by TJ Green
Avery felt incredibly flustered, and she backed away, feeling the trunk of the tree behind her. “It was the Goddess,” she said, slightly breathless. “She’s messing with all of us.”
He shook his head, his eyes still intently on her. “Maybe. Or maybe she pushed me to do what I’ve wanted to do for months.”
“Your eyes looked different,” she said, wind stirring around her with annoyance, and still aware of the feel of his lips on hers. “She’s playing games.”
He continued to watch her. “I went away, you know. I thought it would help.”
“Help what?” She wanted to go inside, but equally felt she couldn’t move, caught within this moment.
“Help me forget about you.”
“You have to. Nothing has changed.”
Caspian gathered himself together, smiling ruefully. “A man can hope.”
She forced herself to make light of it. “You’re incorrigible, and delusional.” She turned to walk to Oswald’s front door. “I’m going in.”
He followed her onto the drive, and together they walked to the wide porch. Caspian rang the bell that sounded deep within the house. A million things seemed to race through Avery’s mind as she thought of what to say to break the awkward silence that had fallen, and Caspian also looked as if he was about to speak, but in the end before either of them could say anything, the door swung wide, and Oswald welcomed them in.
Oswald was in his sixties, tall and gaunt, with slightly unkempt grey hair. As usual he wore an old-fashioned velvet jacket and trousers. Tonight his jacket was a rich shade of plum, and his shirt beneath was a pale pink. Oswald was quite the dandy.
“Lovely to see you both,” he said, smiling broadly. “Plenty of time for a G and T. Come on up.”
He led them up the stairs to the drawing room on the first floor that overlooked the gardens at the back of the house, chatting about the weather and their health, and Avery composed herself, hoping Oswald had no idea of what had just happened. He headed to his drinks cabinet, saying, “Make yourself at home!”
The room was decorated with bold wallpaper and thick carpet, and a fire burned merrily in the grate. Avery automatically drifted to the window, distancing herself from Caspian to admire Oswald’s magnificent gardens, and decided she really needed to spend time in her own walled garden. “Are we the first ones here?” she asked, tearing herself away from the view and finding Caspian’s dark eyes on her.
“No, Genevieve is next door.” Oswald gestured to the double doors leading into the room that housed the long oval table they had their meetings at. “She’s just taking a phone call.” He handed Avery and Caspian their drinks, and rolled his eyes as he picked up his own. “The Goddess is causing trouble this year—I presume you’ve noticed.”
“We have,” Avery said, nodding and studiously avoiding looking at Caspian. “If I’m honest, I’m quite relieved we’re not the only ones, counterproductive though that may be.”
“I know what you mean,” Oswald agreed. “It’s always nice not to feel singled out. I must admit though, she is certainly playing havoc with Ulysses’s half-Siren blood.”
Avery knew that Ulysses had a mermaid mother and human father, which made his magic a little different to the other witches, but had completely forgotten the consequences of what his Siren blood may cause. “Of course!” she exclaimed. “Is Beltane magic affecting him?”
“I’m afraid so. It is making him very attractive to everyone, regardless of their normal sexual orientation, and has elevated his sex drive to a high degree!” Oswald looked both appalled and gleeful at the same time. “He’s trying to control his urges, but with little success. I fear there may be many little Ulysses offspring running around in a few months.”
Avery almost dropped her glass and had to suppress a snigger, but Caspian was openly smirking. “Really?” he said in his characteristic drawl. “Lucky Ulysses!” He didn’t look at Avery once, but she felt sexual tension roll off him.
Oswald carried on regardless. “Not lucky! Almost two weeks until Beltane, and it’s already like living in a Roman orgy! Mevagissey is a hotbed of lust, sidelong glances, and open flirtation.” He pulled his collar loose as if he was getting hot. “The thing is—as you well know—that Siren blood has an effect on everyone. I don’t know what’s worse—Siren blood or Beltane—but either way, things are magnifying in Mevagissey very quickly!”
“Are you saying it’s affecting you?” Caspian asked, a smile spreading across his face.
