by T J Green
For what seemed like several minutes nothing happened, and Alex murmured in frustration. “They are resisting me. I can feel him, the one I spoke to, at the edge of my consciousness, but he’s pushing me away.” He looked up at them. “Do you trust me?”
“What?” Reuben asked, confused. “Yes, why?”
Avery frowned. “What are you thinking?”
“I have an idea.” He shuffled back so he was part of the circle, not removed from it, and linked hands with Avery and Briar, who sat either side of him.
“I’m going to try again, so don’t get freaked out. I need your power directly, so you’ll feel me draw on you.”
They started the spell again and summoned the elements one by one into the circle, magnifying their power, while Alex stared into the crystal ball. Sparks started to dance across its surface, and once again, the outside world fell away until only the crystal ball and its swirling darkness remained. And then, with a sudden snap, Avery felt as if she had plunged headlong into its darkness, falling at a giddy speed she couldn’t control.
For a few seconds she was terrified, but then she felt Alex’s strong, calming presence, and then Briar, Reuben, and El as their spirits all linked and their thoughts swirled around hers. The darkness cleared slightly, and Avery could make out the indistinct shape of a room. With a shock she heard raised voices, and saw the huge shapes of the Nephilim, still cloaked in shadows.
A deep, resonant voice boomed out, and Avery found she could understand every word. “You intrude again, witch. Have you learnt nothing?”
Alex spoke. “We need your help. I only want to talk.”
“You have no right to ask for anything. Leave this place, and leave us in peace.”
“I have every right. It is thanks to us and the doorway that we opened that you are here. Without us you would still be trapped in the spirit world.”
A silence fell briefly before their voices rose again, arguing with each other. Eventually, their spokesman asked, “What would you have us do?”
“The Daughters of Llyr are threatening us. We need your help.”
Avery felt the anger ripple around the room. “We will not interfere in the affairs of men.”
“You have already interfered,” Alex insisted. “You are here, killers of innocent humans. You need to make amends.”
“We slaughtered cattle.”
“And before them, five humans. My memory is not that short. We demand penance.”
The figures shifted, moving closer and murmuring together, until another spoke. “You seek to draw us into the light to destroy us.”
“No. That is not our plan.” Alex’s voice was calm and reasonable. “The Daughters of Llyr will kill many. We need help. We are not strong enough to defeat them alone.”
“And what will we get in return?”
“What do you want?”
“To live once more among men.”
“But you are Nephilim, the sons of angels and human women. Your reputation is one of violence.”
“Your stories lie. We were feared for our strength, but we threatened only those who threatened us.”
Alex persisted. “But how will you live? Do you even look human? We have seen only your spirit form. The world is not as you left it. Many creatures that are not human have to hide their true nature or risk persecution. Even us.”
Again there was silence, and the tension around them was palpable, the shadows deep and impenetrable. Despite her best efforts, Avery could not see the Nephilim. She could feel the other witches, their fear and curiosity, but she could also feel the Nephilim and some of their desperate need to find a way into existence. And then, as if they had come to some unspoken agreement, the shadows lifted and they emerged out of the gloom.
The light revealed seven tall men, all naked, their hair long, faces bearded, and their eyes intense. Swirling tattoos covered their arms and their chests. And they were perfect male specimens. Avery wasn’t sure if her spirit form could be seen, but she knew she was staring. She couldn’t help it. Their limbs had sculpted muscles, and their abs were well defined, but some were blond, others dark-haired, and their skin colour ranged from brown to white. They looked like warriors.
“Where are your wings?” Alex asked.
One of the Nephilim spoke, his familiar voice indicating he was the one Alex had the psychic link with. His hair and skin were dark, his eyes a bright blue, and his teeth gleamed white in the light. He looked amused as he stared at them, making Avery think he could see them in some way. “Invisible to you now. We can hide them, but they are a part of us and always will be. Are we human enough for you?”
“Very. But you should find some clothes,” Alex said, amusement in his voice. “You can speak English now?”
