by T J Green
Avery sat down, pushed a cup of coffee in front of him, and then cut them both a large slice of cake. Before she spoke, she had a couple of bites of her own, hoping to relax herself as well as him. When she woke up that morning, she did not imagine she’d be having tea with the local vicar in her shop.
“So James, this is obviously difficult for you to be here. Why don’t you tell me what’s happening at All Souls?”
He rubbed his face with his hands, and then reached for his cake, taking a bite and chewing slowly, and all the time he watched her. “Before I tell you, I want to know if you’re discreet. I don’t want this all over the town.”
She nodded. “I’m very discrete. Nobody wants panic in White Haven.”
“Why did Ben and Cassie say you could help? They were very vague. There’s no point to me telling you anything if you can’t help.”
“I have a friend who is good at exorcism. Very good, in fact.”
James frowned. “Does he belong to the Catholic church? That’s the sort of thing they do.”
Avery almost choked on her cake. “No, he does not. He has independent affiliations.”
James glanced around the room again and Avery felt sorry for him. He was obviously very conflicted.
“James, please tell me. I want to help. What did Ben and Cassie find?”
“Their EMF meter readings were high. They agreed that I was not going mad.”
“I’m sure you’re not, but I’m going to need more than that.”
A small smile crept across James’s face and she saw him start to relax. “Sorry. This is all very strange for me.”
“I understand. Now, from the beginning.”
“It started a couple of weeks ago. The energy in the church changed. It’s quite odd, and I can’t explain it, but it’s like something else is there.” He frowned as he thought. “Anyway, for a few days there was nothing but this strange feel to the place. I’ve worked there for years, so I know this is new. And then I was working in the sacristy and I felt as if I was being watched. I turned around and saw nothing, but the air got very cold around me. It was most uncomfortable. And then the next night, the same thing happened, and I saw a ghostly shape in the doorway—just for a second, and then it went. It was shapeless, amorphous, but I sensed intelligence and something malignant. I nearly had a heart attack and I left, right in the middle of writing my sermon.”
“Why do you say malignant? What did it do?””
“Nothing, but it just seemed to watch me—study me. I know that sounds strange, it didn’t have eyes that I could see. But it was so uncanny. I had to force myself to go in the next day.” He sighed, stealing himself to go on. “And then it appeared again, same time, same place, but this time for longer. It was like a dark presence just on the edge of my vision. It didn’t hurt me, it was just there. But every night since it has returned, and although it sounds odd, I sense that it’s growing stronger. The verger has also seen it, an older man called Harry, and despite his faith, he’s very scared. And it’s started moving things—the flowers, the Bible, the prayer books. We have to do something before it appears in a service, or at a wedding or a christening, or a funeral. Can you imagine?”
Avery nodded. “I would think you’d lose all of your worshippers.”
“And the papers would come, and the archbishop would be involved,” he said, his voice rising. “We need to do this quickly. I can’t believe I’m even having this conversation.”
Avery sat, thinking. They obviously had to help him. All Souls was at the centre of the whole magical release, and it had obviously disturbed a resting spirit. “Do you have any idea of who it may be?”
“I think it’s a what more than a who.” He shrugged. “I know that sounds stupid, but you were right earlier. I’ve come across restless spirits before now. Churches always have them, but this is different. Very different. That’s why I called Ben.”
“I think we can help, James. Would you like me to contact my friend? We can come tonight, if that helps?”
Relief swept across his face. “Yes, please. The sooner, the better. It appears to be most visible at about nine in the evening. Can you come then?”
“Of course. Probably best if you leave us to it, once you’ve let us in.”
“Oh no,” he said, shaking his head. “I need to see this, to know it’s done. And I believe Ben and Cassie want to be there, too.”
7
Alex leaned across the bar, looking incredulous. “Are you kidding me?”
“No. He’s desperate, Alex.”
“I get that, but he’s a bloody vicar, Avery,” he hissed, “at the place where we performed some very big juju.”
“I know, Alex. I was there. The big juju is responsible for this,” she hissed back. “We are responsible for this.”
“But we’ll be doing magic in front of the vicar.”
“Catholic priests used to do this,” she pointed out. “They might still, in fact. He asked if you were a Catholic, and of course I said no. But, can we make it look religious?”
“I suppose we’ll bloody have to,” he said, frowning. “Give me half an hour and I’ll be with you.”
Avery grinned and grabbed her glass of wine, perching on a bar stool to drink it.
It was 7.00 PM now, and she’d headed to The Wayward Son once she’d closed the shop and straightened up her flat. Having James visit reminded her that she had all sorts of magical things strewn around and she needed to take them up to her attic. If, for some reason, he’d come to her flat, things would have looked really weird.
As Avery sat looking around the crowded pub, she saw the main door swing open and Newton came in with Briar. She grinned and waved, wondering if they were on a date. Briar looked flushed with happiness. Maybe not, she thought, as she looked at Newton’s face. He was frowning. Again.
“Hi guys,” she said, as they each pulled out a barstool. “How are you?”
“Annoyed,” Newton said. “Since meeting you, my life has become very complicated.”
