by T J Green
“Yes, that’s the place,” Avery said.
Helena’s expression changed to one of alarm, and then she pointed to Avery’s bags with a questioning glance.
“I’m going to Greenlane Manor,” she said, pointing it out on the map. “The Jacksons’ place.”
Helena nodded and then disappeared.
Avery looked around the room, perplexed. “Helena?”
Weird. Maybe she’d gone to Old Haven? Avery shook her head. There was no point waiting. Sometimes she didn’t see Helena for weeks; she always wondered where she went. To the spirit realm, or other places in White Haven?
Regardless, it was time to go to Reuben’s.
***
Alex had decided to take his own car to Greenlane Manor as he was working until last orders, so Avery went on her own, finding only Briar’s car waiting in the driveway.
The house was dark, other than lights by the front door and a couple of lights on the first floor. She knocked at the door, and within seconds Reuben flung it open, and the sound of drum and bass thudded after him. He grinned at her. “Come in. I’m cooking, so I hope you’re hungry.” He reached forward, took her bag, and led the way to the kitchen, and she followed with her cats. “I’ll show you your room in a minute. I just need to check the food.”
“Honestly, you didn’t need to cook, Reuben,” she said, quickening her pace to keep up with him. “I presumed we’d order in.” She followed him down the long hall, lined with antiques, into the kitchen at the back of the house, which was a vision of high tech modernity. There seemed to be an acre of work surfaces and gleaming stainless steel appliances, and the smell of something spicy tickled her nose. And it was a mess. Bowls, spices, and chopping boards were strewn with the remnants of food. “Wow! You’ve really taken up the whole kitchen, Reu!”
“I know.” He didn’t sound the least bit regretful. “I’m a creative cook. But trust me, it will taste great!”
“I believe you,” she said, watching him as he turned down the sound system, artfully built into the wall, and then stirred a large pot, turning the heat down. He dipped a spoon in and tasted it. “Perfect. You like curry spicy, right?”
“Of course. What is it?”
“Lamb Maas. My specialty. El loves it. This is her treat,” he said with a wink. Underneath his forced cheer, Avery could see the worry on his face, and she squeezed his arm.
“Is she okay? Any after-effects of the curse?”
He frowned and ruffled his dark blond hair. “She’s sleeping at the moment, but she seemed a bit flat actually, once the relief of being awake had worn off. I think the curse has left her feeling depressed.”
“It doesn’t surprise me. It was pretty toxic. You must have felt it.”
“Yeah, true. I did. I guess I just wanted her to bounce back to normal.”
“I’m sure she will, she’s resilient, but she was out for almost two days. Any longer and we’d have had to take her to hospital for a drip. How the hell would we have explained that?” Avery rubbed her face. “It was way more serious than I thought. I’m sorry I didn’t help you find a solution. I just thought it was something easy that Briar could break.”
Reuben shrugged. “You were side-tracked with other things.”
“Not an excuse. El’s my friend. Nothing’s more important than her.”
“Avery, you did what you could, and helped when you were needed most. And you’re right—she’ll be fine. It will just take time.” Her cats meowed pitifully, and Reuben looked down at them and laughed. “I think your cats are going stir crazy. Let me show you your room.”
He lifted her bag once more and took her up a small set of stairs, almost hidden in the corner of the kitchen, which led onto the first floor landing. He guided her down a series of passageways until he reached a door. He flung it open and announced, “Your room, madam. With Alex, of course—unless you’d rather have your own?”
“No, you twit, of course not.” She gasped as she looked at the room properly. “Holy cow, Reuben. This is amazing!”
“I know. This is all Alicia’s doing,” he said, referring to his brother, Gil’s dead wife. “She may have been a devious, two-faced, demon-summoning bitch, but she did have great design skills.”
Avery’s eyes were wide as she entered the room and admired the highly polished wooden floor covered in expensive Persian rugs, rich colours, gorgeous antique furniture, and fine linen. “Who normally sleeps here?”
