The Witch’s Tears

Ronan drained his tea and stood up. ‘Well, I’ll be on my way. D’you mind if I come by tomorrow afternoon, to see how he’s doing?’

‘Um, sure. If you like.’ Merry stood up too, making a mental note that she’d have to tell Leo to keep the dressings over his already healed wounds. She led Ronan through to the hallway and opened the front door. ‘Well, thanks again.’

‘No worries. Did you recognise them, by the way? The blokes in the photo?’

‘One of them, I think. He and Leo … they used to be friends. But then—’ She stopped, uncertain how much Leo would want her to share. ‘Then he turned out to be a jerk.’

‘Poor Leo. I heard the names they were calling him. And I know what that’s like – to be attacked for being different.’ He shook his head. ‘Well, goodnight then, Merry.’

‘Night.’

Merry watched Ronan climb into a rather ropy-looking transit van and drive away. Once he was out of sight she locked the door and ran upstairs; it made more sense to sleep on the floor next to Leo rather than wake him up again. She grabbed her duvet and pillow and was about to leave the room when she noticed her wardrobe was open. Frowning, she twisted the key back and forth in the lock a couple of times. She could have sworn she’d locked it earlier. But of course the trinket box was still there, hidden at the back under a couple of bags. Locking the wardrobe door, she leant against it for a moment, squeezing her eyes shut, yawning.

She’d been meaning to put a warding spell on the wardrobe. It was definitely on her to-do list. But it could wait until morning. Proper morning, not middle-of-the night morning.

After all, the job the box was created for was finished. No one would be interested in it now.

Merry woke about three hours later with an aching back and cramp in one foot. Leo was still fast asleep on the sofa. Carefully she peeled back one of the gauze pads; underneath was fresh, unbroken skin, only slightly pink. His eye still looked terrible, though. Worse, if anything, than last night. Bile rose in Merry’s throat.

That Simon is such a horrible, vicious, evil …

There weren’t any adjectives bad enough. She went upstairs to get dressed.

Merry ran the whole way to Simon’s parents’ house, and with each step she planned her revenge, each scenario darker than the last: baldness – skin disease – crippling, incurable pain. Horns growing out of his head; horns and a long, forked tail, so everyone would know exactly what he was. By now it was a little past five, and she was standing on the driveway next to Simon’s car – much newer and shinier than Leo’s crappy black Peugeot. The sun had only just risen and no one was around. Simon’s bedroom was the front right window. She could put a curse on him easily. As easy as breathing.

I haven’t taken the coven’s oath yet.

I can do exactly what I like.

Merry raised her hands. She felt the power building at her fingertips, pulsing underneath her skin. The air around her began to shimmer slightly in the pale grey light.

And yet …

And yet she hadn’t ever actually cursed anyone. She’d defended herself against Gwydion, but that wasn’t the same as deliberately choosing to hurt someone. Someone who had no chance of fighting back.

She gritted her teeth in frustration, nails aching with the build-up of magic. What was the point in being a witch, of having all this power, if she couldn’t take revenge on the guy who’d beaten up her brother?

Get on with it, Merry. Do it. Punish him …

The pain got worse. Any minute now she was going to lose control. She wanted to lose control …

‘Hell—’ Merry jerked her hands downwards just as the power exploded silently out of her fingers, sending it across Simon’s car, gouging deep grooves into the paintwork and the glass, warping the metal, taking chunks out of the hubcaps.

The pain faded to a tingling, fizzing sensation. When that had faded too, Merry lowered her hands.

The car was a wreck. As she watched, one of the hubcaps fell off and rolled away into the street. Better than nothing. But she didn’t smile as she turned away.

Leo was in the kitchen when she got home.

‘Where have you been?’ His one good eye peered at her suspiciously.

‘Er … out for a run.’ There had been running involved, after all. ‘I woke up early.’

‘Want some coffee?’

Merry nodded and leant against the counter next to her brother.

‘How are you feeling?’ She studied his face. ‘Everything looks normal again. Apart from your eye. Your eye is hideous.’

‘Gee, thanks.’ Leo put two mugs of coffee on the table and sat down. ‘Hope I don’t put you off your breakfast.’

‘Don’t be mean. I’m worried about you. Are you going to visit Gran?’

‘Obviously.’

It was hardly obvious, given how argumentative her brother was being. But Merry let it slide.

