by Tanya Milne
I’d told Jet the basics of what had happened that night, but I hadn’t been ready to relive what had been the worst night of my life. My tongue felt twisted and my breath short.
‘You don’t have to – but when you’re ready, know that I’m here for you, ready to listen…as a friend.’
‘Thanks,’ I managed to mutter, curling back up inside myself like a coiled snake.
‘I’ll go get us some lunch,’ said Jet, leaving me alone with my thoughts and feelings that felt as stirred up as the souls we’d summoned last night – and planned to call again tonight.
Chapter Eleven
The sunset left the sky blushing like a young lady’s cheeks as she flirted with her first crush. Neither Jet nor I spoke as we watched the last of the sun fade away over the ocean and the darkness descend. Since our chat this morning, neither of us had been in the mood for idle chit-chat. The day had dragged and nighttime had brought relief, but also trepidation.
Tonight, Jet would be teaching me the second stage of dark magic – how to get the dead souls to follow commands.
‘Ready?’ said Jet, jumping up and offering me his hand.
‘Can’t wait,’ I said, taking his hand and starting to walk back along the path that would lead us well into the bush where we planned to practise.
‘You don’t have to do this,’ he said for the umpteenth time, following me and whistling to Boy, who quickly fell into step behind his master.
‘Yes, we do,’ I said, my patience finally snapping.
‘The thing is, this magic, it may change you, Eva. Is that what you really want?’
‘Well, I’m still the same after last night, aren’t I?’
‘That was just the first step.’
‘Come on, Jet, we’ve been over this. We’re going to need to use every bit of magic we’ve got. I can handle it.’
‘If anyone can handle it, you can. But remember how you felt when you were poisoned – well, that’s how you might feel…all the time. There’s no cure for that – if you choose that pathway.’
I stopped and turned to Jet, my ready words vanishing as his truth washed over me.
‘What do you mean, no cure? Surely, if I stop practising dark magic, the darkness will go away at some point.’
‘Like all witches, I know about the prophecy of the Fire Queen. For you to become the Fire Queen, your heart needs to be turned to darkness. As you know, if you become the Fire Queen, there’s no turning back, no returning to your old life. You will want to be their leader; you will want to do bad deeds…kill people.’
Goosebumps broke out on my skin. ‘I have many faults, but I’m no killer.’
‘Not now, but…if you were the Fire Queen – there would be no goodness left in you.’
The warmth from the spring day flew away, and the bitter cold returned with a bite.
‘The lessons I’m giving you basically teach you how to become the Fire Queen. The more you dabble in this kind of magic, the more chance you have of it changing you…forever. I would never wish that on you, not in a thousand years. And I would hate myself knowing that I’d helped do that to you. We can stop now and there’s no harm done.’
A fine film of mist grew in the trees around us.
‘What would it take to turn my heart to darkness?’ I whispered.
‘Knowing you the way I do, I’d say it would mean losing someone you love, or killing someone.’
I cleared my throat as my mind became crowded with dark thoughts.
‘I don’t want to be the Fire Queen. But I know I have to do whatever it takes to become powerful…to help my family. Please teach me, Jet.’
The weak moon had risen in the sky, and Jet turned his face up towards it.
‘I will only teach you because I promised, not because I think it’s a good idea.’
‘Thank you,’ I whispered.
‘So long as you don’t forget your promise to me. And you need to be careful, really bloody careful, because I couldn’t stand it if…’
‘A promise is a promise,’ I said, taking his hand.
‘Come on, let’s get this over and done with.’
Jet led the way, his knowledge of the bush making him at one with the landscape and the perfect guide. We walked in silence, but my thoughts were loud as I contemplated a possible future where I would command the dead – where I would want to kill.
A few weeks ago, the very thought would have felt unreal, as though it would never truly happen, but after being poisoned, I knew it was very much possible. Every time I dabbled in dark magic, it became more likely. The most sensible thing to do would be to stop now, focus on becoming stronger and learn as much white magic as possible. But I knew what Orpheus was capable of. The only real chance we had of saving my family was to fight him with everything we had – even if that meant risking turning to the dark side.
Tonight, we climbed even higher than the night before until we stood at the peak of the largest mountain. The night was dark, the clouds stealing the thin light from the moon. We stood in the middle of a rock clearing that felt as old as time itself.
‘This place is creepy,’ I whispered, rubbing my arms.
‘You think it’s creepy now,’ said Jet.
I stopped myself from gazing at the sloping rock grounds that would soon be filled with the dead who thirsted for me.
I cleared my throat. ‘What do I do once the dead are here?’
Jet rubbed his whiskers before fishing a jar from his pocket.
‘What’s that?’
Jet whistled for Boy, who was standing at the edge of the clearing, on guard. Within seconds, Boy stood beside Jet, who gave him the command to sit and stay.
Jet removed the lid from the jar. ‘This is smoky quartz crystal that I’ve ground up.’ Immediately Jet sprinkled the crystal in a large circle around where we stood. ‘This should help…prevent them from getting to us.’
Should?
‘Why didn’t we use it last night?’
Jet turned to me. ‘Last night I could stop them, but tonight – even I won’t be able to.’
