Arthur and the Fenris Wolf (11 page)

As he left, they heard the
fwump-fwump
of an approaching helicopter. Joe ran to the door and looked skywards at it. The Citi-Trak logo was painted on both sides. It hovered there for a moment before lowering itself carefully to a clear area in front of the prefabs where the ground was more even than elsewhere. The blades cut through the air, blowing up huge clouds of dust and debris. Luke Moran and his ever-present personal assistant, Piers, came running through the clouds.

For such a broad and fat man, Moran had a long stride and even the tall, lanky Piers struggled to keep up. Moran saw Joe, Deirdre and Ruairí standing in the doorway.

‘What's all this about archaeologists?' he shouted over the roar of the helicopter. Always straight to the point, thought Joe. Unlike Moran, he wasn't keen on yelling across the site so he waited until his boss reached them.

‘Well?' Moran asked again as they led him into the office.

Joe took a deep breath, preparing himself. Moran wouldn't like what he had to tell him, he realised. It's just like pulling off a plaster, Joe thought to himself: best to get it over and done with fast. So, as quickly and succinctly as he could, Joe filled Moran in on all that had happened.

‘We're going to have to suspend work for a while,' Joe finished. As he was speaking, he hadn't been able to look Moran in the eye and found himself staring at a piece of lint attached to the man's jacket shoulder instead. Now that he
did
look at Moran directly, he saw that he'd turned an unhealthy deep shade of red.

‘You let archaeologists onto
my
site?' He spoke slowly, enunciating each word clearly with rage.

‘Of course,' said Joe. ‘We had to. It's the law.'

‘Sod the law! They had their time to survey the site before we started and found nothing.'

‘Well, they've found something now!' Joe was aghast. ‘We had to let them survey. There could be something of great historical importance here.'

‘Oh, shut up, you idiot.'

Now Joe saw red. ‘I show you respect, Mr Moran, and you should do the same for me.'

‘Oh, really?' Moran spat back in a mocking tone. ‘And what are you going to do if I don't respect you? Quit?'

‘Yes, actually, I am.'

Arthur and Ash stopped for a hot chocolate on their way home from school. It was exactly what they needed after the first few days back, and the warm sweetness felt perfect running down their throats on this icy evening. By the time they got back to their estate, Stace had also just arrived home.

‘Hey, Arthur!' she shouted from across the road where a friend had dropped her off. ‘Wait up!'

Arthur looked at Ash in confusion. ‘“Wait up”? What does Stace want with me?' he asked. Ash shrugged her shoulders, just as bewildered.

‘What's up, Stace?' Arthur said when she reached them.

‘I was just wondering,' she started, a little out of breath from her sprint across the street, ‘if your hot cousin is coming around any time soon?'

‘Who?' questioned Ash.

‘Eirik,' Arthur told her with a wink.

‘Oh!'

‘So when's he visiting you next?' Stace asked again eagerly.

‘Uh … probably not for a while. He doesn't visit that often. Sorry.'

‘Arthur, you have to get him around! Invite him to the cinema or something.'

‘And you'd just happen to be there, right Stace?' Ash said, sniggering. ‘Wearing your best outfit and make-up too!'

They were outside Arthur's house and, before Stace could send a retort Ash's way, he promised that he'd try his best to invite Eirik over.

‘Although, he's kind of a loner so I can't guarantee anything,' Arthur said, going in through his front door.

Joe was sitting in the kitchen, going over some paperwork in silence. Rather than disturb him, Arthur headed for the stairs until–

‘Arthur.'

‘Yes, Dad?'

‘Come here and sit down for a minute. I have something to tell you.'

Arthur took the seat opposite his father, slightly anxious – it was unlike his dad to be this formal and he was worried that he was in trouble for something he couldn't remember doing.

‘What's up, Dad?'

Joe took off his reading glasses and set them down on the paperwork. He looked his son straight in the eye for a beat before speaking.

‘The Metro excavation has been suspended.'

‘Why?'

‘We found some Viking artefacts on the site so all work has to stop.'

‘Oh.' Arthur looked down, half-wondering what artefacts had been discovered. ‘What does that mean for us?'

‘Work on the tunnel might not start up again for another year. It's all up in the air at the minute. So I've quit my job. We're moving back to Kerry.' He said the last bit with a huge smile.

‘What! When?' It was a blow he hadn't been expecting. It had been something he'd wished and prayed for when they'd first moved to Dublin, but now that his wish had come true, he found that he wasn't even slightly pleased.

‘I had to give them four weeks' notice. There's a lot of paperwork to finish before I leave. So we go home in a month.' Joe stopped when he realised that he wasn't getting the excited reaction that he'd expected. ‘Arthur? I thought this was what you wanted. Aren't you happy?'

