by T J Green
Avery leaned forward. “What do you mean?”
“Well, the whole protective circle meant it recognised magic, but I felt it brushing across my thoughts. I’m sure it knows we’re witches, and I’m sure it knows what that means.” He smiled softly. “Let’s face it—witches have been around a long time, too. Magic is at the root of everything.”
“Do you think that frightened it?”
“No. But,” Alex looked thoughtful, “I think it respected me. I think. Let’s hope that works in our favour, eventually. We might even work out what to do with them.”
“I don’t even know what day it is, never mind how to work out what to do with errant Nephilim.”
“You’ll be pleased to know it’s Saturday, which means a lazy lie-in and Sunday brunch.”
“Good, that’s something,” she said, collapsing back on the couch. “I’m not sure when my Saturdays turned into full-on spirit hunting in collaboration with the Favershams.”
“Since someone decided to find grimoires, that’s when.” He caught her foot in his hands, and started kissing her calf, all the time watching her with his dark eyes.
“That’s nice,” she groaned, feeling like she might melt into the sofa.
“Only nice?” He continued up her inner thigh.
“Very, very nice.” She watched him, wondering if he was going to stop, and hoping he really wouldn’t.
He looked up at her with a wicked grin and took her wine glass out of her hands. “I think we’ve had enough of grimoires and ghost-hunting don’t you?”
***
The next morning, there was nothing on the local news about the churches, which was some relief. Their efforts to disguise the spirits and their escape had been successful.
Avery sipped her coffee and watched Alex move competently around the kitchen. “Where do you think they’ve gone?”
“Good question.” Alex pushed a plate of Eggs Benedict under her nose and sat down next to her along the breakfast bar counter. “Somewhere dark and protected.”
“A cave?” she asked, through a mouthful of food.
“A deserted building, somewhere inaccessible? But,” Alex said, pointing his fork, “so far, no deaths.”
“That we’ve heard of.”
“But they’re clearly together, and maybe with the other two. Remember the Nephilim I communicated with? He said, ‘We are seven.’”
Avery nodded absently, slightly side-tracked by the fantastic brunch Alex had cooked. “Do you think there’s a guidebook on Nephilim? Like, how to destroy them and send them back to the Otherworld?”
“Mmm, unlikely, Ave. But maybe you could write one after this? Or, of course, you could cause it to rain for forty days and forty nights. Isn’t that what the flood was for?” He smirked infuriatingly at her.
She groaned. “I don’t think my weather magic is that good. And neither is your boat building.”
Before Alex could tease her any more, his phone rang. “Hey Reuben, how you doing?” He continued to eat as he talked, grunting occasionally, while Avery watched, curious.
She hadn’t seen Reuben or El for a few days and she wondered what they’d been up to. She didn’t have to wait long.
“Sure,” Alex continued. “See you at the harbour in half an hour.”
He hung up and Avery looked at him expectantly. “What are you going to do at the harbour?”
“You mean, what are we doing?” he corrected, raising his eyebrows.
“We? Can’t I go back to bed?” she said, wishing she could summon the energy to feel even vaguely enthusiastic.
“No. A boat’s been found out at sea. Empty. Like the Marie Celeste. Reuben heard about it while he was surfing. He’s persuaded Nils to take us out to the area.”
“Nils, the tattoo guy? He has a boat?” The last time Avery had seen him was when he was putting her protection tattoo on her hip in his shop, Viking Ink.
“He’s a Viking. Of course he has a boat.”
***
“Morning, guys!” Nils yelled in his slight Swedish lilt from where he stood on the deck of his old fishing boat. He waved and grinned. “Come aboard. I’ll give you a tour of my baby!”
It was hardly a baby, Avery reflected as she looked at it. The varnish was peeling, and it had a battered quality to it that suggested it had seen better days. But clearly, Nils loved it. He leaned over the side and extended his hand to Avery, clasping her hand in his very large one. She’d forgotten just how huge he was.
