Lexi
I waved a crimson hand over the blue, energy sinking into the crystal. I felt it hum, and a grey mist swirled, covering the blue. I took his forearms and took a deep breath.
“Where do we start?” I asked Leo.
“Did you see the necklace while you were dreaming?”
“I haven’t seen the necklace in this lifetime.”
His eyebrow raised, “From the beginning then?”
“My beginning?”
“Sure, show me.” His thumb made small soothing circles on my arm.
I leaned in, gazing into the blue. Very quickly, a clean image of Anabel appeared, picking up her skirt at her husband’s weak voice…
Blackspit
She eagerly sat on the edge of her seat; this is it.
Time to move her next chess piece. The Morrigan knew how to play to her strengths.
And no protective circle, runes, sigils or wards.
Idiots.
An easy charm to make them see, only what she wanted them to see…
Third Person
The radio crackled to life, and an alarmed voice spoke through. It was 6 p.m., and the detective had awoken from his nap. He picked up the receiver, hearing his name repeated over and over.
“Yes, yes. I am here. What is it?” he said into the receiver.
“Langton spotted.”
Magnus jumped up from his bed in shock, “Where?!”
“Inverness.”
“Send me details now,” he hurriedly said before whisking around the tiny hotel room, gathering his things. He has to follow the lead, or it would be his head.
Magnus paused, looking around the room before leaving… Should he tell the mother?
Jack leaned back in his seat, defeated.
“Shit,” he muttered. He immediately started to call Keiron. A text would not go down well with the uncle.
A chiming sound echoed through the family home; calmly getting up, Isobel paused the episode.
Luke spied Keiron’s silent phone glowing and, passing it to him, spoke softly, “The Wolf is calling you.”
Keiron glanced at his partner before picking up the phone from his hand.
“Hello?”
“I am so sorry-”
“WHAT?! “Isobel’s hysterical cry echoed around the house, startling Alex from his seat. He looked at his uncle.
“She’s been spotted.” Jack’s gruff voice spoke over the receiver.
Isobell hung up the phone sobbing. She dropped to the floor. Luke immediately went to her.
“Where?”
“Inverness. I will text you with more.” Jack hung up the phone; he heard the mother cry, but before he said anything, perhaps the detective had told her.
“Where was he last spotted?” Victoria asked, turning the corner. She snapped her fingers at the two men sitting around.
“Oxford. No further updates.”
“Hm. I still have an apartment down there. There is no doubt he is hiding. Let’s go see what the child is up to next.”
She left with a flick of her hair. Jack slowly got up, taking the radio with him. He would continue to listen in when he could. He hoped Keiron would also keep him informed of the lass.
Keiron sighed as he got up. His heart could not bear his sister’s cries.
“Why? She said she was safe! Why is she in Inverness? Why would she chance it?”
Keiron refused to speak aloud his thoughts. His mind wandered back to the black-splattered image. Did Bristlecast have a hand in this?
He entered the workroom under the stairs.
“Selena? Mum? We need your help. How do we get rid of this?”
The same abandoned blook on House Witchery skittered across the floor to his feet. His eyebrows furrowed.
“I don’t see how this helps-”
It bounced a few times, pages fanning open before finally landing on a page. Placing his reading glasses on his face, he picked up the book and read aloud.
“How to remove ink stains the old way. Oh, for god’s sake.” He threw the book on the table, looking around at nothing.
“It’s really that simple?” He exacerbated.
He could practically hear the tinkering laughter in the silent room. Groaning, he leaned out of the doorway.
“Isobel. I found out how to remove the ink.”
Lexi
We were again in the memory, watching it from afar, with hands entwined. Anabel and Carmilo were saying goodbye at the harbour.
Leo’s hand squeezed mine.
“Shall we follow her?” He wondered out loud.
“My dream cut off after this. I wonder what Carmilo’s Wife- his ex-wife- looks like.”
“Hm, well, only one way to find out.”
We followed Carmilo.
We found the necklace. It sat perfectly centred around the wife’s neck.
Not only that, but Carmilo lied about the divorce. We watched, shocked, as his heavily pregnant wife greeted him enthusiastically at the shore.
“How was your work trip?”
“Horrible, I missed you.” He smiled and greeted his wife with a kiss.
We stood quiet, watching the happy couple. Quickly, they hurried home to two other children. Carmilo had a smile on his face and seemed to be the doting father and husband.
Putting a hand up, I gently moved my hand from right to left, and the timeline sped up. Years went by before another ‘work trip’. He went to the same island, but Anabel was nowhere to be found.
A heavy sigh left him as the receptionist told him such, and he instead left a letter addressed to Anabel in the hands of the hotel, hoping she would come back. He then retreated to the bar for one last drink.
As the years passed, he secretly tried to find her to no avail. The hotel owner confirmed she never returned to the hotel, and the letter was returned to him.
He gave up and continued his happy family life well into old age with his wife.
