brother Mephistopheles.

Personally, she would rather the idiot, she had privately renamed him Dippy, was worlds away from the Holocene.

* * * * *

ATOC - OUTSIDE PERTH - SCOTLAND

The ATOC was a new section of the Army of the Faie and was run by one Fionn Mac na Maoile and his human sidekick Jamie Strachan, both ex-police officers.

The groups of warrior-kerns had previously been called the ‘Away Teams’. These teams had often operated ore or less independently throughout Scotland, and also in England and Wales. With the arrival of Fionn-Chi to take command this had all changed.

He had organised the new corps into regions with a number of ATG’s (Away Team Groups) allocated to each. They all reported directly to the ATOC, which also served as a training base.

* * * * *

How many? asked Jamie, bounding through the doors, having nearly dropped all the apples as he tried to operate the door entry system faster than the speed for which the mechanism was designed.

Over three hundred. Fionn’s voice sounded as strained as a taut rope.

Confirmed?

Reported to the police by some tourists, Fionn answered. They informed the army.

The army?

Asking them if they were conducting manoeuvres on the island.

Jamie blinked as he gathered his thoughts.

Island?

Didn’t I say? It’s the Isle of Skye.

Raibert’s going to have to tell them, said Jamie. It’s our world too. Jamie didn’t have a drop of Faie blood in his veins.

"He’s at Caisteal Na Sìobhragan, but is in conference with Aed Mael deciding that very question, that and riding interference with Police Scotland. He is sending us some reinforcements, not many, he can’t spare more than two tetrads, but they’ll be here within the hour."

Good. What exactly did the tourists see? A bunch of Kobold with eleven prisoners?

What? Fionn was so surprised he rocked back on his heels.

Jamie was updating his superior regarding the newspaper headlines when the latest surveillance footage arrived.

It’s a bit grainy, observed Jamie.

See? Here and here, Fionn pointed to various point on the screen. They’ve cloaked the boats bringing in the Kobold under an illusion spell but they’ve forgotten that a boat leaves a wake and they didn’t, or couldn’t cloak that.

Bit of an oversight on their part sir.

Vin-ran-olt-hix would have noticed, said Fionn who had spent a lifetime studying that old adversary.

Yes, bit of luck him being killed over in the Cretaceous.

Seventy plus wakes, Fionn was calculating. And if we say, for argument’s sake that each boat holds a hundred, that’s around seven thousand enemy warriors. Get me a line to Raibert.

* * * * *

EDINBURGH CASTLE

Once Raibert had spoken to Fionn, he placed a call to his old friend General Alasdair Wallace-Colquhoun, presently CG Scotland, based at the country’s military headquarters at Edinburgh Castle.

The adjutant took the call.

General, a Robert MacFraser on the line, he said.

General Wallace-Colquhoun took the handset. He had been expecting this.

The adjutant, believing this must be a conversation of a private nature, made to leave but the general told him