The Last Witch: Volume One

It takes a few moments of coughing and heavy gasping before I’m able to open my eyes. I’m lying on my back in the Orchard. The rain’s stopped, and it looks like it’s snowing, but each of the flakes that settle on my skin leaves a trail of grey. It’s not snow. It’s ash, and I’m covered in a blanket of it.

The adrenaline’s run its course, forced from my body in an eruption of magic and fire which has consumed everything around me, leaving charcoal husks in place of trees and a layer of ash on the ground.

With a groan, I roll over and try to push myself up. The slightest bit of weight on my arm has me face down on the ground again. I forgot, my shoulder’s out of its socket. I look down and to my horror see that the trees aren’t the only thing I’ve destroyed. The fire was so fierce and covered me so completely, it’s left me completely naked and filthy. My mother’s boots. They’re gone. I’ve destroyed them. I truly have nothing left of hers.

I can hear yelling in the distance, but it’s barely audible over the ringing in my ears and my own self-loathing for letting myself get used in this way. The voices sound miles away, but there’s one voice I can hear that’s getting louder and clearer with every passing second until he’s kneeling beside me. He’s trying to help me up. Offering me comfort, asking if I’m okay.

‘Collins?’ I blink him into focus and see he has ash over his clothes, but also a patch of black, crisp skin on his cheek. He’s been burnt. He didn’t get away from me quick enough. I reach out to him. ‘I’m so sorry-’

‘I’m fine,’ he tells me kindly.

‘I burnt you! I’m so sorry. I never meant-’

He takes my hand and holds it tight. ‘Honestly, it will heal. I just caught the tail end of it, that’s all. Here, let me help you up.’

Slowly he helps me to sit. As I go to try and cover myself up, to hide my body and the scars that come with it, he’s already pulling off his black coat and guiding my arms through the sleeves.

‘It’s okay. You’re okay.’ When he gets to my dislocated arm, I cry out, telling him to stop. He looks at it.

‘I need to put it back in place. It will feel better when I do. Then I can get you covered properly. I’ll need to touch you. Is that okay?’

I nod and brace myself as he places his palm on my chest and tightens his grip on my wrist.

‘On three. One. Two-’ He pulls hard and I scream.

‘YOU SAID ON THREE!’ I cry.

‘Yeah, I did. But it’s done now. Come on, let’s get you sorted.’ He slowly slides my arm through the sleeve of his coat and starts zipping it up as I hold onto him, trying hard to get myself under control. The world keeps shifting in and out of focus. My head’s throbbing, my arm’s screaming, and every muscle in my body is beyond tired. I shake my head trying to clear it and remember that the last thing I saw was Collins appearing from inside the Orchard. I’m amazed he managed to escape the flames at all.

‘What were you doing out here?’ I ask. ‘You didn’t come from the house.’

‘Gabriel woke up and found your note,’ he explains as he finishes zipping up his coat. ‘We all rushed out looking for you. I got sent to the Orchard. I found your bag by the western wall and was coming back to tell Grayson that you must have gone over somehow.’ He gestures to the strap of my bag he has over his shoulder. ‘But before I could find him, I saw you sprinting towards me. Then…boom! What the hell happened?’ He brushes the hair from my face and looks so worried. ‘Why on earth would you leave like that? Grayson’s furious. Hell, I’m not too bloody happy either. And poor Gabriel. Grayson gave him another beating.’

‘What? Why?’

‘Because he spent the night in your bed after being ordered not to. And you left under his watch.’ He takes my face in his hands. ‘You have to start thinking what your actions mean, not just for yourself, Lilly, but others around you. Running off like this? Telling Gabriel that you have feelings for him and then leaving him? You’re better than this!’

‘I’m sorry. I was wrong. I know that now.’

‘Well, it’s a bit late for that! Don’t you think?’ Grayson yells from somewhere behind me.

‘Oh shit. Just keep quiet. Lilly. Please,’ Collins whispers as he quickly gets to his feet.

Grayson’s charging over to us, his furrowed eyes squarely on me.

‘She’s okay,’ Collins nervously calls over. Grayson’s stride doesn’t waver. Collins places himself between us and tries to talk down Grayson who’s clearly furious. ‘She’s been hurt. Grayson, please try and be-’ He’s slammed sideways onto the floor with a slight twitch of Grayson’s hand before another word can be said.

‘I can explain,’ I say quickly, trying to get to my feet before he gets any closer, but I’m too weak. Too slow. He reaches me, bends down and yanks me to my feet. He doesn’t look at me as he starts pulling me back to the house by my elbow. I pull down Collins’ coat which thankfully reaches just above my knee.

‘Is that hers?’ he asks Collins, pointing at my bag he has tossed over his shoulder.

‘Yes, but-’

‘Give it to me.’

Grayson snatches it off his arm before Collins gets the chance to hand it over and carries on pulling me towards the rusty metal gate. I struggle to keep up, and with no shoes on, I stumble and wince as I walk over who knows what.

‘Grayson…please let me go.’ I try to prise his hand off, but he just tightens it and drags me on. ‘Let me explain.’

As we emerge through the gate and walk onto the lawn where the damage from my fire doesn’t seem to have reached, countless Nomads point large guns straight at me. I see Gabriel, sporting a fresh black eye and pacing up and down in front of them. What the hell was I thinking running off like that? I should have known he would get in trouble. When he sees me, he stops pacing and his brief look of relief goes as quickly as it came. It’s replaced instead with annoyed exasperation. I definitely made the wrong call last night.

