by Tanya Milne
‘We need to tell them. Maybe they can help us learn what we need to know.’
‘Yeah right,’ I said, picturing their faces. ‘We’ll probably be grounded, locked in our rooms until we’re fifty-two.’
‘That doesn’t seem to stop you,’ he said, his face pained. ‘Just promise me, no more climbing down that tree.’ He glanced down at my arm and leg.
‘I can’t promise, but I’ll try,’ I said, ignoring the glare he gave me.
‘You want the truth, remember?’ I said quickly, stopping whatever words he was about to fire at me. ‘Anyhow, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving and we should probably get home before Mum and Dad realise we’re not sleeping in like a couple of lazy teenagers.’
Elijah nodded and took one last look around. ‘This place really is something. What do you think it is?’
The crystal angel!
‘I nearly forgot,’ I said, taking off my backpack and rummaging around inside until I found the angel wrapped in my scarf. I took it out and explained why I’d brought it.
‘O-kay,’ he said, looking between me and the angel.
‘Probably best you just go with it for now. I can show you in the book later.’
‘You have the book? But Mum and Dad…’
‘Searched my room, I know. Yes, I have it.’
He released a low whistle. ‘You really are a badass.’
‘One of us has to be,’ I said before placing the angel down on the altar and picking up the satchel and knife, then sliding them into my bag. ‘Come on, let’s get outta here. I’ll tell you more as we walk.’
‘Are you leaving it here?’ he said, eyeing the angel.
‘Yep, tonight is a full moon and the angel needs the moon’s energy before I can make my first potion.’ I tried to ignore the way Elijah was looking at me, as though I were an alien.
‘First potion. Well, this is really happening. And what might that potion be?’
‘It’s to help people forget about the existence of any witches they’ve met. I have no idea whether I can make it properly, but I thought it might be a good one to try first.’
Elijah nodded, pulled his thick lips into a smile. ‘Way to go, sis. I like it. Get all these morons to forget about us and we can start planning how we’re going to get rid of Mr Blackthorn.’
‘Yes, well, it could take a while, and God only knows what we can do to try and stop Orpheus, but this might give us some time.’
‘Always were the clever one,’ he said, nudging me.
‘Someone had to be.’ I nudged him back.
A feeling of warmth spread through me. Elijah and I were back on an even keel, and I didn’t have to go through this alone.
I took one last look at my crystal angel, which was sparkling in the sunshine. It was the first time since I could remember when it wouldn’t be with me, and I didn’t want to leave it there. But clearly, no one else knew about this place or they would have found my satchel. It would be safe for now, I told myself before turning away and leaving the little sanctuary – our own place of magic.
The morning sun was rising in the sky, sprinkling a kaleidoscope of colour through the marmalade-coloured autumn trees as Elijah and I walked towards home.
I was starting to get used to being in the woods and felt confident I would no longer get lost, so long as I didn’t stray too far from the path.
We were nearly back at the road when we heard the sounds of people talking and laughing as they walked directly towards us. We stopped and Elijah’s gaze darted in all directions. I put my finger to my lips and was looking for a tree to hide behind when Jet and his gang all emerged into our field of vision.
We froze like bunnies in the spotlight, and sure enough, our unnatural movement quickly caught the attention of the absolute last person I wanted to see.
‘Well, well, well, look who we have here,’ said Jet, letting out a long whistle. ‘If it isn’t Little Miss Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.’ His cronies all burst into laughter, while the redhead, whom I recognised from the night in town, snarled at me.
I knew instantly that the Jet I’d glimpsed from time to time was long gone; his bad-boy mask was well and truly on.
‘Hi to you,’ I said. ‘Come on, Elijah, let’s go.’
‘Hey, pretty lady,’ said Jet, grabbing hold of my arm, forcing me to stop. ‘Where do you think you’re going?’
I tried to remove my arm, but he tightened his grip, making my skin twist and burn.