‘What? Why?’ I asked, my heart skipping a beat.
‘Well, there’s one thing – apart from the Fire Queen – that the dead thirst for.’
Jet finished the circle and returned to me.
‘What do they want?’ I asked quietly.
Jet pulled a pocketknife from his jacket, then flicked it open and before I could stop him, he rolled back his jacket and slid the blade of the knife along his skin. For a split second, his incision was clean and white, but then blood seeped into his wound.
‘They want blood,’ he said, letting his blood drip out onto the ground.
‘You can’t be serious,’ I said, digging in my pocket for a handkerchief.
‘Don’t,’ he said when I went to dress his wound. ‘It’s better this way – they’ll do anything you ask…for blood.’
I froze, my mind filled with images of the dark creatures in a frenzy, trying to get to Jet and his blood.
‘Are you sure this is safe – for you?’
Jet hesitated for a second before he nodded.
‘It’s not, is it?’
Jet sighed. ‘The truth is, I’m not totally sure. I know the magic, but my parents wouldn’t let me practise it. I’m pretty sure we’ll be safe – inside here.’
‘Pretty sure?’
‘There’s no guarantees with white magic, but this magic, well, “pretty sure” is about as good as it gets, I’m afraid.’
‘I can’t let anything happen to you,’ I said, taking Jet’s hand.
‘I can manage myself. Now, shall we do this?’
My sure and steady breath became jagged, but I nodded.
‘You know how to call them. Now you know what to promise them. All you have to think of is what you want them to do for you.’
My mind ticked through the possibilities of a question I never dreamed I’d ask.
‘Okay,’ I said.
‘Ready?�
�
Every part of me wanted to run as fast as I could back to camp. Instead, I took a deep breath and agreed to something that would put both of our lives in danger.
‘Close your eyes, cast your spell and remember your terrible memory – let it fill you.’
I closed my eyes and whispered the word vocatio.
Then I let my mind fill with the demons of my past. Within seconds I heard them, the dead. The time they didn’t walk – they scuttled – screaming towards us – towards the blood. I opened my eyes and there they were, hundreds of the dead with their raggedy bones and decaying bodies, pushed up against the invisible wall that Jet had created with the crystals.
I screamed and started walking backwards, but Jet grabbed my hand and pulled me beside him. Boy stood and barked at the most terrifying sight I’d ever seen.
‘Tell them what to do,’ said Jet, not a request.
I took a deep breath, stepped forward and yelled, ‘Step back!’
At the sound of my voice, the creatures stopped. They turned their eyes from Jet to me before they attacked the invisible wall more ferociously.
Boy proceeded forward as though he meant to attack. Jet drew him back to his side.
‘How long will this protection last?’ I asked.
‘I don’t know. Try again – try commanding them.’
More of the dead now came forward and stacked themselves against the wall, moving it ever so slightly forward.
Boy growled and bared his teeth.
I held onto my screams and dug deep within myself. ‘By the light of the moon – the spirits of the sun – I command you to step away.’
More of the dead arrived and attacked the wall, pushing it closer.
‘Try something else – anything,’ yelled Jet.
In my mind came the voice of my twin, Elijah. C’mon, Eva – think! You can get rid of these suckers!
In the blink of an eye, I realised what these foul creatures needed to obey me. I stood tall, turned my full attention on them.
‘From the darkness of nights – from the souls of the dead – from the powers of evil…I command you to listen.’
The creatures froze, their bodies twisting to face me, sending chills through my bones. Jet nudged me. I took hold of his exposed arm. The creatures launched themselves towards Jet. The wall pressed closer. Boy growled as he edged his way forward.
‘Is this what you want?’ I asked them.
The dark forces lost all control. For a moment, I felt we were about to be eaten alive.
‘Hurry the hell up!’ said Jet, freeing his arm and scrambling to get Boy, who was dangerously close to the edge of the barrier.
But Jet was too late. One of the creatures strained so ferociously against the barrier that it reached Boy. My heart stopped. The creature didn’t hesitate – it descended towards Boy. Jet launched himself on top of Boy, his body – his blood exposed to the creatures.
‘STAND BACK!’ I screamed, my hair rising on end, my voice sounding like a demon’s and a red light shimmering from me. The creatures immediately stood back.
Jet hauled Boy back into the circle and then he turned towards me, terror etched into his face.
‘I BID YOU TO BUILD ME A TEMPLE!’
The words were out of my mouth before I had thought them through. In seconds, the hundreds of foul creatures bowed and then they went to work. I watched in mortified horror as the creatures built me a temple of stone and darkness. Together they built a wall of rocks and then they dug down, deep into the earth where they carved me a throne of black stone.
Then one by one, they returned, thirsty for the promised blood.
‘A promise is a promise,’ said Jet, whose face was as white as the crystal on the ground as he held out his arm.
As I gazed at his blood, something deep and sticky stirred inside me.
Jet’s eyes opened wide.
‘Give me your knife,’ I said.
From his pocket he passed me his knife, his hand trembling.
‘Stand still,’ I said.
The creatures were silent now, their every sense focused on the blood, as was mine.
