Nature of the Witch Read online

  “It's not a normal knife either,” Kiera moved closer and pointed at a tiny engraving on the handle, “it's spent time under the full moon and been dipped into a river at its source just as the water emerges from the earth at first light. I've enchanted it. Kitto helped me, we found a spell in Bersaba's book. This knife now has protective powers and will keep you safe.”

  “The engraving shows the enchantment has worked,” Kitto explained, “if you look closely the engraving matches the one on Kiera's wrist.”

  Neither of them told Jack of the knife's origins. It wasn't because it was a secret. It was just that at that particular moment it wasn't relevant. Jack rubbed his thumb across the engraving and looked at Kiera fondly, “Thank you, it's perfect.”

  “So it should be,” she said light-heartedly, “getting to a river at first light in the middle of winter wasn't easy. It was freezing!”

  They all helped to prepare dinner and Kiera noticed the way they moved around the kitchen together, they were comfortable and worked well as a team. They were placing the last dish on the table when Mags arrived. They looked an odd group as they ate their Christmas dinner. They pulled crackers and told each other the rubbish jokes inside, although Kitto seemed to find every one hilarious, but then he didn't get out much. They put on their party hats, even Jack wore one.

  Kiera looked at her strange new family and found herself laughing along with Kitto. She was happy and if she could bring back her dad things would be perfect.

  Afterwards Mags was admiring the knife she had brought Jack.

  “You're learning so fast,” she looked at Kiera in awe, “you will make an amazing witch. How is your meditating going?”

  “I'm doing it every day,” Kiera said, suddenly sounding defensive.

  She sighed, “It's just that I feel like I'm missing something still. Sometimes when I'm meditating I feel like I can't hear properly.” She laughed, “That doesn't really make sense does it?”

  Mags nodded gravely, “It makes perfect sense Kiera. Witches were created by Mother Nature. You're a Daughter of the Earth so your coven had a closer relationship to the natural world than any other. You have these powers for a reason and that is to do some good and make this world a better place. Chances are nature is trying to tell you how to do that but you aren't listening properly. I suggest you find a way.”

  “How?” Kiera asked despairingly.

  Mags shrugged, “I'm afraid I can't help you there. But I know you'll figure it out. Perhaps this can help.”

  Mags handed her a present wrapped in purple paper and tied with string. Kiera smiled and carefully unwrapped an old leather bound book.

  “This is a book from my collection. It was put together by members of the council in the early 1900's. It's pretty comprehensive and covers all the components of the natural world that were used by the witches to make spells,” Mags explained.

  Kiera smiled and embraced the old lady gently, “Thank you, it's lovely.”

  She began to flick through the pages.

  “I think it's alphabetical,” Mags said peering over her shoulder.

  Kiera alighted on a page and her heart skipped a beat.

  Grim Seed

  At the stroke of midnight on the eve of the New Year this flower blooms. It must be harvested quickly for it only blooms until the sun rises. You will find it at the top of the most ancient trees. Do not be fooled by the beauty of this flower for it carries a darkness within.

  Kiera took a deep breath. This time next week she would have everything she needed.

  Chapter Twenty One

  “You do know it's not New Year until tomorrow don't you?” Jack asked, scrunching his nose.

  Kiera glanced up at him quizzically, “Yes, why?”

  “Isn't that when all the crazy diets are supposed to start? What on earth are you making?” he stared in disgust at the green mixture in the blender.

  Kiera grinned, “Banana, almond milk, kale and baobab powder. It's actually very tasty as well as healthy, try some.”

  She tipped the contents of the blender into a glass and held it out to him. He pulled a face, “No thanks, it looks like slime.”

  She moved closer towards him and her eyes twinkled mischievously, “I thought you were a warrior and yet you're afraid of a little drink.”

  He began to back away from her, holding his hands in the air, “I don't want to hurt you, but if you come any closer with that thing I'll have no choice.”

