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Nate stomped back and forth, his boots making a hollow noise on the wooden floor of the mill. He stopped and pointed at Matt. “No. I refuse.”
“What?” Matt stalked towards him. “Refuse to accept what’s under your nose?”
“Are you so sure Drew’s not lying?” Nate snarled, pacing again.
“No, we aren’t sure. We don’t trust him.” Josh was standing by Matt, Jake right beside him. “We have no way of knowing if it’s true.”
“But the odds are stacked in his favour,” Jake finished.
“Jonas moved here the same year we started school,” Matt pointed out.
“Coincidence,” Nate snapped.
“Maybe, maybe not. Only Jonas can tell us that,” Matt answered. “But how didn’t Drew know we were here?”
“So, we’re believing him now.” Nate rounded on Matt. “He just says he’s sorry and everything is just hunky-dory?”
“No! That’s not what I mean.” Matt’s voice began to raise in agitation. “I don’t trust him, but this isn’t about him.”
Lily huddled up in the bean bag, watching them anxiously. Out of all of them, Nate was the one having the most trouble finding a balance, and it was breaking her heart.
“Well, what do you mean?” Nate threw his hands out to the side. “How do we know he didn’t just spout the biggest load of bullshit known to man?”
“We don’t,” Josh repeated himself. “But on the flip side, how do we know he didn’t?”
“Five minutes of wishy washy explanations, and you lot automatically believe every word he says.”
“He was right about Inverness,” Lily reminded him, wincing at the glare he sent her. “Nate, we’re not saying trust him completely. We’re just saying that maybe we need to be open-minded about it. Maybe it was chance, maybe it wasn’t. But if it’s not chance, then you need to know why and who sent him.”
Nate made a strangled noise and threw his hands up. He was angry, but she knew it covered a layer of fear that Jonas had lied to them.
“He’s told us loads of times to be really careful. Not to let anyone get close in case they find out what we are,” Jake said.
“And he got rid of Johnston’s memories,” Josh added. “Maybe that’s not the only time he’s had to do it.”
“No!” Nate backed away from them. “Drew’s a fucking liar, and you lot are fucking brainwashed.” He turned and ran down the stairs.
Lily shot to her feet. “Nate!”
The only reply she got was the loud bang as he slammed the door shut behind him.
“And he moaned about your denial.” Jake snorted. “Fucking idiot.”
“He’ll cool down.” Matt ran his hands through his hair, sending it everywhere. “He’ll be outside I expect.”
“He’s not mad at any of us.” Josh looked at her. “He knows what we’re saying is right, he just doesn’t want to admit it.”
“Because it’s hurting him,” Lily said. “But what about you? He’s not the only one hurting. You three are upset too.”
“I don’t want to believe it.” Matt shrugged helplessly. “But if Jonas has hidden us, he’s forgotten to tell us, that’s all.”
“Let’s face it, it’s a long time to hide a secret, what are the chances of trying to keep it hidden that long and not let something slip?” Jake asked.
“I was conned for eighteen years. If you don’t look for it, you won’t see it,” Lily reminded him.
“It’s different, he’s been teaching us magic for years. Something would have slipped.” Matt shook his head and turned to flop down on the bean bags; the twins followed him.
“Shall I see if I can get Nate to come back?” She didn’t know what else she could do to help them.
“Yeah, good idea. He won’t have gone far,” Matt agreed.
She crossed to the stairs and Josh called to her. She turned, and he threw a torch to her. She thanked him and ran down the stairs and out of the mill.
“Watch the river,” Matt shouted from the tops of the steps. “If you can’t find him, come back here.”
“Okay,” she called, switching the torch on and shining it around. “Nate?”
She could hear the creaking of the ever-turning wheel, the water rushing over it. An owl hooted, and its mate returned the call. She made her way carefully around the side of the building.
“Nate?” There was still no reply, and she couldn’t see him in the light of her torch. “C’mon, Nate, we need you. You need us.” She headed into the trees, sweeping her torch back and forth. He couldn’t have got far, it’d only been minutes before she’d followed him towards the manor, but there was still no sign of him.
Something cracked, and she whirled. “Nate?” Silence greeted her as she peered into the undergrowth, the torch not much use against the dense trees and bushes.
A rustle made her heart lurch. Her torch light picked out a pair of feral eyes, and she stumbled back a few steps in fear. The eyes moved, and a fox trotted out, disappearing into the trees ahead of her. She took a deep breath and carried on, sweeping the torch back and forth and calling for him.