Elijah stepped up to Jet’s face and when he spoke, he sounded like someone I’d never met before – someone dangerous. ‘Let her go, now.’
Jet laughed in his face and tightened his grip further.
Elijah didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Jet by the shoulders and pushed him so hard that he crashed to the ground.
The woods became deathly silent as everyone turned to Elijah, unblinking.
‘If you touch her again, you’ll have me to answer to. You understand me, moron?’
Jet glanced at his gang, who were all still staring, wide-eyed, at Elijah.
Jet got to his feet, dusted himself off. ‘I understand you perfectly – Elijah, isn’t it?’
‘Good. Let’s go, Eva,’ said Elijah, putting his arm around me.
As we started to walk away, Jet’s words found us. ‘Although you have to admit that she didn’t seem to mind me touching her last night.’
Jet’s gang all spluttered with laughter. I grabbed hold of Elijah, who appeared to be about to charge at Jet.
We kept walking, but at the last moment, before we disappeared, I turned my head and called out to Jet, ‘I hope you enjoyed it, Jet, because that was the last time.’
Jet’s laughter turned to silence as we walked away, although I couldn’t shake the feeling that publicly shaming him wasn’t going to get us the last laugh.
Chapter Twenty-Six
‘You ready for this?’ asked Elijah, who stood beside me at the bottom of the stairs outside our home.
‘No,’ I said, my voice wavering. ‘But I never will be, so best we get it over and done with.’
‘No more lies,’ said Elijah.
‘No more lies,’ I replied, taking one more peek at my brother, who all of a sudden seemed older and more responsible, like a grown-up, before we walked up the stairs and knocked on the door.
Pearl, who must have been sitting by the front door, started to meow loudly. My heartbeat sped up as Mum’s fast feet strode across the floor and before I was ready, Mum flung open the door.
Mum’s mouth literally dropped open as she looked between us, then at my face still packed with old make-up, and slid her gaze down to my tattered tracksuit and bloody knee. She pulled back the door, a hard line forming on her forehead, and let us in.
The moment we were inside, she let it rip. ‘What on earth? And…both of you? What is going on, and don’t give me any more stories. This time, I want the truth.’
‘What’s going on?’ said Dad, who strolled into the living room where we stood, still in his pyjamas.
‘These two have some explaining to do,’ said Mum, her face hot and angry.
I put my hands out in front of me. ‘Yes, we do. We need to talk. There are things I need to tell you, that we need to tell you.’
Mum looked up at Elijah, confusion passing through her grey eyes. ‘Elijah?’
‘Come on, I’ll put some toast and the kettle on. This could take a while,’ said Elijah, walking into the kitchen and flicking on the kettle. We followed him and shuffled around preparing food and hot drinks, a well-practiced dance.
Finally, when we were settled at the table, Mum cleared her throat. ‘So.’
‘So, the first thing I need to say is sorry, sorry for lying to you both,’ I said.
Dad sat forward in his chair. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I know exactly what you’re talking about,’ said Mum, her voice and eyes sharp.
‘Let her speak,’ said Elijah before taking a sip of tea.
I glanced at the clock. It was five past ten in the morning, but it felt like late afternoon. I wondered how long this would take before I could grab Pearl and head to bed.
I started to speak, and explained my decision to learn witchcraft, the promises I’d broken to keep my secret safe. I tried to keep my gaze on my parents while I spoke, explaining all that I’d kept hidden from them, but it was almost impossible with the waves of shock and pain I was causing to ripple across their faces.
Finally, I was done and the only sound came from the ticking of the clock from the wall. Mum wiped a tear from her face.
‘I’m so sorry, Mum and Dad,’ I said, my voice small. ‘The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, but becoming a witch was something I had to do – the same way I knew you’d try to stop me.’
Dad put his hand on Mum’s hand. ‘We knew this might happen, love.’
‘And what about you?’ said Mum, turning to Elijah. ‘Have you been lying to us too?’
‘No, but there’s something you both need to know,’ he said, shuffling in his seat.