‘She okay?’ he asks Grayson as we get closer.

Grayson carries on walking past without answering.

‘Where are you taking her?’

‘I already told you,’ Grayson says plainly as he continues dragging me behind him.

Where is he taking me? I look back at Gabriel who’s staring at the floor with his fists clenched looking angry. Even he won’t look at me.

‘Gabriel, I’m sorry,’ I call back as we pass. He looks up and watches us go. ‘Please, please believe me. I never meant-’ Grayson tugs me forwards.

‘Quiet!’

‘Grayson, wait!’ Gabriel calls after us. With a look over my shoulder, I see he’s running after us. ‘Maybe you should take a second and calm down.’

‘I am calm,’ Grayson replies as his hand tightens. ‘I am perfectly calm.’

He’s not. He’s angrier than I think I’ve ever seen. I prefer the yelling to this.

‘Grayson, please,’ I pull against his grip, but he won’t let me go. Collins is running after us now as we all make our way swiftly to the back door. ‘Please let me explain. I didn’t mean-’

‘Where’s your cuff?’ he asks, looking at my wrist.

‘I…I’m not sure. Listen-’

The patio door slides open from the inside and a Nomad steps aside to let us past. The kitchen’s full of Nomads. They all look down at the floor as we pass.

In the hall, Amara lingers at the bottom of the stairs. She takes a step towards us but Grayson holds up his finger and she stays put. I expect to be taken into his office, but he carries on. To the front door. He kicks it open and continues to drag me on.

My feet hurt as I’m forced to walk over the gravel. I look back. Gabriel and Collins are following us, talking with each other quietly and looking worried. Beside us are two Nomads. One each side. Their guns loaded and ready to fire.

‘Where are you taking me?’ I ask, glancing at one of the many cars parked up.

‘Exactly where you want to go,’ he replies with a shrug. He sounds at ease, but his body language is anything but. I look up at him. His mouth’s in a tight line and his jaw’s rigid.

He walks past the cars.

‘I don’t understand.’

‘No?’ Finally, he looks down at me as he pulls me on by my elbow. His eyes drift to my bare legs. I pull down Collins’ coat hoping I’m completely covered. His eyes flick back to mine. ‘You want to leave, right?

‘I did, but-’

‘Then today is your lucky day,’ he tells me, looking forwards and gesturing to the main gate. ‘You’re out.’

‘What happened with the fire, it wasn’t my fault!’ I look between him and the gate. ‘I didn’t want to leave. I had to. For your safety. For everyone’s safety.’

‘And how did that work out?’

‘I was jumped by a man. He wanted me to kill you, but I said no. Please, stop pulling me.’ I dig my feet into the stones, but it does nothing to stop him. The closer I get to the gate, the more afraid I become that he’s serious! ‘He injected me with adrenaline. He knew I would lose control.’ He doesn’t stop. ‘I was just trying to do the right thing!’

We reach the gate. Two men standing either side give a small bow in Grayson’s direction.

‘Open it,’ Grayson orders. Pointing at the entrance.

‘Please. Please, Grayson.’

The gate starts to open slowly. The whirring sound has my heart hammering and my magic begins to stir.

Not now, please not now.

Gabriel and Collins join us.

‘Grayson. You can’t be serious!’ Gabriel says. ‘She won’t last a day out there on her own.’

As soon as the gate is wide enough, Grayson shoves me through it so hard I fall on my face.

‘I am perfectly serious,’ he replies. I get to my feet as he tosses my bag at me. I catch it and look at him. ‘Close the gate.’

My chest tightens when the gate begins to close. I walk back towards them but stop when the Nomads point their weapons at me.

The gate closes with a clank, and Grayson stands close to the bars, looking at me with such disdain.

‘I know you’re angry,’ I say in a forced calm, because, in truth, I’m freaking out. ‘And I am truly sorry for leaving the way I did. It was a mistake. One I regretted before I even reached the wall. I shouldn’t have gone. I regret it and I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.’

I wait for him to say something. But he just glares at me. His lip twitching ever so slightly. Then, he turns and starts to walk away leaving me out here alone.

‘YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME!’

He turns on his heel and storms up to the gate before punching it out of sheer anger. I jump back.

‘I didn’t do this to you!’ He points at me. ‘You did. I’ll tell you what I have done. I saved your life. I took you from your uncle’s house where you lived as a prisoner and brought you here to my home where I have tended to your wounds, fed you, clothed you and protected you from the threats that lie beyond this house, as well as the fears and demons you have inside your own head. I’ve offered you not only friendship but a family here. And all I have asked from you in return is to stay. To let us keep you safe and work with us to free our people from a life in the shadows. To save us all from certain death.’

‘I panicked. There’s so much violence here. John…the men yesterday…’

‘You may not like how I have behaved, you may think my actions rash and cruel, but I have men, women and children I need to protect. To save. And to do that, I must sometimes be rash and cruel. I need you alive. Malcolm wanted you dead. Or worse, back with Toby. You die…we die. John grabbed you inappropriately. Do you think I should have let that go? You think a man should touch a woman without her consent?’

