Magic Burns

Page 160

 

 

 

“The covens of Morrigan thought the cauldron was secure, because nobody but a hound could move it from their gathering place. But they didn’t know that years ago one of Morrigan’s Hounds strayed.”

 

On the left a drawing of the hound stretched and became a man.

 

“He left Morrigan for a woman and the terms of his bargain forced her to let him and his progeny live.”

 

Things snapped together in my head. “Red. That little bastard is a descendant of the hound who got away.”

 

The witch nodded.

 

“That means he can carry the cauldron. He stole the cauldron?”

 

The four witches of Morrigan looked like they wanted to be anywhere but here.

 

“I saw the imprints of the cauldron’s legs. It’s huge. Red’s arms are this big around.” I touched my index finger to my thumb. “How in the world did he carry it? And how could you not notice the giant cauldron being dragged away?”

 

“We were so used to it sitting there, it took a little while to realize it was gone,” one of the witches said.

 

“You can shrink it,” Bran said. “Small enough to fit in your pocket.”

 

“Or slide onto a necklace. Oh crap. Wait, you said the cauldron is keeping the Fomorians alive, so they have the cauldron. What’s on the necklace then?”

 

Bran shrugged his shoulders. “The lid. The boy stole the cauldron for the witch, but I crashed the party just as they finished the rite and the first Fomorian crawled out. While I was busy being the hero, he took off with the lid.”

 

“What does the lid do?”

 

“It controls the cauldron.”

 

I fought an urge to grab him and shake him until the whole story fell out. “How?”

 

“You put the lid on one way and it’s the cauldron of plenty. You put the lid on the other way and it’s a gateway to the world of the dead. Right after the first batch of Fomorians came through I closed the cauldron, turning it into the cauldron of plenty. It still keeps them alive, but unless they can get ahold of the lid, they can’t open the gateway again to let Morfran out.”

 

“What happens if Morfran gets to appear instead of Morrigan?”

 

He grimaced. “It’s a simple bargain, woman. He gets life and the cauldron. They get life and freedom. If he appears, he will release the horde of sea-demons into your city. They want revenge on Man. Use your head to imagine what will happen next.”

 

I looked to the Oracle. “Is he telling the truth?”