‘Want some toast?’

He nodded, so she went to get the bread out, wondering whether she should mention that she knew about Simon. Leo was just sitting there, slouched over his coffee cup. She watched him for a few moments. Maybe she should keep her mouth shut and let him bring it up when he was ready. Besides, if he found out what happened to Simon’s car, and he knew that she knew …

Stick to casual conversation. That was a good idea. She put their breakfast on the table and sat down again.

‘So … that was lucky. That guy coming along last night. Ronan.’

No reply.

‘He said he was a wanderer. He’s living in a tent in the woods. Near the lake.’

‘I know. He told me about it while he was driving me home.’

‘Oh.’ Merry took a bite of toast. ‘Not sure I’d fancy it, though, even if he’d chosen a different location: all the creepy-crawlies. Plus, not having a shower, or a washing machine.’

Leo pushed his plate away.

‘You’re so … judge-y. There’s nothing wrong with not having much. I bet he’s a nicer person than lots of the people round here with loads of money.’

Merry rolled her eyes.

‘Give me a break, Leo. I didn’t mean—’

‘They were beating the crap out of me, Merry. I might have ended up in hospital if it hadn’t been for Ronan. It was … terrible.’

‘I know. I’m really sorry.’

Leo bit his lip, pressing the heel of one hand against his uninjured eye.

‘I just …’

‘What?’

He shook his head. ‘Doesn’t matter.’

Merry could almost hear her brother’s agony, like he was screaming inside his head, reliving the betrayal and the pain. She wanted to hug him and shake him at the same time, to tell him that she knew the truth and that he didn’t have to suffer on his own.

‘Leo—’

‘Don’t, Merry.’ He stood up. ‘I know what you’re going to ask. But I didn’t see them properly. And even if I had recognised them –’ He seemed to catch his breath, a quick, shuddering gasp that he turned into a cough – ‘even if I had, I can fight my own battles. I don’t need you to – to run around after me like I’m a child, like you’re trying to fix my life.’ He turned to leave the room, but stopped to add: ‘Even a witch can’t just wave a magic wand and make everything better. You should know that by now.’

He left the kitchen and stomped up the stairs. A few moments later, Merry heard the bathroom door slam.

She sighed and started clearing the table. So much for casual conversation.

They had to get a bus to Gran’s house. Leo didn’t feel comfortable driving with one eye out of use. The journey – luckily – wasn’t long. They sat on the top deck, Leo wearing his sunglasses, staring out of the window and drumming his fingers on his knees. Merry tried to talk to him about Ellie Mills and the other dead witches, and the story she’d read, but his replies were monosyllabic. Eventually she gave up and started looking at some new photos Ruby had posted on Instagram: her dad’s parents on their farm, windswept on the north Norfolk coast, interspersed with pictures of her cousins in St Lucia, smiling and squinting in the sunshine. She scrolled up and down through the photos hungrily.

Must be nice, having a normal family. Without quite so much drama.

Fifteen minutes later they were on Gran’s doorstep. As usual, the door opened as they approached. Gran was on the phone when they walked in, but she waved them through to the kitchen, finished her call and gave Leo a hug.

‘My poor darling. Let me have a look.’

Leo took off his sunglasses and Gran tilted his head towards the light.

‘Nasty. But easily dealt with. I’m surprised you couldn’t take care of it, Merry.’

‘Well, the lotion didn’t work. And I have been practising that spell you showed me, but I’m still not confident about actually using it.’ She dropped her gaze. ‘I fixed everything else, though.’

‘Hmm.’ Gran pursed her lips. ‘Well, it won’t take long.’

Merry and Leo sat down at the kitchen table. Gran got a tall green bottle out of one of the cupboards and poured a little of the liquid – violently pink and viscous – on to a cloth. Merry caught the scent of lavender, masking something else: something darker and more pungent.

‘OK, Leo. I need you to hold the cloth over your eye. The spell is effective but rather painful, unfortunately. The liquid on the cloth will take the edge off.’

Leo blanched. ‘Actually, maybe I should wait for it to get better on its own.’

‘Don’t be a baby. Sit still.’

Leo glanced at his sister apprehensively. Merry shrugged and tried to look sympathetic – There’s no point arguing, this is Gran we’re dealing with – and took hold of his free hand. As he pressed the damp cloth to his swollen eye, Gran placed her hands over his and began to sing.

