Jack Shian and the Destiny Stone Read Online Free PDF

you’ll recognise him when the time is right.”
    Fiddling rather awkwardly with the flag around his neck, Jack shook hands with the two old men, and turned away.
    I’ve got to say goodbye to Trog’s Bay, he thought. I owe him that. Jack fingered the steel knife that Trog had bequeathed to him as he made his way for the last time down to the shoreline.

    By the time Jack reached the quayside an hour later there was a palpable sense of excitement. The damaged boat lay, partly submerged, but the other six were crowded with people and belongings. Being Shian size, they looked tiny: Jack had grown so used to being human height on the island. His heart began to beat faster.
    “Come on! We need to catch this tide!” Grandpa’s exhortations were strident.
    Phineas came up and embraced Jack.
    “We’re on our way. I’ll be on Dermot’s boat, but we’ll see each other whenever we put into shore. They’ve sorted out the places for the eight whose boat was sunk. It’ll mean we’re all a bit more crowded, but we can’t help that now. Oh, and ask Enda to teach you the Cu-shee hexes.”
    Jack saw Ossian and Morrigan step onto Telos’ boat, shrinking down to Shian size as they did so. With relief he saw that Murkle was with them. At least we won’t be getting his lessons on board.
    “Where’s Barassie?” Gilmore sounded desperate. “She should be here!”
    His concern was matched by Aunt Katie, who asked anxiously of Jack, “Have you seen the girls? They disappeared after breakfast. I hope they’re all right.”
    “They’ll be fine, Auntie. You know what they’re like; they’ll have wandered off to a beach somewhere.”
    Petros was sitting in the prow of the boat, looking pensive. He doesn’t really want to be here, thought Jack. But he must’ve been chosen for a reason.
    “Have you seen my wife?” Gilmore accosted Fenrig as the young Brashat climbed into the boat.
    Fenrig sullenly shook his head, and threw his satchel down.
    There’ll be a reason for choosing Fenrig too. Someone must know something I don’t.
    Grandpa and Armina climbed – none too sprightly – onto the boat, resuming their Shian size. Armina’s large bag clunked loudly.
    “Come on; the tide’s turning,” Enda snapped, as he stowed Fenrig’s satchel carefully away. “Who’re we waiting on?”
    “Barassie. I haven’t seen her for an hour.” Gilmore’s voice was frantic.
    “Well, she’s five minutes to get on board; then we’re leaving.”
    Enda’s tone did nothing to ease the tailor’s anxiety. Jack decided to go and sit with Petros.
    “Exciting, eh? It’s nice being real size again.”
    Petros grunted.
    “You want to help get the Kildashie out, don’t you?”
    Petros sniffed, and looked away, out to the open sea.
    Sensing that he would get no more out of his cousin just now, Jack set to watching the other boats. Telos had already manoeuvred his boat out, and was starting to hoist his foresail with Ossian’s help. Arvin had a squeeze box out, and was playing a human hornpipe while Daid clapped along. Murkle’s grimace indicated his distaste for such un-Shian arrangements.
    Dermot’s boat was next out, followed by the others. Jack waved as he saw his father hauling on a rope to release the foresail.
    Enda strode up to Gilmore.
    “We can’t wait any longer; the tide’s running fast. And there’s no time now to replace her. I’ll take over the cooking.”
    Gilmore’s pained expression showed his feelings, but he nodded.
    With large paddles, Enda and Grandpa steered the boat away from the quayside. The tide was running freely now, and with just the foresail released the boat moved swiftly out of the harbour and into the open sea.
    “Shall we bring the mainsail down?” shouted Jack as they encountered deeper waters.
    “Aye, we’re ready for that. Like I showed you.”
    Jack and Fenrig, well trained now, released the locks that held the mainsail ropes. As the great white sail billowed out, there were two thuds on