The Last Witch: Volume One

Collins holds the door open for me as I climb out of the car. I see Gabriel do the same for Amara, but she’s already excitedly scooting across the seat behind me with a massive grin on her face.

‘Wow!’ she gasps, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she looks all around us. ‘Isn’t this amazing?’ I see the look of childlike amazement in her eyes that must also be in mine.

We’re standing in the middle of an enormous field filled with evergreen trees still growing out of the ground. Some are sprayed to look snowy. Some are decorated with lights, tinsel or stars which twinkle. But most are just a brilliant green. It’s a whole world away from my uncle’s cellar. Now I know why Gabriel wanted to bring me in the dark.

As the others stand beside me looking at all the decorations and soaking up the atmosphere, I feel like the luckiest person alive! How have I gone from a cellar and chains …to this?

‘Gabriel?’ A man wearing a big bobble hat and a red name badge labelling him as Frank calls over. Gabriel heads over to meet him and shakes his hand. They talk for a few minutes after which Gabriel gives him a handful of notes before coming back to us.

‘We have the place to ourselves. Most expensive Christmas tree ever, but better safe than sorry.’ He wraps his leather jacket further around his body and shakes away the bitter coldness in the air. I tuck my hair further under the black woolly capped hat I borrowed from Amara and double-check the cuff is still firmly in place.

‘You’re fine,’ Gabriel says quietly into my ear. ‘Your hair’s covered. No one knows you even exist. And the cuff is on. You’re fine!’

‘Yeah, well I’m not taking any risks. I’m even thinking about colouring my hair. Black maybe, or brunette?’

‘Don’t you dare,’ he says with that half-smile. ‘I love your red hair.’ He busies himself with the black scarf around my neck, making sure it’s wrapped tightly. ‘I like seeing you in my clothes. Never had a girl in my stuff before.’

‘I’m honoured,’ I laugh.

The man in the bobble hat disappears inside a small hut and leaves us to it.

Cheery festive music floats through the air. It’s lovely. Peaceful. Happy.

I can’t stop smiling.

‘It’s all so beautiful,’ I whisper.

‘You think?’ Gabriel asks.

‘It’s perfect. Thank you so much for bringing me here.’

‘You are very welcome.’

Collins wraps Amara in his arms and kisses her neck. I knew I saw kindness in his eyes back at Harry’s. It’s for her. He loves her. And she loves him. It’s unbelievably clear in how he looks at her. Like she’s the best thing he’s seen in his entire life.

‘I’ve never understood the whole tree thing,’ Amara says, running her fingers through the needles of the tree nearest to her. ‘I mean, who decided to chop down a tree, drag it inside and shove a fairy on the top in the first place? It’s like Easter. Chocolate eggs and rabbits? What the hell’s that about? Christianity is weird.’

I stroke the needles too.

‘I thought evergreen trees would feel different. Like sharper or something. But they’re soft.’ I turn to Amara. ‘I can tell you if you like? About where the tree tradition comes from?’ When she nods, I explain. ‘It started as a pagan ritual. Not Christian. Because the evergreen trees stay green through winter, people would cut off boughs and put them in their homes or by their door as a way to entice the sun God back. Then, around the sixteenth century, German Christians took this ritual and amended it to entire trees. Then they started decorating them with what they had to hand. Mainly edible things like gingerbread and apples, which turned into glass baubles and other decorations like candles, coloured paper, foil… stuff like that. Originally, they put a baby Jesus on the top, until it changed over time to an angel. Then a fairy or a star. The tree came to Britain in the 1830s when King Albert married Queen Victoria. He was German you see, so they put a tree up in Windsor Castle in 1841 which started it all off for the British. But the very, very first account of an evergreen cutting being used inside the home was to keep away witches.’ I turn to Gabriel. ‘Bet a lot of fathers draped it around their daughters’ bedrooms whenever you rolled through the village,’ I laugh, but he doesn’t find my joke funny. ‘Maybe I should get one for when Grayson gets annoyed at me. Fashion it into a necklace or something. What?’ I ask nervously as he continues staring. ‘It was only a joke.’

But they’re all staring at me like that.

‘What?’

‘How the hell do you know all that?’ Gabriel asks. ‘I didn’t even know that, and I’m five hundred years older than you!’

‘Yeah,’ Amara adds. ‘And last night you could name all the constellations as well as tell me the stories behind them. How are you so clever?’