I slid the knife quickly up his arm, collecting droplets of his blood, and then I turned to the creatures.
‘This is your payment,’ I said before flicking the blood through the air.
The creatures launched themselves at it like a pack of wild dogs attacking their prey. Jet and Boy were transfixed by the scene of terror before us. All I could smell was blood. My mind descended into another realm of desire and darkness, and it took a sharp nudge from Jet to return me to the moment.
Bit by bit, an old memory, a happy memory formed. It grew and grew until it was so bright that the darkness disappeared.
‘Discedo!’ I shouted.
Immediately, the dark creatures disappeared and so did my taste for blood. I fell onto my knees and dry retched.
‘Eva,’ said Jet, dropping beside me, taking me in his arms. ‘You did it! I can’t believe it. You were terrifying…and amazing.’
I began to shake violently.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I…don’t…know,’ I said, the fever I’d finally gotten rid of resting lightly back on my skin. Except this time I knew that no treatment would work; I had chosen this.
‘Shit!’ said Jet. ‘It’s the darkness – it’s…’
‘Changing me,’ I said, tears rushing to my eyes as I realised the truth in the saying, If you play with fire, you’re going to get burned.
Jet turned to me for the third time in the last ten minutes. ‘You don’t have to do this, you know.’
I positioned his head back to the front, sharper than I’d intended.
‘Lucky for you, you don’t have to look at yourself, but for me – not so lucky.’
Jet chuckled. ‘Do I really look that bad?’
‘Yes,’ I said, picking up my scissors and starting to cut his unruly, wavy hair.
Jet let out a long sigh and gave over to letting me cut his hair. Eventually, he closed his eyes and relaxed. I recalled being a young girl when my auntie taught me how to cut hair. I’d been thrilled, of course, but I’d never thought it was a skill that I would need one day. For a brief moment, I remembered being in my auntie’s house. It could be described as shabby chic, with whitewashed walls, oversized floral couches and little trinkets wherever you glanced. As cute as it was, its appearance wasn’t what made me yearn for being there. Inside its walls was the heavy, deeply comforting presence of love and safety, something I’d always taken for granted.
I returned back to the cloudy, cool spring morning, where a fever now lived in my skin.
‘You okay?’ asked Jet, opening an eye.
I realised my hands had stopped moving.
‘Sorry, yes,’ I said.
‘Not feeling…any worse?’ asked Jet, his other eye opening.
‘Nope,’ I said, recollecting to the night before when taking command of the dark spirits had made me sick.
Jet had helped me back to camp, where I’d collapsed in bed, shaking and fevered. Jet had slipped back into carer’s mode and had given me the potion that helped make me better last time. It had relieved my symptoms, for sure, but the truth was, it was no longer a cure and we both knew it.
Eventually I’d fallen into a deep sleep, where the dark creatures were waiting. It had been a long, tortured kind of night. When I’d woken, I’d still felt warm, but in another way somehow stronger as well.
‘Close your eyes,’ I said, an edge to my voice.
Jet closed his eyes and I felt my body relax. All morning he’d been staring at me as though I was no longer the same person. He’d grilled me with question after question. It was obvious that last night’s spells had done more than make my body sick – it appeared my mind had been infected as well.
All day Jet had begged me not to learn the last of the dark magic spells, but I knew there was no turning back now. In four days we would return to Melas to try and rescue my famil
y, and I needed every ounce of power I could muster.
Jet groaned as I ran my fingers through his shorter hair. On the ground around him lay his dark curls. I would never tell him, but I liked his hair longer and a little wilder. He’d always been gorgeous, but living in the outdoors had changed him in so many ways. He was stronger and bigger – finally grown into his body. But his face was leaner, his eyes darker, and his cheekbones appeared chiselled into his olive skin.
I moved to stand in front of him and began cutting again. The truth was, it was impossible not to stare at him, but it would have been far safer not to. My heart might have been nailed shut, but there was something so beautiful and raw about him now that being so close to him made my skin burn even hotter.
He opened his eyes and met my gaze, an electrical current passing through us. I cleared my throat and waited for him to turn away, to return me to peace. He didn’t.
‘Please, Eva – don’t learn any more dark magic.’
I tugged on his hair and concentrated on cutting a straight line.
‘You know that I’ve made up my mind.’
He appeared to be wrestling for control of his emotions. ‘I don’t know anyone who has practised the dark magic you want to learn. Even the black witches won’t cast the spell.’
My skin flushed hot and cold.
I didn’t know the spell he referred to, but I knew the dark magic Jet didn’t want to teach me – the killing curse.
‘Just because I’ll know the magic doesn’t mean I will use it,’ I said, tousling his hair.
Jet reached out and took my arm, sending pulses of his energy through me.
‘Oh no you don’t,’ I said, standing back from him. ‘There’s nothing you can say or do that will change my mind. I simply need to know how to–’
‘Kill someone…’
‘I’m done,’ I said, turning and packing away the scissors.
‘If you ever kill anyone – you know what will happen, don’t you?’ he said.
‘We’ve been over this,’ I said, my voice terse. ‘I’ll become the Fire Queen. Yes, I know.’