‘No, but-’

‘I don’t tolerate abusers in my home. In my Coven. And I need you sane. Not Broken. So if I have to punish a piece of scum to stop him grabbing anyone else again, or to prove to you that you are safe from that kind of behaviour here, I will. A hundred times over.’ He points at me through the bars. I have to flinch back so he doesn’t poke me. ‘Now let me tell you what you have done! You have destroyed one of my bedrooms. Thrown Hendrix into a wall. Impaled Gabriel. Burnt Collins. Almost got your friends killed by a man that wants you dead because you wanted to buy a Christmas tree against my wishes. And then, as we were spending every second of every day protecting you from Toby, you ran away as we all slept. You were ready to abandon us all to a life of hiding and persecution. Would you like to tell the Nomad mothers that their children may end up in the hands of Hunters all so you don’t have to face your ex-boyfriend, you complete and utter coward?’

‘I’m sorry-’

‘Oh yeah, and you just burnt down my goddamn orchard that has been thriving for centuries! So, go. See how well you do on your own, bearing in mind of course, that you didn’t even make it past the wall before some fool managed to nab you and use you to try and kill me. Because that’s all anyone outside this coven wants for you. To use you as a weapon or to kill you.’ He points down the country lane. ‘Town’s five miles that way.’ He pulls out a couple of notes from his trouser pocket and tosses them by my feet. ‘I suggest you get on a bus and keep moving, because if Hunters don’t find you, Theo will. That’s if Toby and his spies aren’t already lurking out there watching you right now just waiting for an opportunity to get you on your own like last night.’ He turns and starts walking back to the house, but not before turning back to me. ‘Oh, and do us a favour. If it is the Hunters that get you first, and when they start torturing you for information on any other witches or Descendants, keep our names out of it. You might want to just kill yourself if they do get their hands on you. Believe me when I tell you that you don’t know pain till you’ve been in one of their interrogations. Good luck, Miss Hooper. You’re going to need it.’ He turns and starts to walk back to the house. Gabriel watches him go.

‘You can’t just leave her out there, Grayson!’ he demands. But Grayson carries on walking away. ‘Open the gate!’ Gabriel looks at one of the Nomads. ‘Let her back in.’

Grayson stops and turns.

‘Anyone that opens that gate for her will find themselves joining her. If you so much as step foot beyond that gate, Gabriel, you will not be welcomed back. That goes for everyone. Do I make myself clear?’

‘You need her! The spell-’

‘To hell with the spell. I won’t keep putting our people in danger for someone who doesn’t give a damn about them, and she clearly doesn’t.’

‘That’s not true-’

‘She has no intention of helping us, Gabriel,’ he says, raising his hand to silence me. ‘She has no intention of doing the spell. Of saving us all from the death sentence we have for just being born. I have no time or resources to give to people who are selfish and cowardly. So like I said. If you want to go, brother, go. But don’t bother coming back.’ He waits, looking at Gabriel, Collins and all the Nomads in turn. When no one says a word and Gabriel remains still, Grayson nods and continues walking back towards the house leaving Gabriel looking between us.

Gabriel walks towards me. ‘Open the gate. I’m going with her.’

Grayson’s too far away to hear him, but Collins does. He grabs his arm and stops him.

‘You go, you won’t be allowed back. I know you care about her, but you’re needed here.’ Collins glances at me but avoids eye contact.

Gabriel pulls his arm free. ‘She goes. I go. I won’t abandon her. She’ll be killed if I do. Open the fucking gate.’ He walks up to the bars and rests his hand over mine with a perfectly lovely smile. ‘I won’t leave you. Never.’

‘I won’t let you destroy your relationship with your brother because of me. You leave with me, and we’ll both be dead before the week is out.’ My fingers entwine with his. Every time I’ve left these grounds or been without protection, I’ve almost died or got others killed. Enough.

‘I’LL DO YOUR SPELL!’ I shout past Gabriel.

Grayson slows to a stop in the distance, turns and folds his arms.

‘Excuse me?’

‘Let me back in, and I’ll help you bring down the veil. I swear to you.’ Gabriel lets go of my hand and steps to one side as Grayson strolls back.

‘You’ll do the spell?’

‘I’ll do your spell, Grayson. I’m on your side. I swear it. Please, let me back in. Give me another chance.’

‘Will you try and run again?’ he asks.

‘No.’

‘Will you do as I ask? Follow my orders?’

Reluctantly I reply, ‘Yes.’

‘You will wear another cuff with the binding spell?’

I nod.

‘I’ll let you back in.’ I flood with relief. ‘But, there’s something else I want from you. Something that if you deny me, I will send you away.’ The gate starts to open, and he steps aside.

‘What do you want from me?’ I ask nervously.

‘I want you to prove your loyalty.’

∞∞∞

I’m escorted back to the house and sat down in Grayson’s office. It’s been thoroughly cleaned and no one would know what had happened in here at all. Grayson’s opposite me on the other side of his desk and I still have no idea what he wants me to do in order to prove my loyalty. Gabriel pulls up a chair beside me as Collins stands behind him. Both look uneasy, to say the least.

‘There is more to the binding spell than just stopping a Witch using their powers completely.’ Grayson opens his desk drawer and pulls out a black wooden box. He removes what looks like a bundle of dirty cloth. I notice a large first aid box sitting on the desk beside Collins. What’s he going to ask me to do?

‘This is a Bloodstone,’ Grayson says, showing me a small, clear crystal he’s unravelled from the cloth.

‘A Bloodstone?’