‘Yeah,' Arthur lied and forced a weak smile onto his face. But he wasn't happy. He wasn't happy at all.

A week passed and Arthur still couldn't bring himself to break the bad news to Ash. It was something he just didn't want to think about. Despite this, it was on his mind constantly. Even when he did manage to concentrate on schoolwork or something on TV, the thought of leaving was still there. A niggling, negative thought in his subconscious. He felt like a drone during those days. He'd get up, go to school, do his work half-heartedly and return home with Ash in near-silence. Eventually she noticed the change in his mood and asked what was up.

‘Nothing,' he'd answered monotonously, still hoping to avoid the issue with her. ‘I'm just tired, that's all.'

The new girl, Ellie Lavender, also tried engaging him in conversation during the lunch-breaks, asking about his family, where he was from, what he liked to do at the weekends. But to no avail. Arthur just replied with one-word answers.

It was Friday lunchtime when Ash gave him some news that brightened his humour. The students were on their way back to class when her phone beeped shrilly. She and Arthur had each bought new phones with Christmas gift vouchers after their old ones had been destroyed in the frozen lake (even Ash wasn't able to fix them). Arthur went for a small touchscreen that fitted neatly in the palm of his hand, while Ash chose a state-of-the-art smartphone which she spent hours happily playing with. She flicked the screen to read the incoming text, then squealed in delight.

‘What's up?' Arthur inquired.

‘It's a text from my mom. Cousin Maggie is coming to visit!'

‘When?'

‘Tomorrow! She's showing some paintings to a gallery on Dawson Street. She said she'll meet us there around one and take us out for the day!'

‘That's great!' Arthur was so pleased at the thought of a much-needed distraction that he didn't notice Ellie and Ex walking slowly in front of them. Or the small and knowing look that Ellie shot at her brother.

Although it was only mid-January, a thaw had set in on the Saturday morning and they took the bus into town. It was still cold and their breath puffed out in clouds of condensation, but the day didn't have that biting frostiness that they'd been used to for weeks now. Arthur, Ash and Max all disembarked from the bus outside St Stephen's Green. Stace couldn't come as her mock Leaving Certificate exams were rapidly approaching and she wanted to use the spare time to study.

The pavements weren't icy and slick any more, but rather uneven with residue from the salt and grit that had been scattered on them during the treacherous weeks. Dublin city centre was busy once more – the opposite of the Saturday Arthur and Ash had visited the Vikings. The improving weather had obviously encouraged the shoppers too.

They crossed the road at the traffic lights and walked down Dawson Street. Most of the Christmas lights, trees and decorations had been taken down and packed away until next November. But all the shops that lined the street had bold, red
sale
signs placed prominently in their windows. Shoppers piled in and out of stores, carrying bags stuffed with bargains and spending the last of their Christmas savings and gift tokens.

They reached the art gallery Cousin Maggie had mentioned about halfway down the street and next to a large bookshop. The shop-front of the gallery was old, with intricately carved wooden pillars and mouldings that were thick with layers of paint. Polished bronze letters stood out on the sign, spelling the words
Chevalier Galleries
. A lone painting hung in the single window. It was a landscape, depicting a windswept and harsh field in Connemara. The oil paint had been applied densely and globs of colours popped out here and there on the canvas. It was selling for €23,000.

‘Twenty-three hundred!' exclaimed Max in shock.

‘That's twenty-three thousand, Max,' Arthur said.

‘Twenty-three
thousand
! For that? I prefer Cousin Maggie's ones. They're not as depressing.'

As if on cue, Cousin Maggie appeared inside the shop, stepping out of a back room with a couple of gallery employees. She smiled and waved through the glass, then turned back to a stern-looking man in a three-piece suit. Arthur assumed that he was the gallery owner. They talked for a moment. Then Maggie shook his hand and walked out to the street.

Straight away, she hugged the three of them at once.

‘How are you all?' she asked, finally letting them go.

‘We're good, Cousin Maggie,' Ash answered for them. ‘How are you?'

‘I'm great, Ash!' She pointed over her shoulder into the gallery. ‘The owner, Mr Branigan, is a famous artist himself, but he's agreed to show my paintings to some interested buyers later today, so I couldn't be better!'

‘That's amazing news,' Arthur said. ‘Well done!'

‘Fingers crossed it goes well. Now,' she clapped her gloved hands, ‘who's up for some celebratory milk shakes. I saw a place down the street that looked nice.'

Without waiting for an answer, she turned and strode briskly away. Max ran after her. Arthur and Ash started to follow but stopped when–

‘Arthur! Ash!'

They turned in the direction of the voice calling to them. Ellie and Ex were running across the street to them, dodging the dense traffic. Arthur almost didn't recognise them out of their brown school uniforms. Ex was wearing clothes that fitted for a change, although Ellie was still in her too-large trench coat.