Merry recognised the words. She’d sung them herself often enough, though with no discernible effect. The charm was in Latin, the rough sense of it being an order to the skin to knit back together, repair and renew itself. And it seemed to be working: Leo was gritting his teeth, holding her hand so tightly her fingers hurt. Finally, the last note of the last phrase died away. Leo slumped forward, gasping for breath.

‘Well done, darling.’ Gran pulled his hand and the cloth away from his eye: the skin round his eye was slightly pink, like underneath a scab, but the cuts and the bruising had all but disappeared. As Merry watched, even the pinkness faded, until it was impossible to tell that he’d ever been injured. Leo blinked, opening one eye then the other.

‘My vision’s a bit blurry.’

‘It will settle down soon.’ Gran turned to Merry. ‘That’s what you need to aim for.’

‘Fine, I understand.’ Merry tried to keep the frustration out of her voice. ‘But what about the guys who attacked him? Leo’s refusing to go to the police.’ She waved at Leo’s face. ‘And you just got rid of the evidence.’

‘Merry—’ Leo began, but Gran cut across him.

‘Leo should have gone to the police last night. You should have called them when he got home.’

Merry huffed. So somehow this was her fault too?

‘But,’ Gran continued, ‘since he didn’t want to, the best we can do is put some charms on your brother, protect him from any further physical attacks. I’m sure you can manage it.’

‘But that’s ridiculous! He could have been killed. Even with the oath, there must be something you could do to – to find out who it was.’ She felt her face flush. ‘To punish them.’

Gran put her hands on her hips.

‘What are you expecting, Merry? That we should choose which laws to enforce, decide who’s guilty and hand out sentences? Those things can’t be up to us. It would be too dangerous. Can you imagine a world where people with our kind of power set themselves up in judgement?’

Merry didn’t reply. She understood what Gran was saying. But for Simon to escape scot-free after what he’d done to Leo – it was just wrong.

Gran was checking Leo’s eye again.

‘Vision better?’

Leo nodded. ‘Thanks, Gran.’

‘OK. Now, you can stay if you like, but I have a lot of work to get on with. I’ve had a visitor already this morning and he’s put me terribly behind.’ She turned away and started gathering up some papers that were spread out across the countertop.

‘Anyone we know?’

Gran shook her head.

‘A wizard.’

Merry’s hands gripped the edge of her seat.

‘A wizard? But why did he come here? And why did you let him in?’

Her grandmother finished putting the papers in order – murmuring something to herself as she did so – before turning back to them.

‘It’s customary, if a new witch or wizard moves into the area of an established coven, to visit the head of that coven. Out of courtesy.’ Gran sighed, clearly exasperated. ‘Honestly, Merry, there’s no need for you to be quite so anxious. There are no wizards I trust, only a handful I can tolerate and perhaps two that I count as friends. And I certainly wouldn’t be happy about you spending any more time with a wizard than was strictly necessary. But they are not all deliberately obnoxious. And I know no actual harm of the one who visited me this morning. He’s young, and he obviously has only a slight idea of correct etiquette, but I suppose I shouldn’t hold that against him.’

Merry loosened her grip on the chair fractionally. Obviously, not all wizards were going to be psychopathic crazy guys like Gwydion. Even so. She glanced at her brother, but he was yawning and looking deeply uninterested in the whole conversation.

‘Fine.’ She stood up. ‘We may as well go – we have to catch the bus back. Bye, Gran.’

‘Don’t forget our training session.’

‘I won’t forget.’

Much as I’d like to.

But that never seemed to be an option.

THE BUS TURNED up, eventually. As they queued to get on, Merry spotted one of Leo’s old school friends already on the bus, but her brother didn’t seem to notice him. He went upstairs to the stiflingly hot top deck, dropped into a seat at the back, pulled an ancient iPod out of his pocket and put his headphones on.

Merry did the same for a while, sinking into the music, singing along inside her head, tapping out the rhythms on her knee. The muggy air and the glare of the sun through the window was making her eyelids heavy. But she suddenly realised that having Leo next to her was too good an opportunity to waste: the way he’d been recently, she didn’t know when she’d next get to talk to him alone. She paused her playlist and nudged him with her elbow.

‘What?’ He pulled one earbud out.