There was no answer, and she sighed. He’d probably run back home instead of hanging around in the woods. She groaned; they could do that speed walk thing, and she’d forgotten. He was probably tucked up in bed fast asleep. Although she doubted if any of them would be sleeping tonight.
He flat out refused to believe Jonas was anything except the saint he believed him to be. He’d set him so high on a pedestal that if it were real, Jonas would need oxygen to breathe. The problem with pedestals was that people tended to fall off them, and Nate would shatter if Jonas fell from his. But it wasn’t just Nate, it was the others as well. Matt and the twins seemed willing to talk to Jonas, but she expected it was because they didn’t think he was lying.
Anger rose inside as she walked. If Jonas was lying, it’d destroy her boys, and she wouldn’t keep quiet about it. She’d protect them with everything she had, no matter who threatened them.
She shivered, a cold breeze was setting in and she’d left her jacket behind. Nate was gone and wandering around out here wasn’t helping the others. She turned around, despondency creeping in. She had a feeling things were going to get worse for them.
It didn’t take her long to realise she was lost. She couldn’t hear the river anymore and as she tripped over a fallen branch, she realised she wasn’t even on a path.
“Oh, brilliant, well done,” Lily huffed, her breath turning to mist. Her phone had no signal, all she could do was hope they’d realise she was lost and come looking for her.
Unless they assumed she’d found Nate and they’d gone back to the manor. Her heartbeat picked up and her hands shook as she tried to see something she recognised.
Even if they did go back, they’d see she wasn’t with there and come looking for her. But if they thought she’d gone back to Nate’s, or he’d taken her home, then they’d just turn in for the night.
She was going to be out all night. Panic crept in, amplifying the noises of the forest around her. Every crack echoed, every rustle had her spinning on the spot, the torch light dancing wildly.
She forced herself to take a deep breath and let it go slowly. The trees were not her enemy. They’d helped her once before, led her to the treehouse when she was almost catatonic. Would they help her again? She could only try.
“Help me find my way, please.” Taking a deep breath, she switched off the torch and closed her eyes.
Would they help her? Would they sing to her, guide her, as they had before?
Open your eyes, little hedge witch.
The familiar sound of the golden bell like voices singing in her mind brought her eyes open. Hundreds of sparkling lights hung from the branches, casting a magical glow around her. Tiny creatures flitted around chasing rainbows that shimmered from the crystal lights. The lights lit a path ahead of her that she knew would lead her to safety.
“Thank you,” she called. “Thank you for helping me.”
You are safe among us, walk without fear.
Movement to the side caught her attention as she walked. Tall, slender figures danced amongst the illuminated trees, their limbs swaying like branches. Spinning and dancing too fast for her to discern faces or form, singing as they danced to a tune that was strangely eerie but beautiful.
We are the guardians of magic in these woods, and we recognise one of our own. You are always welcome, little hedge witch.
“I’m not a hedge witch. I mean, I don’t really know what I am, but I have no knowledge of hedge magic,” she admitted.
You will find your way, but we already know.
“What am I?” she asked, slowing her step.
Come, little hedge witch, your guardians are looking for you.
“My guardians?”
The fairies whose hearts you hold.
“What?” That was over the top; the boys liked her, but she didn’t hold their hearts.
In here we will always protect you from harm.
The singing receded as the lights began to fade around her. “Wait! Come back. I’m not a hedge witch, I’m supposed to be a Seer.”
You are both.
The figures began to melt back into the trees, the last lights faded into darkness, and she was alone again. The chill of the air made her shiver after the warmth they had brought her.
“Thank you for helping me,” she called, and a single bell echoed through her mind before fading away.
“Lily! Where are you? Shout again, wave your torch.”
Matt’s voice echoed through the tree, and she fumbled her torch on. “Here! I’m here!” She waved the light about, not sure which direction he was in.
“I see you. Stay there. I’m coming for you, just hang on,” Matt shouted, and relief crashed through her.
An owl hooted, and seconds later she heard two more hoots.
Matt crashed through the undergrowth and caught her in a bone-crushing hug. “We couldn’t find you! Where did you go?”
“I got lost. Matt, the torch is hurting me.” It was digging into her chest as he held her tightly.
He pulled back and took the torch from her. “You’re miles off the path and almost down by the sea. Any farther and you could have fallen off the cliffs.”
“There you are.” The twins came trampling through the bushes. “How the hell did you get here?”
“I got turned around. I didn’t recognise anything, it all looks different in the dark. Did you find Nate?”
“He came back about ten minutes after you left, that’s how we knew you were lost,” Matt said. “Come on, it’s a fair walk, but you were going in the right direction to get to the mill.”
“I asked for help and the trees guided me, well, the guardians.” She didn’t know what to call them.
