by TJ Green
The Empusa screamed, and behind her scratchy voice, Avery heard Caitlin's. "Hecate will make you pay for that!"
Avery's voice carried across the rustles and scurries that filled the night. "No, she won't. She told me your deal had nothing to do with her."
Avery felt all heads turn to look at her, but none so swiftly as the Raven King's. His black eyes met hers. "You met her?"
"Briefly."
"You carry fey magic. You finally understand what soul-yoked means."
Avery nodded, feeling the power of his words trembling though her. "I did, finally. Thanks to you."
He looked at Shadow holding the Empusa's hand. "You have the ring?"
Shadow grimaced as she pulled one free. "I do now." She held it up. "Is this it?"
Alex walked over and took it from her, holding it next to the one he held. "That's the one." He looked around at the others and then hesitantly at the Raven King. "Shall I?"
"Wait. Where's Briar?" Avery said. "She should be here."
"She's here," the Raven King said, gesturing around him. "She's everywhere!"
Alex looked at them hesitantly, and then pushed both rings together. They clicked as they joined, and with it came an audible snap as the power of the ring released, throwing them to the ground or crushing them against tree trunks. Alex loosed his grip on the ring in shock and it flew into the air, but Shadow and her lightning-fast reflexes recovered quickly, and she leapt forward and grabbed it, squeezing her palm around it tightly.
With a frustrated scream, the Empusa disappeared, leaving Caitlin in her wake, blood pouring from the end of her arm. Within seconds, her youth ebbed away, and she was left an old woman, her face deeply wrinkled, her hair grey, and her frame withered. Her eyes, however, burned with fierce hatred as she glared at Avery, but if she was going to say anything, it stalled on her lips as the Raven King stood over her.
"What should I do with her?" he asked. "I can take her with me."
Newton looked anguished. At his feet, Rafe and Mairi were bound with magic, lips sealed, but their faces were furious. "I have no idea if I can ever prove what they've done. There's no evidence, nothing that I can hold them with! They could do this again, and more could die."
The King cocked his head, birdlike, as he looked at Caitlin. "Was it all to be young again?"
"You will never know the frustration of age, and the loss of power and beauty. When I found the Ring of Callanish, I saw a way to save myself, and I took it!"
He looked at her with distaste, then turned to Reuben, and pointed to Rafe and Mairi. "Let them speak. I would like to know what they wanted."
Reuben eased his spell, watching them dispassionately.
"Tell me," the King prompted. "What should I do with you?"
Neither answered, their fury burning away into fear as seconds ticked by.
"You're right," the King finally said to Newton. "They will never get the justice they deserve, so I will take them all."
Shadow was trembling, too. "You will take them to the Otherworld? Take me with you! Take me home!"
He shook his head. "I shall take these somewhere far worse. They will go to the Underworld to answer for their crimes."
"But you could take me home," she said, almost pleading. "It is within your power."
"Child, your destiny lies here, at least for now. I cannot take you." His voice was gentle, but firm.
She jerked her chin up, eyes flashing, and her hand gripped her sword tightly. "What destiny? You lie!"
"Do not challenge me; it is a fight you shall lose. You must trust me. Your path is long and varied. It is for you to discover."
Shadow fell silent, but Avery saw her swallow and blink, as if to chase away the tears.
He turned to the witches, looking at each one in turn, and dropping his head in acknowledgement. "I thank you for releasing me from my bonds. We may meet again, one day, when the worlds turn and boundaries collide. Until then, some of my friends will stay here, in this place of ancient magic." The raven flew from his shoulder to the tree above them, settling on a branch, as the King dragged Caitlin to her feet, looking more like a bundle of rags than a person. He then marched over to Rafe and Mairi. They cowered, but he didn't care. He swirled his cloak around his shoulders, covering all of them, and then with a rustle of feathers and a snap of air he was gone, taking them with him, and leaving Corbin behind, his body spent as he collapsed on the ground.
