The Witch’s Blood

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‘Merry!’ Jack was returning through the trees. And next to him was Finn, still on Blossom’s back. He was covered in tiny scratches, but otherwise seemed unharmed. When he got closer, in answer to Merry’s raised eyebrows, he shrugged and said:

‘Brambles. Lots of them. But at least they stopped the damn horse before he threw me in the river.’ His eyes widened as he took in the pile of dead animals. ‘Bloody hell. You OK, Merry?’

‘Yes. I’m fine.’ Merry went to her bag, found the pot of Gran’s ointment and tossed it to Jack. ‘Put some of that on your arm. We need to keep going.’ She got the manuscript out from the pouch on her belt and checked the instructions. ‘Nothing’s changed. We just keep heading through the forest.’

‘Actually, I think we’re nearly at the end,’ Finn said, as he pulled her up on to the horse. ‘The land slopes downwards further on, and I could just see the trees start to thin out …’

‘Then let’s get out of here.’

They rode fast now, not speaking other than to urge the horses to a quicker pace. Finally, after another couple of hours, Merry could see what she’d been straining her eyes for: a cottage, tucked into the edge of the forest, a wisp of smoke rising from the roof. And then the details came into view: a thatched roof, shutters over the windows, a stream winding past the front of the building.

Finn drew the horse to a halt.

‘Why have we stopped?’

He pointed. There, coming through the trees from the left, were three young women. One tall and blonde, one black-haired and pale, one with vivid green eyes. Merry recognised them from the dreams and visions she’d been having for the last six months: Carys, Nia and Meredith. Carys and Meredith appeared much as Merry remembered, but Nia, the middle sister … she looked terrible. Gaunt and sickly.

The sisters became aware of the newcomers. Meredith ran towards Jack as he dismounted. ‘Jack, I thought I might never see you again …’

They knew each other?

Before Merry could react, Nia had wandered over to them. She stared up at Finn. ‘You do not belong here.’

‘Well,’ Finn slid down from Blossom’s back. ‘We’re not exactly from around here …’

But Nia wasn’t listening. She was gazing at Merry, and the curiosity on her face gave way to horror. She stumbled backwards. ‘No! Why have you come back out of my dreams? That path was never followed.’ Shaking her head, she raised her hands as if to cast a spell. ‘You cannot exist! You cannot—’

Finn caught her as she collapsed.

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ARYS CAST A suspicious look at Merry before turning to Jack. ‘Quickly, take her inside.’

Jack lifted Nia out of Finn’s arms and hurried into the cottage with Meredith and Carys. Merry left Finn to deal with the horses and followed them. The interior of the witches’ home was almost exactly as Merry remembered seeing it in the dreams she’d had earlier in the year. One large room open to the roof, with a central hearth and three shuttered windows. Sweet-smelling rushes spread across the floor. At the far end, a door into a smaller room, all in shadow – a bedroom of some sort, Merry assumed. A tripod, with a flat metal plate dangling beneath it, was set over the fire, while a chair, a bench and a couple of wooden stools were drawn up nearby. Jack carried Nia into the smaller room; after grabbing a couple of storage jars from a shelf, Carys followed them.

Merry turned to Meredith. ‘I’m sorry I startled her.’

Before Meredith could respond, Jack returned. Merry couldn’t help herself: ‘So you do know each other? But when I mentioned Meredith to you, you didn’t say anything …’

Jack and Meredith looked at each other. Merry’s throat tightened.

Luckily, Finn came in at that moment and asked Jack the question that Merry wanted to ask. ‘Does this mean you could have brought us straight here? That we’ve wasted all this time?’

‘No,’ Meredith replied. ‘He’s never been here. I would not allow him to know where we lived, for his protection and our own.’

Jack nodded. ‘She’s speaking the truth. And when you and I first met in the forest, I did not know you. I owe Meredith a blood-debt too; surely you would not have had me betray her?’ He took one of Meredith’s hands in his and kissed it.

Merry turned away, avoiding Finn’s gaze, concealing her confusion by taking off her cloak and folding it up. ‘I suppose not.’ She had known that her Jack had been in love with Meredith, and that Meredith had loved him back. The fact that he was in love with her in this reality too really shouldn’t have come as a shock. ‘You saved his life?’

‘They all did,’ Jack answered. ‘She and Carys and Nia. They came to our village, just before it was destroyed by Ronan. Told us we were in danger.’ He glanced at Meredith, and Merry saw the warmth in his eyes blaze again. ‘Told me who I really was. Many more would have died without their help.’

‘We did what we could.’ Meredith crossed her arms. ‘So, Jack I know. But who are you?’

‘This is Finn, and I’m Merry. I’m a witch too.’ On impulse, she added, ‘Merry is short for Meredith.’

The other witch’s frown deepened.

Merry pressed on. ‘We thought you might be able to help us find Ronan. Or that you might even know where he is. Because I’m sure he has my brother confined somewhere. I saw him sitting at a table, but the spell didn’t reveal where.’

‘That’s why you think he’s alive?’ Meredith sat down, gesturing that the others should sit too. ‘Are you certain? Too often magic will show us merely what we wish to see.’

‘No. I’d know if Leo was dead. I’d—’ The enormity of what she was saying, of even using the word ‘dead’ in the same sentence as her brother’s name … it crushed the breath out of her. Finn reached across and let his hand rest lightly on her back. His touch steadied her. ‘He’s alive. You’ll just have to take my word for it.’