‘Yes. It’s a stone used to pass control of when and where you can use your magic to another. If you make a Bloodstone with me for example, I decide when you use your magic but more importantly, when you don’t. So, if I see you start to lose control again as you did a few hours ago, I simply will the magic inside you to stop by using the stone, and it will. I can also will it to return to you. Another advantage of making a Bloodstone with me is that I can use it to find you. Like a built-in tracking system. So, if someone gets their hands on you or you get lost, I can find you.’

‘What if someone steals it from you and uses it to control me?’

‘That’s the beauty of a Bloodstone. For it to work, you must willingly give it to me, and it can only be used by the person you make it with. So, if I have the stone, and someone takes it from me, it will be utterly useless.’ He slides it across the desk to me.

‘What if I take it from you?’

‘Then you can use it yourself.’

I pick it up to get a closer look. So, this is the Bloodstone he’s been keen on making with me. Except for the way it’s crystal clear, it could be any old stone. It’s rough, unpolished and jagged. It’s quite small. Much smaller than I expected considering the fuss.

‘This is what you want me to do to prove my loyalty?’ I ask him. ‘You want me to make a Bloodstone with you?’ Grayson gives a slight nod and sits back in his chair, watching me closely. ‘How does it work?’ I ask.

‘The stone comes from a place called Tintagel. Tintagel was once a sanctuary for our kind. A castle built into the cliffs with its own village where witches lived in peace together. It was our home. Once upon a time. There is a phenomenon that occurs on very rare occasions. If an item or a place has been exposed to enough magic, it can contaminate it. Tintagel was the home of hundreds of witches for hundreds of years. All had magic, all had access to the Arcane Realm, and over time the land itself became a site of power. Certain stones beneath the ground became connected to the Arcane Realm. They became tools for witches to enhance or store their magic. There are countless ways to use these amazing little stones. But right now, this seems the best use of it.’ He nods to the stone. ‘This one was removed from deep inside the cliffs many, many years ago. It’s the last one known to be in existence. The others were all used up in the war, destroyed by Hunters or simply lost. Tintagel is just foundations and steps now. Humans destroyed it when they turned against us. Pulled it down and threw it into the sea.’

‘What about the witches inside?’ I ask.

‘They slaughtered them all. Every last man, woman and child.’

Hearing that after creating such a lovely image in my head of families living together in peace, children playing games with their magic out on display… I think my heart breaks a little.

‘Places like Tintagel castle, sealed off to humanity, were safe havens. Humans didn’t even know we existed. When we left these fortresses, we didn’t use magic unless it was necessary. We never killed or hurt humans. We just shared their world from a distance. It worked. But then a few humans learnt of our power, and they wanted it for their own benefit. They wanted Witches to fight their wars for them. We told them no. We didn’t get involved in human affairs, and they didn’t get involved in ours. That was the way of it. So, instead, they decided we were the enemy. They allied with their enemies claiming us the real threats. They attacked our safe havens. They murdered us in droves. Destroyed our homes. Killed anyone who helped us and started the war between us.’

‘But you survived.’ I feel the tears in my eyes.

‘We made difficult decisions to survive. And without the spell that preserves our age and helps us heal, we would all have died. We would never have been able to protect the Nomads. We never wanted to fight humans. We never wanted to kill anyone. They started this. We just wanted to live our lives freely. Without chains and without condition. I think you can understand that.’

‘I get that completely.’ I hold the stone in my hand and look at him. ‘So you want me to bring down the veil. Return magic back to all the Descendants. People like Amara, and then what?’

‘When we have the power to defend ourselves, we’ll approach the human leaders publically, and make a guarantee that we mean them absolutely no harm. That we want this persecution to end and that we will stay out of their way if they stay out of ours. We own a few islands across Europe. They’re secluded. We will relocate offshore. We don’t want to fight anyone. We just want what’s rightfully ours. Freedom. If they refuse us that right, and only if we must, we’ll fight for it.’

Freedom. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, and it’s something I’ve never had.

‘Why did the Veil get put up in the first place? Why would the witches willingly surrender their magic if they were in the middle of a war?’

‘We didn’t,’ Gabriel sighs, folding his arms across his chest. ‘The decision to put up the veil was made by our elders at the time. A small group of powerful Coven leaders. We didn’t get a say in it. You know about Hunters, right?’ As I nod, he continues. ‘Well, before the war started for us, it was well underway for them. They were kidnapping witches in secret. Only a few, and from different countries so we didn’t put it all together. But they were actually torturing them for information on our weaknesses. They took mothers and their children first. Can you imagine? “Tell me what I want to know, or watch your baby drown. Tell me what I want to know, or watch your children burn.” They got their secrets. They got their information. They discovered the binding method and also, a way to detect magic.’

‘Hunters are marked,’ Grayson continues. ‘Somewhere on their body is something similar to a tattoo. It’s a long story on how each mark is created, but the gist is, the tattoo burns hot on the Hunter’s skin when close to magic.’

‘So when the Veil went up and cut off the Descendants magic, they couldn’t detect who was a witch, and who was human,’ Gabriel concludes. ‘Rebecca Hooper promised that when the time was right, when we had rebuilt our numbers and hidden ourselves amongst the humans successfully, perhaps even created a truce, that the Veil would be removed and we could return to our way of life again. But she died soon after the spell was done, leaving the way to manipulate the veil written in her journal. We have tried to create peace. But the humans kill anyone who approaches them to create a treaty. And Hunters are still active today, with their tattoos. They can’t detect the Descendants. But they would detect us if they got close enough. Truth be told, if the veil hadn’t been put up, we would all have died centuries ago. But this was never meant to be permanent.’

