Freya settled her injured leg on the cushion Ali had placed on the solid oak coffee table and leaned back draining the last of her red wine and sighing with relief. She’d waited ages in A&E for the doctor to not very confidently tell her that she was unlikely to get an infection but he had given her a tetanus shot anyway, which hurt like hell she was happy to tell anyone who would listen. They’d cleaned and bandaged the wound and her sprained foot and sent her on her way.
Ali appeared from the kitchen in her usual state when cooking. Her naked man apron fastened about her neck and waist with most of the ingredients in her blonde hair, which was tied up as usual. Freya smiled as Ali topped up her wine and then returned to the kitchen. The wine was doing more for her than the painkillers, she could barely feel the injection site or her previously throbbing ankle and not to mention her pierced knee.
Freya closed her eyes and enjoyed listening to the sounds around her. The soft snoring of the cat curled up in front of the log fire, the trickle of music coming from the kitchen and the consistent rumble of freight trains working through the night.
“Dinner will be ready in a minute Frey. How’s the foot and knee feeling, and your backside?” Ali shouted, not trying to hide the hint of laughter to her voice, which Freya didn’t find amusing at all. She took another sip of wine before answering, thinking she really should stop soon.
“A few more of these and I won’t feel a thing,” she replied, trying not to sound grumpy. It had been kind of Ali to come and pick her up and let her stay overnight in her flat. Ali had also visited her boat, The Queen of Wands. So named as it was the first Tarot card Freya had turned over when she was trying to think of a new name for her narrowboat. Ali had put out the fire, switched off the water and locked it up. It would be freezing tomorrow when she returned but that was boat life. At this time of year, she normally kept the fire burning until spring.
Ali walked over to the sofa Freya was reclining on and passed her a shot glass of tequila.
“There you go, another shot of medicine,” she said, ‘Doctor’s orders.’ Ali loomed over her, accepting no refusal. It was easier just to have it. If the doctor asked what her usual consumption of alcohol was, she always removed their drinking sessions from the calculation.
“I know what you’re referring to, and I am not amused?”
“What do you mean Frey? I’m just going to shoot into the kitchen and check on the rump steaks.”
Freya threw a cushion at her friend’s departing figure. Ali had arrived just in time to see her white backside stuck in the air as she leant over the hospital bed, with a rather hunky looking doctor sticking a needle into it. Ali would never let her live this down. Never! She sighed again, what a day. She reached to the coffee table and picked up the pin which had turned out to be a thin brooch, once Ali had cleaned all the mud off.
It was beautiful. Ali thought it was worth a fortune, definitely gold. It had red garnets encrusted along the middle of twisted gold. She could see why Eric had thought it was a hat pin because of how thin it was but it was much more. Ali was right, as Freya had it up to the light, it caught the startling red gems and as Ali had pointed out, it was her birthstone. She hadn’t told Ali what had happened, how she had seen the headstone with her name and date of death on it. It seemed silly now that she was back in civilisation. The world looked calm and a million miles away from this morning.
Her stomach rumbled as Ali opened the kitchen door and called her in after first checking if she wanted it on a tray but Freya wasn’t one to have anyone fuss over her, she’d had enough already today. Ali was a brilliant cook, unlike her, who could burn toast. Freya wasn’t allowed in Ali’s kitchen other than to make a drink. She was a chef at the local restaurant, which meant they always had good food on the menu. Ali was saving to open her own restaurant, hence all the extra hours she’d been working. Freya felt a little guilty for taking up her time when she knew they had so much to do.
After a delicious dinner they slumped back on the sofa, another glass of wine in hand. Freya could feel her eyelids dropping as the good food, alcohol, fire and friendship comforted her.
‘Earth the Freya. You okay?’
Freya reluctantly opened her heavy eyelids and smiled at Ali.
‘Yes, just tired. Think I will go to bed soon if that’s okay. It’s been a day.’
Ali put her half-drunk glass of wine on the table and stood up, ‘I shouldn’t have kept you talking. Let me go and check Alex’s room is ready for you. You know what he’s like!’
‘Are you sure your brother doesn’t mind me stealing his bed? I honestly don’t mind sleeping on the sofa?’
‘As if my brother doesn’t get all hot under his builder’s collar about you sleeping in his bed, he’s just disappointed he’s not in there with you.’ Ali skipped away into the hallway laughing.
Freya cheeks flamed and it wasn’t just the wine. There had been an immediate attraction between her and Alex but it was one of those where there was never the right moment for them. Freya realised that this was the first time they were both single at the same time.
She shook herself, she didn’t want to think about the fact she was going to be curled up in his bed very soon. She closed her eyes as she unconsciously stroked the brooch in her hand, thinking about what she had seen earlier and trying to take her mind firmly off Alex.
***
‘We’ve got her.’ Drakon’s eager voice broke through. After hours of searching, they had found her. It had to be her.
‘Are you sure?’ Dominique touched his brother’s arm, the desperation clear. Two hundred years was a long time to wait. They had to be sure. He shivered thinking of the last time they had thought they had found the right witch. It still haunted his waking thoughts.
He hadn’t wanted to come today. He’d been the one to discover the last witch, to bring her in and convince her to join them but they had to be strong again.
‘You’re right.’ Pen broke through his thoughts, ‘I can feel it. So strong. It’s her but…’
‘What?’ Dominique barked more sharply than he intended.
‘Something. Wait. Quiet.’ Pen held up her hand to silence the group.
The sound of cars and people walking past them, glancing, but not seeing them but all their eyes were focused on Pen. Deep worry lines scoured her forehead as she tried to find the witch. Their witch. Finding them wasn’t the end of the journey, the group had more to do but if only…
Kasha put her hand on Aland and he whimpered. Drakon’s knuckles were white as he gripped his cane. Dominique pressed his pendant deeper into his chest. Hours passed before Pen spoke again.
‘I have her. We must go.’
***
Mary opened her eyes, the gold letters on the page casting a strange light. She didn’t think anyone could see it from outside but she had to be careful. The light had drawn her in but she knew it was to bring her back here. She felt protected. Everyone was on edge after Gerta had died. Suspicious. She would not fare well being caught here after dark, and her mother was waiting and she knew what she was capable of.
Mary caressed the top of the book, she hadn’t noticed before but letters were embossed into the leather. How had she not noticed before? She didn’t know the language, the letters didn’t make sense. She was one of the few people in the village who could read, something she was worried about being known but her father had been a merchant and he had insisted she learnt so she could take over the ledgers when he was too tired to write. He never trusted anyone else to keep his books.
She frowned, wondering who could help her? Maybe she could look through the other books in the library and see if there was something similar. She would figure it out. She undid the metal clasps and turned over the heavy cover. She cried out. The page was full of names written in glowing gold leaf. The expense to create such a book. Who could have created it and why? What were the list of names for and why were they glowing? How were they glowing?
Flinching she looked around as the sound of the scratching of quill on paper. Who was in here? Her heart raced but she pulled herself together. There was no-one else here. The noise was coming from the book. She looked back to the page to see a name appearing before her eyes.
She gasped. She knew what this was. Heard the whispering. Heard the Witchfinders ask about it.
Mary froze as someone shouted from outside the church.
Chapter Six coming soon. I hope you’re enjoy the story please leave a comment or give my blog a like.
Please note: this story is just a bit of fun and writing practice for me. It hasn’t been edited so if mistakes send shivers down your spine then don’t read it 😉
C.L. Peache 