by T J Green
Holly looked at her, her eyes silently pleading.
“I can’t face the Devices without knowing what really happened. Weakness is not an option.”
Holly exhaled heavily. “Cooper is the pack leader and Hunter challenged him. He lost, and we fled.”
“Oh! So Hunter wasn’t attacked in some stealth manoeuvre, he actually challenged Cooper. He started the fight.”
“Yes.”
“Why lie? And what’s the big deal? Cooper is still the pack leader. Why are they coming here?”
“He needs to swear loyalty and renounce his claim to the leadership. He fled—we fled—before he could do this. Hunter wants to challenge again. He’s buying himself time.”
“Time to heal.”
Holly nodded. “Yes. If he loses after a challenge, we lose everything. We move to the bottom of the pack. Loss of privileges. And I’m still expected to marry Cooper.”
Avery felt the air start to rise and her hair lifted as a gust of wind rattled around the kitchen. Holly looked around, alarmed and confused. “You are to do what?”
“Marry Cooper. We are the oldest families. It’s expected. I don’t like him. I never have. Hunter was trying to protect me.”
Avery was incensed. “You’re not a piece of meat! What the hell system do you live in? It’s the twenty-first century, Holly!”
“Are you causing that wind?”
“Yes! I can make a frigging hurricane if I want! Are you serious?”
“Yes. Shifters are pack animals. It’s patriarchal. And the pack leader is strongly allied to the Devices—Old Demdike. They carry their history with them.”
“I have history! We all have.” Avery shot up from the table and started pacing the room, energy balling in her hands. She was pretty sure Holly was being honest with her. Avery could usually sense lies—witches were good at that—but their Shifter magic was clouding her judgement. “Are you telling me the truth? Because if I defend you tomorrow, I want to make sure I know absolutely everything. I can make your life just as miserable as them.” Not entirely true, but they didn’t have to know that.
“Yes! Hunter would hate you to know this—he hates to fail. He thought he could take Cooper on. It’s knocked his confidence and almost killed him—because of me. I begged him to do it!” Holly started to cry. “I should just suck it up. Marriage to the pack leader is something many other Shifters would want.”
“Only if they’re stupid,” Piper said. Once again she’d sidled to the door, and she stood watching them.
“But you want to go home,” Holly said, annoyed. “At my expense.”
“Not true.” Piper joined them at the table, her shoulders bowed. “I want to go home, yes, but not with those consequences.”
“And what does Josh think?” Avery asked.
“Like us, he thinks it’s time for change. It would be good for the whole pack,” Holly said.
“And what about the other members?”
“Some agree, others don’t. There are a lot of us.”
“The younger ones definitely want change,” Piper said, “I know they do. I think they’ll be gutted that Hunter lost.”
“They would know?” Avery was struggling to understand the pack rules and what exactly a challenge consisted of.
“Oh, yes. The pack was there, watching the outcome.”
“How exactly did you get Hunter away, if it was an arranged fight and everyone was watching?”
“Josh picked another fight, and we sneaked him out in the chaos. We have broken every rule there is,” Piper explained, slightly triumphant, and it brought a brief smile to Avery’s face.
“I like your style!” Avery fell silent for a second, thinking. “Do the witches interfere with fights?”
“I’m pretty sure not,” Holly said, but doubt lurked behind her eyes.
“So, just to be clear, Hunter wasn’t ambushed. He picked the fight and lost?”
Holly nodded. “Yes. And we have to return to finish it. We either submit, Hunter dies, or we are exiled.”
Avery felt her annoyance settle into cold, hard steel and she sat down. “Why are you in White Haven? Why not somewhere else?”
“We wanted to put a lot of distance between us and them, and this is a long way south. And then we sensed the magic here. It’s strong. You’re strong. We needed your help, and we needed someone who could stand up to the Devices, if they came looking. We honestly didn’t think they would—at least, not so soon. They’re mean, Avery. They’ll drag us back before we’re ready to go.”“No, they won’t. I’ll make sure of that.”