She gingerly walked up the narrow gangplank onto the boat, and looked into Nils’s pale blue eyes. He winked. “Great to see you, Avery. Hope my tattoo is looking good. Reuben is inside making tea.” He jerked his hand over his shoulder to the cabin, and then looked at Alex, who had followed Avery onto the boat. “Alex! My tattooed friend!” He clasped him in a huge man hug. “We having trouble again, yes? Missing people. It’s bad news. I’ll go check the engine. As soon as the others are here, we go.”
He disappeared to the far end of the boat, leaving Avery bewildered. “Wow. He’s a force of nature.”
Alex grinned. “He’s great though, right?”
Reuben emerged from the cabin at the sound of their voices. His blond hair was slightly damp, and he was dressed in his board shorts and t-shirt. He didn’t look anywhere as near as enthusiastic as Nils. “Morning, guys. What a crappy night.”
“You too?” Alex said. “You haven’t even heard our news.”
“Does it involve missing fisherman and a drifting boat?”
“No. But there are missing Nephilim.”
“Shit,” Reuben said, leaning against the side of the boat and cradling his steaming cup. “This keeps getting worse.”
“You got any details on the boat?” Alex asked.
Reuben nodded. “Yeah, some. It doesn’t sound good. When I had my morning surf, the guys filled me in on the news. One of them had spotted the Coastguard heading out early. You know this place. News spreads. After that, I caught up with Connor, one of the crew.” He exhaled with a heavy sigh. “Said it was weird. It was a calm night. There were no distress calls, but the boat was deserted. No missing gear, no signs of damage. The nets were still out. Small family business, too. Dad and two sons. How crap is that?”
“Who was it?” Avery asked, sure she’d know them. Most people in White Haven knew each other by sight, even if they didn’t know each other well.
“The Petersons,” Reuben said, watching her.
Avery closed her eyes briefly. Yes, she knew them. “Damn it.”
She turned away, leaving Alex and Reuben talking, and leaned against the side of the boat. Looking out at the harbour and the sea beyond, she reflected on how such a bright morning could exist when there was so much darkness out there. Several women were missing husbands, boyfriends, sons, and fathers. And it sounded as if the Daughters of Llyr were to blame.
The harbour was still mostly empty of boats, many of them still out fishing. Some of the bigger vessels were lined up, ready to take tourists out for a few hours, and queues of people were already getting ready to board.
Beyond the harbour, the town sparkled in the sunshine. Bright splashes of colour marked the plants and hanging baskets outside of shops and pubs, and the smell of salt was strong in the air. It was late July and the tourist season was in full swing; families were everywhere. This was a terrible time to have Mermaids and Nephilim stalking the coast.
Avery heard a shout, and she looked around to see Briar, Newton, and El clambering on board. She waved, unable to summon a smile. “Hey, guys.”
They shouted their greetings and crossed the deck to join them.
Nils must have heard them arrive, and he appeared from the engine room, streaked in oil and wiping his hands on a ragged cloth. “Everyone ready?” he asked.
They nodded.
“Great, grab a lifejacket and we’ll go.”
***
Once they were out of the harbour, a brisk sea breeze ruffled the waves, and they bobbed ac
ross the water, heading to the site where the boat had been found. It took them almost an hour to get there, and on the way, they updated everyone about the Nephilim. They stood at the stern of the boat, well away from the wheelhouse so that Nils couldn’t hear them.
“Great. Seven Nephilim spirits loose in Cornwall. Just brilliant,” Newton said, pacing up and down the deck. “And potentially, they might not even be spirits anymore.”
Briar squinted against the sun and lowered her sunglasses. “I can still feel them—not so much on this boat—but I can on the land. They’re growing stronger.”
“Can you pinpoint where they are?” Newton asked eagerly.
“No, unfortunately not. It’s more like I have a subtle awareness of their presence in the atmosphere.”
“Well, no further deaths have to be a good thing, right?” El asked.