“They never met again…” I stated the obvious quietly.
“Maybe she passed away after that trip?” Leo suggested quietly.
“Hm. Let’s find out.”
It was the ending that made the most sense.
Yet, here we both stood, watching an old lady mourn over her late husband, which surprised us both. She sighed heavily before placing down more flowers at his headstone.
They always say to expect the unexpected.
She never strayed again from her love for Deigo. She was never dated and never remarried.
As the hotel owner said, she never returned to the island again, instead doting on her family, her nephews and nieces. Why she did not, we may never know.
She passed away peacefully in her sleep, just like Carmilo and his wife.
No pain, no early death. She visited the grave every week without fail.
The necklace… did nothing to them. It didn’t bring an early death, and it wasn’t a bad omen.
It was not the key.
As we pulled out of the mirror, the lump reformed in my throat. I couldn’t stop the waterfall that rolled down my cheeks. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. I didn’t let go of Leo, clutching on. My chest felt heavy, like it was being crushed, as hope died within me. The words spoken by Morgan and the crow lady were valid.
I must leave him. I must let him find happiness elsewhere.
And I would be free from this cycle.
I took a sobbing breath as his hands grasped my cheeks, trying to wipe away the endless stream of tears. He moved the mirror aside and pulled me towards him. Only then did I feel his tears.
“I don’t know how to fix this,” he sniffed.
A pitiful laugh left me, my voice raw from my wailing, “Neither do I… Is it bad I wished she died sooner? Then we might have had something to work with.”
“A little, but I know what you mean.” With red eyes, he regarded me, wiping my wet cheeks. “I would rather know you were alive and well without me than…”
I nodded in acceptance. His words hurt; they cut me deeply, and I felt number.
Knowing he would be happier, I had to leave. Yet…
“One…” I whispered before stopping my sentence.
“What is it?” he gently asked.
“One more night?” I whispered.
A sad smile grew on his face, but he kissed my hand and embraced me on the floor.
‘Selfish.’
Blackspit
Blackspit couldn’t make this up. It seemed her benefactor was finally coming through—all perfect timing.
Morgan was gone. She had been requested by a potential customer and had to go urgently. The lover birds were on their way back after the final seed started to grow, and from her spy, it seemed her letter made them fall apart. They would be back soon.
She also found an unexpectedly powerful Fae. After draining all the magic she could from him, she thanked him and left him in the wild.
She closed her eyes and concentrated...
Long black hair. Deep black depths. Shifting into another human was easy with the Fae’s essence.
Hiss!
Only one thing left to get rid of, that damn fat rat of a cat.
“I wouldn’t do that, Madeline... she will notice.”
A taunting voice echoed in the room. It made her pause; she had finally trapped the cat in a towel. It growled something fierce.
“Plus, Lexi will know if you hurt it.”
She was right.
“Alright. What do you propose, Badb?” Maddie addressed the taunting voice and looked up into the black mirror on the coffee table. She was always watching.
“I heard cat nip makes them relax, and a sleep spell ought to do it,” the goddess informed, “Now, don’t fuck it up this time, Maddie.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” With an eye roll, she tempted the cat to sleep.
Sooty had finally gone to sleep; she placed him on the bed and, using sage, cleansed the area. She couldn’t afford even one magic fae crumb to be found.
Then she waited…
When they arrived back, she expected them not to be on speaking terms or even as far away from each other as possible. Yet when she opened the door, they were holding hands.
“Welcome back,” Morgans’s voice was not easy to mimic, yet the Fae’s potent magic made it feel effortless.
A nod from Leo was all that was shared. It was time to put on her acting skills.
“So, nice trip?”
Gronk!
Her crow was very good at mimicking a raven. It was hard to tell them apart anyway.
“Not really. We investigated the couple – Anabel and Carmilo,” Leo murmured.
“Oh? What did you find?” Morgan picked up a notepad and pen, ready to write down the following words.
“Nothing worth noting. They had one night and separated. Lived full lives.” His voice broke towards the end.
Clearing his throat, he continued, “We have decided to…” he trailed off.
Lexi finished for him, her voice quiet, “…to walk away from this life cycle.”
Maddie was smiling gleefully on the inside. Yet to them, she put the notepad down slowly, with a sad look, “I am sorry to hear that.”
“Is there a way to break this connection permanently? Rather than fixing it?” Leo asked.
Lexi said nothing and looked down at her shoes. This was Maddie’s first time seeing the infamous woman so unsure of herself. She looked meek, almost frail. Pale blonde hair covered her face, fingers picked at her nails, her cheeks and eyes blotchy red. Maddie would look back on this later in her mirrors and have a jolly time seeing the little one cry.
“There is. Come.” Morgan beckoned into the kitchen, “We shall talk.”
Lexi
Gathered around the small table with Tea in hand, Morgan began to talk.
“You will have to break the fated bond that is between you. Though I must warn you, it will be painful. You’re tearing two souls apart.”