***
Avery marched into The Wayward Son with fire burning in her soul. Alex was behind the bar serving a customer, and for a second, he didn’t see her. The sight of him calmed her down, fractionally.
His lean, muscled frame looked good in his jeans and black t-shirt. As usual, stubble covered his cheeks and chin, and his hair fell loosely to his shoulders. Her stomach somersaulted. He was so hot. And the absolute opposite of Caspian in every way. He looked up and grinned when he saw her, and her stomach flipped once more. Even now, months after they had got together, he still gave her goose bumps.
“Hi, gorgeous,” he said, leaning over the bar to kiss her. “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you ’til later.”
She cupped his face between her hands and kissed him back, enjoying his heat and scent, before she broke away. “Hi, handsome. I’ve missed you.”
“Good,” he said, a gentle smile playing across his lips. “But why do I sense there’s another reason for your early visit?”
“There have been a few developments with our new friends. Can you get away from the bar for a while? I’m going to call the others, too.”
“Sure, give me half an hour. But there’s no El, remember, or Reuben. He’ll be with her.”
“Shit.” She rubbed her face. “Have you heard how she is?”
“No change. I called Reuben earlier.” He gestured to a stool at the end of the bar, well away from prying ears. “Grab a seat and I’ll get you a drink. Want some food?”
At the mention of food, her stomach grumbled and she checked her watch. It was nearly three. No wonder she was hungry. “Yeah, a bowl of fries, please.” And then another thought struck her. “What happened at the church?”
“I haven’t heard.” He placed a glass of red wine in front of her.
Avery reached for her phone. “Crap, let’s hope no news is good news. I’ll call Ben.”
Before she could make the call, a blast of cold, damp air gusted into the bar, and Avery looked up to see a grim-faced Newton approaching. “Newton! Didn’t expect to see you here at this time.”
Newton did not waste time on niceties. “What the bloody hell is going on at Old Haven Church?”
“Were you there today?”
“Yes, I was there, and it would have been nice if you’d have given me some warning!” His face was thunderous.
“But you deal with murders, why were you there?”
“Because with all the weird shit I’ve been dealing with lately, my boss has decided that I’m now the new go-to guy for paranormal crap.”
“And that’s bad?” Avery asked tentatively, before taking a large gulp of wine. It was going to be one of those days.
“Yes! I don’t want to be the poster boy for paranormal Cornwall!”
Alex slid a pint of the local Doom lager in front of him. “On the house, mate. You look like you need it.”
Newton looked like he was about to protest, and then slid on to a stool next to Avery and drank some anyway. “Cheers.”
“So, what happened with the vicar?”
“He ended up being blasted off his ladder. The camera exploded, the cameraman received third-degree burns, and the interviewer, some perky blonde called Sarah, passed out with fright.”
Avery put her glass down in shock, glanced at an equally shocked Alex, and asked, “Is James okay?”
“No. He’s in hospital, unconscious, with
a broken arm.”
Avery’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, no. And Ben and the others?”
“Fine, if not shocked. They were watching from the edge of the clearing.”
“And you’re okay?” she asked, faltering as he fixed his glare on her.
“No! I’m bloody furious! You said nothing about this! Neither of you!” He turned his glare on Alex.
“Clearly a mistake,” Alex said, glancing nervously at Avery, “and could you lower your voice?”
Avery glanced around to see a few heads looking their way.
Newton grimaced, and continued in a low menacing tone. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I honestly forgot, and didn’t really think anything would come of it,” Avery said. “I’m so sorry, Newton. We’ve got a lot on with the Shifters, and with El being cursed.”
“Cursed?” His eyes widened with surprise.
“Sorry, didn’t we tell you about that, either?”
“Why don’t you two head up to my flat?” Alex suggested, seeing that Newton was about to go apoplectic, “and you can get Newton up to date. I’ll join you as soon as I can.”