“I guess so,” Avery said. “I really wish we knew what they were up to, though.”
“Did Caspian look the slightest bit apologetic for giving the one at St Luke’s enough juice to get out of there?” Reuben asked.
“Not really,” Alex answered, “but I did enjoy punching him.”
“And he didn’t retaliate?” Newton asked, shocked.
“There was too much going on there already. A fight would have been dangerous. And besides, I did it to stop him from struggling. God knows what that Nephilim would have done if it had got to us.”
“And what about today?” Briar asked. “Other than seeing where the crew disappeared from, what’s the plan?”
“I want to see if we can find the Mermaids,” Reuben explained. “I have a spell that should work.”
“Then what? I mean isn’t that dangerous?” Briar asked. “There’re five guys on board, and you will all be susceptible to their call. How can we stop that?” She gestured toward Avery and El. It was a great question, Avery thought. She’d been wondering that herself.
“You’re presuming you won’t be at risk, then?” Newton asked, confused.
“In theory, no,” El explained. “Me and Reu have been doing some homework on Mermaids, and it seems they only target men. We’re hoping that means their call won’t work on us. Of course, we could be wrong. We can spell you all and tie you to the boat if we have to, but we don’t think they’ll be around today. This is more of a tracing spell.”
Reuben elaborated further. “Oswald was convinced that they were walking the land in Mevagissey. Maybe they’re here. I want to see if we can find if they’ve come ashore.”
“Can we detect them on land?” Newton asked. “I mean, will they look different to humans?”
“Folklore suggests they look the same,” Reuben said. “That’s part of their success, but there should be fundamental differences. If we can detect a signature something, we may be able to make a spell to help us find them. I mean, I would imagine there’s a strong water elemental nature to them, even if we can’t see it.”
Avery rubbed her face, frustrated. “So, they won’t have bright green eyes or webbed feet or something?”
“Pretty sure not, no,” Reuben said, grinning.
“What about Nils?” Newton asked, glancing towards the wheelhouse. “What does he know about us?”
“Not much. He knows I tinker with a bit of witchcraft, but he has no idea of the extent of it. He hasn’t asked too many questions about today. He’s clever that way.”
Avery nodded, knowing what he meant. Like Sally and Dan used to be, he probably knew more than he let on, and sensibly kept out of it. He may not have that luxury for much longer.
As if he’d read her thoughts, Reuben said, “I’d appreciate it if someone distracted him while I’m performing the spell.”
“No problem,” Newton said.
At that moment, they felt and heard the engine throttle down and their speed drop, and Nils yelled across the boat. “We’re coming up to the spot now. It’s not one of the common fishing spots—they’d have been on their own here for quite a while.”
“Maybe they were lured out here in the first place,” El speculated.
Avery peered overboard, wondering where below them the Petersons might be. “Do you think they knew they would die?” she asked.
“They’re probably not dead,” Alex said, wrapping his arm around her. “Remember the old tales. They could be Mermen by now.”
Avery shivered. “Do you think they’d have memories of their life on land? Their loved ones, their friends?”
“Let’s hope not,” Alex said softly, and kissed her on the forehead. “It would be easier that way.”
Newton headed to the wheelhouse to talk to Nils, leaving Reuben free to perform his spell. He pulled a few objects from his backpack, and handed them to El. Avery watched him, curious as to the type of spell he had in mind.
Briar caught on quickly. “You’re going to harness elemental water, aren’t you?”
Reuben nodded. “Much like you harness the earth and feel its energies, I feel water flow through me. I try not to use it when I surf—it feels like cheating—but I think I’m kidding myself. I probably use it subconsciously, anyway. I can feel it now. And as the earth feels a disturbance, I’m hoping I can feel the Mermaids here.”
“You didn’t notice anything different when you were surfing?” El asked.
“No. But I’m too busy focussing on surfing and catching that perfect wave,” he grinned sheepishly. “It’s pretty distracting.”
