by Tanya Milne
‘Eva Martinez, I promise to love and honour you, each and every day of my life. Would you do me the great honour of becoming my wife?’
The small minute hand of the clock stopped. All that came before was complete. All that waited ahead remained hidden. The voices of dissent, fear and worry were silenced. In that moment there was only me and Ezra and the question that would determine our fate, our future.
Ezra stayed down on one knee, our eyes locked, as my heart told me its story. I loved Ezra, but I also loved another. The love for each man was different, yet they were both true. Jet was no longer part of my life. Ezra was my future. But if I said yes, I would never see Jet again. Ezra would make sure of that. Every day that I loved Ezra slowly erased Jet. One day Jet would become a distant memory, someone I’d once had strong feelings for.
Standing before me was someone who loved me for who I was, someone who had let me down, yes, but someone who was making up for it. Someone I had given a second chance. Could I trust him again, with my life?
‘Be mine, Eva. Marry me?’ he asked.
The question felt far too big for me, for this room, for this town.
‘Ask me again tonight, on the boat – after?’ I whispered.
Ezra blinked, not understanding. ‘Why?’
‘I need some time – to consider your proposal.’
Ezra glanced down at the ring, which sat expectantly between us. Finally, he closed the ring box, stood and placed the ring back in his pocket.
‘At least that wasn’t a no,’ he said quietly, his head lowered.
I stepped in close and spoke gently. ‘That is definitely not a no. I love you, Ezra, but a lot has happened…quickly. I need a little time to think it through…’
‘It’s Jet, isn’t it?’ he said, anger sneaking into his voice.
‘No, it’s us. When we broke up – something…fractured between us. We’re getting it back, I know we are, but I need to make sure I can trust you fully, with my life.’ The colour faded from Ezra’s face, but I continued and said what was needed. ‘If I’m not honest with you, I can’t move forward with you and we won’t be able to start a life together.’
For the longest moment, we stared at each other. It took the sound of a glass breaking downstairs to bring us back into the room.
I reached for his hand. ‘As soon as we can get out of here, we can talk some more. Then I’ll give you my answer – I promise.’
Ezra let out a long, deep breath. ‘This is going to be the longest night of my life.’
Tension rose through me. I grabbed Ezra’s hair and pulled his lips down, hard, on mine. He responded in a way that left us both breathless.
‘And you still have that other promise to keep,’ he said, pulling away from me.
‘I intend to keep that promise,’ I said, desire tugging at me, deep inside.
‘Oh God, Eva, what you do to me…’ He tipped his head back and laughed. ‘I’m going downstairs to pull myself together. I’ll give you a few minutes’ peace before the onslaught.’
I snuck one more kiss before he left me, breathless, reeling and alone. My gaze flickered around my room. Only months ago I’d been a girl, and now I was on the precipice of becoming a woman. I sat down at my dressing table and there, reflected in the mirror, was a woman with swollen pink lips, glazed eyes and desire puffing out her every pore.
I placed my hands on my cheeks, closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing myself to calm down, to think, to pull myself together. Tonight had just turned into the most important night of my life. I let out a little squeal.
‘Guess who?’ came a familiar voice behind me.
I opened my eyes and glanced up. There was Noah, grinning from ear to ear.
‘Noah,’ I said, standing up, turning around and stepping backwards into the dressing table.
‘I don’t bite, you know,’ he said, as charming as ever.
I took a quick glance at him; he looked devilishly handsome in his suit. No doubt he had every girl downstairs chasing after him. It had been well over a month since the day when Noah had tried to force his way into my life as my husband. I’d seen him a number of times at school and that one time at the church when I suspected he’d seen me perform magic, but we hadn’t spoken. After the prom, I’d kept my distance, waiting for the dust to settle.
Noah’s gaze travelled slowly over me, and I felt every inch of my body that Anna had squeezed into a short off-the-shoulder navy velvet dress. I glanced back to the door, which he’d shut on his way in. All of a sudden, the walls pressed closer.
‘Some dress,’ he said, then picked up Ezra’s champagne and downed it.
‘What did you want, Noah?’ I asked, turning around and putting on the long silver earrings that Anna had left out for me.
Noah watched me for a minute, making me drop the back of my earring.
‘Do I make you nervous?’ he asked, stepping closer.
‘No – but I need to go downstairs.’
‘Now, now,’ he said, stepping forward so that he stood behind me. ‘Want some help with that?’
‘I’ve got it, thanks.’ I shuffled away from him.
In the reflection of the mirror, his eyes found my bodice, and I cursed Anna for making me wear a dress that didn’t leave much to the imagination.
‘There’s that necklace again,’ he said.
I placed my hand over the necklace – the pentagram – that I’d forgotten to take off after sailing. I felt like a child getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
‘That would make sense,’ he said.
‘What?’
‘Of course a witch would wear a pentagram.’
‘Excuse me?’ I said, heat flooding to the surface of my skin.
‘I know you’re a witch, Eva.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
Noah stepped forward so there was no more space between us. I tried to move backwards, but he held my arms.
