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“The human government have given Brianna a deal,” Dave said as he tapped his computer screen. “Look at this!”
Opening my tablet as I leant my elbows on my wooden desk, I shook my head. “She's given names of every single person in the PFF. She's lucky they've allowed her to live.”
“Ah, but is she lucky?” Jake muttered, chewing a sweet nosily as he rested his legs on the coffee table.
Kate shoved him off, scowling when he chucked a sweet at her. “She'll get to live out her days in the cell block of MI5. I'm not sure that's much of an existence.”
I couldn't disagree with them. Brianna deserved to be punished but part of me wondered whether it would have been kinder to give her the death sentence. Although, she had argued in the past that it wasn't fair that humans were not executed when they were just as harmful as paranormals. Of course, at the time, I couldn't defend the human government's position because as an agent, I knew what atrocities paranormal creatures were capable of. It went without saying that their power made it easier for them to harm others.
Dave and I had come into the office to file our reports, even though neither of us were technically working for MI5.
“The Paranormal Herald is saying that you defeated a bunch of demons,” Dave said, looking over the top of his computer screen. “It's a good job I have the power to shut that bastard down.”
With a click of the button, the website would be offline, which was good considering there would be outrage if anyone got wind of what had happened at Little Minster church. The danger was real. No one had ever dared to invoke demons, let alone bring them to Earth with the express desire to use them to hurt humans. There would be hell to answer for, literally. That was why I patiently waited for my mother's summons, although she was taking her time.
After my team had rescued me the night before, we had left the other agents to clean up. Dave had insisted that we went for a curry. I had no idea why a curry specifically, but I hadn't had the energy to disagree. While there, we wrote up our reports in detail. Staying quiet, I had eaten little as the others added all the details together.
“Are you okay?” Dave said, jolting me back to the office.
Smiling, I rubbed my eyes. I was exhausted. Sleeping once home had been impossible, even with Dave by my side. He had held me tightly, not letting go even as he slept. The trauma of being captured together had solidified our relationship even more. He had even announced our news of union to the team as soon as we'd arrived at the office. It made me happy inside, but too much had happened for me to completely bask in the glow of new romance, even if he was better than my book boyfriends.
“I'm fine,” I muttered as I laid my tablet on the desk in front of me. “I just-”
The blast of the internet phone interrupted me. Flicking it on, Dave projected the image of my mother onto the board behind me. Swinging in my chair, I waited for the image to clear. My heart thumped hard in my chest as I waited for the message she would relay from the head of MI5.
“On behalf of the agency, I would like to thank you for succeeding in your mission to end Xvair Harvey and bring down the Paranormals for Freedom terrorist group.” My mother was stern faced, her cheek twitching slightly when she paused for breath. “Jake and Kate, you will receive commendations from the top, meaning that each of you will have a higher status in the agency. I congratulate you on a job well done and look forward to working with you on future cases.” Sighing, my mother looked directly at me. “Dave and Gemma, please join me at The Garden.”
The feed cut off, leaving a blank screen. Jake and Kate glanced at one another, their joy evident in the widening of their eyes. They had worked hard and deserved to be given a break in order to thrive at the agency.
Dave raised his eyebrows at me as he came out from behind his computer. He had been given the task of being my desk friend, and yet, when he had stepped out from behind his desk, he had become a formidable field agent. Maybe if I pleaded, my mother would allow him to have his job back.
“We better do as she says,” he said, holding out his hand to me.
Going over to the others, I squeezed them both in a hug. Kate smiled at me, her finger tapping my chest. “I miss your T-shirts.”
A smile came to me as I remembered the day before. When I had returned after the curry, I had asked Dave for a few moments alone. In my bedroom, I had packed up my book T-shirts in boxes. It was time to grow up and become a part of the real world.
“I'm still me,” I replied, laughing when she stuck out her lower lip.
“I can't help but agree,” Jake interrupted, tugging gently on my hair. “I used to look forward to seeing what sarcastic quote you'd wear for the day.”
“Oh, don't worry.” Taking his packet of sweets from his pocket, I winked. “The sarcasm hasn't gone anywhere.”
Skipping out of reach as the shifter tried to retrieve his sweets, I laughed as I grabbed Dave's hand with my free one. Before Jake reached us, I threw him the packet and flashed us out of the office.
“I'm not sure I'll ever get used to that, even though I've done it a thousand times,” Dave muttered, his eyes widening when they landed on the stone entrance to The Garden.
My mother hadn't used that name for our sanctuary in the woods for a long time. In fact, I had forgotten that we'd called it that in the first place. The last time we had been here, she’d helped me to visit the ancestors. There had been tension between us, but she still used her magic to aid me.
“This will be quick and painless.” Smiling up at Dave, I marched through the door and across the stone floor.
The flowers were in bloom, their scent cascading through the room and over me. Herbs and spices were glowing in the light from the glass windows. My mother stood by the stone table, her back straight and her shoulders high. Her hair fell loosely down her back, the swing of her long brown dress soft against the floor.