‘I was wondering, when do you want me to put the protective charms on you? I need to look some stuff up, and I’m going to be working at the cafe this afternoon, but I could have a go this evening if you like.’

‘Don’t bother. I’ll be fine.’ He pushed the earbud back in.

Merry yanked it out again.

‘Hey!’ Leo glared at her.

‘What do you mean, “I’ll be fine”? You don’t know that. I have to keep you safe, and witchcraft is the only way I can do it.’

‘Witchcraft?’ He groaned, running one hand through his hair. ‘You all act like it’s so great, but it isn’t. Charms and spells and curses … It was magic that got you involved with Gwydion. It was magic that killed Jack.’ He shifted in his seat, turning away from her.

Merry stared at the back of his head for a few moments. He was sort of right, but …

‘What about your eye, though? And all the other injuries you had?’ She poked him in the back. ‘Magic fixed you. Otherwise you’d still be lying in bed bleeding.’

Leo swung round.

‘Well, that’s another problem, isn’t it? I’m going to medical school in September, supposedly. I’m going to have to study for five years and train for even longer so I can be a doctor. But what’s the point?’ He flung his hands up in a shrug. ‘Why should I bother when Gran can throw some pink liquid around, sing a few bars of terrible music and heal me, just like that?’

Merry opened her mouth to reply, but Leo wasn’t done.

‘You lot have all this power, but who benefits? Your families, maybe. And a handful of locals who still believe the legends and stories, and aren’t too proud to go to the resident wise woman when they need some help. Nobody else. Oh, you go on about protecting your identities like you’re so many superheroes. But you’re selfish, basically. You just want to keep the power to yourselves.’

‘That’s not true! You know it’s not true. People would be terrified of us if we didn’t keep it secret.’ Merry looked around at the empty seats as if they might give her some inspiration. ‘Helping people without them knowing that we’re helping them is really hard. And the coven aren’t perfect. But they try. You know they try.’

Her brother shrugged, crossed his arms and sank lower in his seat.

‘They helped me, back in April.’ She paused. ‘Or would you rather they hadn’t bothered?’

‘Course not.’ Leo was flicking the on-off switch of the iPod back and forth with his thumbnail. ‘Of course I’m glad they helped you. And I’m glad you could stop Gwydion.’ He stared at her, searching her face. ‘You know that, right?’

Merry nodded. ‘Yeah.’

‘But I …’ he sighed. ‘I dunno. I’m tired, I guess. I need …’

‘What?’

Leo twitched one eyebrow upwards.

‘To get away from here, maybe. Lately, I feel like something about this place is sort of … sucking at me. Sucking away my energy.’ He yawned and rubbed his eyes. ‘Ignore me. Like I said, I’m tired.’ He glanced out of the window. ‘It’s nearly our stop. Come on.’

They walked in silence back to the house, Merry trailing a few steps behind her brother, watching his hunched shoulders. It was hardly surprising he was in a bad mood, given what he’d just been through. She could still feel the pain she’d sensed earlier, like a long, continuous howl of anguish. Was it new, this agony? Or had it been there all the while and she’d just been too wrapped up in witchcraft and in her own loss to notice it?

I wish I could make him better. I wish, I wish.

Not paying attention, she turned off the road and bumped straight into Leo, standing motionless in middle of the driveway.

A transit van was parked in front of the house. And there, sitting on the front step, was Ronan.

He glanced up from his phone and smiled at them.

Leo turned and looked at her, his eyes wide, and Merry knew her brother was thinking the same thing: how on earth were they going to explain Leo’s miraculous recovery?

Ronan was walking towards them. There were spells to alter perception and memory, but Merry didn’t know them off by heart. Meanwhile Leo was fumbling in his bag for his sunglasses, but it was definitely going to be too late.

‘Leo!’ Ronan clapped one hand on Leo’s shoulder. ‘You look great. So much better than yesterday.’ He scanned Leo’s face. ‘So much better than I expected, to be honest.’

For a moment nobody spoke. Merry could feel the blood rushing up to crimson her face. Leo, also scarlet, was staring at the tarmacked ground. She had to think of something. She had at least to say something.

‘Um …’

‘Are you a witch?’ Ronan suddenly asked. ‘Or do you just happen to know one?’

Leo’s head snapped up. He took a step sideways to stand in front of Merry.

‘What do you want?’

Ronan laughed.