Mum wiped another tear away before she glanced over at Elijah, the truth of what he was about to say already written all over her face.
‘I’ve decided to learn witchcraft too.’
Mum let out a guttural cry and started to sob. ‘No, you can’t. We won’t let either of you.’
Before I knew it, my words came out thick and fast. ‘The thing is, Mum and Dad, we’re not little kids anymore. Soon, we’ll be eighteen and legally we’ll be adults. You can no longer stop us becoming who we are meant to be. Don’t you see, this is not up to you. The decision has been made.’
Tears continued to trickle down Mum’s face, and she no longer tried to wipe them away. ‘It’s too dangerous,’ she whispered.
‘It’s too dangerous not to,’ I said firmly.
‘She’s right, Angie,’ said Dad, his voice quiet.
Mum swung around to face Dad, and she glared at him as though he were a traitor.
‘I don’t like it any more than you do, but they’re old enough to make up their own minds, and let’s face it, they might need to protect themselves, and others. These are difficult times,’ said Dad.
‘I’m sorry to make you so upset, Mum,’ said Elijah, standing and going to fetch the tissue box and placing it in front of our mum, who sat there, unmoving.
‘Oh, come on, love,’ said Dad, rubbing her arm. ‘We can help them. They won’t be alone and no one else has to know.’
‘I have a bad feeling about this,’ said Mum, her gaze directed at me. ‘Orpheus Blackthorn is watching you like a hawk and if you so much as put a hair out of place, he’ll know.’
‘Mum, I’m no longer a person of interest. He was only interested in me because he thought his son was, but Ezra made it very clear to me last night that he never wants to be with me.’ I stopped talking, tried to even out my wobbling voice. ‘That’s why there is no police car out front. If we keep a low profile, we should be okay.’
‘We’ll be careful, Mum and Dad,’ said Elijah. ‘That’s a promise.’
Mum picked up her cup of tea, the wafts of steam rising over her face. ‘And so it begins, the power of two.’
‘Pardon?’ I said, nearly choking on my toast.
Mum spoke as though on autopilot. ‘It’s one of witchcraft’s oldest sayings. The power of one witch is something to behold and treasure. The power of two, born together, carries the power of the unleashed sea. Something wise to remember.’
Elijah and I glanced at each other, an unspoken current of understanding running between us.
Dad cleared his throat. ‘Love, I hate to say this now, but we need to get ready.’
Mum let out a long groan. ‘Can’t we just cancel, for goodness’ sake.’
‘You know we can’t. It’s the law.’
‘What are you talking about?’ asked Elijah.
‘The church is running a fundraiser tonight, to raise money for a new church bell, would you believe, and we’ve been roped in to organise it,’ said Dad.
‘It’s now against the law to say no to anything requested of you by the church, police or government,’ said Mum, wiping her face.
‘That’s unbelievable,’ I said, swallowing the lump in the back of my throat. ‘And why a bell? I mean, seriously?’
‘To remind everyone they must attend church,’ said Dad.
‘In other words, to remind everyone who’s in charge,’ I said.
‘Correct,’ said Mum. ‘Since I’m not in the mood for being arrested, I’d better get ready. I have no idea what time we’ll be back, but can you two at least promise me you will stay at home and out of trouble?’
Mum’s glare was red hot. ‘I just want to go to bed, Mum. It’s been a long night,’ I said.
‘After you’ve washed your face and cleaned that leg up, okay.’
‘What’s wrong with my face?’ I said with a fake look of surprise.
Mum leant over and put her warm hand on my face. ‘Your face is perfect, Eva. Just not sure the Dracula look is the one you’re going for.’
I burst out laughing when I pictured what I looked like. Dark smudged eyes and the remains of the bright red lipstick Anna had painstakingly applied last night – a night that seemed a lifetime ago.
We all stood, and I collected Pearl before heading upstairs to where a hot shower and warm bed waited for me.