  Kiera giggled, “But your job is to protect me. Besides you need to drink something healthy to counteract all of the bacon sandwiches I know you sneak in when you go surfing.”

  Jack's mouth dropped open and Kiera's eyes widened, “It's true! I was only joking but you've been sneaking bacon! I thought you were vegetarian!”

  “I am,” Jack said quickly and then his lips twitched upwards, “most of the time.”

  Kiera laughed. She placed the glass back down on the counter and started to move towards the door, “I'm telling Kitto.”

  Jack nonchalantly began to circle the kitchen table to block her exit, “I don't think so.”

  “I may not have spent the last twenty years training in ninjutsu or whatever it is you do, but I'm pretty quick,” she took another step closer to the door.

  Jack took another step as well, “I happen to be pretty quick myself. As far as Kitto is concerned I gave up meat twenty years ago and that's the way it's going to stay. Also I've never learnt ninjutsu.”

  There was a pause whilst they watched each other carefully. A slight grin played on Jack's lips and Kiera stifled a laugh as she made a sudden dash for the door. Jack pounced, grabbing her with one arm and slinging her across his shoulder. Kiera squealed just as Kitto wandered in whistling.

  “Morning,” he said ignoring the fact that Kiera was upside down, “mind if I have some of this?”

  He gestured to the blender.

  “Sure,” she said wriggling against Jack's grip, “Jack was just about to try a bit too.”

  Jack placed her back on her feet, “I was?”

  Kiera nodded smugly and, whilst Kitto wasn't looking, she winked at him knowingly.

  Jack raised an eyebrow.

  “Blackmail is it?” he whispered. Then he raised the glass to his lips, pinching his nose theatrically as he took a sip, and making Kiera chuckle. After smacking his lips for a moment he looked surprised.

  “Not bad,” he mumbled grudgingly.

  Kitto poured himself a glass and picked up a newspaper off the surface, “I believe you two have plans today. I am off to put my feet up and have a read.”

  He ambled back towards the door, but just as he was leaving he turned back and glanced at Jack. He nodded at the glass, “It's good for you and a warrior is only as good as he eats.”

  Jack nodded sagely. It was a lecture he'd heard from Kitto many a time.

  “You need some nutrients to counteract all those bacon sandwiches you sneak in,” Kitto muttered as he left.

  Kiera took one look at Jack's gaping expression and burst into fits of laughter.

  That day Jack took Kiera shooting. He thought it was about time Kiera overcame her nervousness around weapons, especially since she lived in a house that was full of them. They took a short car journey to a copse of trees and then Jack led her to a clearing in the middle where he had set up some targets.

  “Whose land is this?” Kiera asked him, glancing about.

  “A local famer,” Jack replied placing his gun case gently on the ground, “I help him out sometimes and he lets me use this spot for practice. I don't mind shooting by the house, but the wind can pick up out there in the open. I think you're better here as a beginner.”

  “Why don't you go to ranges? Aren't there specific places people go to when they want to aimlessly shoot at stuff?” Kiera said sweetly.

  Jack raised an eyebrow but otherwise ignored the jibe, “There are gun ranges but I don't really like…” He searched for a word.

  “Distractions?” Kie
ra offered helpfully.

  “People,” Jack said. He pulled the gun from the case and quickly inspected it, checking the actions and the scope, “You may find this hard to believe but I'm not always what you might call a people person.”

  Kiera feigned astonishment, “I don't believe it.”

  Jack chuckled and held out the gun, “Take it. It's a Remington 222 so it's not too heavy, perfect for your first shoot”

  “Why do I need to learn how to shoot?” she held the gun uneasily in her hands.

  Jack shrugged, “Mostly we are here because it's fun. But also you never know when you might need to use one.”

  Kiera's brow furrowed, “I think it's unlikely I'll need to use one. For one thing I have these.”