“It certainly is! I’m having thoughts I haven’t had for years!”
“You’re not that old!” Avery said, laughing.
“And surely you’re never too old for that,” Caspian said, glancing at Avery.
Avery looked determinedly at Oswald. “I take it that Beltane doesn’t normally affect Ulysses like this?”
“Not this strongly, certainly. He always gets a little—” he paused, considering his words. “Frisky. But I haven’t seen him this bad before.”
Avery had an odd vision of Ulysses frisking along like a goat, which was all the more unnerving, considering he was enormous and looked an older version of Aquaman.
“Which raises the question—is someone casting love spells, too?” Genevieve said from behind them.
No one had heard her come in and they turned to look at her. Genevieve was imperious with long dark hair, and was every inch their lead witch. She could be grumpy and impatient, but generally radiated calm decisiveness, though now she looked flustered.
“That is a concern,” Oswald acknowledged with a frown, “but it would have to be a big spell.”
“Or lots of little ones,” Caspian suggested.
“And I would dearly like to think that no one in our coven would do anything so foolish!” Genevieve said grumpily.
The deep clang of the doorbell resounded throughout the house, and excusing himself, Oswald disappeared.
Genevieve carried on. “If I find out that one of our witches is responsible, there will be consequences!”
“Are things bad in Falmouth?” Avery asked. Genevieve was the sole witch there, and lived with her husband and children.
“Well, we haven’t got a huge half-Siren stirring things up, but as I explained to both of you on the phone, I can just feel sexual tension in the air.”
“And we won’t be immune, either,” Avery admitted, thinking of the event just minutes before. “I’d like to think our magic would offer protection, but—” She trailed off, her meaning clear.
“Of course it will affect us,” Caspian said. “A spell will play on our fears and strengths as much as anyone else’s. Natural Beltane magic will do the same.”
Before Avery could comment, the door opened, admitting Eve, Claudia, Rasmus, and Jasper. There were a flurry of greetings, and within minutes the other five members of the coven entered too, and Oswald hurried to fix them all drinks.
Avery nodded at Zane and Mariah, two of the coven she didn’t really like, mainly because they had always sided with Caspian when he was clearly against the White Haven witches joining the Cornwall Coven. However, considering Caspian’s change in attitude, they had grudgingly needed to acknowledge her.
Once Eve had a drink in hand, she headed to Avery’s side and hugged her. “It’s been too long, Avery! We should have met before tonight.”
“I know. I guess life gets in the way sometimes.” Eve looked well. Her thick, dark hair fell in dreadlocks, and as usual it was bound back with a colourful scarf. She wore patched jeans, old combat boots, and a hippy t-shirt, and Avery loved her unconventional appearance. “How are you and Nate?”
Eve rolled her eyes. “Busy. I’ve been doing lots of painting, and am selling quite a few. It always picks up with spring. Same for Nate.”
Eve was an accomplished artist who lived in a studio flat full of light and views of the ocean. She was also a weather witch, capable of drawing power together over a huge area. She had helped them defeat the mermaids on Spriggan Beach in the
summer of the previous year, and Avery was still astonished when she thought on her abilities. Nate was as unconventional as Eve, and was a skilled metal worker who made sculptures.
Eve continued. “And like everyone else, we’re worried about Beltane.”
“What’s been happening in St Ives?”
“The same as what everyone is reporting. Heightened emotions, overt flirting, rising petty jealousies, and I feel it, too! A surge of desire that I can’t control.” She looked worried.
“Really? Desire for who?”
“Anyone! The feeling comes over me, and then goes again. I can see it for what it is,” she said, reassuring herself as much as Avery, “but it doesn’t make it go away.”
Avery was really worried now. If Eve, who Genevieve had once told her was strong enough to lead the Cornwall Coven, could be affected, it didn’t bode well for the rest of them.
Now that they were all present, Genevieve didn’t give them long to chat, and summoned them to start the meeting, her voice rising over their conversations. They all filed into the adjoining room to sit around the long, wooden table inlaid with arcane symbols.