“No one. I just make sure Deb, the housekeeper, keeps it ready.”
Avery marvelled at the awesome things that money could buy, and pulled the curtains back to peek at the view. The room overlooked the back garden that was partially illuminated with accent lights pointing up into the trees, but it was otherwise dark, a light grey colour marking the sea at the end of the garden.
She turned to him. “Thanks, Reuben. This is fantastic. You know I may never move out now.”
“And that would be fine. You have an en suite, too,” he said, pointing to a door on the right. “I’ll go back to the kitchen, come down when you’re ready. I thought we’d eat somewhere between seven and eight,” he said vaguely.
“What about the protection spell for the house?”
“We’ll do that later.” Halfway out of the door, he hesitated. “By the way, Briar’s about three doors down the hall, that way,” he said pointing to the left. “Laters.”
Once she was alone, Avery freed the cats, who scampered off to explore, stretching out as if they had been imprisoned for hours. Then she looked around the room again, unpacked her few belongings, gasped at the beauty of the bathroom, poked around in drawers and cupboards, and then threw herself on the bed and grinned. She loved her flat, but this was amazing. And she’d be sharing it with Alex. As she lay there, propped up on the full pillows, she realised how busy her head was with worries about Shifters, the Devices, strange portals, and Druids’ trees. Maybe she’d rest her eyes, just for a short while.
The next thing she knew, there was a light tapping at her door, and Briar called out, “Avery, are you all right?”
Avery peeled an eye open and groaned. “Yes, come in!”
Briar popped her head around the door. “Were you asleep?”
“I didn’t mean to be. It sort of snuck up on me.” She sat up, blinking the sleep away. “I didn’t know I was so tired.”
“Not surprising, considering you were attacked last night.” Briar headed over carrying two glasses of wine, one white and one red. She handed the glass of red to Avery. “Reuben sent me up with this.”
“Wow. He’s a great host.” She took an appreciative sip. “Perfect. And how are you?”
Briar sat on the end of the bed, legs crossed, sipping her wine. “Okay, but like you, I need a good sleep. Breaking that curse took it out of me. It was slippery.” She shuddered. “Yuck. How are your bruises?”
“It’s my ribs, really,” Avery said, feeling her left side. “I crashed onto Alex’s coffee table, and it completely winded me. Now it just aches.”
Briar considered her silently. “You were lucky. Things could have been much worse. Come on, let’s go and eat, and then we can protect this place—properly. I want a good night’s sleep without fear of attack.”
Reuben was waiting in the snug next to the kitchen, sitting next to El. It was a small, cosy living area, much less formal than the large lounge at the front of the house. It was filled with an overstuffed corner sofa, squashy armchairs, and a huge TV screen was fixed on the wall. An ornate wood burner was placed in the corner, and a crackling blaze heated the room.
“Hey, El! You’re up,” Briar said, sitting next to her. “How are you?”
El still looked pale. “I’ve been better, but I’ll survive.”
“Good to see you up and about,” Avery echoed. “At least you have Reuben to look after you.”
El laughed weakly. “He’s doing a great job. I can’t wait to eat some proper food.”
Reuben interrupted, pointing at
the screen. “Guess who’s on the TV?”
Newton’s face was there in close up, talking to the interviewer, and a view of Old Haven Church was in the background.
“Oh no,” Avery said, “has something else happened?”
“As predicted, quite a few ghost-hunters have turned up, trying to get access to the grounds, and the police have had to intervene. And look who’s there now.”
The interview was from earlier in the day. Dark grey skies loomed over the churchyard, and Newton was wearing a heavy coat with the collar turned up. Reuben turned the volume up, and they heard Newton explain how the Church had hired a private firm to protect the grounds. The camera panned back to show the alarmingly tall Gabreel staring intently at the interviewer as she asked, “Do you think this is overkill on the part of the Church to cordon off the grounds of a place of worship?”