‘Mr Simmons taught me. I’m not an idiot you know,’ I say indignantly, letting go of the tree and shuffling my feet.

‘No. We didn’t mean that’ Gabriel says, trying to sound casual. ‘I just… I didn’t really think you were… smart.’

‘Wow!’ I cross my arms and glare at him with a mix of anger and surprise at how he sees me. ‘Way to call me an idiot.’

‘That came out wrong. I’m not calling you an idiot,’ he insists, embarrassed at the hole he seems to be digging. ‘I just thought-’

‘Thought what? You know I can read and write. You know I can speak fluent French, and you saw me recognise straight away that the picture you have hanging in the hall is an original Van Gogh that’s been missing for years. What about those facts would lead you to believe I wasn’t smart?’

‘Well, to be fair, you were in a cellar when we found you. And the way you just touched the tree? You’ve never even seen a real evergreen tree, have you?’ He looks to the others for support, but they stare at him similar to me. Like he’s an insensitive twat. ‘This is all coming out really, really wrong.’

‘I can tell you every element in the periodic table, but I’ve never stepped foot in a chemistry lab. I can name all fifty states in America, but being here is the furthest from home I’ve ever been. I can name every piece of artwork that Van Gogh, Monet…even Dali, painted in their lifetime, but I’ve never stepped foot in an art gallery.’

‘I get it. I’m sorry-’

‘I can even tell you that seventy percent of our planet is covered in water. That for every litre of seawater, there are thirty-five grams of salt. But I’ve never been to the ocean. I know a lot about the world. But I learnt it from books. Not experience.’

‘I’m really sorry,’ he says with a sullen face and pity-filled eyes. ‘I don’t think you’re an idiot.’

‘Well, I think you are, Gabriel.’ I look at them all. ‘I’m not looking for sympathy. My life is what is it. Or was, because things are different for me now and I don’t want you tiptoeing around me. I won’t report anything you say or do to Grayson. I won’t flip out or attack you. I’m not going to Break. And I don’t want you to be anyone but yourselves around me. If we get on, we get on. If we don’t, we don’t. But I would like the chance to show you there’s more to me than just the girl from the cellar. Okay?’

‘Of course, Honey’ Amara says, taking my hand in hers.

‘Sure thing,’ Collins agrees. I turn to Gabriel.

‘Hey,’ he says with a shrug. ‘I only learnt that there was a light in the oven last week. I’m not smart. And I think we’ve established my brain isn’t connected to my mouth. I’m a prat and an idiot.’

‘And a slag,’ I add.

His mouth curls up into a smile as I ease into a grin myself.

Amara throws her arm around my shoulders and beams at me. ‘Shall we go check out some trees?’

‘Yes,’ I reply happily. ‘That would be awesome.’

As we walk off together, I look back to see Collins and Gabriel stand side by side watching us go.

‘I really like her,’ Collins says with an approving nod. ‘She’s going to give you and Grayson a run for your money.’

‘Yeah,’ Gabriel agrees. ‘She’s really something else.’

There are small trees. Big trees. Real trees. Fake trees. It’s a maze of Christmas, and I love it all. Amara pulls off a string of red tinsel and wraps it around my neck before picking up a pink one and wrapping it around hers.

‘Who needs a tree?’ she laughs. ‘We’ll just decorate ourselves. Oh, look!’ She charges off leaving me to run after her.

‘Don’t go too far, girls!’ Gabriel calls as he stands with Collins smoking.

‘We won’t,’ I call back.

She weaves between the trees and stops finally at a tree decorated in nothing but pink. Pink baubles. Pink lights. Pink snowflakes. It’s hideous, but her eyes are lit up.

‘You like pink, huh?’

‘It’s my favourite colour. There’s not much pink back home with Dad.’

She links her arm in mine and rests her head on my shoulder as she admires it. I can’t help but ask.

‘Amara? What was that with you and Collins this morning?’ She lifts her head to look at me ‘Are you two not a couple then?’

‘We are. I think,’ as if considering it herself. ‘We sleep together. Spend time together and I really, really like him.’

‘Is he doing any of those things with anyone else?’ I ask.

‘No!’ she replies, outraged at the mere suggestion. ‘I’d cut his bits off if he were!’

‘So, you are a couple then?’