‘But Hunters will still try and kill us all!’ I know that and I’ve never even seen one. The fear in my uncle’s eyes at the mere idea I was discovered, and what it would mean for them was undeniable. Not much scared Harry. But they did.

‘Once we are back to our full strength, they won’t be a threat. We definitely outnumber them now. And when we’re at our full strength, we will show them that we mean them no harm. That we could start and win a war. But we won’t. We’ll make sure they know we just want to be left alone. The problem is keeping us and what we are doing quiet because if they find out about us now, we will be no match for them. We will all be killed. Us and the Descendants. Anyone who has had contact with us will die.’

I’m ready to practice. I’m prepared to accept what I am. It’ll be hard. I’m sure. But I want to be better. I want to start living. There’s nowhere else I can be myself or have the chance to learn who exactly I am other than here.

‘Okay. How do we do this?’ I ask handing back the stone to Grayson, ready to do what needs to be done.

‘Only one type of witch can make a Bloodstone. A witch with Sensativa. So you’ll have to do this spell for me.’

‘I have no idea how to do it.’

‘I’ll walk you through it. It will be made with my blood and your blood. Our link. I need you to give your blood to me voluntarily.’ He pulls out a knife and places a large bowl by my feet.

My eyes widen in shock. ‘That’s a big bowl!’

‘You have to cut, and willingly give your blood to me otherwise it won’t work. If you want control back, just take off the cuff, and the link will be severed. The stone only works with the binding spell words. No one else can use it, only the one whose blood made it, and you have to be the one to give or take the stone. No one else can control who uses it but you.’

‘And only you will be able to control it? My magic?’

‘Yes. Whoever adds their blood will be linked to you.’ Whoever? I look at Gabriel who throws me a less than convincing smile as he sits on the edge of his chair.

I get an idea.

Grayson cuts across his palm and squeezes out about half an inch of blood into the bowl then hands me the knife.

‘Your turn.’

I take it and hand it to Gabriel who stares at it in stunned silence.

‘You…you want me to add to the link?’ he says finally.

I nod.

‘I don’t think that’s wise,’ Grayson says, ‘I’m more than capable of taking responsibility.’

‘I know that,’ I reply, trying to ignore Grayson’s annoyed stare in my peripherals and the sharp edge to his tone. ‘But it’s the only way I’ll agree to this.’

This is bigger than pride. It’s about safety. Mine, as well as theirs. Having both of them watching my back feels better than just the one.

‘I’m honoured,’ Gabriel says clearly taken aback by my request. He slices his hand and adds his blood, ignoring Grayson’s displeasure. Finally, I go to add mine.

‘How much do you need?’ I ask as I hold the blade against my palm.

Grayson stands and kneels in front of me, then guides it instead to my wrist. ‘We need a lot.’

‘You want me to slit my wrist?’ I say, horrified. ‘I’ll die!’

Collins opens the first aid box and starts pulling out bandages. I look at them all in turn.

Is this a trick?

Gabriel rests his hand on my knee. ‘You can do this. We’ll make sure you’re alright. I promise.’

I close my eyes and hold my breath before sliding the sharp edge across my skin. The coldness of the metal disappears and is replaced instead with warm, thick blood. My heart gets quicker and quicker with every minute as the red liquid trickles freely into the bowl. When are they going to stop it?

I open my eyes. Grayson’s watching it intently, but Gabriel’s watching me.

‘I feel woozy,’ I tell them. My head’s getting fuzzy and I feel sick. I have to rest my head on Gabriel’s shoulder.

‘Take a deep breath,’ he whispers. ‘Almost there.’

‘Okay, that’s enough.’ Grayson pulls away the bowl and puts it on my lap. Collins clamps a cloth down on my wrist and kneels beside me to start stitching me up. Gabriel holds my hand, but I’m busy watching what Grayson does next. He dips a thick piece of wool into the blood and lays it on his desk.

‘I will use this to make you another binding spell,’ he says before dropping the crystal into the blood. He hands me a sheet of paper. ‘Read this. But say two instead of one here.’ He points to a section. ‘And while you say the words, let your magic flow into the blood. Like you do when you create fire. But with your Sensativa instead.’

I do as instructed. ‘Blood of one, given to another. Power of one shared with two. Et eas tradidit nobis.’

Slowly, the blood begins to disappear. It drains away until in the bottom of the now empty bowl sits the crystal, no longer transparent but a mix of black and deep red. The colours swirl like there’s a rough storm inside it.

‘There. All done,’ Grayson says, clasping the Bloodstone. ‘Even though I will hold the Bloodstone, it belongs to you. If you want to transfer the link to Gabriel, you have to take it from me and willingly hand it to him. We will be the only ones that can control when you access your magic.’

‘But only when I wear the binding spell, right?’

‘Right.’

That’s it. I’m linked to the two brothers. They’ll know where I am at all times. They’ll control my magic while I wear the cuff and hopefully, I’ve proven my loyalty.

Grayson, still gripping the stone like it’s some treasured possession, looks to his brother.

‘Take her up to bed. She looks ready to pass out.’