  Kiera wiggled her fingers and Jack stared at her impassively, “Fingers? If you're attacked are you hoping to poke someone to death?”

  Kiera sighed exasperatedly, “My magic of course.”

  “If there was a mad man on the loose and I had to choose between having a gun or your fingers to keep me safe I know which one I'd choose,” Jack took the gun back off her. He showed her how to remove the safety catch. Then he put it back on and handed the gun back to her. Kiera copied what he'd done and removed the catch.

  “Good, now lie down,” he commanded.

  Kiera was startled and a little confused but did as she was told. She looked up to find Jack grinning uncontrollably down at her.

  “On your front,” he said before adding sarcastically, “we aren't shooting at clouds.”

  Of course I need to be on my front, Kiera groaned inwardly.

  “Well, you didn't say that,” she said but couldn't help but laugh at herself.

  Jack lay down beside her and arranged the gun under her right shoulder. He placed her finger near to the trigger.

  “Okay, now you need to look down the scope, take your time and wait until the centre of the target is in the centre of your scope. Then gently squeeze the trigger.”

  Kiera began to prepare herself but then hesitated, “What if I accidently shoot an animal or something?”

  “There aren't any animals around here. Now just look through your scope and when you're ready squeeze.”

  Kiera looked back through the scope but then stopped again, “There could be rabbits, what if I shoot a rabbit?”

  “Then you can add it to one of your smoothies,” Jack said, “now just point, look and squeeze.”

  Kiera sighed and then turned back to the gun. She peered through the scope, then she shifted the gun slightly until she felt comfortable. There were five metal targets. She lined up the furthest one on her left. It wobbled slightly in the cool breeze and for a moment she was distracted by the thought of what she needed to do that night. She had researched into local ancient trees and had made a plan. She was scared. She was scared about lying to Jack and to Kitto. She was scared about wondering off at night on her own. But mostly she was scared that she would get it wrong and then she would have to wait another year before she could get the ingredient she needed.

  She and Jack had been getting on so well lately that she had considered confiding in him. But it was too risky. What if he tried to stop her? What if he told Kitto and Mags and they said she couldn't do the spell? She had to keep it all a secret for now.

  Jack cleared his throat, “Preferably this side of New Year.”

  Kiera was roused from her musings and quickly pulled the trigger. The gun let out a sharp bang and she felt the pressure of it in her shoulder. She didn't hit the target. In fact, she hit a tree about 20 feet from the target.

  “Slightly wide,” Jack said, his face showing no sign of emotion but she knew he was laughing at her on the inside.

  She cleared her head and looked back through the scope. She wondered fleetingly whether she could cheat and use magic. She lined it up, “This is daft, who cares if I hit some silly target.”

  She squeezed the trigger again; there was the bang of the gun and then the clang as she hit the target square on.

  “Yes!” She squealed triumphantly.

  “Glad to see you don't care about some silly target,” Jack said dryly.

  She ignored him and lined up the next target but she missed the next four.

  “Hmmmm,” she said pulling a face, “I think there's something wrong with your gun.”

  Jack smirked and rose to his feet. He reset the one target that she had hit and then lay back down and took the gun from her, “I'll check it shall I?”

  He had barely taken the gun before there were five loud simultaneous bangs followed by five simultaneous clangs as the targets fell one after the other. He handed her the gun and rose to reset the targets again, “Seems fine to me.”

  “Show off,” Kiera mumbled.

  She waited for Jack to settle back down next to her and then she lowered the gun and clicked her fingers. The five targets crashed noisily into each other as they were thrown high into the air before landing directly in front of them.

  Jack jumped back startled and then frowned at her. Kiera wiggled her fingers at him, “Are you sure you'd feel safer with your gun?”

  Kiera packed the book that Mags had brought her into a small bag, along with several of her other magic books. She also folded up a spare jumper and packed a couple of Kitto's gardening tools. She wasn't entirely sure what she was going to find but planned on being back before morning. Jack and Kitto would be none the wiser. At the last moment she slipped the drawing of Bersaba that Mags had given her into the bag too. It made her feel better to have it with her.