‘Yeah, I suppose, but we’ve not said it officially. What about you and Grayson?’

‘I told you. We’re not a couple.’

She grins slyly. ‘He wants you though. He’s made sure everyone knows you’re off-limits, and he’s super protective over you.’

Images of John screaming has my stomach in knots. I really don’t need or want that kind of protectiveness. Not again.

We carry on wandering through the trees, arm in arm, admiring all the different decorations.

‘So, are you really going to let Gabriel into your memories?’ I’m very much enjoying how she is with me. It’s straightforward and honest. Effortless.

‘I said I would, so…’ We stop at a tree covered in black decorations. It’s not half as depressing as I would have expected, especially when it’s mixed with the odd silver star. ‘Gabriel doesn’t treat me like I’m about to explode or Break. I like that. When he sees some of the things that go on in my head, that will definitely change.’

‘Is that why you wear long sleeves?’ she asks. Again, there’s no hindrance to her question. ‘So people won’t see your scars and feel sorry for you?’

‘How do you know about those?’

‘Collins. Plus, you’re always pulling down your sleeves even though you’re covered. It’s not hard to put two and two together.’

‘Do you and Collins talk about me a lot?’ I ask with a laugh. I’m not offended in the slightest. She’s impossible to be insulted by.

‘Well, you’re new and pretty big news, so we do a bit,’ she shrugs. ‘Why do they want to dig about in that head of yours anyway?’

‘Truth is there’s a six-week gap in my memory. We’re pretty sure that this Break happened at that time and that Toby was involved. He has the journal. They think that figuring out what happened will not only help us find him but help me get this Break under control, so I don’t go all…err…’ How can I explain it to her?

‘White-haired, lilac-eyed, nut job?’ Yep, she definitely knew Toby. ‘But if it will help with all those things isn’t it worth doing?’

We turn and face each other, our tinsel still wrapped around our necks and our noses are getting redder in the cold. I admit to her what I’m most concerned about.

‘I don’t want Gabriel to see my past. He won’t treat me the same. I know it sounds pathetic, but…’ I look at my feet. She rubs my arm telling me I can say anything and it won’t go any further. ‘Well, I like how he looks at me,’ I admit. ‘I know what everyone says. That he looks at all the girls like that, but no one that nice has ever looked at me like he does. Just Toby and unfortunately Grayson. If he sees my past, there’s no way he’ll treat me the same.’

‘I get it. I was the same when I met Collins. You don’t want to be seen as this delicate little flower that can be easily squished. You don’t want to be treated differently or be defined by your past. You don’t want to be the girl from the cellar the same as I don’t want to be the drunk’s daughter.’ She nods knowingly. It’s a relief that she gets it. That she understands. ‘I can’t speak for Gabriel, but I don’t see you as the girl from the cellar. I see you as the girl that kicked my dad’s ass and then got me drunk for the first time ever. As the girl who stood up to Grayson, which I’ve never seen anyone do, by the way. And the girl that has been super nice to me. Not many people are nice to me. People at home think I’m weak. And annoying,’ she adds sadly. Why the hell would anyone not be nice to her? She’s so likeable!

‘Well, I see you as…’ I have a whole speech planned. That she’s the girl that defended me against John. Stayed with me all night when I had my nightmare. How she’s generous and kind. But something distracts me. I look around not understanding what it is that’s drawn my attention.

‘What is it, Honey?’ she asks, looking around the same as me and taking a step closer.

‘I sense magic.’ I realise that’s the odd feeling. Magic.

‘But you have your cuff on. How can you sense magic?’

‘I don’t know but I can. I’m telling you. I can sense magic.’

‘Well, that’s just Gabriel and Collins, right?’ She doesn’t sound sure and steps even closer.

‘No. It’s not them. It feels…different.’

‘How?’

I look at her. Her eyes are wide and anxious.

‘When I sense Gabriel, Collins and Grayson, it’s a presence. Like a warmth. Protective.’

‘And how does this feel?’ she asks nervously.

‘Like it wants to hurt us. It feels really angry.’ I take her hand in mine, scanning all around us for any sign of danger. ‘It’s not them, Amara. It’s someone else.’

‘But, there’s only one other person with magic,’ she says, squeezing my hand. I know. And that’s what’s got me so afraid.

‘Toby,’ I whisper his name as I look around us.