‘Sure thing.’

‘And then come back downstairs.’ Gabriel nods, Grayson continues to glare at him. ‘I mean it. You come straight back downstairs.’

‘I’ve got it,’ Gabriel insists, frustrated.

As soon as he’s out of sight, I cling onto Gabriel’s hand making his fingers turn white as I will the room to stop spinning.

‘Why ask me to do the Bloodstone?’ he asks quietly. I glance at Collins who’s still focusing on my wrist.

‘Because I trust you. Why would you want to leave with me knowing that you wouldn’t be welcomed back?’

He has a slight grin on his face which warms my heart.

‘Because he’s an idiot.’ Collins finishes taping a thick layer of bandage around my wrist with a sweet smile.

They both help me to my feet.

‘I’m sorry again,’ I gesture to his burnt skin.

‘I told you. It’s fine.’ He pats my formerly dislocated arm gently. ‘How does it feel?’

‘It aches,’ I tell him, circling the stiff joint.

‘What happened to your arm?’ Gabriel asks, his eyes narrowed as he looks at my shoulder.

‘Nothing,’ I tell him, but Collins cuts me off.

‘Whoever grabbed her, dislocated her shoulder. I popped it back when I found her. You need to keep it moving, or it will seize up.’

‘You are really going through the wringer, aren’t you?’ Gabriel gently runs his hand over my injured shoulder before looking at my bare legs. ‘Did they also take your clothes?’

‘That was the fire. Jackass,’ I reply.

‘Hmmm. Lucky fire.’

‘Make sure she keeps moving that arm,’ Collins laughs. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get some TLC from a gorgeous brunette and reassure her that everything’s fine before she has an aneurysm from worry.’

‘Thanks, Collins.’

‘My pleasure.’ He leaves the room with a smile.

‘How are you feeling?’ Gabriel asks, trying to put on a serious face. ‘Really.’

‘Like shit,’ I say with a light laugh, trying to make the whole situation less dramatic. ‘I really want to go to bed.’

Gabriel scoops me up in his arms. ‘I’ve gotcha, Beautiful. Let’s get you upstairs.’

‘I can walk you know,’ I protest sleepily.

‘Yeah, but this is much more fun.’

He takes the stairs slowly, holding me close and looking at me occasionally as my eyes begin to droop. With each blink, we get higher up the stairs and closer to my room, until I feel the softness of my sheets being draped over me.

I snuggle my face into the pillow and close my eyes, too exhausted to stay awake. I stink of smoke and I’m still covered in ash, but I really couldn’t care less. His lips on my cheek are the last thing I feel before I fall asleep.

∞∞∞

It’s six a.m. the next day when I wake up. On my wrist is a watch. An exquisite and probably costly piece, with a white leather strap and a mother of pearl clock face, encased with a diamond-studded rose gold frame. I can’t feel my magic, and sure enough when I take it off, under the strap hidden from view, is the blood-soaked thread carefully stitched into the leather with those familiar words.

Nexasanguinum.

I return the watch with a sigh. This is most definitely Grayson’s taste.

I shower off the stench of smoke, and go for a wander around the house in the quiet, trying desperately to rid myself of the memory of what transpired in Grayson’s office. I bump into the odd Nomad here and there who give me a polite nod as they stand guard. In the lounge, I find Gabriel hunched over the piano fast asleep. An empty bottle of whiskey lays on its side next to him. He shuffles slightly, mumbling something incoherently in his sleep. I reach out and stroke the hair from his face and slide a small cushion under his head before heading back to the kitchen leaving him to sleep it off. I still can’t believe he was about to come with me. I can’t believe I was allowed back in the house after all the crap I’ve pulled and the trouble I’ve caused. I guess Grayson really is desperate to bring the veil down.

Heading outside and across the lawn to the pool house, I’m followed by a chorus of, ‘Morning, Miss Hooper,’ as I pass various Nomads all watching me like a hawk. They’re everywhere. And they’re twitchy. But the pool house is empty.

Perfect.

I walk around the water’s edge and notice in the far corner a music system. It takes me ten minutes to figure it out, but soon enough music echoes around the room. I turn it up as loud as it will go and close my eyes. It’s quick, fast-paced and catchy. I like it!

I start to sway before spinning and moving around the water, watching my feet and just thinking of nothing but the music. I lift my hands above my head, close my eyes and dance. I feel so much better after sleeping nearly all day and night. The hum of magic in the air gets stronger. I think about stopping, but I don’t want to. The door opens and I hold out my hand. Gabriel takes it, wrapping his other arm around my waist he starts dancing with me.

‘Get much sleep, Beautiful?’

‘I think I was unconscious. Does that count?’

He shrugs. ‘Dunno. Maybe.’ He looks down at my wrist, eyeing the watch that sits where his cuff used to. ‘Do you like your new binding spell?’ I hear the slight tinge of annoyance in his otherwise innocent words.

‘It’s alright. Not very me.’ The diamonds sparkle as they meet the light. ‘I am so sorry I lost the one you gave me. Your mother gave it to you and I lost it.’

‘This one’s sparkly though.’

‘I don’t like sparkly. I much preferred the one you gave me.’

‘Don’t tell Grayson that.’ He gestures to the watch but has a smug little grin. ‘Twenty-four grand that cost him. I think he’s hoping it’ll impress you. Make you like him more or something.’