I was dreaming about walking beside the ink-coloured river in the woods when a sharp noise entered my dream state and dragged me back into my bed, where the afternoon shadows grew long in my room. I sat up, straining to listen.
Then came three sharp knocks on the front door, and my heart lurched to life. I looked around for my dressing gown to put over my cotton nightie.
‘Coming!’ said a gruff Elijah, who’d clearly been asleep like me.
I gave up trying to find my dressing gown and pulled my favourite blue jumper over my head. I opened my door, sat down on the edge of my bed and listened.
I heard Elijah fumble with the locks and the sound of the door opening.
‘Yes,’ said Elijah, his voice hard to read, even for me. ‘Can I help you?’
‘As a matter of fact, you already have,’ said Max, his creepy voice making my hair feel as though it were standing on end. I stood up, moved to the door.
‘What do you mean?’ said Elijah.
‘Elijah Martinez, right?’ said Max.
‘Yes, how can I help?’
‘Elijah, you are under arrest,’ said Max, who must have immediately grabbed Elijah because I could hear them shuffle about.
‘I would advise you not to resist,’ said Max, the sick sound of his pleasure reaching me. ‘That is punishable by law now. Officer Moore, come and hold him.’
Within seconds it was quiet.
‘That’s better now, isn’t it?’ said Max.
‘You’re making a mistake. I’ve done nothing wrong,’ yelled Elijah.
I felt as if I were going to catch on fire. Every inch of me wanted to run downstairs to help my brother, but I knew I’d most likely be arrested too and be of absolutely no help to him.
‘That’s not what I hear. I hear you’ve been out and about at all hours walking in the woods. And here I was thinking that your sister was so bewitching that she just had to be a witch, when it was you all along.’
‘What have you heard?’ said Elijah.
‘Elijah, Elijah, Elijah – gosh, your wilful temper so reminds me of your sister. Does little Eva happen to be at home?’
I felt as though I was going to be sick. I started to back away from the door, hoping like hell the sounds of my feet on the floorboards wouldn’t give me away.
‘No, she’s out.’
‘Is that so? And where might she be?’
‘I think she’s at the library?’
‘Really? The library? Quite the bookworm.’
I continued to quietly move backwards, towards my walk-in wardrobe.
‘
Well, I don’t think it can hurt to check, do you?’ said Max.
‘Knock yourself out,’ said Elijah, his voice as casual as they come.
‘Officer, take him to lock up. I’ll see you there shortly,’ said Max, whose footsteps immediately started towards the stairs, seeming to know exactly where my room was.
Elijah made a low noise, like a growl, but was quickly taken outside. The front door shut, leaving me all alone with one sadistic man.
I quickly took the last few steps into the little room that was off my bedroom. I stepped behind the place where my clothes all hung and opened a cupboard and slipped inside. I felt nauseous in the small dark space, but took in quiet breaths of air as Max’s footsteps creaked against the floorboards in my room.
‘Eva,’ he said, his voice cheerful and sick. ‘Where are you?’
I closed my mouth and froze.
‘I do like a game of hide-and-seek – particularly when there’s no one here to watch.’
My body broke out in a lather of sweat. I closed my eyes and withdrew into myself.
‘Poor little Eva, all alone with no family here to protect her. And I hear Ezra dumped you too. No real surprise when you consider what you got up to last night. Jet tells me that you and him, you know, got together, together, you naughty little minx.’
I opened my eyes and put my hand over my mouth, kept in my cry.
‘Shame really, but I never did mind seconds.’
He walked into the little room where I hid and clicked on the light, but no light came on. I silently thanked my dad for not having time to replace the globe. I heard Max breathe as he moved around, picking things up, smelling them. The coat hangers scratched along the pole where they hung as he moved closer to me.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I dry retched as Max’s radio came to life.
‘Max, we have a situation. Elijah escaped on foot when we got to Orpheus’s house. We’re sending the dogs out. You’re needed down here. Pronto.’