I try to sense where he is. The humming in the air as his magic gets closer is overpowering, making it impossible to tell. I’m drowning in it, and it feels violent. Is that what his magic feels like? If I felt like this every time I saw him, I doubt very much that I would have let him get half as close to me as he did. Every hair on my body’s standing on end. Every nerve heightened.

‘We need to get back to the boys,’ she whispers in my ear. Giving my hand a slight tug, we quietly walk away from the black and silver tree and towards where we last saw them. As we walk, we get quicker. Almost running, we pass the enormous pink tree and both look back to make sure no one’s following us. No one is. But looking back means we don’t see what’s ahead and we both slam into someone. We stumble back and look up at a man wearing a big smile.

‘Easy, girls,’ he laughs. ‘Where’s the fire?’

‘Oh, we’re so sorry,’ Amara pants, clutching her chest and laughing nervously.

‘No problem,’ he says happily and glancing around. ‘I thought the lot was closed? Should you be in here?’

Amara’s giggling nervously as she explains we were just leaving. He’s smiling kindly as she babbles on. But I’m watching him. His eyes drift from her to me. Those dark brown eyes look familiar. His dirty blonde hair is short but spikey on the top. A modern cut for a man that must be in his late forties. He’s wearing a long black coat that reaches down to his knees with the collar turned up. Beneath the coat, he’s wearing a light grey V-neck t-shirt. He looks so familiar it’s driving me mad. I glance behind me. There’s no one there. No sign of Toby, but I can still sense magic. Stronger than ever. As Amara keeps talking, he doesn’t stop looking at me. I take a step back.

‘Amara,’ I say firmly as I take her with me. ‘Amara, we need to go now.’

She stops her incessant gabbling and looks between the man and me. His smile, although still there, is anything but genuine.

‘What is it?’ she asks.

‘We need to go. Now!’ I repeat. Every step we take back, he takes one forwards. I’m afraid of him. But I’m not really sure why. The more he speaks, the more familiar he feels.

‘You two here alone?’ he asks. Amara’s hand tightens on mine as she realises that we’re in danger. He keeps coming. Slowly following us as we back up, reclaiming every bit of space we create with his familiar, cocky grin.

‘I know you,’ I say almost too afraid to form words as I try to remember his face. But I still can’t place it. ‘How do I know you?’

‘It’s good to see you again, Lilly.’ He turns his head to the left and runs his finger down a long scar that goes from his cheekbone and disappears into his hairline. It takes a second, but I get there. I remember him.

‘I haven’t seen you since you were a child,’ he says. ‘Look at you. You’re a woman!’

‘Who is he?’ Amara asks nervously.

He’s a man I thought lived only in my nightmares. He hasn’t aged a day! I remember him kicking down the door to the small cabin my mum and I lived in before we ran away to Harry’s. He tried to kill us both, but my magic manifested and I managed to fend him off long enough to get away with Mum. It was me that gave him that scar.

‘Lilly? Who is he?’ I can hear the terror in her voice. And she should be terrified.

He takes a few significant steps forwards as I jump back, taking her with me.

‘Run,’ I tell her. ‘FUCKING RUN!’

We turn and sprint in the opposite direction as he chases after us. But we don’t get far. He grabs Amara by her long hair and yanks her back. Her hand slips out of mine and he slams his fist into her face hard, knocking her to the floor where she lays motionless.

I rush to her, but that only puts me in his reach. He grabs the back of my neck. I go to scream.

‘Make a sound, and I’ll kill your friend,’ he says plainly, lifting his hand which shimmers with the same Energy magic Grayson has. But his is a deep green. His threat keeps me quiet. My feet stumble as he drags me away from her and away from the entrance. Away from the sound of Gabriel’s voice casually calling out my name. I’m in shock. Completely petrified into obedience. Like I used to be all those years ago before Toby came into my life.

Come on, Red. Fight him off!

Toby’s ever-present voice in my head commands. He’s my strength and logic when I have none myself.

Fight him off! NOW!

With my brain suddenly able to function, and now that we’re away from Amara so she can’t be hurt, I rip off the cuff and send him through the air so quick I would have laughed at the surprise on his face if I wasn’t so fucking scared. I take my chance and run as fast as I can back towards Amara.

Turning around a stupidly large tree, I collide with her and we both fall in a heap on the floor. Before we can get back to our feet, he’s there. Lifting me by my arm and holding me in a vice-like grip as I try desperately to get free.

