Free Finn Finnegan by Darby Karchut Page B

“T’will be all right.” With a nod, he turned around and headed back up the slope, Asher trailing behind him.
    Finn let out a long breath. He wiped the knife clean of sand before tucking it away. A few yards upstream, Gideon whirled around and started back toward him, anger still plain in his stiff walk. Finn fought the desire to back away when his master drew even with him.
    â€œTruck. Now.” Gideon stabbed a finger toward the path.
    They were silent all the way home.
    The Journal of Gideon Lir: June 16
    We hunted with Mac Roth and young Asher last night. Only one goblin accounted for. I certainly wish we could do more than just slow them down. Mac Roth and I both believe we are fighting a losing battle. There are simply too many of them.
    As Mac Roth so bluntly put it this evening, “They breed like rabbits.” Except he used another word for breeding . I had to remind him that there were young ears nearby.
    My old friend then reminded me that those ‘young ears’ were thirteen-year-old boys, and they already know all about the rabbit-breeding thing. At least in theory.
    Poor Finn. I lost my temper with him after he disobeyed me. I hauled him over the coals quite severely in front of the others.
    Better for him to be embarrassed than dead.

Eleven
    The next morning, Finn swallowed as he tugged at the hem of his tee shirt. Stalling for time, he pressed his fingers against the stone in his pocket for courage, then forced himself to step into the kitchen. He hesitated when he spied his master at the table writing in his journal, steam rising from the morning mug of tea at his elbow
    â€œUh—’morning, Gideon.”
    The Knight grunted in response. He paused to turn the page before resuming his task. A rock-heavy silence followed; the scratching of the pen filled the room. Finn cleared his throat and tried again.
    â€œSorry about last night.”
    Gideon threw the pen down and twisted around, hooking an arm over the back of the chair. He stared at Finn, eyes blue ice. “Disobey me again, Finnegan MacCullen, and the Amandán will be the least of yer worries. Understand?”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    Gideon rose and walked over. “Because if I lose ye to those monsters, ‘twill not be due to the stupidity ye demonstrated last night.” He cuffed Finn affectionately. “Now, be a good lad, and go fetch the newspaper.”
    â€œYes, sir.” With a lighter heart, Finn turned and hurried through the house. Easing out the front door, he walked down the steps and along the path, leaving the gate ajar. As he reached the sidewalk, he heard a low rumbling. He squinted into the morning sun and stared at the house across the street.
    A lanky boy about his age trudged down its driveway, rolling a large, plastic garbage container behind him. Wheeling it into place along the curb, he glanced up and noticed Finn.
    â€œHey. How’s it going?” He secured the lid with a thump of his fist.
    â€œUm, okay.” Finn noticed the newspaper lying in the street. He walked over and picked it up.
    â€œDid you just move here?” the boy asked as Finn hesitated in the middle of the road.
    â€œYeah. Well, I did. About three weeks ago. Gideon has lived here for a long time. He’s my new guardian,” Finn said. Good thing Gideon and I came up with that cover story , he thought. Just in case .
    â€œCool!” The boy grinned. “It’ll be nice to have another guy around. I’m Rafe Steel.”
    â€œFinn MacCullen.”
    â€œLike a fish?”
    Like a fish? he thought. “Oh, I get it. No, Finn’s short for Finnegan.”
    Rafe’s black eyes grew wide. “I can see why you go by Finn,” he said, then winced. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
    Finn laughed. “It’s okay.”
    â€œHey, doofus! You forgot this.” A girl, a few inches shorter and with Rafe’s lanky build and ebony skin, walked