‘Relax. I’m not about to reach for my pitchfork and start trying to burn people at the stake. Not my style.’

Leo didn’t move.

‘I said, what do you want?’

Ronan backed away a little, holding his hands up, palms out.

‘Really, I just came to see how you were doing. And I know about witches because I’m one too. Well –’ he shrugged – ‘a wizard. So can I put my hands down now? Please?’

A wizard?

Merry didn’t know how to react. Sure, she was relieved that she didn’t have to come up with some plausible explanation for Leo’s unbruised features. But her brain was simultaneously sending a massive, flashing ‘DANGER!’ alert to the rest of her body. Her fingernails started to tingle.

Get a grip, Merry. Get a grip.

‘A wizard?’ Leo exhaled loudly, shaking his head. ‘Sure, you can put your hands down. Why didn’t you say something last night?’

‘Generally, I don’t go around advertising the fact to folks I don’t know. They tend not to react so well. Besides, my healing spells aren’t all that great, to be honest. I didn’t think I could do anything to help.’

‘Are you kidding? You saved my life.’ Leo stuck his hand out. ‘I owe you one.’

‘It was my pleasure.’ Ronan took Leo’s hand. But instead of shaking it, he pulled Leo into a brief hug. ‘Honestly, any time. So,’ he glanced at Merry, ‘are we good?’

Were they? Merry hesitated. Gran had told her – less than two hours ago – that wizards were untrustworthy. But this one had actually rescued her brother. Had turned up again today to visit him. And there was Leo looking all … smiley.

What wouldn’t I put up with to have Leo happy again?

‘Of course.’ She nodded. ‘We’re good.’

‘Grand.’ He smiled. ‘So, listen, I have to take off, but I wonder if you fancy watching the footy tomorrow? We could go to one of the pubs in town, have a couple of drinks …’ He trailed off, looking enquiringly at Leo. Obviously, the invitation wasn’t meant for both of them. Leo was already nodding enthusiastically.

‘Definitely, sounds great.’

‘Excellent. Here’s my number.’ Ronan pulled a pen out of his pocket, took Leo’s hand in his and wrote on the back of it. ‘Text me later and I’ll tell you which pub I’m going to.’ He waved at Merry and climbed into the van. She watched as he reversed out of the driveway and took off in the direction of the Black Lake.

‘Huh.’ Ronan was not what she’d expected, when Gran talked about a visiting wizard. Because it had to be him; how many wizards could there be, wandering around an average market town at the edge of Surrey? Clearly, not all wizards were going to be like Gwydion. But she’d still expected someone … weirder. She turned to say as much to Leo, but he was gazing at the mobile phone number Ronan had scrawled across the back of his hand. Now that was weird – too familiar, almost, from someone he hardly knew.

‘I wonder why he didn’t just get his phone out and text you.’

Leo pulled a face. ‘Why? This was just as quick.’

‘I s’pose.’ Merry turned towards the house, but her brother put out a hand to stop her.

‘Hey – don’t tell Gran that I’m going to the pub with Ronan. You heard what she said this morning, about wizards.’

He was right; Gran was unlikely to be thrilled.

‘Sure. I won’t say anything.’

‘Thanks.’

A car turned into the driveway: their mother, back home from her yoga retreat. Merry waved at her and went to open the front door. ‘And just remember,’ Leo called out behind her, ‘I’m allowed to have my own life. OK?’

No more spying on him, in other words.

OK, Leo. I’ll remember.

‘Mum, I’m going up.’ Merry yawned and rubbed the muscles in the back of her neck. It was Friday evening – only 10.30, but she was definitely feeling a bit … bleugh. Lack of sleep combined with working all afternoon at Mrs Galantini’s cafe in town (her new summer job) and all the drama with Leo. ‘I think the cats are still outside.’

Her mother didn’t reply; she just kept scrolling up and down through a document that was open on her laptop. It didn’t look like she was actually reading any of it.

‘Mum? You OK?’

‘Huh?’

‘I’m going to bed.’

‘Oh, all right. Do you know where the cats are?’

Merry frowned. ‘Outside, I think.’

Merry thought yoga was meant to relax you, but Mum had been restless all evening, fidgeting with stuff in the kitchen during dinner, rearranging cushions on the sofa while they were trying to watch TV. Leo had taken himself off upstairs at that point, having barely spoken two words to Merry since their conversation on the driveway earlier.