“Fiona, I know the bird is cute and adorable and all that girly stuff, but I think I know what the third trap is.” Callum gulped, pointing to the beach.

The bird flew away and became a dark speck in the pale blue sky.

“What are those? Pirates?” Fiona saw a ship off shore with a red and white striped sail and a carved dragonhead mast.

A Viking long ship rowed towards them. When it hit the beach, several men jumped out and pulled the boat onto the sand.

“Vikings?” Elspet couldn’t believe her eyes.

The men wore pants that came to their knees and a long sleeved pullover shirt that hung over their waists. Each wore a bronze-looking hat with fur and horns sticking out of the sides.

“They need to wash their clothes,” Elspet said.

Their leather shoes sloshed as they walked on the wet sand, heading for them.

“Do you think it’s time to run yet?” Callum didn’t wait for an answer. He ran the opposite direction, away from the Vikings.

“Wait for us.” Fiona shouted and then ran after Callum.

“Me too.” Elspet chased after her friends.

The Vikings shouted foreign curses, held up their clubs and swords and charged after the children.

“I don’t think the puffins can help us this time,” Elspet said, huffing and puffing. “Fiona, we can’t lead them to town. Imagine what they’ll do to the villagers. They’ll kill everyone else trying to get to us.”

“I know that, but what choice do we have?” Fiona didn’t have an answer this time.

“What are you feeling? What are your thoughts about? Come on, Fiona. You always come up with something to save us. You can make fires, remember? Why don’t you make a huge fire and the Vikings will think it’s the volcano erupting and leave,” Elspet said.

“The people in town would see it and it might frighten them and all the birds. I don’t think fire is the answer.” Fiona stopped. “I need to sit down for a minute and think.”

“We can’t sit. They’ll catch up with us,” Callum said.

“Go and watch for them, Callum. When they get to the crest of the hill, shout and then run,” Elspet said.

Callum ran back up to the top of the hill. “They’re way down there still.” He put his hands around his mouth and shouted. “Hurry Fiona. Think.”

She sat down and took a few deep breaths.

Elspet didn’t utter a sound.

Fiona closed her eyes and tried to summon thoughts into her mind. “Help me again, King Kegan. Help your descendant save the jewel.” Fiona whispers caught on the wind and blew across the island on pale blue butterfly’s wings.

“They’re coming.” Callum ran down the hill.

Fiona jumped up.

“Did you think of something?” Elspet looked at her.

A grin spread across her face. “I’ve got it. I know what to do,” Fiona said.

“Whatever it is, do it fast. They’re here,” Callum said as he ran past.

The Vikings lined the top of the hill, spears and clubs held high. They roared and ran down the hill, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

Fiona took the spinel out of her pocket. It caught the sun, reflecting its bright rays through the pink glassy jewel. She saw the carved dragon. “I can’t use the dragon again,” Fiona said to Callum, who was about to suggest just that. She aimed the stone at the Vikings. “As long as the sun stays out, we’ll be all right.” The jewel soaked in the sun’s power, growing brighter and brighter with each passing second.

“Oh my goodness. Fiona, what are you doing?” Elspet watched in amazement as a pink beam shot from the jewel and formed a 50-foot high wall. Inch by inch it spread across the hill, blocking the way between them and the Vikings.

“They are running too fast down that hill. When they run into the wall of light, they’ll vaporize,” Fiona said. “Don’t bump me. Stay back, Callum.” She warned them not to get too close.

The Vikings, unsure of what they saw before them and yet fearing nothing, ran straight through the pink wall. One by one they disintegrated, disappearing instantly. “It’s working. It’s working.” Callum’s relief showed in the smile on his face.

Some tried to stop, but ended up falling on top of one another and rolling into the wall of light. Within a few minutes every Viking had disappeared.

Fiona tipped the stone towards the sun’s path. The wall disappeared. She put the spinel back in her pocket.

“How did you figure out how to do that?” Elspet crossed her arms and shook her head. “You’re amazing, Fiona.”

“Once again I’ll give the credit to King Kegan. I’m sure it’s he who is putting these thoughts in my mind. He’s trying to help me and doing a good job of it,” Fiona said.

“We did it again, Fiona. I can’t believe we came out of that one alive. I thought for sure I was going to be troll smörgåsbord,” Callum said.

“Do you have your appetite back yet?” Elspet laughed

“You bet. I’m ready for some of that…”

“Don’t say puffin, Callum,” Fiona said.

“I wasn’t going to. I mean banana and pepperoni pizza, or whatever it is that you had earlier. He licked his lips.

Elspet pulled out the pamphlet. “We’ve got two hours until the ferry leaves to take us back to the mainland.”

“Oh no. I forgot about that. Three more hours of seasickness.” Callum rubbed his temples.

“Don’t worry. I have a feeling we’ll have calm seas this time,” Fiona said.

“I hope so. Let’s go and get something to eat. I’m starving.” Callum ran toward town. They feasted on hot dogs and pizza and made it to the ferry just in time.

As predicted, the sail back was smooth. The sea shone like glass, with hardly a swell or whitecap. Once back on terrafirma, they climbed into the bus and endured the ride back to Reykjavik.

