Stanley turned his little head towards Jeremy and said, “I would like that. I’m getting a good feeling from you. You smell good too. Like new leaves on a tree.”
Jeremy grinned. “I like you too, Stanley. If we have time, will you show me around Brimstone? I haven’t been here for years and I’d love to have a nosy around it. Do all the supernatural creatures still get along with each other?”
“Mostly,” I told him. “I’ve dealt with five murders recently, and I was hoping there wouldn’t be any more. But there could be. Jeremy, where do you live? Where have you come from? What kind of butterflies are those on your waistcoat?” I nodded in the direction of the creatures embroidered there. They had black wings with red bands along the outside of the wings. White spots adorned the top of the wings.
Jeremy laughed again. He did that a lot and I liked it. He said, “These are Red Admirals. And that’s the town where I live. It’s not quite as pretty as Brimstone, but it’s home. We have the same supernatural creatures that you have here, but they don’t live in harmony like yours do. The werewolves and vampires can’t even bear to be on the same side of the street as each other. I’d invite you to come over for a visit but I’m afraid you’d be called in to settle a fight as soon as you stepped over the border into our town.”
We chatted a bit more about the work Jeremy did in Red Admiral and I told him briefly about the murders in Brimstone. Jeremy was greatly saddened to hear about them. Stanley told him about Astrid and Luca. Jeremy lost his smile altogether and the twinkle in his eyes dimmed.
I said brightly, “Apart from the murders, Brimstone is a lovely place to be. We’ll show you around later.” I drained the last of my coffee and put my cup down. “Shall we head over to the beach now? I’ve got my broomstick with me. You could squeeze on it with me if you like?”
Jeremy put his cup down and clicked his fingers. A broom appeared in the air next to him. It was made of light green wood and had daffodils and tulips placed in the green bristles at the end of it. It looked like a work of art.
“Wow!” Stanley exclaimed. “Has your broomstick been here all this time? How did you make it appear? Can you show Cassia how to do that?”
Jeremy laughed and the twinkle came back into his eyes. “You have as many questions as Cassia. Let’s head off now and I’ll try to answer as many questions as I can on the way.”
I looked over at Brin and said, “Will you be alright if we go? What if something happens here? What if the residents start turning on each other?”
Brin cast me a grim smile. “If that happens, I’ll use an immobilising spell on the whole town and then I’ll send you a message. I’m sure everything will be alright here, Cassia. You go to the beach with Jeremy. I’ve got a strong feeling that you’re needed there.”
Chapter 4
I was reluctant to leave Brin on her own but she insisted she’d be fine. I told her to contact me immediately if there was any trouble in Brimstone. Her smile was overly bright as she bid us farewell.
Stanley had given me a hopeful look as we stood on the path outside Blythe’s house with Jeremy. He’d barely taken his attention off Jeremy’s wonderful broomstick since the second it had appeared, so I knew what his hopeful look meant. That cat of mine loved flying and he’d already travelled on Blythe’s broomstick as well as mine. I could see how eager he was to try out Jeremy’s broomstick. He reminded me of one of those roller coaster addicts who travel the world looking for their next adrenalin rush.
I sent Stanley an understanding smile before saying to Jeremy, “Would you mind if Stanley flew with you? He loves going on different broomsticks and I can see how impressed he is with yours.”
Stanley turned his little face towards Jeremy, his eyes wide with hope.
Jeremy gave him a broad smile. “I would love that! Stanley, hop aboard.” He lowered his broomstick and Stanley was on it in a second.
I settled on my broomstick and followed Jeremy as he rose away from the path and over Brimstone town.
Jeremy turned his broomstick to the west and said, “The beach is about ten miles that way. I’ll tell you about it as we fly along.”
I stayed close to Jeremy’s side as we made our way over fields and mountains.
He began, “The beach is five miles long. The area of sea that belongs to Brimstone stretches out for hundreds of miles. It’s inhabited by the usual sea creatures that you’d expect to find.”
“Like dolphins, whales and sharks?” I asked.