‘Amara! RUN!’ I yell. She does.

‘You’re coming with me,’ he says with an annoyed laugh, as if there’s no other option and me merely believing there is, is nothing but laughable. As I try to get his hand off me, he wraps his other hand around my throat. ‘The question is, are you coming with me conscious? Or a bloody, broken mess?’

There’s a thud. With an angry yell, he lets me go and grabs at his head. Amara’s hit him with what looks like a wooden post and he falls to his knees onto the floor. We reach for each other, and hand in hand run past him towards the others.

‘You came back for me?’

‘Of course I did! Who the fuck is that?!’ she demands, looking behind us as we flee. He’s coming. I can feel it. ‘Is he a Witch?’

‘Yes, just keep running!’

Relief isn’t a strong enough word to describe how I feel when I see Gabriel and Collins. They’re exactly where we left them.

‘COLLINS!’ Amara screams as we sprint towards them. ‘HELP!’

They turn and start running towards us.

‘What’s happened?’ Gabriel asks as we plough into them.

‘There’s a man back there trying to get Lilly. He has magic!’ she tells him.

‘Toby?’ Gabriel asks.

I shake my head. ‘No. It’s not Toby. It’s someone else.’ We all look at the lines of trees, but there’s no one there. I can feel him. He’s somewhere. Collins takes Amara in his arms and holds her tightly as Gabriel takes my hand and pulls me close.

‘What does he look like, Beautiful?’ Gabriel asks, scanning the trees around us.

‘Light hair. He has a scar on his face.’

‘The scar…is it here?’ He runs his finger along the side of his face marking exactly where the line is on the man’s cheek. I nod.

‘It can’t be,’ Collins says. ‘Theo?’

‘Theo?’ I say the name with dread. ‘As in the man who wants to kill me?’

‘We need to go,’ Gabriel orders, wrapping his arm around my waist. ‘Now!’

We turn and start running but my feet come out from under me and I fall, making me lose my grip on Gabriel. I feel it before it happens. The sensation of being grabbed by my ankle, but there’s no one there. Nothing’s touching me at all! Gabriel lunges for my hand, but I’m pulled screaming back across the dirt, through the trees and away from them on my belly. My fingernails dig into the soil to stop myself, but it does nothing. I try desperately to get a hold of something, but whatever has me is too strong. I’m pulled through the trees and out of sight from my friends as they all yell my name.

Theo’s hand grabs my hair and pulls me to my feet.

‘A bloody broken mess it is then.’

He slams his face into mine. My nose screams in agony as he lets me go. I fall into a confused daze onto the floor, the taste of blood invading my mouth. I hold my hand over my nose and blood streams through my fingers.

‘GABRIEL!’ I scream as I try to back away from him. ‘GABRIEL, HELP ME!’

Falling to his knees and straddling me, Theo clamps his hand over my mouth.

He ducks down to hide from the others who are running through the trees calling my name and looking for me, but we’re hidden. I kick out against him. My fingernails are drawing blood from his hand, but that doesn’t do anything to get him off.

‘I really don’t want to hurt you, Lilly. But I will!’

Like hell! The man wants to kill me! I clamp my teeth down on his hand. He swears furiously before lifting my head and slamming it into the cold, hard ground.

‘Stop fighting me,’ he threatens, his face in mine. I roll over and try to get away, but he turns me easily and again, slams my head into the floor. Any control I had left over my limbs leaves me. My arms fall limp, and I start slipping into unconsciousness. The world fades in and out of focus as my eyes struggle to stay open. ‘Go to sleep, Lilly.’

As I blink up at him, he raises my head again, ready to slam it once more into the ground.

But I see him. Theo doesn’t.

Gabriel.

He grabs the back of Theo’s neck so tight I hear the bones crunch.

‘Get the fuck off her, Theo,’ Gabriel orders, his jaw locked in fury. He pulls him off me, and I’m left to lay on the floor in a barely conscious state looking up at them both.

Amara slides her hands under my arms and starts pulling me away. Collins stands between them and us with his fists clenched and although outnumbered four to one, Theo just laughs. He doesn’t even try to fight Gabriel off.

‘Oh please,’ Theo mocks. ‘Your efforts are beyond amusing. You don’t think you can actually stop me, do you? You can’t control me, Gabriel. I’m far too strong.’