Avery sat next to Eve, and Jasper, the witch from Penzance, was on her other side. He nodded in greeting as he sat next to her. Jasper was a skilled witch whose family was from the West Indies. He was also skilled in research and knowledge about myths and folklore, and had teamed up with the White Haven witches to help defeat the vampires. He met her eyes, a glint of intrigue deep within his own. “I think we’re in for a rough time,” he murmured softly to her as he made himself comfortable.
“Welcome all,” Genevieve began from where she sat at the head of the table. “I wish we were meeting in better circumstances, but current events are already spiralling out of control. In a moment, we’ll go around the table so that we can share our experiences, but I’ll summarise what I know first. Beltane is approaching, and magic is rising. The Goddess and her consort, the Green Man, are gaining in strength and power.” She gazed at them one by one. “I feel her even now—her desires, her magic, and the earth’s fertility that rises with her. It makes my blood sing, but it’s also terrifying. She is far more powerful than any of us, and while she is generally a force for good, we cannot ignore the consequences of such wild magic on human emotions. And combined with the Green Man—well, emotions are running wild indeed.”
Jasper leaned forward, his elbows on the table, his hands steepling together. “But you also fear someone has cast love spells. Why?”
“Because Beltane happens every year, and it never feels like this,” she explained bluntly.
Caspian spoke next, his dark eyes on Avery briefly before he addressed Genevieve. “The arrival of the Crossroads Circus in White Haven just after Imbolc had long-term implications. It brought the Green Man and the Raven King, and the Green Man never left. Right, Avery?”
Avery nodded nervously as all eyes fell on her. “Caspian is right. The Green Man and the Raven King helped us to defeat the Empusa. The Raven King took her and her two accomplices to the Underworld to face justice. The Ring Master, Corbin, became him for a short time, and he left ravens in Ravens’ Wood. But it was the Green Man who had the greater consequences. He raised Ravens’ Wood from nothing, and he’s never left. He’s a part of Briar now. Forevermore, it seems.”
A stunned silence fell upon the group, and then a clatter of conversations started all at once. Jasper and Eve both leaned towards Avery, and Eve asked, “Is that true? Why didn’t we know?”
Before Avery could answer, Genevieve shouted, “Silence!” When she had everyone’s attention, she said, “Avery, perhaps you could elaborate so that everyone is satisfied.”
Avery described the events around the Crossroads Circus, and Caspian helped, but there were many doubts when Avery explained about Ravens’ Wood.
“That wood has been there for as long as I can remember,” Claudia, the older witch from Perranporth said, perplexed.
Avery sighed, knowing no one would believe her, and was suddenly very grateful that Caspian was there to support her. “It really hasn’t. Before, there were only fields around the castle. The wood grew that night—ancient, majestic, magical. Only the people who were there at the time can remember it happening. For everyone else, it just appeared in their consciousness.”
“And you were there, too?” Jasper asked Caspian, a crease dividing his forehead.
“I was. It was astonishing. Briar, the White Haven earth witch, helped harness his power. The Green Man has never left her, or White Haven.” He hesitated, and then added, “It was the single most amazing night of my life.”
Caspian glanced at Avery again, and she knew he was referring to more than just the rising of Ravens’ Wood and meeting the Raven King.
“Well, you’ve changed your tune,” Zane said, his sharp face pinched with annoyance as he glared at Caspian.
Caspian gave him a withering stare. “You would rather the Empusa be on the loose? That would be foolish. I have long since overcome my father’s prejudices against White Haven, and so should you.”
Avery swallowed nervously, and felt Eve staring at her. When Avery turned to look at her, Eve just looked puzzled.
“Well said,” Rasmus agreed, his growling voice cutting through the murmurs that had once again sprung up. “I am very grateful you helped them when needed, Caspian.” Rasmus had a shock of white hair, and although appeared gruff, was actually a pussycat. He turned to look at Avery. “White Haven handled things admirably, and I am grateful you now get on with your neighbours. It’s good for the whole coven.”