Avery ran to his side, and felt for his pulse, relieved to find it was there, unexpectedly steady. Corbin's eyelids fluttered and Avery gripped his hands. "Corbin, wake up! You did it!"
He groaned. "Am I dead?"
Reuben laughed. "No mate, you are most definitely alive."
He struggled to sit up, and he looked around, confused. "Where am I?"
"At the campsite---sort of," Avery said gently. "Do you remember anything?"
"Flashes of things, and him, I remember him." His eyes came into sharp focus. "Was it real? Did it work?"
"It did. You saved your circus, and us."
"I did? You'll have to tell me how." And then he fell back on the ground and looked up through the branches to the night sky above.
Avery realised she was shaking, and she sat on the rich soil, feeling Alex's hand grip her nape, and then his warmth as he sat next to her, his arm sliding across her shoulders. He murmured, "What the hell just happened?"
"We have had the most extraordinary moment," Reuben said softly, and he patted Newton on the arm, and pulled El into a hug.
Shadow's voice was almost a whisper. "He left me. I am stuck here!" She couldn't help herself as tears poured down her cheeks. "I could taste home, it was so close."
Caspian did the most unexpected thing. He gathered her into his arms and held her as she shook and trembled. His eyes met Avery's and he smiled, his face full of sorrow.
"Where's Briar?" Newton asked, as he pulled himself together. "She must be here somewhere!"
"I'm here," she called as she emerged from the darkness. Her hair cascaded down her back, and she wore a crown of leaves, a certain wildness emanating from her eyes. "The Green Man has gone."
Newton held the tops of her arms as he examined her. "Are you okay? You look..." He struggled for words. "Different."
She cupped his face in her hands. "I'm not sure I'll ever be the same again. And I don't think you will be, either."
"We need a fire," El declared, easing herself out of Reuben's hug. "And I want to sit here while we can, in this amazing wood. Can we?"
"I should think so," Alex answered, "before we have to go back to reality. I'm not even sure what that is anymore."
The fire in front of Caitlin's smashed home was still smouldering, so El reignited it with a word, and they dragged chairs and wood from the remnants and sat around it, the flames throwing shapes onto the wildness of their surroundings.
"What is this place, Briar?" Avery asked. "It can't last, surely?"
Briar laughed. "Oh, I'm afraid it can. This isn't going anywhere!"
"You have got to be kidding!" Reuben said, looking at her as if she'd gone mad. "How do we explain how a bloody great wood grew overnight?"
"We don't." She grinned impishly. "It's nothing to do with us. He called it his gift to us, and White Haven."
"No, no, no!" Newton said, appalled. "This place can't get any weirder! You have to keep the magic here that hides it. It is hidden now, right Reuben?"
Reuben nodded. "Yep, my giant wall of mist is still there. We're hidden for now, but it will be a hell of spell to hide it forever."
Briar's voice was sharp. "It is not meant to be hidden. He said that no one would question it. It would be as if it had been here forever."
There was a universal, "What?" expressed by the group.
"It's his magic, not mine," she explained. "I think it was more for you, Shadow, than anyone. To bring you closer to home," she said gently.
Shadow sighed as she stared into the fire. "So be it, then. I will be glad of it
. It will be a long life so far from home."
"Have you still got the ring?" Alex asked.
She patted her pocket. "Right here." And then she took a sharp intake of breath. "Harlan! I left him outside by my horse."
"I knew it!" Alex said accusingly. "You double-crossing, fey-blooded---" He spluttered as he tried to find words.
She just looked at him. "I'm here, aren't I? Did I leave you to die at her hands? No. I risked my life for you!"
Avery placed a hand on his arm. "It's true, Alex. Thank you, Shadow. And I'm sorry you're still here, but if I'm honest, I quite like you, and am glad you're staying."
"So am I, sister," El said, winking at her across the fire.
"What are we going to do about Harlan?" Reuben asked. "Shall we go fetch him?"
"I think you should," Newton said, ominously. "I'd like to know more about him. Planning on giving him the ring, Shadow?"
She looked shifty. "Maybe."
