by Kit Berry
‘She’d better watch out with Buzz, though. You know he’s got that … side to him. I’d laugh if she pushed him too far – that’d serve her right.’
‘And he’s back tomorrow for definite?’
‘Oh yes, sometime in the morning in time for the Lammas cricket match, he said. Remember how mad he is about cricket? He’s over the moon because he’s on the Hallfolk men’s team this year and he wants us all there, cheering him on. Apparently he’s been practising all summer whilst he’s been away. Oh, I can’t wait to see him!’
‘Will you go out with him again when he gets back, Holly?’
‘You bet! With madam safely tucked away up in her tower, I’ll remind him of what he’s been missing all summer.’
The girls laughed at this and Yul slipped away, sickened by their talk, his evening spoilt. Sylvie and Magus, Sylvie and Buzz – he didn’t believe a word of it. Sylvie was beautiful and special and of course she’d attract other men’s attention; he’d just have to accept that. There was something so desirable and tantalizing about her, and naturally others felt it too. But she belonged to him, and him alone. Yul knew it deep inside, despite the apparent impossibility of such a thing. Mother Heggy had recognised it – the darkness and the brightness. And like any prize worth having, winning her wouldn’t be easy. He’d have to fight for her.
Reaching his cottage, he looked up at the stars. Eternity was patterned in the sky and echoed in his soul. Yul knew without any doubt at all that he and Sylvie were destined to be together one day. An owl called from the woods nearby and he shivered suddenly. Tonight he’d told Sylvie he’d die for her, but that was only a part of it. Yul knew he’d also kill for her.
10
Yul left the Stone Circle once the sun had climbed a little in the sky. It promised to be a scorching day for the annual cricket match. Yul felt energised and strong and knew he’d need this today. He desperately wanted to play well for the Villagers’ team and not let Edward down. At his age, not yet an adult, it was an honour to have been chosen to play with the men. Crackling with Earth Magic, both from this morning’s sunrise and from the Lammas festival yesterday, Yul decided to go to Mooncliffe. Mother Heggy’s words yesterday had been a revelation and he wanted to understand exactly what was going on up there. Clearly Magus had discovered how to drain Sylvie of moon magic, and it must be something to do with the disc of rock.
Luckily Yul moved silently up the path because when he reached the top, he was shocked to find Magus lying spread-eagled on the massive round stone. He’d taken off his shirt, revealing his tanned, well-muscled torso and the silver disc on a chain around his neck. His eyes were shut and his body relaxed as the sunlight glittered on the rock. Yul was reminded of a viper sunning itself on a stone to warm its cold blood. He crept off the path and hid behind the tall bracken that grew so thickly on the hill. His heart beat slow and hard as he watched the man glowing like a great golden god. This was the man responsible for Sylvie lying in bed, white, exhausted and barely able to move.
After a while, Magus sat up and stretched. His muscles flexed under the tanned skin.
‘Sacred Mother, that feels good!’ he said huskily.
He leapt off the rock and stood on the cliff edge looking out to sea. Yul hated everything about him; the way his silvery hair curled slightly as it reached his neck, the length and power of his legs, his smooth broad shoulders and the bronzed satin of his bare skin. The hatred rose unbidden and almost choked Yul with its violence and intensity. He had a sudden urge to run over and shove Magus hard in the back; to watch him fall down, down, until his golden body smashed on the sharp rocks below.
Yul swallowed, his throat painfully dry, and clenched his fists to stop the shaking. He’d never felt such hatred before, not even for Alwyn after his worst excesses. He wanted to destroy Magus and the feeling frightened him in its overwhelming passion. This man was so powerful – Sylvie so delicate. How could he force her to give him all her moon magic? How could he steal something so precious from a defenceless girl?