“We are the sons of angels, our language will adapt to anything.”
“But how will you live?”
All seven Nephilim laughed. “We will find a way. This place,” the dark-haired one gestured around him, and Avery realised they were in an old mine shaft, one of dozens spread across Cornwall, “is temporary. A place for us to find our strength. There will be no more killing of humans or cattle.”
“Good. In that case, once you have helped us banish the Daughters of Llyr, we will not pursue you, and you will be free to live in peace—as long as you do not kill humans again,” Alex warned. “Otherwise, there will be consequences.”
The spokesman looked at his companions, and they all nodded. “It is agreed. We will destroy the Children of Llyr. Name the place, witch.”
“White Haven. The place you first found when you left the spirit world.”
He nodded. “The place that sits beneath the magic.”
Avery felt her heart sink. What the hell were they going to do about that?
“Yes, that place. On the night of Lughnasadh, under the full moon. Nine nights from now.”
“Agreed.”
Doubt crept into Alex’s voice. “How will we find you?”
The Nephilim smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I will contact you again. Our word is law. We will be there.”
And then they were plunged back into darkness, and Avery felt Alex pull them back into the circle.
***
“Holy crap!” Reuben exclaimed, “That was insane.”
Even though the light was low, all of them blinked as they adjusted to returning to their own bodies. Except they hadn’t really left their bodies, Avery reflected, not like spirit walking.
Her heart was pounding and her mouth was dry, and she felt Alex give her hand a squeeze, and she looked at him and smiled. “Well done.”
El nodded, stretching like a cat. “Yes. Well done, Alex. That was so odd. I’ve never done that before.”
“Or met a Nephilim, for that matter,” Briar said. “Well, seven of them.”
Newton stepped in front of them and crouched in front of the fire, just outside of the circle. “Success?”
“You couldn’t hear anything?” Alex asked, a frown creasing his face.
“Not a thing. You all fell very silent and still. Like you’d turned to statues.”
Reuben grinned. “Like I said. Insane! And yes, success. They will help us, in exchange for letting them live.”
Newton looked incredulous. “They have killed five people!”
“And will help save many more,” Alex said. He released the power in the circle and broke the ring of salt. “We need them, Newton.”
“We shouldn’t make deals with murderers.”
“The police make deals all the time with lesser offenders in order to catch the big guys,” Reuben pointed out.
Briar spoke softly. “So, what’s your solution to the Mermaids, then?”
Newton glared at her, and then stood, pacing off his anger. “I haven’t got one. Can’t you use your magic?”
“We are using our magic, but we need them. You know we do,” she said, appealing to him.
“Bollocks! I don’t like this,” he exclaimed.
<
br /> Avery started to clear the circle, thinking on their options and the days they had left. “Newton, in a few days’ time, we could lose many men to these Mermaids. We’re running out of time. Our plan is a good one. Sometimes, you have to choose your enemies. I trust the word of the Nephilim. It doesn’t mean I like what they’ve done, but they’re trying to survive.”
Newton strode to Alex’s fridge, grabbed a beer, and took a long drink.
Briar leaned on the counter and watched him. “What will you do about the five deaths?”
“We’ll have to blame some nut job who’s now disappeared. They will remain unsolved. What else can I do?”
“I’m sorry,” Briar said. “But at least you know it won’t happen again.”
Newton shook his head. “My morals feel very ambiguous right now. I don’t like it. It’s like I’m living a double life.” He stared into the distance for a few seconds, and then downed his beer. “I have to go. I’ll be in touch.”
Without a backward glance, he strode across the room and out the door, leaving the others staring after him.
24
The next day was Friday, and Avery was relieved it was the end of the week. She was looking forward to Sunday and a day off. She contacted Oswald and arranged to meet Ulysses at lunchtime in a pub in Mevagissey. For some reason, Oswald had insisted on coming too, as if Ulysses needed a minder. Avery didn’t care, as long as she could talk to Ulysses again. She had a minder of sorts, too. Alex was joining her.