"I'd like some assurances, first," Alex said.
Shadow jumped to her feet. "Come on then, Reuben. Let's introduce Harlan to the team."
Newton held his hand out. "Hand it over first."
She glared at him. "Don't trust me?"
"No."
She reluctantly pulled the ring from her pocket and placed it on his palm, before turning her back and marching away.
24
When Reuben finally returned with Harlan, he had a wry smile on his face.
"The Green Man has outdone himself!"
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, suspiciously.
"This wood covers the entire field behind this one, right up to the lane that runs across the back. We had a bit of trouble finding Harlan."
"I wondered what was taking you so long," Newton said. He had the shotgun on the ground next to him, in easy reach in case anything else happened, and he still looked on edge.
Shadow was grinning from ear to ear. "It's amazing. It's like the woods from home! It's tangled and ancient and mysterious and I love it!"
Harlan, however, looked in shock as he stepped into their circle. "This is quite some trick you've pulled off."
"It ain't no trick," Reuben drawled as he pointed to a salvaged bench. "Take a seat." He quickly made introductions as they settled themselves down.
"Hi, Harlan," Avery said, with a mischievous smile. "Fancy meeting you again."
"Yes, fancy that. You're very resourceful."
"I know."
He leaned forward to rub his hands over the fire. "It's cold out there. How have you managed all of this?" He lifted his chin to indicate the trees around them.
"We didn't, the Green Man did," Briar told him.
For a moment Harlan didn't answer as he looked at them all, examining each face as though to memorise them. He stared a little longer at Corbin in his Raven King costume. "I've seen many strange things in my life, but nothing as strange as this."
Newton frowned. "What did you see? We've received reassurances that no one would notice---incredible though that sounds. And yet, you have."
"I was at the edge of the field, on Shadow's horse, when I saw the mist thicken until I couldn't see a thing. And then all of a sudden, I was surrounded by an ancient forest. It just appeared---literally in the blink of an eye. It gave me quite a shock, but the horse was completely fine with it."
"That's because he's from the Otherworld," Shadow explained. "He has his own magic, like me. That's why you remember it happening." She shrugged. "At least I think so. Otherwise, the Green Man is wrong and there'll be a lot of questions tomorrow."
"Makes sense," Caspian said, nodding. He narrowed his eyes at Harlan. "Avery and Shadow tell us that you want that ring. We need some assurances first. Who are you, and what will you do with it?"
"And make it good," Newton added. "Or it stays with me."
"I work for The Orphic Guild. We acquire unusual things for buyers for their private collections. Sometimes these objects have magical or mythical histories, sometimes not. And that's it. It's nothing dodgy. You can look it up. We have a website and contact numbers."
Newton leaned forward, his arms on his knees. "I did. It tells me very little."
Harlan's expression was as steely as Newton's. "We like to keep things private, that's why. Our clients pay a lot for our services and discretion."
"Will someone be paying a lot for this?" Newton laid the ring on the palm of his hand.
"Yes. It will be placed somewhere as an object of art, for appreciation only."
Newton snorted. "I doubt that."
Harlan straightened his shoulders. "Have you ever found anything of a criminal nature about us?"
"No. And believe me, I checked. You haven't even had a parking ticket."
Harlan smiled tightly. "Well, there you go then."
Avery watched Harlan carefully. He had recovered his composure, but he still looked wary, glancing nervously over his shoulder from time to time. She couldn't blame him. She was doing the same herself, they all were. There were strange rustlings from behind them, and the feeling that something was watching them, something maybe like the strange, green-skinned creature she had seen so briefly before it vanished into the tree. The feeling of age that came from these trees was unnatural, as if it had not just grown there, but had been pulled from somewhere else.
Perhaps the firelight was playing tricks on her. It cast the branches' shadows into strange, contorted shapes, and the rich smell of loam beneath their feet was heady, making her almost giddy, but maybe that was just tiredness as the events caught up with her.
Newton's voice was sharp, and she focused on the conversation again. "What's your role in this, Shadow?"
