THE LOST TREASURE OF DRAKON (PAPERBACK)

“I’d love to hear the story about the Phantom Piper,” Maggie said, changing the subject after they all placed their orders.  

“Me too!” Piper agreed.

Ollie offered a coy smile. “All right. The story really begins centuries ago, when the Vikings sailed from Scandinavia. Those of you who paid attention to my lectures will recall the violent attacks along the coastline and Scotland’s islands.”

“Over looting of metals and objects, right?” Piper asked.

“Correct,” Ollie said, waving his finger at her with a smile. “You paid attention! The looting would eventually turn into settlements. Now, all the spoils from the attacks had to go somewhere, right?”

“Back to Scandinavia?” Maggie suggested.

“Some of it, likely yes. Some of it was hidden.”

“Wasn’t some of it recently found?” Henry asked.

“Oh, yes, several Viking caches have been found over the years,” Ollie confirmed. “The most recent find was earlier in the year on the Isle of Man.”

“Wow! That’s fascinating,” Maggie said.

“And some of it has never been found, including the famed Clydescolm Cache.”

“Or fabled,” Emma interjected. 

“Depends on what you believe. Is the treasure real or is it a myth? No one knows. Well, except maybe for one person,” Ollie teased.

“Who?” Charlie asked. 

“The Phantom Piper,” Ollie announced, leaning back in his seat and folding his hands across his stomach.

“The ghost guy?” Maggie responded.

“He wasn’t always a ghost guy,” Ollie replied. “He was once a living, breathing Scotsman. A lord, in fact!”  

“Did he live in the castle?” Piper asked.

“That he did,” Ollie confirmed. “Lord Kendrick MacClyde.”

“Did he build the castle?” Maggie asked, as the waitress returned with trays loaded with food.

“Nay,” the waitress answered before Ollie could. “He didnae build the castle, only lived there. I assume you’re telling the tale of our ghost piper?”

“Yes,” Ollie confirmed. “We’re staying at the castle for the weekend, and my esteemed colleagues wanted to hear it.”  

She nodded as she set his fish and chips in front of him. “Well, best tell them so they can be on the lookout. He roams the entire estate there.”

“Have you ever seen him?” Maggie asked her.

“Aye, I certainly have,” she confirmed.

“Really?”

“Aye,” the girl repeated. “Roaming on a moonlit night. Heard the pipes playing and saw a mist floating along the hillside. And I knew that was him.”

Maggie raised her eyebrows at the girl’s statement. She told them to enjoy their meal as she topped off water glasses and disappeared into the pub.  

“Now who still believes it’s all fake?” Maggie questioned, an eyebrow arched. “A close encounter from a local.”

“They’re probably told to play up the whole ghost thing for tourists,” Emma contended.  

“Or she saw a ghost,” Maggie replied with a shrug, digging into her salad.  

“Is there more to the story, Ollie?” Charlie inquired.

“Yes, though the details are slim,” Ollie answered. “The rumor is Kendrick stumbled upon a Viking treasure hoard. It contained gold, silver, and gemstones.

“The treasure hoard had quite the impact on him. He became anxious, paranoid and secretive. He hid the treasure, secreting it away with a series of clues and protective measures designed to keep people away. And even after his death, he continues to patrol the estate to ensure the safety of the treasure. Kendrick was an avid bagpiper, so if you hear the sound of bagpipes and can’t find the source, chances are… Kendrick MacClyde is near.” 

Thunder rumbled in the distance as the breeze turned cooler.  

“Did anyone ever find it?” Piper asked.

Ollie shook his head. “No.”

“That could be because it’s not real,” Emma chimed in.

“It could be,” Ollie admitted.

“Then what caused his paranoia and all that?” Maggie asked.

“Landowning families were often inbred to the point that it caused problems with some of the generations,” Emma answered.  

“Ah,” Maggie said, snapping her mouth closed as she processed it. “Well, I guess we’ll find out when we’re all alone in the castle tonight.” She gave a fake shiver.  

“I’d bet we’ll all sleep just fine,” Emma contended.

“Maybe we’ll find a treasure!” Maggie exclaimed.

“I thought this wasn’t a working trip?” Henry asked.

“The last time I checked, the government didn’t task us with finding Viking treasure,” Maggie countered.

“No one did, princess,” Henry whispered, as he stole a kiss from her.

Thunder boomed in the distance, sounding closer than it had before.  

“Better eat up,” Ollie said. “Storm’s blowing in.”

Piper grimaced at the growing black clouds on the horizon, and everyone dug into their meals. They piled back into the SUV for the climb up the hill to the castle, just as large drops of rain pelted the windshield.  

“Whew, just made it!” Maggie exclaimed, as Henry fired the engine. She studied the impressive facade of the castle as they wound up the road toward it. 

Henry eased the vehicle to a halt just outside the front door. A gusty, wet wind blew Maggie’s hair across her face as she stepped onto the gravel and raised her eyes to take in the entire castle. Another boom of thunder sent everyone scurrying into the foyer, while Charlie, Henry and Leo wrangled the suitcases from the back.

“Welcome to Clydescolm Castle,” a man with a Scottish brogue greeted them. “Home of the Phantom Piper!”  A booming clap of thunder punctuated his last statement.

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3. The Lost Treasure of Drakon
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