With that, Avery headed upstairs, wishing she had some moral support.
Newton paced Alex’s flat as Avery gave him all the latest news, everything except about the Cumbrian witches, which could wait until Alex arrived.
“Will they still run the news story?” Avery asked.
“Of course they will. It may even make national coverage.”
“But there’s no footage of the actual incident?”
“No. But they sent another crew and they have interviewed Ben and me, well away from the grove. The magic there is interfering with their equipment—not that they know it’s magic, of course. I suggested that this is a hoax for Halloween—a very good one. One that went wrong,” he said, glaring again.
Avery sat on the floor cushion in front of the fire and warmed her hands, finding comfort in the bright flames. The day was already darkening outside, and Alex’s flat was gloomy, lit only by the fire and one lamp in the corner. She liked it like this, it matched her mood, and the quiet, broken only by the crackle of the flames, allowed her to think.
She looked up at Newton. “Please come and sit down.”
He frowned but acquiesced, sitting in the large, leather armchair.” It’s starting again, isn’t it?”
“Yes, and we have no idea what this witch is seeking to do at Old Haven, other than maybe open some kind of gateway. It’s well protected, and the magic there is growing stronger every day.”
The door swung open just then and Alex came in, carrying two bowls of fries, and he sat on the sofa, placing both on the coffee table next to Avery. “Here you go. For you, too if you want some, Newton.”
Newton nodded and took a chip absently.
“You filled him in?” Alex asked.
“Yes, and now I have more news for both of you,” she said as she pulled a bowl of fries closer.
Between munching on chips, she let them know about Caspian’s visit and her chat with the Shifters.
Alex groaned and leaned back, rubbing his face. “Great, just great. Have you heard from them yet?”
“No, but it’s just a matter of time.”
“Okay,” Alex said, coming to a decision. “Let’s head to El’s flat, meet Briar and Reuben there, and work out what we do next. Want to join us, Newton?”
“Of course I bloody do.”
10
By the time they reached El’s flat, the rain was pouring again, streaming down El’s windows and blurring the view. Her flat, however, was a warm cocoon of light and colour, and Avery, Alex, and Newton shook off their jackets and joined Reuben and Briar in the lounge.
“Any improvement with El?” Avery asked, sure she’d be disappointed with the answer.
“A very tiny amount.” Briar looked hopeful, which dispelled some of the shadows beneath her eyes. Reuben looked even worse than he had before.
“Really? How?” Alex asked, placing a bag full of books on the table.
“I’ve found a couple of spells that talk about lifting curses, so I’ve been experimenting with them. She’s not conscious, but her eyes are flickering a little. I hope that means something’s happening. Sorry—that’s vague, but I feel like I’m swimming in the dark here.”
Briar led the way to El’s bedroom, where she lay covered only in a sheet. The room was warm and the blinds were half-closed, keeping the space dim and shadowy. Candles had been placed around the bed, and the air was rich with the scent of incense. A symbol had been drawn on El’s forehead, and a line of runes scrawled on her hands and feet. An amethyst was placed over the symbol on her head.
Briar watched her with troubled eyes. “I’ve been trying to draw the curse out, but without knowing what it is, it’s hard. I’ve examined the necklace as much as possible, but haven’t had much success. I’m scared to touch it without protection.”
Avery sighed with annoyance at her forgetfulness. “That reminds me. Caspian has offered to help break El’s curse.”
Reuben had followed them into the room, and he leaned against the doorframe, frowning. “I don’t want him anywhere near her! How does that wanker even know about this?”
“Because I was blessed by a visit from him,” Avery said, feeling anything but lucky. “He came to give me some information about the Shifters, but as soon as he knew El was cursed, he offered his help. It’s unlikely, I know, but it seemed genuine. He says his grimoires have lots of spells on curses and breaking them.”
Newton snorted. “Of course they have.”
“That’s what I said, but I think we should seriously consider his offer.” She looked at Alex. “What do you think?”