“I feel two of us will be more persuasive,” he argued along the way.
“Alex, you can come with me anywhere,” she teased.
Mevagissey was undoubtedly one of the prettiest places Avery had ever visited. It was a small town, little more than a village, nestled on a sloping hill overlooking the sea, and its winding streets ran down to the harbour, the buildings jostling together.
They took Avery’s Bedford van, following the main road down to the harbour, where the streets became increasingly narrow. Before they went too far, she found a parking spot on one of the side streets, and then set off on foot to the pub.
Alex pulled her into his side, wrapping his arm around her as they continued to walk. “I hope Ulysses thinks logically. He didn’t look too keen to get involved the other day.”
“No. But we have a plan now,” Avery reasoned.
They rounded a corner and found the harbour spread before them, glittering in the sunlight. Avery could smell fish and chips mixed with the cool scent of briny water. She smiled. Seaside towns all smelt the same. It was reassuring.
The Salty Dog Tavern overlooked the harbour, and the sound of voices spilled out of the open door onto the street. They edged through the crowded entrance, where a few smokers hung around, coughing into their cigarettes, and then made their way to the bar. As Alex bought drinks, Avery checked the room out.
It was a small pub with a long bar and a mismatched collection of tables and chairs, and it was filled with sea and sailing paraphernalia—old nets, buoys, shells, and lobster pots. The smell of food filled the air, and most of the tables were occupied.
They found Oswald and Ulysses in a large back room, sitting at a table in the corner beside an empty fireplace. They both looked at them warily.
“Hi guys,” Avery said breezily, sitting down next to them and taking a sip of the pint of Guinness that Alex had bought her.
“You don’t have to look so worried,” Alex told them.
“I think we do,” Oswald answered. “You want Ulysses’s help. He’s said no.”
“I get that you’re worried, Ulysses, but we have a plan,” Avery explained. There was no point in making small talk; Oswald had made that pretty clear.
Ulysses’s bulk was still impressive, particularly in a small, crowded pub. He leaned back, staring at them impassively, his green eyes giving away nothing.
She lowered her voice. “We think they will make their move during the Lughnasadh celebrations on the beach in White Haven. I know because Nixie, their leader of sorts, told me herself. She’s challenging us to some kind of show of power.” Avery could hear her voice rising with frustration. “The Nephilim have agreed to help us. So has Eve. She will bring a storm in on that night, big enough to mask us and what we must do. The storm will dispel the crowds, too, and hopefully allow us to fight the Mermaids unseen.”
“The Nephilim?” Ulysses asked, his voice smooth as butter. “And what made them agree to help?”
“The promise of freedom,” Alex said.
Oswald’s eyebrows shot up. “Freedom? Is that wise?”
“Yes, I think so,” Alex said, confidently. “They are now fully physical in appearance, and they want to live among men again. They promise they will not kill again.”
Oswald snorted. “So you’ve made a deal with devils.”
Alex leaned forward, his eyes hard and his expression grim. “Your precious Council will not help because everyone’s scared, but Genevieve didn’t really want to call it that. And of course, it’s a punishment of sorts for our transgressions in breaking the binding spell. Except we’re not the ones being dragged into the murky depths. We’re not the ones who will lose partners, fathers, husbands and sons if the Mermaids succeed! I’m not prepared to just let that happen, Oswald. Are you?”
Oswald swallowed and looked nervously at Ulysses. But Ulysses still watched them, impassive and silent.
Avery spoke, her hand on Alex’s arm. “If we do this, the Mermaids will be gone for good. I’m presuming the ones in Mevagissey will join the celebrations in White Haven. They won’t be here to threaten you any longer, and they will know that we are too strong for them. They won’t come back.”
“I knew you would return,” Ulysses said, watching them with sadness. “It was inevitable, and it is my fate.” He closed his eyes briefly. “I was a fool to fight it.”
