by TJ Green
She looked at him, slack jawed. "Well, I guess that does sound impressive. I must admit I've been avoiding the news lately. I've been trying to avoid all that speculation about the deaths, bones, and vampires." As much as she wanted it to, the news would not stop reporting on the police finding the hidden caves beneath West Haven, and the link to the House of Spirits, even though it had happened well over a month before.
"Ah, fair enough. Well it's a big thing. Everyone's saying it's the best circus ever - maybe barring Cirque Du Soleil. The theme is mythical figures and magical creatures, and that's what all the performances are based around -- hence Crossroads." Crossroads had a reputation in myth as a place where boundaries between worlds weakened allowing in the strange and otherworldly.
"Are you going to go?"
"I think so. It might even distract our new friend."
"Shadow? You'll think she'll like a circus?"
"Why not?" Dan picked up the paper, and examined the article again. "I think it sounds great. I'll offer to go with her, keep her company." Dan was about to finish his master's in something to do with folklore, Avery could never remember exactly what, but he took an avid interest in magic, myths and legends. He also took an avid interest in Shadow. He was trying to look relaxed and nonchalant, but Avery knew him only too well.
"Yes, I'm sure you'll love that." She dropped her voice, even though the shop had no customers, and looked at him worriedly. "Dan, she's fey! Please don't forget that!"
He gave a very undignified roll of the eyes. "How can I forget that? She reminds me of the fact every time we talk. And, so what! There's nothing wrong with some cross-species' lovin'."
"Hasn't Nixie put you off?"
He frowned. "Nixie was a mermaid who hid her true nature and tried to drag me to the depths of the ocean. I know exactly what Shadow is!"
"But we don't know anything about her. She's fey. She might look like us, but she isn't." Her voice softened. "I just don't want you to get hurt. And I definitely don't want you being sucked to the Otherworld accidentally, if --" Avery wagged a finger, "she ever discovers how to get back, which is seriously unlikely. And, if she starts to try and sell mythical objects, that could involve some very dodgy people. In fact, that's probably a bigger risk to your health!"
Dan's shoulders sagged. "Yeah, I know. It's something I've tried to warn her about, actually, but she's seems to like the risk." He leaned forward. "I think she's finding life a little boring so far. That's why I think this circus is a good thing. February is cold and drab otherwise."
Avery leaned against the shelf behind her, sipping her drink. "I'm enjoying boring. It makes a nice change."
They were interrupted by Sally who joined them from the back room, where she'd been doing the accounts. She looked between them. "What are you two in deep discussion about?"
Dan showed her the newspaper. "We're just debating Shadow's interest in this."
Sally skimmed the page, and laughed. "It's here already. Cool! I'll take the kids. It sounds amazing. And I think we should set up a table of themed books - circuses, carnivals, and crossroads stuff." She looked very pleased with herself, and her eyes darted around the room as she looked for the best place to set it up.
"Dan thinks it will distract Shadow from her quest, but I seriously doubt that. She's obsessive about the Otherworld and portals." Avery tried to shrug off her worry. "But maybe I'm just sleep deprived and it's making me paranoid."
Dan squirmed. "Maybe not completely paranoid. You should know that she's planning to check out some old sites around Cornwall, just for starters."
"Like what?"
"Castle an Dinas, the old iron age hill fort. It's linked to King Arthur, like lots of places across Cornwall and the UK, including Tintagel, King Arthur's birthplace if you believe the legends. His history crosses over with the Otherworld --- you know, the Green Knight, Excalibur, Avalon, the Lady of the Lake, she thinks that places linked to him will perhaps have links to her world."
Sally folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes. "So, I presume she'll check out Glastonbury, the Tor, and Stonehenge too."
"Yep. And a few other places. I offered to take her to a few, but she's thinking on it." He looked miffed. "I think she wants to go with Gabe."
Avery tried to console him. "Maybe that's a good idea, but at least she comes to you for research."
"What myths does the Crossroads Circus focus on?" Sally asked.