Avery, Alex, and Briar backed away, giving Reuben some space. “So, how are you holding up, Briar?” Avery asked her.
“Not bad. The shop’s busy, which is good. When I have spare time, I’ve been trying to weave some protection into my potions.” She looked guilty. “I feel it’s the least I can do. I want to protect the town, the people who live here. It’s okay for El, she makes protection amulets, but women mostly come to me for creams and potions that have more to do with skin and smells than protection.”
“That’s a great idea. What about making bundles of herbs for drawers and wardrobes? They could have protection spells woven into them. Or welcome herb bundles for front doors and porches?”
Briar’s face brightened. “That’s a brilliant idea! I could do that! I’ve got so many herbs and flowers now in the allotment, it will be perfect. And I could dry them for the winter.”
Avery smiled, pleased to have thought of something useful. “I’m happy to help. Why don’t you make up a few and I’ll sell them in my shop, too? They’d go well with the incense and tarot cards. I’ll ask El for some amulets as well, and some gemstones. That way we can try to protect as many people as possible.”
Alex frowned. “We have lots of foot traffic coming through the pub. Lots of locals and visitors. I’ll ask the bar staff to keep an eye out for suspicious activity, and any strange news or gossip.”
Briar looked relieved. “This is great. For the first time in days, I feel like we can make a positive difference.”
“The thing is, though,” Alex warned, “I think this is our new normal. There’ll always be something happening now. If it’s not this, it will be something else.”
“Cheers, Alex,” Avery said, looking at him in disbelief. “Just as we were feeling good.”
“But this is good,” he said. “We’re finally awake and aware of the possibilities of the paranormal world. We just need to up our game.”
They were distracted by Reuben’s shout and he pointed overboard. They turned to see the sea churning behind them, and a strange, silvery trail started to spread from the boat towards the shore. “Nils!” Reuben yelled. “Follow the trail!”
Nils heard his shout and the throttle picked up, and they followed the trail towards the coast.
Reuben and El headed to the prow of the boat, the others right behind them. They followed the trail to the west of White Haven, a small cove out of town. As they neared the coast, Nils slowed down and they entered a deep bay, with high cliffs on either side.
“The Devil’s Canyon.” Reuben pointed to where th
e cliff face hollowed out, becoming a cave. “And that’s Hades Cave. It gets pretty deep there on a full tide, and it’s always dark in daytime.”
The boat idled and Nils joined them, his eyes squinting against the light and looking almost icy blue in the full sun. He nodded in agreement. “No one ventures in there, except stupid kids who try to dare each other. They risk drowning. The undertow is massive.”
Avery nodded. They’d all heard about this cove and the dangers of the cave. It looked ominous, even in the sunshine. The town council had attached a notice on the side of the rock face, warning of the dangers at high tide. “The perfect place for those who don’t care about powerful currents though, isn’t it?”
“Can you take us further in?” Reuben asked Nils.
“Entrance only,” he said. “The tide’s ebbing already. In fact, we really need to get back to the harbour.”
“Just a quick look, then.”
Nils nodded and headed back to the wheelhouse, and then they eased forward to the cave entrance, nudging just inside. Immediately, the sunshine disappeared and the temperature dropped. The heavy glug, glug of the water as it eddied around the cave filled the air. The back of the cave was in darkness.
Reuben reached into his pack and pulled out a huge torch. He flicked it on and trained the powerful beam on the back of the cave. The water looked dark and forbidding, and the walls were slick with moisture. A tiny strip of rock edged the back of the cave, and something on it glistened in the light, but it was unclear what it was, and Avery had the strongest sensation of being watched. She shivered, desperately wishing they could leave. And then she heard something; the lightest splash—something different than the glug of the water.
And then another, and another.
Alex must have heard it too, because he said softly but urgently, “Time to go.”
Reuben nodded, turning off the light. He turned to Nils and gestured to go, and they eased back, out into the sunshine, heading toward the safety of White Haven.