‘Oh, I think you know exactly what I’m talking about. I saw you, that day when you and lover boy were standing beside the church. I saw the flames in your hands. But to be honest, I’ve suspected you for a while – I mean, you certainly know a lot about plants and mushrooms.’
I tried to move, but Noah’s grip tightened.
‘And let’s not forget you nearly failed those witchcraft tests. If it weren’t for the bay miraculously cleaning up, I’d say you were toast.’ He gazed down at the necklace that sat just below my collarbone. ‘And then there’s your necklace – a family heirloom, no doubt.’
‘Stop it, Noah,’ I said, my body blazing with heat. ‘And let me go!’
‘You want to burn me, don’t you?’
I turned from him, but not before he saw the expression on my face that betrayed me.
‘You have two choices, Eva. You can choose to be with me – marry me – and your secret will remain safe, die with me. Or stay with Ezra, which would leave me little choice but to expose you for the witch you really are.’
Noah turned me around. I tried to move away, but he was too strong.
‘You see, if you were mine, I’d be able to overlook the fact that my sister is about to marry a witch. But if you stay with Ezra, well, frankly, that’s another story.’
‘You don’t know what you’re talking about,’ I said.
‘You and I both know exactly what I’m talking about. If we’re not together, there’s no way in hell I’m letting Anna marry into your…coven. She’ll be implicated the moment she becomes part of your family, and so will the rest of my family.’
‘Leave Anna out of this. This has nothing to do with her. Anna and Elijah, they’re happy – they deserve to be happy.’
Noah sighed. ‘You know, maybe if Anna weren’t my twin, I might be able to turn a blind eye. But if anyone should know about the lengths you will go for your twin, you should.’ Noah pulled me closer. ‘Come on, Eva. Think about it. We both know what Orpheus would do to you, knowing you’re a witch
who’d corrupted his only son.’
I tried to pull away, but he smiled. ‘What’s it going to be?’ he said, then bent down, his lips claiming mine. Fire consumed me and before I could stop myself, red-hot heat rushed through my hands and onto Noah’s arms. He jumped back, his eyes wide.
And then he laughed. ‘To be honest, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure you were a witch until just now. I thought I saw flames in your hands that day, beside the church, but I couldn’t be sure. And that necklace, well, it has a lot of potential meanings. But now I have no doubt. So, what do you say, Eva – will you be my wife?’
‘What?’ I said, feeling as though the room had tilted.
‘You might be a little hard to tame, but I like a challenge.’
‘Just stop it, Noah. I don’t love you. Since you started behaving like a complete moron, I don’t even like you as a friend. I’ll never marry you. And guess what, it doesn’t matter what you think – no one will believe a thing you say. Everyone will think you’re lashing out because your pride was damaged.’
The look Noah gave me told me that I’d damaged more than his pride.
‘How will you explain this, then?’ he said, pulling back his shirt to reveal two red hand marks on his skin.
‘I’ll say you’re making shit up.’
Noah watched me for a long moment. ‘I wonder what will happen to your brother and your mum and dad when you’re named a witch. They’ll be implicated, of course. The police might keep you alive for a bit of fun, but Orpheus won’t hesitate to kill your family.’
The blood inside me turned cold.
‘You know I’m right.’ He stepped closer, his head tilted to the side. ‘Choose me and save your family.’
Fire consumed me. I felt a fireball in my hand and a desire inside myself to throw it onto Noah – set him alight.
Noah glanced down at the flames that danced in my palm. ‘What’s your decision, sweet little witchy Eva?’
Slowly, he stepped closer, and my breath became ragged.
‘Be my wife and save your family.’
I pictured my family down at the town square – their legs swinging as they hung for the crime of being born white witches.
He bent down again and kissed me again. This time I didn’t fight back. This time I didn’t move. I let him kiss me, maul me while I fought my desire to burn him alive. He held the trump card and we both knew it.
‘What the hell?’ said Ezra from behind us.
My flames died and Noah turned to Ezra, his face alight with the glory of winning.
‘Aren’t you going to congratulate us? Your ex-girlfriend has decided to become my wife.’
Ezra stared at me, his expression unreadable.
Noah put his hand around my waist and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Ezra stepped forward and smashed his fist into Noah’s face. The sound of bone breaking and the smell of metallic blood filled the air.
Noah fell to the floor like a stone, clutching his nose.
‘That was the last time you touch Eva, and so help you if you so much as look at her again.’
Noah started laughing. He gazed up at us, blood dripping from his nose; a true devil. ‘You forget that I know Eva is a witch. If I can’t have her, there’s no way my sister is marrying her brother – so, I guess you leave me no choice but to reveal the truth and protect my family.’
Ezra flinched before he took my hand. ‘Get the hell out of this house.’
Noah put his hands up as he stood, fresh blood gushing from his nose. ‘You know what, I think I will go – for now. See you soon, sweetness. That was some kiss, by the way.’
Ezra rushed forward, but I pulled him back.
‘Bye-bye,’ said Noah. He blew me a kiss before he left the room, then whistled as he made his way down the stairs.
He may have been gone, but he had left a world of trouble behind.
Chapter Four
I glanced around at our living room packed full of my fellow students, my family, Ezra’s mum and a number of neighbours and people from church that Orpheus had insisted come along. I let out a deep sigh – at least Orpheus hadn’t arrived yet.