Gabreel frowned. “My job is to protect the public from harm, and as there seems to be a hoaxer at this site who has no qualms about injuring innocent people, I think it’s the best thing the Church could do right now.”
“And how do you plan to protect this area?”
“I have half a dozen staff who will take turns monitoring the grounds, day and night.”
“Is that all? This is quite a large site.”
“I have a very effective team,” he said, with a look that almost dared her to disagree.
“But what will you do?” she pressed, clearly spoiling for an argument.
“Patrol the grounds.”
At his tone of finality, she turned back to Newton. “And do the police approve of this plan of action?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “The police are not a private security force. Obviously, we support this decision, and are currently working to identify the hoaxer. Several people were injured yesterday as a result of this hoax, and they will be prosecuted when found. The security firm allows us the time to follow up leads.”
The camera panned around now to frame the interviewer, who must be the perky blonde that Newton had referred to the day before. “So, for now, the Church grounds are closed, and we advise all ghost-hunters to stay away from the area for their own safety. Sarah Rutherford, Cornwall News.”
Reuben muted the TV again. “Do you think we should check the place out again?”
“Now?” Avery asked, horrified.
“No, tomorrow,” he said, looking at her like she’d gone mad. “Gabe’s up there doing his thing. I’m sure everything will be okay. And besides, the food is ready.”
They spent the rest of the evening eating, drinking, and relaxing, and by the time Alex arrived, Avery was already half dozing on the sofa, lulled by the warmth and good company. He joined them on the sofa after grabbing a beer.
“Everybody’s talking about Old Haven Church,” Alex informed the group.
“Everyone?” Avery asked, doubtful.
“Everyone! ‘Who’s responsible?’ ‘Is it serious?’ ‘How badly was the vicar hurt?’ ‘Is there a demon gateway in the Church grounds?’ ‘Is Halloween magic making spirits rise from the dead?’ ‘How bad will it get by the time Halloween arrives?’” He listed everything off and rolled his eyes. “Everyone has an opinion, and everyone wants this to be the worst thing possible. Most people are really excited, and quite a few are planning a midnight visit.”
Reuben laughed. “I’m tempted to go myself, just to see how Gabe handles it. Is Zee going?”
“Yep,” Alex answered in between sips of beer. “Not that he told the punters that. It will be a nice surprise for them to see him at his other job.”
El yawned and asked, “So, what now?”
Reuben smiled. “Now we ward the house with a kick-ass protection spell, and then we sleep.”
15
Avery was woken by the insistent ringing of her phone as it vibrated its way across the bedside table.
She grabbed it and answered before she even registered who was calling. “Yes?” she groaned.
A hysterical female voice answered. “Avery! Alice has taken Hunter and Holly! We need help!”
Avery’s brain kicked in and she shot up, aware of Alex waking next to her. Piper. She put the phone on speaker and flicked a lamp on. “What? Are you kidding?”
“No! They barged their way into the house, attacked Josh and me so we couldn’t fight, and have taken Hunter and Holly! I thought you said we were protected!” Anger entered Piper’s voice as she accused Avery of lying.
“You were! No, you are. I told them that.” She was halfway out of bed now. “Where have they taken them?”
“Cumbria, of course! To fight Cooper.”
“We’ll follow them,” Avery said decisively.
“You’ll come now?”
Alex intervened, a restraining hand on Avery’s arm. “No. There’s no point. We are not going to engage them on the road. It’s too dangerous for everyone. When will the challenge take place?”
“As soon as they can arrange it, probably midnight tomorrow. Maybe the day after. We have to go now!”
Avery’s mind was whirring with possibilities as she looked at Alex’s resigned face. “No, Piper, Alex is right. We can achieve nothing right now. But we will go with you, tomorrow morning. We’ll all travel together. Now, promise me that you’ll wait.”
Piper was silent for a moment. “What if they hurt them?”
“Be logical,” Alex said, his eyes heavy with sleep. “Hunter needs to fight, and Holly is collateral. We follow tomorrow. Agreed?”