“I promise we will help you,” Avery said.
“You will draw on your reserve of magic above the town?” Ulysses asked.
Avery frowned and blinked. Of course they could, why hadn’t she thought of that? It was theirs to use as they chose. “Yes. And so will Eve.”
Ulysses shifted his massive bulk as he made himself more comfortable. “Let me use it too, and I will help you.”
Alex and Avery glanced at each other, surprised. “You’ll help?” Avery asked.
“Yes. But I’ll need to draw on your magic. The Mermaids will mix with the revellers, they will charm and bewilder, until everyone, man and woman alike, is almost drugged with pleasure. And then they will take their chosen men to the water’s edge, and walk them to their doom. The sea will rise to swallow them, and drown those that are left. They have challenged you to a duel. I will need to stop the giant waves, and I must draw on your magic to do so.”
“Yes, of course,” Avery agreed. “We will lend our strength to yours, and the Nephilim will take on the Mermaids, too. We will attack on several fronts—it’s the only way.”
“In that case,” Oswald said, making a sudden decision that caught them all off guard, “I will be there, too. We will see you on Lughnasadh.” And with that declaration he stood, closely followed by Ulysses, and left Avery and Alex gaping at their backs.
***
When she returned to the shop, Dan was there, dreamy and pale, and clearly focussed on other things. Fortunately, Sally had returned to work that morning.
“What’s going on with Dan?” she asked, drawing Avery into a quiet corner of the bookshop. “I’ve never seen him look so distracted.”
“Girl trouble,” Avery said, watching him surreptitiously.
“Oh, that’s nice, isn’t it?” Sally asked, falteringly.
“No, not at all. He’s in thrall to a Mermaid.”
“He’s what?” Sally exclaimed. “Can’t you do something?”
Avery looked at her, annoyed. “I am doing everything I can. Mermaids are very powerful, and their magic is different from ours, rooted in the oceans and the power of Llyr. It’s making
life difficult.”
“But what will happen to him?”
“He’ll become a Merman—unless we can break their spell and terrify them with our magic so much that they will not return. We’re currently making deals with everyone who can help.”
Sally looked horrified. “A Merman! Is that a joke? No, of course it’s not, you wouldn’t joke about that. Is the Witches Council going to help?”
“No. They’re bloody useless. I could strangle that Genevieve woman.”
“Oh. So no more Council meetings?”
Avery frowned. “No, I’ll keep going to those. We still need to know what’s going on. Besides, I’ll prove there’s more to us, and that we don’t need them to fight.”
“Is there anything I can do? Or,” Sally hesitated, “anything I shouldn’t do?”
“Do not go to the beaches, or The Badger’s Hat. And do not go to the Lughnasadh celebrations.”
Sally’s face fell. “But I love them, and the kids are looking forward to it.”
“Not this year, Sally. Trust me. A storm’s coming, and you don’t want to be caught in it.”
***
Over the next week Avery kept herself busy with the shop, and at night she practised spells she thought might come in useful for Lughnasadh. She didn’t dare risk returning to The Badger’s Hat, but Dan was at work most days, and other than looking utterly lovesick, he remained well.
“So, how’s it going with Nixie?” Avery asked him as innocently as she could the following Friday, the day before the celebrations.
He grinned. “Fantastic. She’s amazing. We’ll be going tomorrow with quite a few of her friends, and my mate, Pete, will be there, too. He’s hooked up with one of her mates. We might even have a midnight swim. You should come, too.”
Avery’s heart sank. She had been trying to convince herself that the Lughnasadh celebrations would be just one big party on the beach, and that perhaps she’d got their plans wrong. She agonised over the fact that she’d persuaded Eve, the Nephilim, and Ulysses to turn up and attack the Mermaids, but that it would all be an elaborate ruse, and they would instead be luring the innocent men to their deaths in some other spot. But Dan’s latest update convinced her she was right, and they were looking for confrontation, as if to prove their superiority and unassailability.