"It mentions a few on this," Dan said, passing her the flyer. "But I know the Green Man plays a major part, as does the Raven King. That's who the Ring Master appears as."
"Sounds great," Avery conceded. "Something to cheer us up after vampires. I'll have to take Alex, although I'm not entirely sure he's a circus fan. No live animals I hope?"
"None. Just the mythical kind."
"Well, that's alright then."
***
During her lunch break, Avery decided to head to El's jewellery shop, the Silver Bough. She was curious to see if Shadow had mentioned any of her planned search to her as she knew El saw more of her, and she wanted to know if she'd heard about the circus, too.
She strolled down the streets, huddled within her coat. It was a grey day, the sky low with heavy, sullen clouds, and it was cold. The wind carried the smell of the sea, and as she rounded a corner it came into view between a gap in some buildings, and she paused to watch it. The heavy swells beyond the harbour were as grey as the sky. The fishing boats were out, and she was glad she wasn't with them.
Avery picked up her pace, nodding greetings to a few locals as she passed. The town had finally emptied of all their visitors, but that wouldn't last now that the circus was here, which was a shame because it was nice while it lasted. The tourists would return, and the place would be full of the performers from the circus too; that would be different.
As Avery made the final turn onto the main street that ran down to the harbour, she ran straight into a familiar figure. Rupert, the owner of the House of Spirits. She hadn't seen him since before Christmas.
Rupert stepped back, giving her space, and looked down at her. He wasn't a tall man, but he was imposing and ever so slightly sinister, an impression exacerbated by his hooded eyes that seemed to pin her to the spot. "Avery, I'm glad to see you. I've been meaning to thank you for those books." He was referring to the books that had been sold from his house to Happenstance Books, and that Avery had willingly returned.
"Hi Rupert, it's fine. I hope they were interesting." There was nothing unusual about them that Avery could find, other of course than the one with the witch-mark on it, but she doubted Rupert could see that.
"They're excellent. I've placed them in pride of place on the book case in the main living room."
"The one with Madame Charron's painting in it? That's a good place." It wasn't until she'd said it that Avery had the horrible realisation that Rupert didn't know she'd been back to the house with the other witches while he and Charlotte had been away. Crap.
He frowned. "You know about the painting? How?"
She lied quickly, startling herself with its smoothness. "Cassie told me. She loved it, and she knew I would want to hear about it." She met his eyes, smiling lightly.
"Of course, Cassie," he murmured, doubt lurking behind his eyes. "The house is looking a bit different now. We've started to do some of it up. Not too much of course, we want to keep its character."
"Did you ever find a ghost?"
Again, he narrowed his eyes, and then his chest swelled as a gleam of excitement fired. "No, but you might have heard the police visited us --- it was on the news. They found a passage beneath our house---that actually starts in our house! It leads to caves and piles of bones."
Of course she knew, she wanted to shout, they'd found the passage and tipped the police off, but she held her tongue. Rupert knew none of it. However, it had been all over the papers. "Of course, I've been reading about it. Didn't you have Sarah Rutherford visit you as well, from the news?"<
br />
He smiled, but she didn't like it. There was something challenging about him. "Yes, we've had lots of interest. We've decided to run small tours of the house, a sort of paranormal experience."
Of course you have. "Well, it is in keeping with the theme of the town I guess."
"You weren't entirely honest with me though were you, Avery?" he said.
"In what way?"
"Your ancestor? Helena, the witch who was burned at the stake. You never said."
She laughed outright whilst simultaneously wanting to punch him. "It's not a secret, Rupert! But equally it's not something I announce to everyone as I introduce myself. That would be a little odd, don't you think?"
He persisted, almost glaring at her. "You knew I had an interest in the occult."
"So, does everyone in White Haven. Anyway, I must get on. I'm meeting someone. I'll see you again sometime," she said, forcing herself to be polite as she pushed past him and headed down the street. She could feel his eyes on her back, watching her leave, and she resisted the urge to hex him.