Briar just grinned. “Hi Avery, lovely to see you. And Newton doesn’t mean it. He enjoys it, really. He said so the other night.”
“The other night?” Avery questioned, raising her eyebrow. “So you two have been spending some time together? How nice.”
“He has asked me to go over the finer points of what we do,” she said discretely as Newton turned away to order their drinks. “He feels it will enable him to help us better in the future.”
“Of course it will,” Avery nodded, trying to keep a straight face. “I presume you did this over wine and a nice meal. Sounds very pleasant. Of course, he does get the added bonus of your fabulous company.”
“He’s been the perfect gentleman, Avery. I think you’re getting the wrong idea.”
“Sure I am. Did you cook?”
“No, he did, actually.” Briar squirmed slightly. “I went to his house. He said he wanted to repay me for looking after his burns and healing him. He’s a very good cook.” During their defeat of a demon a few weeks before, Newton had sustained some nasty burns.
“Really? That is nice, isn’t it?” Avery started to smirk. “Did you enjoy it?”
“We had a lovely evening, thank you, Avery, and then I went home, so you can wipe that smirk off your face,” Briar said primly.
“I’m not smirking.”
“You so are,” she said.
Avery glanced over to Newton, who was still pre-occupied at the bar. “But he likes you, I can tell. You must know, Briar.”
“I don’t know. I think you’re imagining things.” Briar looked slightly put out, and maybe regretful.
“He’s playing the long game,” Avery said, sipping her wine. “Just for the record, I’d like to say that I approve. I like him. He suits you. You’ll make a lovely couple.”
Briar was just about to say something very rude, Avery could tell from her outraged expression, when Newton slid a glass of white wine in front of her.
“What are y
ou two looking all sneaky about?” he asked.
“Nothing at all,” Briar said, breezily. She changed the subject deftly. “You’d better tell her your news.”
Avery frowned. “What now?”
Newton leaned on the bar. “Have you heard about the man who disappeared from the fishing boat?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Well, it’s been logged as an accident, but there’s no sign of his body. It was a calm night, and we should have found his body by now, but I guess tides do strange things sometimes. He may turn up yet.”
“Any suggestion of lights?”
Newton shook his head. “Nothing. One minute he was there, the next he’d gone. I wonder if there was some sort of Mermaid magic involved—apparently, all the crew looked a little dazed and glassy-eyed. We’ll probably never know what truly happened.” He gazed into his pint, depressed.
“Are you leading it?”
“No. It’s not a murder investigation. I’ve just been privy to some of the details.”
“Well,” Avery said, “I have news for you.” She filled them in on Ben and Cassie’s visit, and then her afternoon call from James.
“I know James,” Newton said thoughtfully.
“Do you?” Briar asked. “Is he okay? I mean, will he start pulpit preaching about demons and witches?”
“I hope not. He doesn’t strike me as the superstitious type, but I suggest you keep your real nature to yourselves. Not many will like the fact that there are witches in White Haven. Especially the Church.”
Avery grinned. “Alex is going to use a Latin spell—it’s what they used in medieval times when the priests were involved in necromancy. Hopefully it will throw James off the fact that we’re also using magic. I’ve told James it’s an exorcism.”
Newton frowned. “Priests were involved in necromancy?”
“Oh yes. In medieval times, the crossover between magic and religion was enormous. I mean, really, what’s the difference between a miracle and magic?” Avery shrugged and laughed. “Nothing, except the Church endorsed one and denied the other. The saints replaced the pagan gods. That’s how they managed to keep converting pagans to Christianity, by renaming pagan celebrations and incorporating them into the Church calendar. And then they converted everything to Latin—the language of Catholicism. Remember, this was way before Henry VIII and the Church of England.”
Newton’s mouth dropped open. “Really! I’d never thought about miracles and magic like that before. Sneaky.”
“Very.”
Briar asked, “Do you need any help?”
“No.” Avery shook her head. “One spirit only. Should be manageable. And we want to keep this simple. I don’t want to glamour the vicar. It should be pretty straight forward. I hope.”
***
The main entrance of All Souls was closed, and Alex and Avery headed around to the side door where they found James waiting nervously. He looked at Alex with interest as Avery introduced them. “I understand you’ve done this before?” he asked, as he led them inside to the sacristy.
“Several times, and always with success,” Alex said, reassuringly.
“Good. I really want this to stop. Harry said he wouldn’t return again if I didn’t sort it out soon. Like this is something I normally deal with on a daily basis!”
“Are Cassie and Ben here?” Avery asked.
James nodded and called back over his shoulder. “Yes, and their friend, Dylan. They are in the nave at the moment, taking readings.”
They entered a small stone and wood-panelled room at the rear of the church. Vestments hung on the walls, and there was a small desk covered in a pile of papers beneath a high window.
“So, this is where you see your ghostly visitor?” Alex asked, looking around.
“Yes. As you can see, my back is to the door when I’m sitting here. The ghost appears in the doorway, and then from there moves to the rest of the church.” He shivered. “I can feel it behind me. It’s most unnerving.”