“This place is incredible,” Dave said, almost bowing to my mother as she came around the table to face us.
His eyes almost popped out of his head as she stepped forward, grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug. This was a side to my mother that I hadn't seen since I was a child. It almost melted my heart. Almost.
“Thank you so much for protecting my daughter.”
Releasing Dave, she turned to me. I thought she might try and hug me too, but instead, she fell to her knees in front of me, taking my hands in a firm grip. “Please,” she cried, tears coming to her eyes as she looked up at me. “Forgive me. I've failed you, Gemma, I know that now.”
Swallowing as a lump surged in my throat, I held onto her fingers, not sure what to say. Her eyes were streaming tears, the liquid dropping down her cheeks. I had never seen my mother cry, it was slightly disconcerting.
“I was there last night, I arrived just as you finished Xvair. I saw how well your team worked to help you. They love you very much, which makes for a strong bond between colleagues.” Clearing her throat, my mother blinked through her tears. “I should've shown you that I still love you. When your father told me about the bet, a part of me distanced myself from you out of fear. How could I let my baby go through that? But, I didn't have a choice. The pact could not be broken.”
“You lost faith,” I said, trying my hardest not to rip away from her as the years of pain and thirst for love flooded me. “I've just defeated the man who not only made that bet, but who threw the ley line's magic completely off balance. I believed I could do it, because I wasn't going to let another witch determine my fate. Or that of the world.”
Crying harder, my mother dropped my hands and buried her head in her own. Her sobs resounded around us as I stared down at her.
Dave's soft nudge made me look at him. He didn't need to say anything, but his soft gaze prompted my hard exterior to soften. I had become my mother in the process of trying to distance myself from her.
“Mother,” I said, sighing as I got to my knees. “We have to move on from this.”
“You could've died! I don't know what I would've done if your team hadn't saved you.” Cupping my cheeks, she peered at me, allowing love to pour from her for the first time in many years.
“There are other Essex witches available to care for the line.” My blunt remark was met with a harsh frown.
“I don't care about the line, I care about you!”
It was a good job that she didn't know that I was technically already dead. I hadn't even had a chance to think about what would happen next, but my mother's grief would be spared. There was no need for her to know that the worst had happened, it would only cause her more angst.
“I've missed you,” I said quietly as she fell into my arms, holding me tightly against her.
Tears came to my eyes as my walls crumbled, taking down my fears and loneliness with them. The agents at Paranormal MI5 had always thought I was a tough nut with no soft inside. They were wrong, I did have a heart, it had just been hidden for a while.
“I've missed who we were when you were young,” my mother said, wiping the tears from her face. “You were so open and friendly with your quirky ways. I was so in awe of your strength and passion to protect the ley line. You make me so proud.”
Smiling as the pain in my heart released, I took her hands and squeezed them. “Thank you, Mum, I had no idea how much I needed to hear that.”
Laughing gently, my mother got to her feet, helping me up with her. Her smile extended to Dave as she took his hand in hers. “You're going to make a wonderful son-in-law. Oh, and you must come back to the team, it will never work without you.”
His grin radiated throughout the room, causing the sun to brighten through the window. My chest expanded as I inhaled a deep breath, the joy that coursed through me unfamiliar. So, this was what it felt like to love and be loved without fear? My books had shown me that trials made a person and brought people together, but I had struggled to implement it into my life. Now, it was time.
“And, of course,” my mum said excitedly, “you'll come back from your sabbatical now.”
My gaze dropped to the ground as my hands wrung together. “Mother... I...”
The hesitation in my voice made them both stare at me. They knew me well, which meant their suspicions were raised. For so long, I had been a warrior for the Paranormal MI5. I had trained to protect the ley line, to keep our history, ancestry and magic intact. It was time for a change.
“I want to leave...”
“You do?” Dave barked.
“Really?” my mother said quietly, her shoulders slumping.
A grin spread across my face as I glanced between the pair. It wasn't going to be easy with them watching out for me, but it would be worth it. It was time to be who I wanted to be... even if I wasn't completely sure who that was. But first...
“I need to visit the ancestors,” I told my mother. “Will you help me?”
Her worried expression eased as she nodded.
Letting go of Dave, she went over to the spell casting stone table and indicated that I join her. It made a change for her not to question me. She must have realised that I was strong enough to make my own choices.
“What will you do?” Dave asked me as we joined my mother.
Squeezing his hand, I tilted my head to the side. “I was thinking of trying my hand at books.”
“What, collecting them? I think you've got that down.”
“No, silly,” I replied, shoving him gently. “I'm going to write them!”
Both my mother and my boyfriend made me laugh as their eyebrows raised high on their foreheads. A gentle shake of the head from the pair of them made me pluck the herbs needed for the spell and hand them to my mother.
They would never truly understand me, I was too complex, but surely my passion for reading didn't have to stop there? I quite fancied the idea of publishing a book and meeting people like me.