I nodded, accepting her words.
She continued talking carefully, “It must be done on a new moon. The next one is in three days… Make a circle and tie a red string to your pinkie; this represents your bond. Before you cut it, you must say these words.”
She noted down a tiny verse and passed the piece of paper over. I took an image of it and gave it to Leo to take.
“You both must do it for the link to be broken.”
“Does it have to be at the same time?”
“Yes. I recommend the witching hour.”
“3 a.m.?” Leo asked, flinching, “I don’t think Lexi will be awake for that.”
I lightly laughed, “12 instead?”
He nodded.
We had spoken about this while returning to the house. Every lifetime we ended in tragedy, an early grave. As much as I hated seeing myself die, Leo’s past lives had to live with the trauma. It was not healthy for us both. Breaking the cycle was the easy way to help.
I peered at Morgan. She glanced between us, and her face gave nothing away. She got up and left the room, saying, “I will give you two some time.”
“Oh!” I interrupted her, getting her attention, “Do you know where Sooty is?”
She laughed a little, “Upstairs sleeping, I got a hold of some catnip. He is out like a light.”
I nodded, smiling back; catnip often made him sleep for hours.
“So… Are you coming home?” I asked awkwardly.
“Not yet. I can’t stay away from you until we break this.”
He looked at me. His eyes are intense.
‘Stop it. You cannot be selfish anymore, Lex.’
“I’ll… go pack my bags…” I said slowly, leaving the half-empty cup and Leo at the table.
Sooty was still sleeping soundly. He only stirred as I picked him up. With my backpack over my shoulder, I walked down the stairs. A sudden realisation occurred to me.
The council’s detective knows I’m in Scotland—no doubt in Inverness already speaking to the shop owner. There was no way I could take the train back home. I would be spotted and reported again.
“Shit,” I muttered, reaching the bottom of the stairs.
“What’s up?” Leo asked, emerging from the kitchen.
“I’ll be spotted if I take the train.”
“Very true,” Morgan chimed in, leaning against the living room door, “Luckily, you can use the Fae portals. Henry will take you home.”
Approaching the tree, the branches groaned and twisted into an archway. I sighed, turning away to Leo and Morgan.
“Thank you for taking me in, Morgan,” I said softly.
She waved her hand, “Think nothing of it. If you need me, you know where I am.” She turned away, wandering the short distance back to the house.
Leo kept his eyes on me. I couldn’t look him in the eyes.
“If you need me for anything, call me, even if it’s in fifteen minutes or fifteen years.”
A small smile came to my face, “I will… What should I tell your family?”
“Erm…” he stroked the back of his head. “Tell ’em I’m with Morgan or Uncle Robbie, and I’ll be back sometime later.”
I nodded and turned away to the archway. I hesitated in stepping forward.
“I don’t think I can leave with you standing there…”
I listened to his footsteps receding, getting further and further away.
The truth was I was on the verge of tears, and I didn’t want him to know.
Maddie
“Trust that this is for the best, Leo,” Morgan spoke intently, grasping his shoulder.
“Is it?” Leo grunted. He glanced at the hand but did not shrug it off.
“She will be safe wherever she goes… and alive. Maybe you can reconnect later in life.”
He hummed.
They both continued to watch her leave. She didn’t look back once as she stepped through the fae portal with the sleepy cat in her arms.
She was gone.
Finally.
“I will leave you alone for a while. I have a new client to see. I’ll be back in a few hours,” she said, walking off to the portal herself.
“Okay.”
It was clear it would take a while for his heart to recover.
Lexi
I did not take in my surroundings while I walked, trusting the bird unquestioningly. I was lost in my grief. Henry took me through doorway after doorway.
He landed in front of another doorway and croaked to grab my attention. This was my exit.
“Thank you. I will see you again.”
Croak!
I stepped through and was greeted by the achingly familiar forest. The great oaks stood tall and mighty; even without leaves, they looked magnificent.
Yet the weather reflected my mood: dark, dim and overcast. Everything was a little duller.
Purp?
I looked down. Sooty was finally awake.
“Hello... we are going home now.”
“Home?”
“Yes, home.”
He promptly fell back to sleep. It must have been a lot of catnip...
The house’s lights were lit. My family was in.
I carefully walked through the backdoor, allowing the backpack to touch the ground again.
Alex promptly walked into the kitchen. Looking up from his phone, his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped- as did his phone.
“Alex? Did you break something again?”
He didn’t respond to Mum’s question. Instead, he tackled me into a fierce hug.
“Alex?”
Mum stood in the doorway, looking down at his abandoned phone. She picked it up first before noticing me.
She dropped the plate and the phone she held. The plate smashed to the ground, and she shed tears.
“Lexi!” she gasped, also running to pull me into a bear hug.
I thought I had no more tears left to cry. How wrong I was.
“Lexi?” I looked up at the doorway once more.
“Uncle Keiron?”
He joined in with the hug.
