druidow. But we filidow will not sacrifice … as of old.” Now he coughed violently, and a younger druid with a braided blond beard stood and supported him.
Mórganthu bent his head near Trothek’s and squinted at him. “Do not oppose me, I say.” Mórganthu’s voice sizzled. “Arch fili though you be, I will throw you out!”
Trothek cleared his throat and looked Mórganthu in the eyes with a steady gaze. “Only by lawful vote … of the six brihemow judges … could you … do such.”
“Yes, yes. Do not insult me. I know our laws,” Mórganthu said. “But you have lost your head, for your friend the arch brihem died last week at the chief gorseth of Boscawen and is not present.”
Trothek closed his mouth.
“I was with him when he died,” Mórganthu said. “Go ahead — try to oppose me!”
Trothek started to speak, but just a wheeze escaped.
The druid with the blond beard spoke up. “Shall I call the filidow to council?”
Trothek nodded. “Yes … young Caygek … do so.”
Caygek stood as tall as he could, still a head shorter than Mórganthu, and lifted his voice. “Filidow and all who would join. Hear me. The arch fili has called a council to weigh the matters before us. Convene in the pines on the eastern side of the circle!”
The news spread like fire, but hardly any from the crowd walked past Garth to join the council.
As Trothek began to limp off, Mórganthu bared his teeth and grabbed the old man’s arm.
With great difficulty Trothek ripped free and limped toward Garth. As he passed, Garth noted a large black mole on the man’s cheek, just above his beard.
Mórganthu took a few deep breaths and raised his voice. “Brothers, we shall ignore this filidow foolishness, for now is our time to worship this Stone that has been given to us for our power and freedom!”
The druidow each got on their knees and held out their hands to the Stone. A chant arose in a foreign tongue, and the men fanned their arms up and down as the song floated on. A drum beat in time to the swaying.
At first Garth saw nothing different about the Stone. But he felt his head sway with the slow rhythm of the hands. His fingers twitched to the beating of the drum. He tried to look away from the Stone to glance at Mórganthu but couldn’t.
The Stone grew larger in his vision until every detail of it gleamed. He wished to touch it, and he almost let go of the chicken leg as he lifted his hands in hopes of feeling such a delightful rock. When he found it too far away, he wanted to run to it.
The Stone emanated power.
It pulsed with the people.
Vibrated with their voices.
His heart beat to its rhythm.
Strength coursed in his blood.
He wanted to serve the Stone.
To belong to these people.
Wasn’t that odd? He’d never seen anything so beautiful.
A hand clamped over Garth’s eyes and pulled him backward. A man’s voice echoed as if from a cave, “Don’t look at the Stone … Stone. You must leave this place. Bad things are planned here … here.”
Garth pulled the hand away and blinked. He felt dizzy. The man had a blond beard, and Garth realized it was Caygek. Behind him stood Trothek.
Caygek’s brows knotted and his lips quivered.
Something dangled from Garth’s hand … a chicken leg? He became aware of the strange people around him, and a great fear clutched at his heart.
Garth slowly moved away from the circle, then taking a bite of chicken, he bolted through the woods, back the way he had come.
When Merlin next opened his eyes, everything was blurry again. The straw of his bed prickled his burning back, and he felt a wet rag hanging across his forehead. As his mind cleared, the familiar sounds of the smithy filled his ears.
He moaned, and his father stepped over from the anvil to feel his forehead. “Hopefully your fever’s gone for good.”
Merlin shook his head as his mind reeled with the things he had seen: his mother’s death and the discovery of the strange stone in the lake — the very stone Mórganthu and Anviv carried in the woods days ago. Were they visions or delirium? His throat felt as if wool had been stuffed down it, and he drank some water. “What hour is it?”
“You’ve been asleep for nearly a day. I found you on the floor yesterday afternoon, and you’ve had me worried ever since.”
“I’m feeling a bit