“It is indeed,” Genevieve said. “But it doesn’t answer whether or not we have someone casting love spells. It certainly explains why you feel Beltane Magic quite strongly in White Haven, but what about elsewhere?” She turned to Oswald on her right. “Let’s start with you, Oswald, and events in Mevagissey.”
One by one they recounted their experiences across Cornwall. Everyone reported that they had witnessed exaggerated emotional responses, and it seemed that on the whole, lust and love were prevailing over jealousies—for now.
“Are we sure of our own covens?” Claudia asked. “If there is a witch casting love spells, surely it must be one of our own, although I hate to think that!”
“I’m sure of mine,” Avery said, immediately. “No one would be so foolish.”
“I’m fairly certain of mine, too,” Jasper said, and then he frowned. “Except Mina, maybe. She’s very young. To be honest though, Samhain scared her so badly, I can’t see her messing with Beltane magic.” Mina was the young witch who’d been trampled by the horse of the escaping fey on the night of the Wild Hunt, and had spent days recovering in hospital. “I’ll speak to her when I get home.”
Claudia broke the silence that had fallen while everyone thought about their covens. “I doubt my youngest witches would, but I will question them.”
“I’m pretty sure I can rule out my family,” Caspian said, surveying the room confidently. “But I’ll ask, of course.”
Avery wondered if he would really question Estelle. His sister was a powerful witch who treated everyone else with disdain. It wouldn’t surprise her to find that she might be stirring things up for the pure fun of it.
The meeting had been long, and everyone began to stir, eager to be gone, despite the fact that nothing had been resolved. Genevieve was clearly aware of that, and she rapped the table with her knuckle, drawing everyone’s attention.
“All right, settle down, I know you’re all anxious to be off. I suggest we continue to monitor situations closely, and try to work out if we think a spell is adding to the problem. Anything untoward must be investigated. If you’re in need of help, let me know, but I fear we need to manage our own problems, as we’ll all be busy with our own issues.” Everyone nodded, exchanging worried glances with each other. “And finally, we come to our own Beltane celebrations. Rasmus has once again offered the woods behind his house, but Avery had said her coven wish to celebr
ate in Ravens’ Wood.”
“Sorry,” Avery said to the council in general. “It seems the perfect place for us. It’s not to say you can’t join us, but obviously it’s not as private as Rasmus’s place.”
Rasmus agreed. “Far too risky to have the whole coven there.”
Zane piped up again, his tone aggressive. “Too good for the rest of us, Avery?”
“Not at all,” she shot back before Genevieve could intervene. “Ravens’ Wood is very special to us. It’s a good way for us to mark its arrival.”
He was relentless. “As if a wood could just appear out of nowhere!”
“If you doubt the magic of the Green Man,” Jasper said, leaning forward, “then you’re more of an idiot than you look.” Jasper had clashed with Zane before and had zero patience with him. “If you understood magic at all, you’d know that some forces are well beyond our control. You’re just making yourself sound young and foolish!”
“How dare you!” Zane started, until Caspian intervened.
“He’s right. Cut it out, Zane. I was there, too. I saw it. Are you accusing me of lying?” Caspian’s voice was low and dangerous, and an unpleasant air of tension had risen.
Zane flushed and could barely look Caspian in the eye. “No, of course not. It’s Avery I doubt.”
Avery dearly wished to bind his tongue, but she seethed quietly instead. And besides, she didn’t need to do anything, because Caspian said, “If you doubt Avery, you doubt me. I was there. Understood?”
Zane met his gaze defiantly. “Yes.”
Genevieve had watched the exchange with narrowed eyes, and her voice now rang out clearly. “You speak out of turn again, Zane, and Bodmin will have to find a new representative to the council. I will not have rudeness and intolerance here. Debate is fine, but I will not tolerate such baseless accusations.”
Zane was obviously furious, but he shut up and nodded, and as soon as Genevieve called the meeting to an end, he left immediately, Mariah next to him. With regret, Avery realised that Zane’s enmity hadn’t improved, and if anything had only grown worse, despite Caspian’s defence. But there was nothing she could do, other than acknowledge that Zane and Mariah would never welcome White Haven to the coven, and she was fine with that.