“Yes. And vampire squids, harpies, sirens, sea hags.” He paused. “There are the mischievous grindylows, of course. You must watch out for them. They love dragging their victims into the sea.”
I said, “What do the grindylows look like? I don’t like the sound of them.”
Jeremy gave me a warning look. “They’re small and green. They often disguise themselves to look like seaweed. I’ll watch out for them and warn you if I see any.” He reached forward and stroked Stanley’s head. “You keep well away from them, my little friend.”
Keeping his head forward on the view, Stanley replied, “I’m not going anywhere near the sea. I don’t like it. It’s too wet.”
Jeremy laughed. “You’re right about that. Of course, the majority of the creatures who live in the sea are merpeople.”
My broomstick wobbled. “Merpeople? Like mermaids and mermen?”
“Yes, of course.” Jeremy looked my way. “Why do you look so shocked?”
“I just wasn’t expecting to ever meet such creatures.” A smile stretched across my face. “Wow. Merpeople. How exciting! What are they like?”
“Like everyone else.” Jeremy hesitated before continuing. “Cassia, your mum used to spend a lot of time at the beach with the merpeople. Some of them might talk to you about her. Would that be alright? I could warn them not to if you prefer?”
“I honestly don’t mind. I’m not sure what’s come over me today, but I feel ready to talk about Mum. Did you work with Mum at the beach?”
Jeremy nodded. “We had many adventures together. There’s a kraken who lives on the bottom of the seabed and he loves causing fights whenever there’s a full moon! I think he’s got a touch of the werewolf in him. Your mum and I had our hands full with the chaos he caused.”
Jeremy went into more details as we flew along. His stories about Mum made my heart feel light and happy. It was clear that he’d been fond of her and had a great deal of respect for her. I felt like I was getting to know Mum for the first time.
Jeremy had just finished telling me a story about a drunken harpy when I spotted a line of blue on the horizon.
Stanley saw it too and yelled, “I can see the sea! Look! It’s over there.” He quickly stood up on his hind legs and waved his front paws in the air. “I can see the sea!”
Jeremy reached out and put a steadying hand on Stanley. “Whoa there! Be careful. You nearly fell off.”
I shook my head at Stanley. Perhaps I should get him a broomstick seat with straps on it; the sort of thing that you’d use for an excited child. Maybe I should magic one up for him.
Jeremy headed towards the blue line. I was thankful to see he kept one hand on Stanley who was now sitting down again.
As we got closer to the sea, I could hear the sound of people chatting and laughing. Someone was singing and there was a faint twang of a guitar. We headed ever closer and the expanse of blue increased. The sun was shining on the sea and spots of sunlight danced like stars across the surface. I spotted a lighthouse perched on a cliff to our left. It was painted in the colours of the Brimstone butterflies: light green and yellow. Jeremy was saying something but I couldn’t quite catch his words.
The sound of chatting increased and it was now mixed with the occasional cheer and yell. We reached the beach and I looked down at the wide expanse of golden sand. I saw a colourful array of beach chairs and towels strewn across the sand with people lounging on them. Tables were placed intermittently amongst them loaded with plates and cups. Nets and makeshift goals were
dotted around the sand and people were playing games and yelling happily at each other. An open café made of wood was at the side of the beach, and the delicious smell of hot dogs, burgers and chips wafted towards us.
When I say people, I’m not sure they were human. The creatures playing and lounging on the beach looked human, but they were impressive specimens. Even from up high I could see how perfect they all looked with their toned bodies and beautiful faces. The sun caught the light glitter on their skin and highlighted every muscle and firm limb. Every creature was wearing skimpy beach clothes which didn’t leave much to the imagination. Mind you, if I looked like that, I’d be dressed skimpily too.
Jeremy said, “I know; they’re perfect, aren’t they? It’s like arriving at a photo shoot where only the most beautiful and ideal creatures are allowed. Those are the merpeople.”
I couldn’t stop staring at them as we came in for a landing. They were mesmerizing as they played ball games, lounged on the towels and delicately ate slices of fruit. One of them must have a spot. Surely? Or a small roll of fat somewhere? Was that too much to ask?