Theo raises his hand in Collins’s direction and sends him flying. With his other, he reaches behind him and grabs Gabriel’s wrist. Gabriel yells against the pain as he unleashes his lightning, but Theo doesn’t stop. All the while, Theo laughs. Gabriel can’t maintain his grip and lets go, clasping his red and charred hand looking both furious and in a hell of a lot of pain.

‘Just step aside, boy. You’re not going to stop me from taking her.’

‘I fucking am!’ Gabriel replies, balling his injured hand into a fist and thrusting it into Theo’s nose. His head lunges back and he falls on his arse, grabbing his bloody nose. Gabriel wastes no time and grabs Theo by the scruff of his collar, pulling back his fist again, but Theo sends his lightning at him. He doesn’t stop until Gabriel’s on his knees, doubled over in agony.

‘Oh no you’re not.’ Theo sends it at him again. Gabriel’s howls are filled with agony. I have to help him. I use my magic to send Theo sideways into one of the nearby trees. Gabriel’s still on his knees as Collins runs over and gets him to his feet.

‘We can’t beat him, Gabriel. We have to go!’

Amara lifts me to my feet as I sway and stagger. She has a bruise forming on her face from where Theo hit her and she looks terrified, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing her down.

‘Come on, Honey. Up you get,’ she says. The boys come running towards us, Collins keeping up an injured Gabriel. But behind them, Theo’s coming. As soon as the boys are with us, I create a wall of my fire between Theo and us. The raging black and white flames reach head height and every time he tries to go around it I spread it out, keeping him contained.

Theo’s hand still glimmers with green light as he looks at us all in turn. Gabriel pushes himself off Collins and takes my face in his hands.

‘Are you okay?’ he asks me breathlessly. I nod, never taking my eyes off Theo who’s stalking back and forth behind the wall of my fire.

Gabriel turns and looks at him, wrapping his arm around my waist and taking my weight from Amara.

‘Shall I kill him?’ I ask. I sound drunk. My words are slurring from the knocks to my head.

‘No,’ Gabriel replies. ‘We can’t. We have to go.’ He starts backing away, taking me with him.

Theo stops his pacing and glares at us through the fire with a nasty sneer on his face.

‘She’s had a Break, hasn’t she?’ he calls over. ‘Her fire just screams damaged. The black and white flames of the unstable witch are the biggest giveaway there is.’ His heinous laugh echoes through the night air. ‘That’s just too good. After all these years of waiting, Grayson ends up with a Broken Arcane Witch. Bet that’s pissed him off no end. He doesn’t like his women unpredictable, does he?’

‘Shut your mouth, Theo,’ Gabriel warns.

‘So, what happened to you, Hooper? Huh? To suffer a Break, you have to be extremely weak or have suffered something…unimaginable.’

‘Come on,’ Gabriel says, backing away. ‘Don’t listen-’

‘Do you know what happens to a Witch that gets Broken?’ he shouts after us. ‘They turn into evil, wicked things. They kill without cause, concern or care in the world. I heard about what you did to your aunt and uncle!’ we turn, keen to get the hell away from him. ‘I know what happened to your mummy!’

My feet stop.

‘I know what happened to your daddy too. He’s alive you know. I could take you to him. Just lower the fire.’ I turn despite Gabriel trying to pull me on, I shrug off his efforts and look back at Theo.

‘My dad’s alive?’ I call over. The cocky grin and self-assured way Theo holds himself is infuriating in itself. Never mind his words.

‘Lower the fire, and I’ll tell you where he is. They can’t help you, Lilly. Grayson and his band of murderers. But I can. I can help you.’

‘I don’t need help.’

‘You get close to people, and they die. They always die. No one in your life has survived you. Come with me, and I can help you. Make sure you never hurt anyone again. Me and your dad-’

‘Don’t listen to him!’ Gabriel says, still trying to pull me away.

‘You have no idea who those people you’re clinging to are.’ Theo points at Gabriel. ‘The stories I could tell you would make you sick.’

‘One more word, Theo, I’ll rip your fucking head off,’ Gabriel spits angrily. ‘Don’t test me.’

Theo laughs as he looks between us.

‘Don’t tell me you care about her, Gabriel?’ he mocks. ‘Like, actually care? Not just need her for your spell or to keep you warm at night?’ His bellowing laugh makes me jump. ‘Oh, that’s just too good. That’s hysterical.’ He looks at me one more time. ‘I just want to talk to you. Lower the fire and let me pass.’

