Prologue

Edinburgh in December

Evil arrived in the city with a beautiful voice and a golden key around her neck.

Saint Giles was the patron saint of Edinburgh and the cathedral that bore his name stood in the Old Town like a towering elder, disapproving and intimidating. The rain lashed against the ancient stonework; a building that had been there for centuries, longer than any of the people who lived in its city.

With the exception of a few Hidden Folk.

Marley Stewart-Napier was inside. One of his many extra-curricular activities at school was singing in the choir; the reason he now sat inside the great cathedral. His choirmates sat all around him and he could sense they were as eager as he was to sing. As soon as they sang through all the carols, it would be over. They could have a quick glass of orange juice, while the parents and visitors drank mulled wine, and then they could all go home. They had wasted an entire day rehearsing and they were all well and truly sick of the building, no matter how impressive it was.

He was ready to go home.

The cathedral was full of people, every seat occupied by an expectant face. Marley searched and searched, but could not find the ones he wanted.

His cousin Ramya was with their aunt and grandmother up in Loch Ness, that he knew. However, his mother and Ramya’s parents had promised to be there.

Marley could not see them.

He did, however, clap eyes on a face he had not been expecting. He blinked and then squinted, wondering if he was imagining it. An older boy with blonde hair and cold eyes.

“Welcome to this year’s highly anticipated Christmas Carol Service,” boomed Mitch, their choirmaster, pulling Marley’s attention away from the other boy. “We are ready to begin with our first selection and ask that you please turn off your mobile phones.”

Parents did just that, whilst others inspected the order of service sheet. Marley and the rest of the choir began to take their positions, standing in accordance to voice range. They were about to receive their first note from the organ, Mitch standing before them all like an overly serious metronome, when everything changed.

Everything.

The enormous, heavy doors at the entrance of the cathedral burst open; the noise and sudden movement causing people to turn with shallow gasps. The candlelight in the large hall quivered and shrank away from the sudden, uninvited arrival of the outside storm.

Marley realised what they were witnessing before anyone else. For, standing in the entranceway was someone he had only ever heard stories about. Terrible stories.

She stood with a man who was gaunt and frightening, a man who made no attempts to hide the dark magic that so obviously resided in him.

When she smiled, Marley could see people in the rows closest to her smiling back and he knew the room was a barrel of powder merely awaiting a lit match.

“Good evening,” she said, her voice causing physical reactions from almost every person in the great hall. “Sorry I’m late.”

Porta. Portia had come to Edinburgh. A flame ready to burn everything down.

Marley was about to move when he felt someone grab his arm and haul him behind a pillar.

Freddy Melville. His cousin’s Siren friend. The boy he had seen sitting in the crowd.

“Are you a part of this?” Marley hissed, feeling indignant and scared all at once.

“No,” Freddy murmured, glancing out at the congregation and its newest arrival. “But I had a suspicion.”

“What do we do?”

“We get you out of here. Leanna and Cassandra are waiting outside.”

Marley’s mother and his aunt. Two of Edinburgh’s witches. The former mildly gifted with healing magic and the latter a rather fearsome commander of fire.

Then there was Aunt Opal. The most powerful witch Edinburgh had seen for some time. And his cousin Ramya was now Opal’s apprentice. She was the chosen one, Marley thought to himself. He was just the one who ran around behind her. Ramya could see through Glamour. Ramya could command water. Ramya could fly.

All Marley could do was stand by her side and be impressed by all of it.

There was no other reason for Portia’s arrival. She was clearly there for his cousin. His gifted cousin who would grow to be one of the most powerful witches of Scotland. And, thereby, was a threat to Portia and other supernatural creatures who wanted to overpower the Hidden Folk.

Marley’s eyes narrowed as he peered at the Siren boy. He was far more reluctant to trust Freddy than Ramya was.

“We need to sneak out the back,” Freddy said, ripping his eyes from Portia to direct Marley towards the exit behind them. Marley swallowed and started to crawl, careful to remain hidden from Portia, her henchmen and the rest of the congregation. He felt guilt and worry for all those innocent people fill him up, as he dragged himself to the door.

He knew what it felt like, to be under a Siren’s spell. He would not wish it on anyone.

As he reached the heavy wooden door, he realised Freddy was not beside him. He glanced back and froze. The other boy stood in the heart of the cathedral, staring down the other Siren with a defiance that made Marley feel ashamed. He slipped out of the door and dashed, slipping as his harried feet met the wet stone of the city.

Then he saw them. His mother and aunt, gesturing frantically from his aunt’s sophisticated car. He bolted for them, flying into the backseat with the speed of a bullet.

“Freddy’s still inside,” he panted, putting his seatbelt on without thinking and pressing his nose against the car window.

“He’s staying behind, sweets,” Leanna said softly.

Marley’s head snapped around to stare at the two witches. “What?”

His Aunt Cassandra was already driving, causing the car to rip away from the Royal Mile and the noble cathedral that had now fallen to a Siren. Marley bellowed a cry of despair for the Siren friend of his cousin, appalled at the abandonment.

But, a plan was in motion.

Freddy stared back at Portia inside of St. Giles. Two Sirens facing off. while humans watched on in fear and confusion.

“Ramya and Opal are gone,” he told her flatly. “But they will soon know that you’re here.”

Portia smiled and it was clearly not what Freddy had been expecting, as it knocked what little triumph he had been feeling clean out of him.

“Fabulous,” she said smoothly. “I’m relying on it.”

Then she opened her mouth and sang. So rich and compelling was the song, that all the humans were helpless.

The golden key around her neck caught the light, flashing showily as the city fell under a Siren’s spell.