Some of them looked our way and gave us cheerful waves as we landed on the sand. I heard Jeremy’s name called out in welcome. He raised a hand and smiled in response.
Stanley leapt off Jeremy’s broomstick and landed on the sand. He sniffed it suspiciously and said, “It smells weird. I don’t like it.” He put his paw on something and rolled it to one side. “What is this?”
Jeremy laughed. “It’s a shell. It used to have a sea creature in it.”
Stanley’s face creased in repulsion. “That’s disgusting. What’s it doing here on the sand? It should be back in the sea where it belongs.”
Jeremy knelt at his side. “Haven’t you been to the beach before?”
Stanley shook his head. “I haven’t, and I don’t think much about it so far. Does this sand stuff go on forever? Where are the trees and flowers? And what’s with the sea and that noise it’s making? Can’t someone switch it off?” He tutted as he glowered at the sea.
I took in the merpeople as they continued with their activities. “Jeremy, where are their tails? How are they able to walk around on legs? Does it hurt them?”
“No. The Brimstone merpeople have magical abilities which were bestowed on them by ancestors of yours. When they’re in the sea, they have a tail. When they’re on the beach, they have legs. It’s that simple. As long as they don’t stray too far from this area, they won’t experience pain in their legs. If they do stray, they’ll get shooting pains on the soles of their feet which then travels up their legs.”
“What happens if they stay away from this area too long?” I asked.
“That’s never happened. The merpeople know this is a safe place for them. A few foolish youngsters have wandered too far from this beach in the past. They experienced painful tingles in their limbs which was enough to send them racing back to the beach.”
I persisted, “But what would happen if they went too far?”
Jeremy gave me a quizzical look. “I imagine they would experience an extreme amount of pain. It could even be fatal. Why are you asking me that?”
“I was thinking about what you said earlier about there being a change in the atmosphere here.” I gave him a small smile. “I was thinking about how a merperson could be hurt by someone. Sorry. That’s my murderous mind warming up. Since becoming a justice witch, I’ve started to think like a murderer. I hope that doesn’t make me sound weird. I’m not planning on committing a murder. Honestly.”
Jeremy gave me a warm smile. “I know what you mean. Why don’t we go for an ice cream at the café over there? It’s the best ice cream in the whole of Brimstone. I can tell you more about the merpeople and how things have changed recently.”
“That’s an excellent idea. What do you say, Stanley?” I looked down at the sand. My little friend wasn’t there. “Stanley? Jeremy, where did Stanley go?”
A sudden anguished cry shot through the air. My blood ran cold. I knew that cry. It was Stanley’s.
The cry came out again and I heard Stanley shout, “Cassia! Help!”
I looked towards where the noise was coming from. Stanley was at the edge of the sea. Long strips of dark, green seaweed were wrapped around his back legs.
Jeremy dropped his broomstick. “The grindylows! They’ve got Stanley!” He raced across the sand.
I couldn’t move. I watched in shock as my beloved cat was dragged into the sea.
Chapter 5
Jeremy rushed across the sand calling out Stanley’s name. The merpeople nearest to him stopped what they were doing and stared his way. Some began to run after him.
After a few frozen seconds, my senses returned to me and I dashed after Jeremy. I screamed, “Stanley! Come back!”
My feet pounded across the sand and my heart thudded in my chest. Stanley had completely disappeared beneath the waves.
Jeremy ran into the water and prepared to dive in. He suddenly stopped as a creature ascended from the water with a bedraggled Stanley in her arms. She looked at Jeremy and said something. I couldn’t hear what she was saying because my heart was thudding like a drum in my ears. I ran into the water and over to Stanley. He leapt into my arms and I pulled his soggy body next to my chest. His little heart was beating as fast as mine. I closed my eyes and pulled him closer.
A female voice declared loudly, “Does this thing belong to you? What was it doing in my sea? Who let it in? As if I haven’t got enough to do around here! Well? I’m waiting for an answer.”