“The Nymphs? They showed themselves to you?” Matt asked, handing her back the torch.
“They just said they were the guardians,” she replied, switching the torch on and adding her beam to the light they were already casting on the path ahead.
“Were you scared?” Jake asked before she could respond.
“No, I’m grateful they helped. They made me feel safe”
“No, we meant before they came to you,” Josh said.
“Oh, yes. I was panicking. I didn’t know if you’d think I’d gone home with Nate and I’d be here all night.”
“We didn’t think he’d go off, or we’d have come with you,” Jake said. “We’d have made sure where you were though.”
Their torch lights bounced over the ground as they walked, sending dancing shadows around them, but Lily was no longer afraid, and she didn’t think she ever would be again among the trees.
“Is Nate okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, he came back with his tail between his legs, mumbling about being an ass. We agreed with him, and all’s well again,” Josh said. “He knows we need to talk to Jonas. It just took him longer to see it.”
“I really hope it’s nothing.” Lily sighed heavily. “Drew may be lying.”
“We just need to be cautious,” Matt said. “Jonas isn’t local. I don’t remember the first time we met him. It feels like we’ve always known him.”
The sound of crunching leaves came from ahead and then Nate was coming into view. “Sorry, baby. I’m sorry for losing my temper and walking out,” he called.
She pulled from Matt and ran to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head under his chin. He held her close, and she felt him sigh into her hair.
“I was worried about you. I’m worried about all of you.” She stepped back from him, but he held onto her arm.
“I was doing what I got all up on you for. I want to deny it, but I can’t,” he admitted.
“There’s one thing, Nate,” Josh said, winking at Lily. “Lil still holds the record for the longest time spent with her head in the sand.”
“Ha hardy ha!” She pulled a face at him but couldn’t help spoiling it by grinning.
“It’s just...” Nate shrugged helplessly.
“We know,” Josh whispered. “We’re feeling it too.”
“We believe Drew is a shitfaced liar, but we need to know for sure,” Jake added.
“But even if there is some truth to it all, Jonas will have a reason for us,” Matt spoke confidently.
“Yeah, I know. It’s just he’s the only one I thought we could trust with all of this. He’s always been there for us. But if he’s lying?” Nate looked away from them, his jaw clenched.
“Maybe he hasn’t.” Lily took his hand and held it tightly. “It may be coincidence he moved here. He might have put that secrecy thing on you because he wanted you to grow up safely. If he had any bad plans for you, why wait till you were grown up and able to fight back?”
“Good point,” Matt said.
Nate took a deep breath. “Let’s do what we’ve always done; rely on each other.”
“Aye, a circle of five,” Josh said.
“We’ve created the circle, why don’t we bind it?” Jake asked, looking between Nate and Matt.
“We need a full or waxing moon. End of the month would be good,” Matt said.
“We need the moon?” Lily didn’t even try to hide her excitement; they were talking about magic.
“Yeah, we also need to be skyclad,” Josh said.
“What’s skyclad? It sounds mystical.”
“It means naked,” Matt drawled. “Ignore the pervert.”
“Nice try, Josh.” She grinned at him, and he wiggled his eyebrows at her. “What does it mean to bind the circle?”
“It’ll be bound by three things; blood, magic, and the moon. But it must be a new moon and not a dying one,” Matt explained. “It just makes us stronger as a circle. Another layer of magic that winds around the circle, holding it together.”
“We’re going to make magic.” She tugged on Nate’s jacket, excitement rushing through her.
“Babe, you can’t make magic, you cast it. But this isn’t a spell, it’s a binding. And you need to know what it entails before you agree.” Nate stroked her cheek as he spoke.
“Yeah,” Josh agreed. “We have a few days. Take the time to think it through.”
“Tell me more. And how much blood are we talking here?”
Jake sniggered, resting his arm on Josh’s shoulder. “Only a few pints.”
“Ignore the peanut gallery over there. It’s a cut on the palms, but Matt heals it after.” Nate held out his palms, and she saw the faint scar across them that she hadn’t noticed before.
“We’ve already created a circle with you. Remember at the bowling alley? We didn’t know what would happen when you lifted your fist, but our magic connected,” said Matt.
“It combined, and melded together,” Jake said, his tone serious. “It was like taking a piece of metal and twisting it into an unbroken ring that connects us all.”
A cool breeze swept across the back of her neck, and she shivered. Warmth surrounded them, and she knew it was Nate. She thanked him, and he winked at her.
“It’s stronger than completing a circle.” Matt caught her attention. “We were twelve when we learnt about it and bonded.”