Her voice was quiet. “Yes, okay. You won’t change your mind?”
“Absolutely not,” Avery said firmly. “I have a score to settle with them. They have violated your Sanctuary. See you tomorrow morning. We’ll be at yours at eight.”
She rang off and looked at Alex. “That bitch!”
“Caspian warned you about them.”
“These are their rules, not mine!”
“Maybe they didn’t think you meant it.”
“Did I sound like I meant it?”
“Yes. But they’re old school and used to getting their own way. Are you sure you want to follow them up there? This will get ugly.”
“Yes!” Avery said, incensed. “Don’t you?”
He held his hands up in surrender. “Of course! Now come here.” He spelled the lights out and lay down, pulling her close. “Try to sleep. We’ve got a long day tomorrow.”
***
The morning had started badly. Alex and Avery had met as agreed at the Shifters’ house, only to find that their Volvo had been sabotaged and wouldn’t start, and neither Alex nor Avery could spell it to start again. They ended up going back to Reuben’s in Avery’s van and borrowing Gil’s BMW that was still in the garage. Driving the seven-hour journey to Cumbria wasn’t possible with either Piper or Josh unsecured in the back of Avery’s van. By the time they left it was closer to nine, and the rush hour traffic was still in full swing. Alex was taking the first stint at the wheel, as he was far more used to the Cornish roads than Josh or Piper.
The one good thing about having to head up to Cumbria, Avery mused as Alex navigated onto the A roads that led to the motorway and the north, was that she could put off having to dress up as a witch in her own shop. When she phoned Sally to tell her she had to take a couple of days off, she accused her of doing it deliberately.
“I did not! This is an emergency,” she stressed. “I’m sorry, I really am. And I’ll get the others to keep an eye on you. Call either Briar or Reuben if you’re worried about anything. Or Newton.” She knew he’d help if he could. “Anything suspicious, don’t hesitate.”
“All right,” Sally sighed. “But I was looking forward to today.”
“I was looking forward to your cake, and to seeing you two dressed up. But I’ll be back, and I’ll wear that stupid costume then.”
“Stay safe, Avery. I don’t like the Devices, and I don’t trust them. Be careful.”
“I will,” she promised.
The other witches hadn’t been hap
py when she saw them at breakfast, either. “We should all go,” Reuben said recklessly. Now that El was better, his usual bounce had returned, and Avery could tell he was itching for action.
Alex just looked at him with a measured stare. “El is still recovering from her curse, and we still have a rogue witch down here. You three have to stay and look after White Haven. We’ll be okay.”
“Take my short sword,” El had insisted, referring to the sword she had fashioned that enhanced elemental magic. “You can collect it from my shop. You both wield it well, and it may help you.”
That sword was now in the boot of the car, and Avery could feel its magic from where she sat in the back next to Piper, who chewed her lip and fidgeted as she gazed out of the window.
“Tell me about the pack,” Avery said, as much to distract her as to learn more about what they were facing. “How many are in it?”
“About ten families, all spread across the small towns and villages in the Lake District. That makes about 30 or 40 Shifters,” she estimated.
“Including children?” Alex asked, listening as he drove.
Josh shook his head. “No. They are not full pack members until they hit 16.”
“And do regular people have relationships with Shifters?” Avery asked.
“Sure,” Piper said, “or else there would be a lot of incest! Consequently, not all children are Shifters. You can usually tell by the early teens. When hormones kick in, that’s when shifting starts. Some kids miss a lot of school until they start to control their changes. You really don’t want to shift in class!”
“So, I guess, you live under the radar, like we do?”
Josh looked over his shoulder. “Yep. Just as we told you. We have a regular business, but the pack always comes first. You swear fealty to it at 16.”
“Does the community know, or even suspect, that Shifters live among them?”
“Maybe, but no one says anything. We’re spread across the countryside. It’s big, remote, and we take care not to draw attention to ourselves.”