‘Oh well, in that case,’ I stop dancing. ‘I better go and ask him to be my boyfriend. After all, it’s a very pretty watch. Maybe if he throws in a pair of earrings, I’ll even marry him,’ I tease, letting him go. But he keeps hold of my hand, spinning me back into his arms as I laugh.

‘Haha. Very funny,’ he says, rolling his eyes.

‘Did he say anything about you staying with me?’

‘Only with his fists.’

The guilt churns away at me as I examine the black eye he’s wearing.

‘Don’t. Don’t you dare apologise.’ He reads my mind. ‘I wanted to stay. You wanted me to stay. Nothing even happened, and I told him that. He’s just jealous because he fancies you.’

The idea of a man like Grayson fancying anyone seems unlikely. He seems more the possess and control kind of man. And I’ve had my fill of that, thank you.

‘How’d you lot have all this money anyway?’ I ask, changing the subject and curious to know how they can afford all the luxuries they have.

‘We own a ton of companies all over the world.’ He shrugs.

‘Companies like what?’

‘Well, we have our fingers in oil, technology, real estate, retail, and we have a few vineyards in France that make and sell very expensive wine. We’ve been around half a century. We’re very good at making money. And Grayson has a brilliant mind for business. Plus, I can be very persuasive when needs be. Makes business negotiations very easy and very beneficial. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to dance with you.’

He pulls me closer to his body so all of him is touching all of me and speeds up, leading me around the water’s edge. We twirl. We spin. We laugh wildly as he manoeuvres me in ways I didn’t even realise I could move, before dipping me low and pulling me back so my face is an inch from his. We’re both out of breath, but I couldn’t be happier.

He just smiles and looks down at me. His bright blue eyes staring at me through his dark hair.

‘Thank you for the dance,’ he says.

‘Anytime.’

‘By the way. Grayson’s looking for you. He wants us both in his office.’

∞∞∞

‘You can’t be serious!’ Gabriel says with disbelief. ‘She’s not exactly had an easy couple of days. She needs rest. Not-’

‘I agreed for her to visit the tree lot with you, and in return, she agreed to let you look into her memories. I agreed she could stay here with our protection, and she agreed to do the spell,’ Grayson argues, sitting with his elbows on his desk. ‘We need that journal. Toby has it, and she may well know where he went or where he hid it. But unless we look into her lost memories, we may never know.’ He looks between us with an expectant expression, just waiting for either of us to argue. But neither of us do because he’s right. I did promise.

‘How do we do this?’ I ask, dread filling every inch of me. I can barely look at Gabriel. And if he sees anything too bad while he’s fishing around my head, he’ll never look at me again. And what will we see? What happened in those six weeks?

We sit, cross-legged, facing each other on the floor as Grayson perches on a chair to the side. He watches us keenly, his focus a hundred percent on us. Gabriel reaches out his hands and settles them each side of my head.

‘Close your eyes.’

I do.

‘Focus on my voice. Try and empty your mind of anything else but my words. And relax.’ There’s a clock ticking somewhere in the office, but that’s the only thing other than Gabriel’s voice, that I can hear. Grayson’s being as quiet as a mouse. I take a deep breath, relax my muscles, and try my best to close off.

‘I want you to think about an event in your life that you want to share with me. A happy memory. Something that makes you smile. Can you do that?’

‘Anything?’

‘Anything. But preferably a memory that doesn’t involve me.’

Hmm. I can do that. I close my eyes and think of my mum. Of her reading to me as I fall asleep.

‘Got it?’

‘Got it.’

I feel a sudden pressure in my head, like my brain’s too big for my skull, but it doesn’t hurt. It’s uncomfortable and feels wrong. But there’s no pain.

‘That’s it,’ Gabriel soft voice fills my ears. ‘Don’t fight me. It will hurt if you do.’

I take another deep breath and amazingly, my memory plays out in front of me like a movie. And I see things, hear things, that I’d completely forgotten she did. She takes a strand of my hair and twirls it between her fingers. I forget she used to do that.

‘Your mum looks just like you,’ Gabriel tells me. She did. Except for her hair. Mine’s the same red it is now, but hers is a light brown. I always think of her looking so young and sweet. But in my memory I see her looking tired, weary and a little sadder than I recall.

‘Okay…’ Gabriel breathes. ‘Now, I want you to think of Amara, and something that she did that made you laugh.’ That’s not hard. We’re taken to the tree lot, and she wraps tinsel around us both. But that makes me think of Theo and suddenly I’m on the floor as he pins me down watching as he slams my head into the ground again and again. The terror I felt then hits me just as hard now. And brings up more memories of him. Of him smashing down the door to my mum and dad’s cabin and striking my mum as he sets murderous eyes on me. The memories start to snowball, I gasp and pull away from Gabriel’s hands which cuts off the link. That was far too real. And judging by the look on his face, it was a little too real for him too.

‘You alright?’ Grayson asks, looking between us.

‘Fine,’ I insist, trying to calm my heart rate.

‘She got a little distracted,’ Gabriel tells him, stretching out his hands. ‘Ready to try again?’

Nodding, and more than reluctant, I let him try again.

‘Close your eyes. Relax.’ I feel his presence straight away. ‘Okay, Lilly, I want you to think of a happy memory. With Toby.’

The slightest mention of his name conjures up anything but happy memories.

‘I can’t. Please-’

‘Show me,’ he insists. ‘There has to have been something he did that made you smile.’