Understatement of the year.
Avery could feel the magic they had released hanging in the still air of the church. Beyond that, she sensed a different energy signature, which must be the spirit. At the moment, it was faint.
“Let me take you through to the nave,” James said, and he turned and led the way out through the chancel, past the entrance to the crypt, toward the pulpit and the nave where the paranormal investigators were setting up some of their equipment.
Cassie turned and waved. “Hi guys. Good to see you again.”
“Sooner than I expected,” Alex said with a wry smile. He dropped his voice so James couldn’t hear. “Not planning on filming us, I hope?”
“Not you.” She nodded to where James was chatting to Dylan. “Just the ghost. And James forbade us from mentioning the church on film. Didn’t want this getting out on social media or the TV. And of course we honour that. Full confidentiality. But he did give us permission to monitor everything else. I think he’s really interested in it all!”
“Good,” Alex said, “or else I would have to fry your recording.”
Cassie looked at him, wide-eyed. “I suppose you could.”
“And would. Never forget that,” Alex said, winking. “And it goes without saying that you keep our names out of your reports, too.”
“No problem,” she answered, almost stuttering.
“Try not to scare Cassie again, Alex,” Avery said, patting his arm before looking at their equipment. It was a very impressive, professional set up. “You’ve got some pretty interesting stuff here, Cassie.”
“We get funding through the university.”
A shiver ran through Avery as she looked around the church. It looked so peaceful and unassuming. The pews were of polished wood, the flowers were fresh, late evening sunshine streamed thought the stained glass windows casting the interior in a rosy glow, and there wasn’t a speck of dust in sight. But, the last time they were here, they had everything to lose—including her life. Somewhere below her feet was the secret space where Octavia and the demon had been bound and Alex had opened up the portal to cast the demon out of their reality, back to its own. And then a horrible thought struck her. When Alex had opened the portal, spirits of some sort had escaped. She had seen them when she spirit walked. What if one of those was still here in the church, seeking to do harm?
Avery pulled on Alex’s arm and led him away to where they couldn’t be overheard. “Do you remember me telling you that I had seen spirits exit through the dimensional doorway you opened?”
He frowned. “I think so. A lot of things happened that night.”
“What if we’re wrongly assuming it’s a regular spirit that the magic has sort of re-energised, and actually it’s something else far darker and malevolent? James said it was different from anything he’s felt before.”
“Like what? I mean, regular spirits can carry a lot of negative energy. It could just be very pissed at being disturbed after centuries of rest.”
“I don’t know. It can’t be a demon, but maybe it’s an evil spirit? Something cast in purgatory. Let’s face it—we don’t know what dimension you opened. Is there more than one? Are there hundreds? That could have been Hell itself!”
Alex’s dark brown eyes were suddenly troubled. “As far as I’m aware, the only other dimension is the spirit or elemental world that exists alongside, but separate from, our own. I admit, I don’t know the extent of what else is in there. Maybe it is Hell, but Hell is a Christian concept.”
For once, Alex wasn’t being sarcastic and cocky, and they stared at each other for a few moments, pondering the possibilities of the spirit world.
The scratchy whine of the EMF meter cut through the air and Alex and Avery spun around quickly. Ben held up his hand. “It’s okay. We’re just taking some basic measurements. We’ll be finished soon.”
Alex turned back to Avery. “Come on, let’s see what they’re doing. We can handle whatever it is.”
Avery�
��s heart was heavy. While she was pleased that Alex felt so confident, and she did have faith in his abilities, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different—that this wasn’t like the spirits they had encountered at the castle the other night.
She shook off her dread and listened to Dylan. “You see, Alex, we have to get base readings first to figure out what’s normal and what’s not. The great thing about a church is the low levels of electricity.” He gestured around. “Sure, there are electric lights and heating, but it’s minimal in such a big space. No computers help a lot.”
Cassie added, “I’m recording our initial readings, and I’ve also recorded the temperatures in various parts of the church. Now, if anything happens, we’ll have a concrete record of change.”
Dylan lowered his voice. “Although, if it’s anything like the other night, it’ll be pretty freaking obvious.”
Alex sighed. “That’s very true. But, I think this is going to be a bit different.”
“How do you know?” Ben asked, finally putting the EMF monitor down.
“It’s my witchy senses.”
“Is that a thing?” Dylan sounded doubtful.
“You’d be surprised.”
Avery laughed, despite the odd situation. Alex never failed to amuse her. He was so confident and so funny, and yet he never once patronised the others. Alex caught her gaze and smiled, and she felt her stomach somersault.
James joined them. “Have I missed anything? I was just trying to contact Harry.”
“No,” Alex reassured him. “I was observing these guys. It’s pretty fascinating. How is Harry?”
James paused and ran his hands through his hair. “I’m a little worried, actually. I haven’t seen him at all today, and he’s not answering his phone.”
Avery glanced worriedly at Alex and then said to James, “Could he be ill at home?”
“Not as far as I’m aware. He was due in this morning, but maybe he was too spooked to come. However, he hasn’t phoned, and he normally would.”