“We can protect each other better. We can tell if one of us is in direct danger or harm. We can also find each other if we want to, just by mentally following the connection. We made a pact we would only do that if it was an emergency, so we don’t trample on each other’s privacy,” Josh added.
“What? You’d be able to know when I was in the bath or on the loo?” She screwed up her face. “’Cause, yeah, so not happening.”
Jake grinned at her. “Unfortunately, we wouldn’t know if you were in the bath. It just means like tonight? If we were already bound, we’d have felt you panic and been able to find you quicker.”
“How long does it last?” she asked.
“For as long as all of us are still alive,” Nate answered her.
“And if, in a few years, we can’t stand the sight of each other?” she asked quietly. “Or you find someone else, or it just doesn’t work, what then?”
“It doesn’t affect our emotions,” Josh said. “It doesn’t make us love, or hate, or anything like that. If you left us, the binding would still be there, but don’t bother. We’ll only follow you.”
“You could marry an Inuit and live on the other side of the world and we’d still be bound together. You’d know when we were hurt, and we’d know if you were hurt. It’s a magical binding, not an emotional one,” Nate explained.
“Not sure I’ll be dating an Inuit anytime soon.”
“You’d better not.” Josh lifted an eyebrow at her, and she winked at him.
“How does it work?” she asked.
“We don’t know how it works, it’s magic.” Jake laughed. “It’s literally magic, babe.”
“And is that a twin we, or don’t you two know either?” She looked at Matt and Nate.
“We don’t understand either. It’s complicated, and to be honest, no one will ever understand magic. It just is,” Matt explained.
“Why don’t we complete the circle again for now?” Nate suggested. “You can think about the binding, Lily, and let us know.”
“Yeah, let’s complete the circle,” Matt agreed. “It’s been a hell of a day. It’s your birthday, and it’s been fucked up royally so far.”
“That’s my fault,” Lily said. “I should have—”
“Let’s forget it,” Nate suggested. “It’s water under the bridge.”
“How about we go somewhere tomorrow, just the five of us?” Matt asked.
“Excellent idea,” Nate said and fist bumped him.
“Aye.” The twins bounced on the soles of their feet.
“Aye.” Nate held up his fist, palm down. The others followed suit, leaving a space for Lily.
“Aye.” Lily lifted her fist to touch Matt and Nate’s, completing the circle.
Her breath caught as their skin glowed with a layer of golden dust. It curved and twisted, winding until Lily could see a perfect infinity knot. It moved over her fingers, tingling and fizzing. Like grains of sand, it drifted down the back of her hand and floated towards the middle of the circle. It entwined with the others and rose upwards like water from a fountain before dispersing into nothing.
Lily gasped as tingles grew in her veins, winding around every inch of her, until they settled and faded away. “What the hell was that?”
“We’re alone, and it’s the second time. Each time it will get stronger,” Nate said.
“Last time we were in the bowling alley,” Jake reminded her. “We honestly didn’t think anything was going to happen, but when it did we hid the visual side of it.” He caught her still outstretched hand and brought it down, not letting go.
“Here, with the trees to guard us, we’re safe,” Nate added.
“It was beautiful. And the infinity symbol?”
“An endless knot, no beginning and no end, our magic is entwined until death takes us.” Matt put his hand on Nate’s shoulder and squeezed. “We ought to get back. It’s heading into the witching hours.”
On cue, Lily pulled her hand free from Jake and covered her mouth as a huge yawn overtook her.
“Bed.” Nate’s commanding voice was back, and they led her back through the trees.
“Lily, walk with us for a moment.” Josh sounded serious and she waited for them to join her.
“Catch us up,” Nate said, and he carried on with Matt.
“What’s up?” she asked as they drew level with her, one on each side. They tucked their arms around hers as they walked on.
“So, Lily Pad,” Josh said. “How much do you actually remember of the green earlier?”
“Oh god, I am so sorry—”
“Nope, not looking for that,” Jake said, crossing his torch light over Josh’s, making patterns on the ground in front of them.
She frowned as she tried to think. Her jaw dropped when she remembered trying to take her clothes off. “Oh god, thank you for stopping me from stripping.”
“Yeah, well, hopefully for our eyes only, babe,” Jake said.
“Not that either. Do you remember Nate upending you over his shoulder? Or more to the point, do you remember what you called him?” Josh asked.
She had to think for a minute, but it came back with a sinking feeling. “Oh lord, I called him Iggy. Why am I still alive?” She groaned, shaking her head.
“Because he loves you,” Josh said. “Thing is, we noticed he secretly liked it when you called him that.”
