Finn Finnegan by Darby Karchut Page B

gallons, depending on the individual.”
    â€œSix or seven gallons! I’d be like a water balloon after drinking all that.”
    â€œOr ye’d be spending a great deal of time seeing a man about a horse.”
    Finn laughed at the old expression, one hand holding his bruised side. The corner of Gideon’s mouth twitched as he took the mug before it spilled and set it back on the nightstand. Still chuckling, Finn leaned back against the pillow
    â€œSo we got it, right? The Amandán?”
    â€œAye, we did. However…” He paused. Should I tell him?
    â€œWhat’s wrong? Did I lose the knife again?”
    â€œNo. All weapons are cleaned and accounted for. But I am concerned about—”
    â€œGideon, I’m sorry,” Finn said in a rush. “Sorry I was acting like a jack-butt earlier. I know you want me to get better at controlling my temper.”
    The Knight raised a hand. “‘Tis not that. Well, not exactly. Certainly, we will work on that temper of yers. What I want to discuss are these repeated attacks by the Amandán.”
    Finn’s eyes widened. “You mean, this…this isn’t normal?”
    â€œNot at this magnitude.” Gideon leaned back. “So, tell me. How much do ye know about the very beginnings of our race?”
    â€œJust that the Tuatha De Danaan all started in Ireland. That we got kicked out by humans. And that the Amandán hate our guts. And vice versa.” He glanced at Gideon. “I bet there’s a lot more to it than that.”
    â€œAye, there is. And if ye’ll indulge me, I shall tell ye the tale in full.” Stretching out his legs, Gideon settled himself more comfortably and began.
    â€œSince the beginning of time, the non-human beings of Ireland, the Tuatha De Danaan and the Amandán, have battled for control of our beloved land. For both have a claim to it, as our ancestral home. In fact, the Amandán believe they first emerged from the peat bogs of Eire—the Bog-born. In a sense, they and the land are one.”
    â€œWhat about us?”
    â€œWhy, we are descendents of Danu, one of the Celtic goddesses of war. Hence our flair for battle. She bestowed upon us the Emerald Isle as our own as long as we could hold it from the Amandán, and our struggle with the beasties would have been contained to Ireland if it wasn’t for the invaders.”
    â€œThe Bronze Age humans?”
    â€œAye. And at first, we welcomed the mortals. Their bronze weapons were more lethal than our flint ones. Allied with them, we were able to drive out most of the Amandán. Because of that, the Amandán have even more reason to hate the De Danaan with a deep and lasting fury. But, once the threat from the goblins was no more, the mortals, who by that time outnumbered us by the thousands, turned on us.”
    â€œBut we’re so much like humans. Why did they want to get rid of us?”
    â€œFear. Fear of creatures that were different. So, they decided to rid Ireland of all such beings. Our ancestors, along with the Amandán, were scattered to the four corners of the world. But the war between us and the beasties continues. Just more clandestinely.”
    â€œClandestinely? What does that mean?”
    â€œSecretly,” Gideon explained. “Can ye imagine what would happen if humans really knew about us? Why, we would turn from being hunters to being hunted! Fortunately, the Amandán still fear them. Somewhat.”
    â€œHow did so many of them end up here? ” Finn picked up the mug and took another sip as he listened.
    â€œThe beasties are earth-dwellers—they gain strength from it. They migrated to lands with abandoned mines.”
    â€œLike Colorado.”
    â€œAnd other places. For example, Pennsylvania is densely populated with the beasties. The old coal mines back East have some of the most vicious tribes of Amandán.”
    â€œAnd bronze only weakens the