"Are you interrogating me?" she asked, her hand on her sword hilt.
"Yes," he said bluntly.
She scowled at him like a child. "I'm stuck here, and I need to make a life, and money. Harlan offered me a finder's fee for my help when Avery refused."
Newton looked between Shadow and Harlan. "And how did you two become acquainted?"
Harlan answered. "I make it my business to know about unusual things and places. This town has been on my radar for a while, and she is noticeable."
Shadow smirked. "I am fey."
"I think we know," Alex said, wearily.
Newton ignored her, focusing on Harlan. "Who's your buyer for this?"
"I can't tell you that, but I can tell you that it will be far safer with the buyer than anywhere else."
Newton looked at the other witches. "What do you think?"
"It caused a lot of trouble," Caspian said, taking it from Newton and holding it close to the firelight. "It seems so innocuous now, if it weren't for the power it exudes." He looked at Harlan. "How old is it?"
"It was made sometime in the twelfth century. It's impossible to say exactly when."
"And the sorcerer's name?"
Harlan rubbed his jaw and looked up at the sky before saying, "It escapes me right now."
"Of course it does," Caspian said.
"May I?" El asked. Caspian passed it to her, and she examined it. "It's been made with great skill. The design is intricate and unusual, and the metal feels different."
"Your knife wouldn't work on it," Avery told her.
El's head jerked up. "Really? Damn it. I thought I'd covered everything."
Harlan's tone was even, but impatience was creeping in. "Like I said, it's very special."
Newton persisted. "Are you sure it won't be used again?"
"As sure as I can be." Harlan looked at his watch. "It's late, and I need to go. The ring?" He held his hand out.
Newton nodded, and El placed it on his palm. Harlan immediately put it into a small box he pulled from an inside pocket and tucked it away safely. "Excellent, and now I must leave. Shadow, will you escort me?"
Shadow had spent the last few minutes polishing her sword and cleaning the blood from it, and she slid it into her scabbard, and then picked up one of the Empusa's swords that lay at her feet. She ex
amined its finely wrought blade and unusual hilt. "This is made of bronze. I'll take these if no one has any objections?"
El reached forward and picked the other one up, running her finger down its blade. "Actually, I'd like one. Don't ask me why, but I'd feel happier if they were separated."
Shadow looked as if she might complain, but then she rose to her feet. "You might be right."
Harlan's stared at the one that Shadow held, but he didn't say a word, and Avery wondered if another transaction was about to take place. He stood and made a short bow. "I'm sure we'll meet again sometime. Meanwhile, it's been a pleasure."
Shadow merely smiled enigmatically as she led him away.
Reuben waited a few moments until he was sure they had left. "Is it me, or have we just witnessed the start of an unholy relationship?"
Caspian picked up a stick and poked the fire. "She needs something. She's stuck here, and it might be just what she's looking for."
"I'm just glad it's all over for now," Newton said. "I'll worry about it another time. Are you all right, Corbin?"
Corbin had sat quietly for a long time, staring almost vacantly into the fire. Avery had almost forgotten he was there. He'd edged back from the others, and his cloak of feathers was pulled closely around him. He dragged his gaze from the fire. "It's been a long night. It's been a long few months, actually. A nightmare."
Briar patted his arm. "You have your circus back now, and memories to last a lifetime."
"How do I move on from this? I feel...different."
"That's magic for you. And you did become the Raven King," she pointed out. "That's something to treasure, surely?"
"But what about my circus?" His eyes were wild. "Will it be as successful without magic? How do I explain Rafe and Mairi just disappearing? And this forest! We're so close---what if they noticed something?"
"We'll see soon enough," Alex said. "In the meantime, let's enjoy the peace and quiet, and I'd like to know what happened at the crossroads." He nudged Avery with his shoulder. "Fey magic?"
Avery laughed. "Things got very weird."
"I admit, it was bit strange there for a while," Caspian said, leaning back in the old deckchair he'd found. "You tell them what happened, Avery. I was a mere spectator!"