“We think it might, y’know, bring you both closer together if you called him Iggy occasionally,” Jake added.
“He’ll bluster over it, because he won’t want us calling him that. But secretly he’ll love it when you do,” Josh finished.
Lily had zoned in on the ‘loves you’ part. Had he told them? Or was it a figure of speech? The guardians had told her she held their hearts, but it all seemed so fantastic, so unlikely that all of them would love someone like her.
She looked at Matt and Nate ahead, visible in the dancing beams of lights. They were walking close together, deep in discussion. Maybe about Jonas, and what they might have to face. It made her heart hurt. She didn’t want to see any of them hurting. Did she love him? Did she love all of them? Did she even know what love was?
She twitched her nose and blew out a breath. She knew she was happy in their company. She knew they were annoying at times but so was she. She tried to imagine how she would feel if they were no longer around and the pain it brought made her tighten her fingers into her palms, her nails biting into her skin. She knew she’d do anything to protect them. If that's how love felt, then yes, she loved them. All of them.
“Lil?” Jake caught her attention. “What’s up?”
She looked at him, and her heart flipped. He was gorgeous, his dark untidy hair falling into his eyes as he looked at her, but it was more than his looks. It was the concern he showed her, the gentle way he teased her, the way he looked after her. How they all looked after her. Yeah, she was in love with all of them, and it made her smile widely at him.
He grinned at her. “So, what do you say? Fancy trying to bond with Nate with his special nickname just between the two of you?”
“Do you two realise how full of bullshit you are?” she asked. “You just want to wind him up. He’s going to hate it.”
“Lilith! Joshua, how could she think that of us?”
“Your guess is as good as mine, Jacob,” Josh replied. “But she owes us some money now. She swore.”
“So she did. C’mon, cough up,” Jake instructed her.
“I refuse to fund your piggy banks when you two swear like sailors.”
“Ah, Jacob, what are we to do?”
“Well, I suppose money isn’t the only thing she could pay up with, Joshua.”
“Guys!” Lily warned them. “I know where your minds reside most of the time. Don’t go there.”
“She doesn’t have a very high opinion of us, Jacob. We’re offended and confused. How could this possibly be?”
“Hysteria, Joshua,” Jake replied. “It happens to a lot of women upon reaching maturity, according to the medical profession.”
“Ah, yes, of course. We believe Victorian doctors implemented a certain way of dealing with female hysteria.”
“If you dare say the device they used to prescribe I shall not be impressed.” She tried to be stern but ended up snorting with laughter.
“Device?” Jake sniggered.
“She means a vibrator, Jacob. Such a dirty little mind, she has,” Josh teased. “We were thinking of cool cloths across your forehead.”
“Yeah, right.” She snorted, not believing that for one second.
“You guys okay?” Matt called back as they reached the edge of the forest.
“Yeah, we were discussing female hysteria and—ompf!”
Lily sent her elbow into Josh’s stomach. “Don’t you dare,” she hissed.
Jake went into peals of laughter, and Matt and Nate shook their heads before carrying on.
“Well, just remember we offer our personal services should you find that hysteria starts to become a problem,” Josh said.
“In fact, we wouldn’t even want you to get to that stage. If, at any time, you find yourself feeling the slightest of stirrings, we’re only a call away,” Jake said.
“It’s something we would love to help you with,” Josh finished and kissed her temple.
Their voices were low and husky, sending a responsive shiver through her as warmth pooled low in her stomach. She didn’t know how to reply to that, and she wasn’t sure she could trust her voice anyway.
They stopped, and she was enveloped between them, their mouths by her ears.
“Just tell us to shut up if we’re too much,” Josh whispered against her skin. “We absolutely adore you, Lily, and we always will.”
“But if we move too fast, let us know,” Jake added.
She was unable to find any words at all. She knew they wanted to step up their relationship with her, but she wasn’t sure whether they loved her or not. Adore wasn’t necessarily love.
“Lily, have we upset you?” Josh’s quiet voice stirred the hair against her neck.
She shook her head, brushing her cheeks against the sides of their faces. “No, you haven’t upset me.”
“We talk too much. We know we do,” Jake said. “It started as a joke and got serious quick. And we are serious, Lily, we’re not stringing you along here. You are it for us.”
“But we’ll wait as long as you need,” Josh whispered. “We don’t ever want to lose you.”
They kissed her cheeks gently, and she held onto them tightly, the shimmering warmth of their shared magic in her blood. She wanted this, wanted to bind her magic to them.
“But, please, just consider calling him Iggy. Just once. When we’re there to see his face.”
She laughed and as they carried on walking. She might just do it.