By the time she entered El's shop she was seething. Zoey, the Immaculate Guardian of the Shop, was, as usual, looking, well, immaculate. Her dark hair was cut into a blunt bob, and this time the tips ended with deep purple dye. Her eye makeup and nail polish matched, and as usual she made Avery feel woefully underdressed.
"You look furious," Zoey noted as she lifted the counter to let her through to El's workroom.
"Stupid Rupert from the House of Spirits is a ginormous ass," Avery told her.
"Oh him. Yes, he is."
Avery stopped, surprised. "You know him?"
"Everyone's getting to know him. He likes to visit announcing his paranormal house tours." She put the counter back down behind Avery. "Don't worry; he's annoying the crap out of all of us."
She turned away as a customer entered, and Avery passed through the door to see El bent over the counter, a small soldering iron in her hand. She was perched on a stool next to the bench, her white blond hair piled on her head, wearing a pair of scruffy jeans and a jumper, and the most enormous goggles over her eyes. She was concentrating on soldering an intricate piece of jewellery, and Avery hesitated to disturb her. And then she noticed the buds in her ears, and realised she couldn't hear her anyway.
Rather than startle her, she moved around to the side so she appeared in El's peripheral vision. While El was concentrating, she looked around the room, noting the rings, earrings, nose rings, belly-button bars, and necklaces in various stages of completion along the bench. She was obviously working on a new range, because these looked slightly different to the designs she'd seen before. Tiny black gemstones littered the bench that Avery was sure were jet; it was commonly known as a protection and purification stone. To the side of the bench was El's oldest family grimoire, the one she had found in the cellar of Hawk House. A hum of magic floated from it, and she realised that El was working a spell into the object.
Avery's gaze drifted around the room, taking in the huge cabinet with the glassed front. It contained hundreds of jars of different gemstones, and they sparkled in the light, making Avery want to pick them up and run her fingers through them. There was also an organised collection of tools, many of them tiny, and an array of magnifying glasses. It was stupid to only realise now, but watching El, Avery realised how intricate and skilled her work was.
After another few moments, El looked up and Avery waved, gesturing her not to rush, and she sat in the chair in the corner, but it was only another moment before El turned the soldering iron off, and pulled her buds from her ears.
"Sorry, Avery, didn't see you there for a minute, and then I just became aware of someone hovering. I thought it was Zoey." She looked at her watch. "No wonder I'm starving! Look at the time." She pushed the goggles on to the top of her head, and smoothed her hair.
"What are you making?" Avery asked, rising to her feet and moving to the bench for a better look.
"A Crossroads Collection to coincide with our visitors. I thought it was too good an opportunity to pass up."
"You've heard about the new arrivals then? I hadn't."
El laughed. "Avery! Where have you been? They've been in all the news recently, and everyone's saying how inventive they are. That they're breathing life into old tales! We should go."
"I was just talking to Dan and Sally about it actually. I'm game. I just hope there won't be some dodgy woman pretending to look into a crystal ball, and asking me to cross her palm with silver."
El laughed even harder. "I think it's going to be a little bit more inventive than that. And it's set in the castle! What a back drop that will be." She rose from her seat and headed to the percolator sitting on the end of the bench top. "Want one? It's strong."
"Yes please."
El poured them both a cup, and then headed to the fridge in the corner and pulled out a large round cake that already had half missing. "Do you want some?"
"Go on then," Avery said, hearing her stomach growl.
"There was more," El explained, "but Reuben popped in." She didn't need to say anything else. Reuben ate like he had hollow legs, and he never put on a pound.
"Don't tell me he's surfing in this weather."
"Of course he is. It's like breathing to him." El placed a large slice on a chipped plate and pushed it in front of Avery, and then took a large bite of her own. In between chews, she asked, "Is there a reason for this visit? Not that there has to be, obviously."
"I wanted to stretch my legs, but yes, just wondering if you've heard about Shadow's plans."