I shake my head and grip onto Gabriel’s sleeve. I trust Gabriel a hell of a lot more than I do him.

‘Fine. I tried it the easy way.’ He raises his hand. An invisible force hits me like a wave, knocking me back. My head slams on the floor again. My focus goes. The fire loses its form and starts spreading outwards, giving him a clear path. He has his eyes on me the whole time as he gets closer, with nothing but determination on his face. The others are sent flying out of his path with a slight wave of his hand like rag dolls. I will my magic to come, but I’m just so out of it from the bangs to my head, nothing happens. He lifts me to my feet and using me as a human shield, turns to face the others. As Gabriel starts to run towards us, Theo presses a blade against my throat.

Everyone stills.

‘Let her go,’ Gabriel threatens, looking between the knife and Theo.

‘No. I don’t think I will.’

‘Well, you’re not leaving with her,’ Collins says firmly standing side by side with Gabriel, pushing Amara behind him. My legs can’t hold me up. I have to hold onto Theo’s arm to stop impaling myself on his knife.

‘I can’t let you do that spell, Gabriel,’ he says simply, digging the knife in. ‘If I have to kill her, I will.’

‘Don’t!’ Gabriel says desperately, holding his hands up and stepping back. ‘Don’t kill her, Theo. Please.’

‘I think he likes you,’ he whispers in my ear.

‘Fuck you,’ I snarl back.

‘You kill her, Grayson and I will lead a fucking army to your door,’ Gabriel warns.

‘You will, will you?’ Theo laughs. ‘How scary.’ I feel his heavy breathing on my neck but also the increase in his heart rate. He’s more afraid than he’s letting on. ‘I tell you what. Hand over the journal, and I’ll let her go.’

‘We don’t have the journal,’ Gabriel tells him.

‘Liar.’

‘I’m not lying. I swear. It was stolen.’

‘By who?’ Theo asks. Gabriel looks between the man threatening my life and me, but doesn’t say a word.

‘Take me,’ Gabriel offers. ‘Grayson will find the journal, and when he does, we can trade. Me for the book. What do you say?’

‘Or I could just take her,’ Theo says, taking a step back and pulling me with him.

‘No! No, don’t. Take me. Hold me ransom. Grayson cares about me more than her, you know that.’

Their voices begin to muffle as I stop paying attention. I’m too busy looking at the man that no one else can see standing right in front of me, almost nose to nose.

‘Come on, Red,’ Toby whispers with a grin. My own personal ghost. ‘Are you seriously going to just stay there and play the little victim? I taught you better than that. All my lessons about pain. Were they for nothing? I hurt you much worse than he is right now.’ He leans in and kisses my cheek. ‘Do it for me, Red. Fight. Show me what you’re made of.’

Everything inside me calms as his eyes look into mine. His grin’s so familiar, and in this moment, it feels like he’s really here with me. But he fades, as he always has in the last two years. My imaginary friend. My subconscious. My Toby. But now, I can finally focus.

Every tree that surrounds us, a good dozen, explode in black and white flames that reach up high into the sky. The sudden flash of heat and brightness makes everyone but me cover their face. My magic pulses from deep inside my chest and blasts out a surge of Telekinetic power straight from my body. It’s a violent wave that sends everyone hurtling through the air and crashing to the floor. I turn to Theo who’s scrambling to his feet. He’s looking at the fire swirling around us with terror-filled shock. My eyes are watering from the heat and smoke. I lay out my palms flat. Some of the fire surrounding us gathers in a huge ball of swirling heat in them. I hold it there, sculpting it and assembling all the power I can, creating a huge orb of complete firepower. I feel the resistance as it tries to be free, but it does exactly as I bid and goes straight at him in a streak of black and white fury and heat.

I scream fiercely as it goes. He has no choice but to turn and run. It’s huge. I send wave after wave of fire at him. When I stop, I’m surrounded by flames. I turn and see Gabriel staggering to his feet. He looks at the chaos around us and then at me.

‘STOP!’ he yells, shielding his face from the intense heat. ‘YOU CAN STOP NOW!’ The world spins. Everything starts to move in slow motion. Even his voice begins to fade. My legs buckle, and I fall to the floor unconscious.