  They had dinner at the table. Then she rang Mags to wish her a happy New Year and promised to visit the following day. After the phone call she joined Jack and Kitto in the living room.

  “So no offence to Kitto,” Jack said, offering Kiera a bottle of beer, “but he isn't usually the most exciting companion at New Year.”

  Kiera shook her head at the beer.

  “No offence taken,” Kitto sipped at his tea, “I plan on being in bed by 10 at the latest.”

  “I was thinking,” Jack continued, “a few beers, maybe some wine and Big Ben on the telly? What do you think? If you really want to push the boat out I could drive us into Truro I guess and we could find a pub?”

  “I actually don't feel too good,” Kiera said quietly, avoiding eye contact, “I'm sure it's nothing but I think I might head to bed myself now and sleep it off.”

  Kitto jumped up in concern and took hold of her hand, “What's wrong? Do you need a doctor?”

  “No,” Kiera shook her head quickly, “it's just a headache, I think I just need a good night's sleep.”

  Jack tried to hide his disappointment, “Oh okay. Well, hope you feel better in the morning.”

  “Thanks, goodnight both,” she said and gave them a quick hug.

  Jack followed her out and watched her climb the stairs. She turned when she reached the top and smiled, “Happy New Year.”

  “Happy New Year,” Jack smiled back.

  Once she was gone he frowned. Something was wrong.

  Part Four

  You are a figure on the horizon,

  I walk all day,

  But never reach you.

  You are a shadow,

  Just out of sight.

  You are the river bank,

  That I swim towards,

  But I flounder in the shallows.

  You are a dream,

  That disappears each time I wake.

  Chapter Twenty Two

  The house was silent when Kiera rose from her bed and picked up her bag. Before she slipped on her shoes she held them out in her hands and whispered, “Give me silence, like a fall of snow that no one should hear me wherever I go.”

  Then she scattered some small stones across her duvet. She had enchanted them earlier in the day so that, hopefully, they would give the illusion to anyone who entered the room that someone was in the bed. The bed still looked empty to her, but then it probably only worked on others so there was no way for
her to know.

  She opened her bedroom door and peered out. It was 11 o'clock. She wondered briefly what Jack had decided to do and felt guilty. She didn't like lying and she wished she was seeing the New Year in with him. As she thought of him a smile crept to her lips. After her first impressions of Jack, who would've thought she would actually enjoy his company?

  She didn't meet anyone as she left the house. The living room was in darkness so perhaps Jack had decided to go to bed. Outside it was cold and she pulled her coat tighter. She had a strong urge to turn back and crawl into her cosy bed, but she bowed her head against the wind and strode quickly forward. If she didn't do this tonight she would have to wait another year.

  The words in her book played around in her mind, 'do not be fooled by the beauty of this flower for it carries a darkness within.' She would need to be careful, what exactly did that mean? What could the plant contain?

  She glanced around at the thick black that surrounded her. Her only light came from a soft, patchy glow, omitted from the few stars that managed to escape from behind the clouds; the same clouds which had blocked the sun all day now did the same with the moon, which meant she could only see a couple of feet in front.

  The cold bit at any exposed skin from her nose to her fingertips. Despite the added layers she was wearing it seeped into her clothing. She shivered and moved a little quicker across the frosty grass, which should have crunched under foot but remained eerily silent due to her spell.

  She'd had a last minute change of plan. She had spent the week researching into local ancient trees and had picked out a location, but whilst shooting with Jack she'd had a change of heart. As they were leaving she had spotted an oak tree hidden between the other trees. She wasn't entirely sure of its age and she hadn't found it listed anywhere as an ancient tree. However, one thing Mags and Kitto had both taught her was to trust her intuition, and her intuition told her that this tree was old. She felt sure that it could help her.