El nodded. "Of course. I even offered to help. I figure, the more she has to try, the less frustrated she'll feel."
Avery licked her fingers. This really was a great cake, sticky orange if she wasn't mistaken. "I guess you're right. It's better than us blocking her at every turn."
"We can't do that. Remember what I said last night. This is part of my management strategy. Although it's inevitable that she'll do her own stubborn thing eventually."
"Dan thinks the circus will distract her. I think she's just distracting Dan."
"Yeah, but he enjoys it. You coming around later anyway? Newton phoned and said he wants to talk. I thought he'd already phoned you actually."
"I haven't heard from him, but this morning I have been very distracted." Avery pulled her phone from her bag and checked her messages. There was nothing. "I think I've upset Newton."
"No, you haven't." El stood and brushed crumbs off herself. "He's probably just smarting a little after finding Briar has hooked up with Hunter. You do give him heaps about his issue."
Avery felt guilty. Yes, she had told him off several times, but hadn't wanted to upset him, not really. "Maybe I should apologise."
"Maybe. He's just confused, and that's okay. And Briar's happy." El sniggered. "She has a glow."
"And then some," Avery agreed. Getting together with Hunter had certainly lifted her spirits.
El looked even naughtier. "What do you think shifter sex is like? I reckon he'd be very hot in the sheets. He smoulders every time he looks at her."
Avery shrieked. "El! I don't want to think about that!" Although it had crossed her mind, briefly, before she banished it forever. And now it was back in her head again.
"Well I'm going to ask her."
"We don't ask you what sex is like with Reuben!"
"You could!" El raised a wicked eyebrow. "But I wouldn't tell. Just know that it's good. Very good."
"That's it, I'm out of here!" Avery said, laughing. "Are we meeting at yours then?"
"Yep, and Reuben's bringing curry. Aim for seven."
***
After work, Avery headed to The Wayward Son and had a drink at the bar, before she and Alex headed to El's place where they'd arranged to meet Newton.
They walked briskly through the chilly streets, and Alex hugged Avery to his side. "Any idea what Newton wants with us?" he asked.
"None, but it will be good to see him. He's been so
busy lately."
"Which is our fault. We must have given him a massive headache. Imagine having to legitimately investigate that?" He was of course referring to the mass of bones found in the cave system beneath West Haven.
"Those bones need to be identified," Avery pointed out. "And Newton will want to do it."
They entered the lobby of the building where El lived, a converted warehouse next to the harbour, and used the lift to reach her flat on the fourth floor. They were greeted by a welcome blast of central heating, which thawed Avery's chilled extremities.
They were the last to arrive. Briar and Newton were already there, chatting quietly next to the fire. Despite their differences recently, both seemed civil. Newton was in his mid-thirties, dark-haired, and grey-eyed, and a descendant of another old family in White Haven. He struggled with magic and the paranormal, but he was a good friend regardless, and firmly part of their world. For a while it seemed something may happen between him and Briar, but not anymore.
The smell of curry filled the air, and Reuben was already placing out containers of food down the centre of the dining table, which sat in the open-plan living area. He looked up and grinned. "Good timing. I couldn't have guaranteed much would have been left if you hadn't arrived soon."
"There's enough there to feed a small army, so I'm sure you couldn't have eaten it all," Alex observed, as he and Avery shed their coats and joined him.
El strode to the table with a bottle of red wine in her hand, and poured Avery and herself a glass. "But you know he'd have tried!" She called over to Briar and Newton, "Come and sit, you two. I'm starving."
They sat around the table, filling their plates as they exchanged pleasantries, until Avery eventually asked, "Are you making much headway with the bones?"
Newton shook his head regretfully. "No. The forensic pathologists have just started, really. They have to organise the bones before they even start analysing them. This is going to take months, and that's a conservative estimate. Meanwhile, we're looking at missing persons files going back years, and then we're collecting DNA samples from relatives who are still alive." He shook his head. "It's something I've never done before on this scale, so there are a few people involved."