I turned my attention back to Violet, who stood in front of me, chatting away. Violet’s mouth opened and closed while the lines on her face deepened from a lifetime of habit. I pulled my face into a smile and nodded, but my mind was still reeling after what had happened in my room only an hour earlier. I could barely contemplate Ezra’s proposal when I couldn’t stop thinking about whether Noah would go through with his threat and try and expose my family as witches – and whether Orpheus would believe him.
Violet took me by the shoulders and gently shook me.
‘Eva, what on earth is the matter?’
‘Sorry, Violet. I have a lot on my mind.’ I glanced around for listening ears that were never far away these days.
‘I can see that, dear. Would you like to talk about it?’
Relief flooded through me like a cool change after days of hot weather. Violet was someone I could trust. If I could talk everything through with her, maybe I could clear my mind, know what to do.
‘I would like that, but not here.’
She nodded. ‘Come by tomorrow.’ She rubbed her wrinkly thumb down the side of my face. ‘Everything’s going to be okay, dear. But I’m afraid I need to sit down in front of my fire with a hot cup of tea.’
I pictured her in her cosy little lounge room and smiled.
‘In that case, let me walk you home.’
‘There’s no need for that, my dear. This is your party – you must stay and enjoy yourself. You only turn eighteen once, you know.’
‘I’d rather come with you,’ I said, taking Violet by the arm and quietly slipping outside unnoticed.
Silently we made our way across the road to Violet’s house. The night was dark and the clouds were low, sprinkling us with fine droplets of rain.
‘So much for spring,’ said Violet as she opened her door. ‘I can’t remember a colder winter in all my days.’
I shivered, cursing myself for agreeing to wear such a light dress on a cool night.
‘I’m home safely, dear. You head back to your party. I’m sure Ezra will be missing you, the poor, love-struck boy.’
I couldn’t help but laugh. ‘I’m sure he’ll be just fine for a few minutes.’ I stepped inside Violet’s house and she followed quickly behind me. I set about lighting her fire while she went into the kitchen and put on the kettle.
A few minutes later, I found myself seated by her fire nursing a hot chocolate.
‘Care to talk?’ she asked, her voice as old as the mountains.
I took a long, steady breath. Before I could overthink my words, my sorry story flooded out from me and into the safety of a kind friend. I told her about Ezra’s proposal, but I stopped when I reached the point in the story where Noah found out I was a witch; implicating or burdening Violet with my witchcraft was not an option.
‘Are you going to tell me the rest?’ she asked, her purple eyes finding mine.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. ‘It’s best…you don’t know.’
‘Is that so?’ she said, raising an eyebrow.
I nodded, but my story was forming, seeking a way out.
‘Well, I can see it’s not best for you. As for me, any concern of yours is a concern of mine. And at my age, nothing surprises me, dear.’
My secret – my birthright, which I’d learned to hide away – to repress – for my family now sat between us in the room.
I stared into the mesmerising flames of the fire. ‘I can’t tell you, Violet. It wouldn’t be safe for you to know.’
Violet took a sip of tea. ‘You might be surprised what I already know. After all, your house is across from mine and I’ve been keeping a close eye on you.’
I turned to Violet, but she was staring straight ahead, a small smile on her lips. ‘If you were to tell me that you’re a witch, for example, why, I wouldn’t be at all surpris
ed.’
I felt as though I’d stepped from my body, watching the scene from afar.
‘And if I had to take a guess, I would say that troublemaker Noah is causing you grief – perhaps he knows – perhaps he’s blackmailing you.’
A log crashed down in the fireplace and caught alight.
‘How did you know?’ I whispered.
Violet put her hand over mine. ‘You don’t live to my age and not learn a thing or two about the ways of the world. That, I suppose, and a good view to your house. I must say I was disappointed when you stopped learning magic.’
My jaw fell open. She patted my hand and continued, ‘I suppose you promised your family?’
I nodded.
‘I thought as much, but still, as I say – it’s a shame. It’s times like these that we need to use all of the resources at our disposal.’
‘If I am caught…my family…’
Violet settled back into her chair as though she were talking about the weather.
‘I understand your predicament, my dear, but these are dark times. Anything can happen, whether we toe the line or not. And your family, they seem more than capable of handling themselves. But if, God forbid, terrible things were to happen to them, then you would need to help them. And what use would you be if you didn’t know how to use all of your powers?’
The promise I’d made to my family unsettled from the place where it lived, deep inside my soul.
‘The thing is, Violet, I’m not an ordinary witch.’
Violet’s self-assured gaze froze on her face.
I laughed. ‘Not something you expect to hear every day, is it?’
Violet picked at her biscuit. ‘Well, go on.’
So I told her everything, about the prophecy and how, if I used my powers in a way that meant harm, I would be forever transformed into a dark witch.
She narrowed her eyes as her ancient mind worked like the mechanisms of an old-fashioned clock, clicking and recalibrating in its mysterious yet predictable ways.
Quietly, I recited the prophecy.
* * *
‘Twin witches, together, we are a force to behold.
