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It made her stomach churn. The skin had been battered into a pulpy, discoloured mess, while the tiny slit of eyeball still visible was red with blood. There was a spell to deal with this kind of injury, but she’d never managed to get it to work properly. Gritting her teeth, she began to dab the lotion over the damaged skin. Leo moaned with pain and knocked her hand away.
Merry frowned, peering at his eye. Where she’d applied the lotion, the skin was reforming – but not in the right way. It was all puckered and lumpy. She swore and put the lid back on.
‘This stuff isn’t going to work on your eye, so you’ll have to visit Gran tomorrow. Understand? You can’t leave that untreated. And if Mum sees you like this, she’ll have a fit.’ She dabbed at a bloodstain on the sofa with the damp cloth. ‘Several fits, probably.’
Leo nodded and gave her a wobbly smile. Merry swallowed the anguish in her throat and forced herself to smile back. At least she could help him get some sleep.
‘Open your mouth.’ She let three drops of the green liquid fall on to his tongue, repacked everything into the first-aid box, then leant over him again, studying her handiwork. Leo’s good eye was still open, but he was gazing into the distance.
‘Hey, big brother.’ Merry ruffled his hair a little. ‘Do you know who did this to you?’
Leo focused on her, his face flushing. Then he shook his head and turned away.
Merry knew he was lying. Just like she’d known with Gran, earlier.
‘I promise I won’t … do anything. Please tell me.’
‘Not now.’ He closed his good eye. ‘Tired.’
Ronan walked back into the sitting room carrying a tray.
‘Sorry, I needed to clean myself up. Bloody handprints all over the teapot might be a bit … off-putting. And then I burnt myself on the kettle.’ He held up one hand, and Merry could see his fingertips were slightly red. ‘But don’t worry, I found ice cubes.’
‘Oh. Right.’ She spread a blanket over Leo, grateful to see he was already drifting off to sleep.
Ronan set the tray down on the coffee table and began to pour the tea.
‘How is he?’
‘Asleep, I think.’ Leo was breathing more evenly now. She picked up a mug of tea. ‘So, did you see who it was? Can you describe them? He said he didn’t know them, but—’
‘Hold on …’ Ronan pulled a phone out of his jeans pocket. Merry recognised it as Leo’s, though the screen had a crack across it. ‘It was lying next to him. I took a photo as they were running away, in case he wanted to call the police.’ Merry thought for a moment, then entered the day and month of Dan’s birthday to unlock the phone. The fact that it worked made her want to cry. She went to Leo’s photos and looked at the most recent image. It was hard to tell – the shot was blurry – but she was pretty certain she recognised one of the men. Simon.
That emotionally stunted, homophobic bastard. I don’t care what I promised Leo. He’s not going to get away with this. I won’t let him.
She scowled at the photo, trying to identify the second figure. One way or another, she was going to find out who it was. And then she was going to make both of them pay. Leo had been Simon’s friend since they were small: how could he, of all people, do this to her brother? It made her want to be sick, to scream, to smash things—
Fault lines shot across the phone’s screen, and as it crazed and fractured there was the sound of shattering glass. The lamp on the side table next to her went out.
Merry froze, glancing at Ronan; she’d almost forgotten he was there. ‘Guess the bulb blew. I’ll fix it later.’ She slid Leo’s phone face down on to the side table, trying to breath slowly, hoping their visitor didn’t notice her shaking hands or the cracked brandy glass that was now leaking amber liquid. ‘Um, Leo was lucky you came along. God knows what they’d have done otherwise.’
‘It was nothing, honestly.’
‘No, it wasn’t. Lots of people would have been too scared to get involved.’
Ronan shrugged. ‘I can take care of myself.’ From the breadth of his shoulders and the well-defined muscles in his arms, Merry could see that was probably true. His build reminded her of Jack; he had that same look of being physically self-assured, capable. For a moment, she let herself imagine it was Jack sitting opposite her.
I wish he was here.
And I wish – I wish the King of Hearts had killed Simon instead of Dan …
The thought shocked her even as it entered her head. But it was the truth. There was no point pretending.
‘Don’t worry about Leo,’ Ronan was saying. ‘I know that eye looks bad, but I’ve had worse myself. It’ll be better before you know it.’
‘I hope so.’ Merry fiddled with the edge of the blanket, staring at her brother’s profile. Magic could help with Leo’s physical injuries, but she didn’t know of any spell that could help him deal with whatever was going on in his head. Let alone what was going on in his heart.
Ronan was still sipping his tea. She thought about asking him to leave, but this guy might have saved her brother’s life; throwing him out seemed a bit harsh. ‘Well, thanks for helping him. I’m glad you were in the right place at the right time. Do you live in Tillingham?’
‘Just visiting. I’m kind of –’ He pulled a face, like he was hunting for the right word – ‘itinerant. A wanderer. I’m camping out in the woods, not far from the lake. Do you know it?’
Merry tensed up.
‘Yeah. I’ve been there. Will you stay for long?’
‘I might do.’ He glanced over at Leo again. ‘Tillingham is growing on me, aside from the brawling in the streets, obviously. I’m from Ireland originally; my mam and I left when I was nine and I’ve been back a couple of times, but I couldn’t live there. As you might have heard, it’s a bit on the rainy side. Not great for camping.’ He smiled at her suddenly. It was a nice smile, Merry thought. Slightly lopsided. Cute, especially taken with his tanned face, curly black hair and dark brown eyes.
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.