“I suppose we should go home,” Fiona said. “I would like to do a little sightseeing first. How about a dip in the Blue Lagoon before we go? We’ll rent some swimsuits again, have another hot dog or two and then we’ll go home. Does that sound good to you both?”

“Great,” Elspet said.

“You bet,” Callum added.

They went back to their hotel and checked out. After paying the bill, they said goodbye to Magnus. “Going home now? I never did meet your parents.” He winked at them.

Fiona looked down and noticed Magnus’s shoes. “Those are rather odd shoes. You look like a Christmas elf.”

Magnus opened a door behind him and waved for them to follow. He shut the door. “The truth is, I am an elf.” He lifted his hand. Tiny sparkles of colored light flickered from his head to his feet. His clothes changed from a well-pressed gray suit to a deep blue, skintight outfit. A light blue pointed hat, the same color as his shoes, appeared on top of his head. His eyes twinkled and his cheeks turned rosy red.

“You are an elf!” Callum was surprised.

“You glow like a blue glacier or an ancient blue iceberg,” Elspet said.

“I know you didn’t come with your parents and I know about the trolls at Heimaey. I sent my little friend, Anika, to watch over you,” the man in blue said.

“So it was Anika who helped me with the puffins and the songs, not King Kegan?” Fiona didn’t know what else to say.

Magnus nodded.

“Wow, this is all pretty cool. I’m standing here in Iceland talking to an elf. I’ve never met an elf before,” Callum said.

“Me neither,” Elspet said. She hugged Magnus. “Thanks for helping us.”

Fiona hugged him next. “Tell Anika, the light fairy, thank you for us too. She saved our lives.”

Callum looked at Magnus. “I’ll just shake your hand. You're dressed in tights.”

Fiona and Elspet laughed.

“Iceland is a magical place. It’s full of elves, fairies and even trolls. Most of the time trolls stay to themselves, but these ones were commanded by evil,” Magnus said.

“Is Magnus your real name?” Callum looked at the pointed shoes again.

“Actually, it’s not. My real name is Thorri Hela , but I don’t think they’d let me work here if they knew my true identity, so mum’s the word.” The twinkling lights surrounded him, swirling around his body. “Ah, Anika. You’re in time to meet my friends.” The light fairy appeared. A tiny aqua blue shape appeared, with two sets of wings and golden blonde hair.

“Her eyes are as blue as yours,” Elspet said.

“That’s how you can tell an elf. We often take the form of people. Our eyes are a give away, for those that know the secret.” Magnus winked again.

“Hello, Anika. Thank you for helping us out on Heimaey with the puffins and the songs,” Fiona said. She reached up to pat the fairy on the head.

Anika flew behind Magnus.

“Don’t try to touch light fairies,” Magnus said. “She knows you are thankful. Now, I must get back to work.” He changed from his elf clothes back into his suit. He opened the door and they went into the lobby. “Don’t forget me,” Magnus called as they left through the hotel’s front door.

“We won’t,” Elspet said and waved.

They caught a bus to Blue Lagoon and rented swimsuits.

“The water looks frosty blue and cold, but it’s steaming,” Fiona said.

“It’s not cold water. It’s very hot. I read about it and it’s 36C - 40 C, or 104F. It also mentioned that the lagoon is man made. Some big power plant pumps hot water from a mile below the surface. After they use it for making heat and electricity, the leftover is ejected into the lagoon,” Elspet said. “The water is actually seawater and has therapeutic value. How’s that for a commercial?” She chuckled at the thought.

“It looks to me like someone poured milk into it,” Callum said. “Why is it so blue?”

“There’s some sort of blue-green algae in the water. The water’s perfectly safe, Callum. Don’t worry,” Elspet said.

He stepped into the pool. “It’s hot, but feels good. The air outside is cool. I wish we had something like this in Inveralba.”

Soon the girls joined him. For the next hour they relaxed, enjoying themselves in the silica mud.

Drying off with towels, Fiona said, “I feel good! I think we should go home. Let’s take the bus back to town and then find the place we were when we first arrived. Do you agree?”

“I could stay here another week, but we’d better get back. We’ve got to get the spinel into the orb before we lose it. You do have, don’t you?” Elspet wondered where Fiona had put it while they went swimming.

“It’s right here, Elspet. I hid it in my shoe.” Fiona showed them the jewel. They dressed and caught the bus back to Reykjavik. Fiona changed the Icelandic money at the bank. “I think we went this way.” Fiona led them into the hills. “Does this look familiar to you both?”

“This is it, Fiona. I remember the view of the bay,” Elspet said. “I’ll miss Iceland. I’ll especially miss the puffins and Magnus. I can’t believe we know an Icelandic elf.” The three of them stood silent, think about their enjoyable time here.

“Are you ready then? Hold hands.” Fiona grabbed Elspet’s hand and Callum held the other. “Daleth shapish yam bet.”

Callum said, “Goodbye Iceland,” but by the time the words escaped his mouth, they were standing once again in Angus’s croft.