I registered a silence and realised the angry voice was directed my way. I opened my eyes and looked at the creature in front of me. Her skin sparkled and she was impossibly beautiful so I assumed she was a mermaid. She didn’t have long, thick hair like the others; hers was short and spiky. There was a small tiara stuck amongst the spikes. Her blue eyes looked at me coolly.
I said, “Thank you for rescuing Stanley. I didn’t know he was so close to the sea. I’m so sorry.” My voice caught in my throat. “I thought he’d drowned. Thank you for bringing him back.”
Stanley shivered in arms and muttered a shaky, “Thank you.”
The mermaid’s expression softened and she gave us a smile. “Stanley? Then you must be Cassia. I knew your mum. I was sorry to hear about her.” She moved closer and placed a gentle hand on Stanley’s wet head. “Are you okay? You have to be careful near the water’s edge. Those grindylows are always on the lookout for something smaller than them to drag into the sea. They didn’t mean you any harm. They wanted to play with you. I’ll tell them to leave you alone.”
Stanley continued to shiver in my arms. He attempted to talk, but his teeth were chattering too much.
I thought about the magic spells I’d been reading about recently and the perfect one came to my mind. I put Stanley on the sand and sat at his side. I pictured a giant hairdryer and felt magic travelling into my hands. I aimed them at Stanley and felt tingles in my fingers. A warm current of air flowed from my fingertips and over Stanley. His grey fur ruffled under the hot breeze coming from me. He moved his head left and right in the current and he started to purr. I smiled at his cute face and continued to focus on getting him dry.
When he was dry, he let out a little chuckle and said, “That was lovely. I’m tempted to run into the sea so you can do that again.”
“Don’t you dare,” I told him. I picked him up and got to my feet.
Jeremy’s eyes were welling with tears. He said, “You looked just like your mum then. She was always quick to perform spells to help others.”
I smiled at him. “Don’t be getting all soft on me.” I turned my attention to the mermaid in front of me and noticed her eyes glistening too. I said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. I didn’t even know this beach existed until a short while ago. I’m not familiar with who lives here.”
The mermaid gave me a soft smile. “We’ve met before. You used to come here with your mum. I often saw you making
sandcastles with Rosalyn. I used to bring you sparkling shells from the bottom of the sea. I’m Nerita.”
“Hello, Nerita,” Stanley said. “Pleased to meet you.”
I looked at Nerita’s tiara and said, “Are you a princess?”
Nerita laughed. “Sort of. My father, King Taron, rules this stretch of sea. He doesn’t like coming onto the beach and says it isn’t natural for merpeople to have legs. I look out for our people when they are up here as well as taking care of matters under the sea. Father isn’t as strong as he used to be and there’s a lot of work to be done at the moment.” She abruptly stopped. “You don’t want to hear about my problems. Pardon my nosiness, but why are you here, Cassia? Are you here for a friendly visit or is it work related? I know about your work as a justice witch in town.”
Jeremy spoke for me, “I wanted Cassia to see where her mum worked. That’s all. We’re here for fun, not work.” He gave Nerita a big smile.
Nerita gave him a suspicious look. “Are you sure about that? Jeremy, you know that I can deal with any issues with my people. I trust you won’t interfere in any problems that may or may not arise.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Jeremy replied in a friendly manner. “I’m taking Cassia and Stanley to the café now. Perhaps we’ll catch up with you later. Bye for now.”
He put his hand on my arm and turned us away. I shot a smile at Nerita before being led firmly along the beach.
I whispered to Jeremy, “Why did you lie to her? If there’s something funny going on here, she might know what it is.”
Jeremy whispered back, “I think Nerita is behind the funny business. I’ll explain everything in a minute. Where did we leave our broomsticks? Don’t tell me those cheeky grindylows have pinched them.”
“Are you looking for these?” A merman was standing a short distance ahead of us with Jeremy’s broomstick in one hand and mine in the other. He held them towards us. “I saw what happened to your cat. Is he okay?”
We walked closer and retrieved our broomsticks. I kept Stanley in one arm. There was no way I was letting him go.
Brimstone Witch Mysteries - Box Set 2 Page 18