He shrugged. “Part of me agrees with Reuben, but if you can’t make any headway, Briar…”
Briar nodded thoughtfully. “Let me think on it while you bring us up to speed with our Shifter friends.” She led them back to the living area.
“You’re not seriously thinking of accepting Caspian’s help?” Reuben asked, looking aghast.
“I am. The longer she’s cursed, the worse she’ll get. She’ll be dehydrated and starving, and who knows what else.”
Reuben sighed with resignation and went to get drinks while Avery told them all about the Devices and their relationship with the Shifters, and about the possibility of their mysterious witch being a time-walker.
“Wow. A lot’s been happening while I’ve been here,” Briar said thoughtfully. “Hunter didn’t mention this when I checked his wounds early this morning.” Then she frowned. “Did he shift again?”
“Er, yes. Is that bad?”
Briar looked exasperated. “Yes! He’s a terrible patient. Every time he shifts it disturbs his wounds.”
“They did look pretty red,” Avery confessed.
“So, you’re saying he picked this fight? He confessed!”
“Yes and no,” Avery said. “I only know what happened because I went to their house after Caspian visited me and found Holly and Piper at home alone. They told me all about the real circumstances of the fight, and it rings true.”
“Well, we always suspected they were holding something back,” Alex said. “This puts things in a whole different light.”
“They lied to us,” Reuben argued. “And brought trouble to White Haven.”
“It’s something we can deal with,” Avery said, trying to reassure him. “And you don’t need to get involved. You have El to worry about.”
“I’m feeling pretty useless at the moment,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “I’ve read the grimoires back to front for solutions to curses, and the stuff I’ve found hasn’t been much help with El. I could do with something else to try.”
Avery sighed. “We’re not looking for a fight. We are buying time for the Shifters. I don’t know much about how they live, but it sounds a patriarchal nightmare.” She shrugged. “And until I meet with the Devices, we don’t even know what the
y want.”
Newton looked impatient. “I’m more concerned about the events right on our doorstep—Old Haven Church, to be precise. What are we doing about that?”
Briar glared at him. “El is my concern right now, Newton.”
He looked momentarily chastened. “Well, yes, of course, but the vicar has just been blasted by magic in front of a news crew. We need to stop this from escalating.”
“Bloody hell,” Alex said, leaning against the back of the sofa and rubbing his eyes. “Once this gets out, paranormal obsessives are going to flock to Old Haven. What a bloody nightmare.”
“Yes they will, which puts them in danger,” Newton said, thinking through the implications. He rounded on them angrily. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this!”
“Oh, get over it,” Briar said abruptly. “We’ve had other things to worry about.”
Avery inwardly flinched. Briar could be so scathing to Newton now. However, he didn’t care. “It’s my job, Briar. You get over it.”
They glared at each other for a few seconds before Reuben hurriedly intervened with a few bottles of beer from the fridge. “So, what’s the plan?”
Alex leaned forward decisively. “Old Haven Church is old, but the site it’s on is even older. The yew tree has been there for hundreds of years, probably pre-dating the church, which was built somewhere in the thirteenth century. Yews have huge significance. They symbolise death and rebirth, which is partly why churches were built next to them. At Old Haven, it’s in the centre of a grove of trees. We need to know more about that site. Why has the witch picked there?”
“You’re looking at me with that fevered gleam in your eye,” Reuben noted. “What do want me to do?’
“We’ve brought lots of books with us,” Alex started.
“Yes, books on local history, tree lore, old rites… And we thought while you’re looking over El…” Avery continued.
“Sure, I could do research.” Reuben nodded. “It will help keep me busy. I’m starting to go a bit screwy here.”
Avery smiled, “Thanks.”
“And what are you going to do?” he asked.
“As I mentioned, Caspian suggested that the witch is a time-walker. She has managed to manipulate time to live longer. He says that takes a lot of energy, and we should look at sources of elemental energy to help her renew, particularly water—fresh water.”