It takes a second, but I pull out a memory. Of him sitting on my bed at my uncle’s house, with me on the floor between his legs. He’s brushing my hair and working it into intricate plaits as I hold one of the many history books that Mr Simmons charged me with reading. It’s about the potato famine in Ireland. As he plays with my hair, he goes through in detail everything he knows about it. It was one of the most ordinary moments I experienced with him. He brought a box of chocolates with him, and every so often, he pops one into my mouth.

‘When was the last time you saw Toby?’ Gabriel asks suddenly. My brain reacts and instantly goes to my last memory of Toby. It’s the quickest of flashes before I snatch my head away.

‘Hey!’ I bark angrily. ‘That was a cheap shot.’ He saw a glimpse. Toby screaming abuse at me, hurling my stuff around my bedroom as I stood there crying. He goes to the window, I fall to my knees and beg for him to take me with him. But he didn’t.

‘I’m sorry,’ Gabriel tells me. ‘It’s a nasty trick, I know, but catching you off guard brings honest memories to the surface, rather than selected ones that you want me to see.’

‘What did you see?’ Grayson asks.

‘Not now,’ Gabriel says firmly, not taking his eyes off me. He reaches out his hands once more. I lean into them, glaring at him furiously. This is horrible. I feel like I have no control whatsoever over what he’s going to see. But I’m pretty damn sure that’s the point.

‘Close your eyes. Empty your mind. Now, tell me. Do you remember anything about the missing six weeks?’

‘No.’

‘Harry,’ he says. Instantly, a memory of Harry raising his cane pops into my mind. As soon as he sees it, he says ‘Christa.’ A memory of her hacking off my hair.

‘Gabriel, stop it.’ I try to pull away, but he just tightens his grip.

‘Simmons.’

A memory of Simmons sitting at his desk as I read a book on the floor.

‘Amara.’

Her being punched by Theo.

‘Grayson.’

Him grabbing me by the gate as he kisses me.

‘Hendrix.’

Him leaning in to bite me down in the cellar.

‘Toby.’

Him abandoning me.

‘The Miller’s barn.’

Oh no…

I’m on the floor, crawling like a beast, slipping and sliding across blood.

I pull away so hard, his fingernails scratch my skin. I’m on my feet panting as he remains on the floor.

‘That was a hell of a memory,’ he tells me.

‘It’s a nightmare,’ I insist. ‘Just a nightmare.’

‘That’s a memory, Lilly. You crawling in all that blood, that happened. If you remember that, and if you don’t fight me, I can see the rest. I can get-’

‘I don’t… I’d rather…I don’t think…’

‘Grayson,’ Gabriel looks at his brother. ‘Give us a minute, will you?’

He sits, looking from him to me suspiciously. But he does. He leaves and closes the door behind him.

‘Let me see.’ Gabriel offers me his hand again. ‘And hear me when I tell you that whatever we see, we’ll face it together. I’m right here. And nothing will ever change how I feel about you.’ He stands close. ‘Trust me.’

I’m screaming. But not in fear. It’s in complete, undiluted hatred.

My hair turns, from the roots to its tips. My eyes lose their colour and there I am. Broken.

I watch in horror as a version of me seals the double doors to the barn and butchers six men with my magic.

I set them on fire. I tear them apart. I impale them. Cut them.

Their screams and pleas for mercy do no good. I just destroy them. It’s carnage.

And when the last man falls silent, and when there’s no more blood to seep from their bodies, only then do I stop. I look at the butchery…and I laugh.

Behind me, someone stirs. They pull themselves up, rubbing their head and blinking the world back into focus.

It’s Toby. He looks at the death surrounding him, and then at me.

‘What have you done?’ he whispers. ‘You killed them…you…’

My fire erupts on my hands. My clothes and my body are dripping with thick, wet blood. And Toby looks terrified.

‘Your turn,’ I sneer.

‘My turn?’ he gasps, horrified, looking at his surroundings. ‘Lilly, we were trying to help you! To save you!’

‘Too late.’

He hurls a wave of fire at me, which I deflect using my own flames. The last thing I see is him disappearing out the door. When I try to follow, the river of blood has me slipping and sliding as I try to get to the door.

This time, it’s Gabriel that lets me go.

The look on his face, it’s beyond shock. It’s fear.

My trembling hands cover my mouth as I stare at him horror-struck.

‘Please tell me that wasn’t a memory.’

‘I’m afraid it was…’ he says quietly.

‘No. No-no-no-no.’ I just shake my head and start backing away.

‘Lilly, calm down-’

‘I killed them!’

‘It’s alright-’

‘I killed them all! How could I? Why would I? I’m evil.’ I can’t get my head straight. The images of those bodies, the feel of their blood on my skin, the way I laughed! He reaches out for me, but I jump back, frightened that I might hurt him. Ashamed, I don’t deserve his kindness. I can’t take it. No wonder Grayson keeps going to such lengths to keep me from losing control. I have to get out of this room. I throw open the door and sprint upstairs.

‘What the hell happened?’ Grayson demands as Gabriel calls my name. ‘Gabriel, what did you see?’

‘Well, she doesn’t know where Toby is. The last time she saw him was at the barn.’

‘The Millers’ barn?’

‘Yeah,’ he sighs. ‘It’s there that she Broke. Her uncle was telling the truth. She did kill those men.’