“I think you'll make a great writer,” my mother said, indicating that I give her my hand. “Just don't write about our secrets!”
Her smile was joined with a wink as she cut my palm, dropping my blood onto the paste she had quickly mixed. The sizzle of melting salt was joined by her chanting. I didn't have time to think before thick green grass and a flowing meadow appeared in front of me.
“Welcome!” one of the ancestors greeted.
All four of them stood side by side, their long flowing white dresses fluttering gently in the breeze. Dave appeared beside me, his face contorted in confusion. Reaching for him, I steadied his wobble as he looked around us.
The sky was bright blue, the occasional fluffy white cloud passing by. Strong smells of flowers filled my senses as the lead witch stepped forward and got to one knee. The others followed, their heads bending in unison.
“Gemma Abbott, we thank you for restoring the ley line and saving the Earth from destruction.”
They all recited the words loudly, the sound of their voices vibrating through the fields and down into the valley. Other shadowy figures appeared behind them, all bending on one knee. My palms lined with sweat as I glanced at Dave. His eyes were wide, his eyebrows disappearing into his forehead.
“Erm,” I stuttered nervously. “You're welcome?”
A titter came from a couple of the witches as they all rose to their feet. The leader smiled broadly as she gestured around us, indicating the beauty of the ancestral realm.
“Because of you, we have a home. We can keep guiding the witches of the world from the other side.”
“Thank goodness,” Dave muttered. “I think we need all the help we can get!”
Nodding, the witch came closer, holding out her hand. “We have a deal to deliver.”
Giving her my hand, I closed my eyes briefly as a great wave of pure magic surged through me, rocking me on my heels. Warmth travelled over every inch of my body, waking up the dead nerves that had laid dormant in life. The magic from the ley line had kept my body alive, but I could feel the difference of the real thing as I tightened my grip on the witch.
A burning sensation slivered up my body from the soles of my feet. Throwing my head back, I shook violently, only calming when Dave's arms came around me from behind, holding me steady. My eyes were tightly closed, my teeth gritted as the spasms took over.
“Mother Earth is bringing life back to your body, allowing you to return to existence on Earth.” The ancestor's voice rose high above the thundering in my ears. “There will be no payment from the use of impure magic, your debt is already paid. This is your reward for your protection of the ley line.”
Releasing me, the woman stepped back as I collapsed. Dave caught me, holding me firmly against his chest as he stroked my hair out of my face. The feeling of euphoria settled in my bones as the magic that used to flow in me returned. I was a true, real life, Essex witch again.
“Are you well?” another of the witches asked.
Opening my eyes, I choked back the tears that erupted. A smile came to their lips as they bowed their heads and blinked slowly.
A surge of energy shot through me, forcing me straight to my feet. Dave let me go, his hands still on my arm just in case I needed his support. I was about to thank the ancestors and make my final request when they turned their attention to Dave.
“For your aid,” the lead one started. “We grant you magic. You'll no longer be an illusionist witch. Your link to the ley line will be strengthened when you marry Gemma, as is your fate.”
“It will? Wait, what? You're... I'm...?” Dave's cheeks flared pink as he swallowed hard.
Taking hold of his arm, I held him steady this time, allowing my magic to give him strength. He took my hand, gripping it between his fingers as his eyes blinked back the tears that threatened. His whole body went stiff as his connection to Earth was made. He wasn't directly connected with the ley line, but he would be able to use the magic of Earth, just like any other witch. It must have been a wish of his for his whole life.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you so much.”
“We know what you want,” the witch to the left of the leader said to me. “And we cannot grant you that freedom.”
“How did you know?”
My decision to leave Paranormal MI5 had been liberating, but the idea of being free of the protection of the ley line was all encompassing. Disappointment made my energy drop as I glanced at Dave. He stood strong and proud, a grin dancing over his face. I couldn't help but smile back, happy for my man.
“We can feel your intentions, and although a part of us would love to grant you this freedom, your blood is the only thing that keeps the ley line completely protected. This was set in stone before you were even born. Taking the link away from you will give the PFF everything they wanted.”
The words pierced my chest, the truth of them stinging my heart. They were right. If I gave up my duty now, the Cambridges’, and all those who would be put to trial because of me, would've won. I couldn't do that to our community.
“You will however, share the burden with Dave once you decide to make that commitment to each other. With him still working as an MI5 agent, you'll be able to protect the line together.” The lead witch fell back in line with the others. “Now, we are done with you for now. Go and live your life.”
They each bowed their head, their pale cheeks glowing as they joined hands. I watched them as they retreated, their forms becoming fainter as they re-joined their realm.
My heart squeezed hard in my chest at the thought of never seeing them again. The feeling quickly ripped away as we landed back in my mother's spell room.
“So?” my mother said, her hands gripped in front of her. “Everything work out?”
Glancing at one another, both Dave and I fell into a tight hug, kissing each other’s face and laughing in joy.
“Yes, Mum,” I said, drawing her into our circle of love. “Everything worked out perfectly.”
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