‘Hi, guys!' said Ellie when they reached them. ‘We were just passing. I thought I saw you and I said to Ex, “Hey, isn't that Arthur and Ash?” and he was like, “I dunno,” and I was like, “I'm pretty sure it is,” and then I called your name and, lo and behold, it is you!' She took a short breath. ‘So what are you up to?' Through it all, Ex stood silently behind her, studying his feet.

‘Just meeting up with Cousin Maggie,' Ash said, indicating Maggie, who was striding up the street.

‘Oh, she's your cousin?'

‘No,' Arthur said with a wry, knowing smile. ‘But it's a long story.'

‘Oh. OK. Well …' Ellie looked from Arthur to Ash and back again, waiting. ‘Well …' she said again.

‘Hurry up, you two!' Cousin Maggie called, already halfway towards the milk shake bar. Then she noticed Ellie and Ex. ‘Bring your two friends along if you like!'

Ellie turned back to Arthur and Ash. ‘Well, we wouldn't want to intrude.'

Ash was about to say, ‘Then don't,' before Arthur cut her off.

‘You wouldn't be intruding at all.'

With that, Ellie skipped off in the direction of Cousin Maggie and Max. Ex plodded along behind her. Arthur and Ash trailed after them in silence, Ash glaring at Arthur in quiet irritation the whole way to the milk shake bar.

‘Ow!' cried Ellie, rubbing her temple furiously. ‘Brain freeze!'

‘Don't drink it so quickly,' Cousin Maggie advised, sipping at her own shake more slowly.

The milk shake bar was designed like an American diner from the 1950s, with black and white chequerboard tiles, a chrome countertop running the length of the kitchen area and comfortable booths with seats covered in bright red vinyl. Rock 'n' roll music boomed from a jukebox in the corner and the waiters wore costumes from the period.

They were all squeezed into one of the booths, with Max opting for a tall swivel stool at the end of the table. He swung in small arcs on the seat as he drank his milk shake.

‘So, how do you all know each other?' Maggie asked.

‘We go to school together,' Ellie piped up before anyone else could answer. ‘We just started there – Ex and I. That's Xander, my brother.' Ex nodded his head at Cousin Maggie as he was name-checked.

‘Do you like it there?'

‘It's all right. It's a bit lonely, though. We don't really know anyone yet.' She bit the end of her straw and sipped, looking sideways at Arthur. He didn't know what had prompted the look, but thought he could read some sadness in her eyes. Suddenly her expression changed and she beamed up at Maggie. ‘But the farm must be quite lonely sometimes too, right? Although I guess it's good for painting.'

‘It can b–'

‘Hold on!' Ash cut Cousin Maggie off. ‘How did you know she's an artist who lives on a farm?'

‘Oh …' Ellie blushed. ‘It's that silly habit I have. Sorry.'

‘How did you know?' Ash pushed once more.

‘Well, I knew she was an artist because I saw the spots of paint under the fingernails. Oil paint is notoriously difficult to clean off. I knew she lived in the country because I noticed the smudges of dirt around the hems of her trousers. We've had dry weather for a few weeks now in Dublin, so the dirt must have come from the countryside. When I saw the long white animal hair stuck to the back of Cousin Maggie's coat, I realised that she must live with or near animals. So I put it all together.' She blushed once more, looking up at Maggie. ‘Sorry. It's just a weird thing I do.'

‘It's kind of creepy,' Ash murmured to no one in particular.

‘I think it's fascinating!' Maggie enthused. ‘So very clever. And to answer your question, the farm can be lonely at times. But that makes days like today even better.' She looked around at the rest of them, then back to Ellie. ‘You know, I'm bringing this lot somewhere fun after this and you're more than welcome to join us.'

Ex looked at Ellie, as if he was waiting for her to decide.

‘Sounds good,' she said eventually. ‘Where are we going?'

‘Oh,' said Cousin Maggie with a mischievous wink, ‘somewhere very special. Back in time!'

Cousin Maggie led them up the adjacent Kildare Street, walking too briskly as usual.

‘Hustle, hustle!' she said. ‘You'll love this place.'

They passed Leinster House – a grey and overwhelming building that Arthur knew was the seat of the Irish government – then went towards a smaller entrance on the right. They climbed a few short steps up to the main entryway: a couple of heavy wooden doors held open by strong chains. Beyond, they found themselves in a round entrance hall. The entire floor was covered in an intricate and beautiful mosaic showing the twelve signs of the zodiac. Arthur quickly spotted his own sign of Aquarius: a Greek figure pouring water from a jar. Around the edges of the hall were souvenir stands selling trinkets and jewellery, posters and books. And overhead was a domed ceiling with a glass centre, allowing natural light to fill the hall.