Magus chuckled to himself and turned from the sea. He strolled over to a large wooden chest that Yul hadn’t seen here before. Taking a key from his pocket he unlocked it and looked inside, his face breaking in a smile of pure delight. He bent over and took out what looked to Yul like a large goose egg, cradling it in both hands against his chest. He groaned and at first Yul thought he was in pain. But then he heard what Magus muttered and realised that the man was actually in ecstasy. Yul frowned in bemusement. Magus locked the chest and picked up his shirt from the rock. As he turned, the egg caught the sun and sparkled.
In that instant, all became clear to Yul. He could barely swallow and had to steel himself against leaping up and attacking Magus there and then. As Yul watched, Magus grasped the egg like a ball and made a mock bowl, his arms rippling in perfect coordination. He chuckled again and tossed the egg in the air, catching it and laughing.
‘Howzat!’ he said softly, heading off down the path.
During the morning everyone was busy putting the final touches to the Village Green in readiness for the cricket match. This was a major event at Stonewylde and one of the few times that Villagers competed directly against Hallfolk. It was always a fiercely fought affair and evenly matched, as there was strength, stamina and skill on both sides. Yul could see both Magus and Clip on the Green and decided to risk a visit to Sylvie; he needed to deliver the potions from Mother Heggy that would help her recovery. He raced home to collect the bag and walked in to a major row. Leveret was cradled in his mother’s arms, scarlet-faced and screaming, whilst Gefrin and Sweyn stood silently in the middle of the room looking down at the floorboards.
‘Yul! Thank Goddess you’re here!’ cried Maizie. ‘You sort this out. Rosie and the boys aren’t here and I’ve enough to do helping get the cricket match tea ready without this.’
‘What’s happened?’ asked Yul, wanting to face his responsibilities but anxious to get to Sylvie while he knew Magus and Clip were safely on the Green.
‘Those two again!’ said Maizie angrily. ‘I don’t know what’s happened but they’ve done something horrible to Leveret and look at the state of her, poor little mite. She can’t tell me o’ course, and they’re denying everything. Since their father’s gone they’ve been terrible. You deal with them, Yul, and make sure it sticks. This isn’t the first time they’ve hurt her.’
Yul glared down at the two little boys, both looking sheepishly at their feet. He felt a bubbling of anger. Sweyn, with his gingery hair and porcine features particularly annoyed him, and Yul knew why.
‘Well?’ he said. ‘What did you do to your little sister? I want the truth now!’
‘Nothing!’ cried Gefrin. ‘We didn’t do nothing, Yul!’
‘She’s just a cry-baby,’ muttered Sweyn, his jaw stubborn.
Yul took a deep breath. He had to get up to the Hall now; it really was urgent. Maizie had calmed Leveret down a little and watched her oldest son struggle to deal with the situation.
‘Smack them, Yul,’ she said firmly. ‘They’ve obviously done something nasty to her.’
Yul rounded on his mother, his face white.
‘I don’t smack children,’ he said quietly. ‘Nobody in this house is to be smacked, or hit, or beaten. Not ever.’
She stared at him and swallowed. Leveret held out her arms to him and Yul took her, hugging her close. She clung to him, hot and tearful, her little body still shaking with the aftermath of sobbing. He turned back to the two boys who were eyeing each other hopefully. They weren’t to be smacked. Maybe they’d get off altogether.
‘If you won’t tell me the truth, then you must’ve done something horrible,’ he said. ‘I won’t stand for it. Smacking is wrong, but you’ll be punished. I’m taking you down to the nursery and you’ll spend the day there with all the babies. You’ll miss both the cricket match and the tea. Daisy can keep you shut in the naughty room at the nursery for the whole day and that’ll serve you both right. Don�
��t ever do anything nasty to your little sister again. You should be taking care of her, not hurting her.’
He kissed Leveret and handed her back to his mother, then collected the bag of remedies from his room. Grabbing each of the boys by an arm, Yul marched them down into the heart of the Village to the nursery. Their legs could barely keep up with his long strides and both snivelled all the way. He saw Clip and Magus in the Barn and breathed a sigh of relief. With a final stern word to his youngest brothers, he bundled them into the care of Daisy and ran quickly towards the track leading to the Hall.
On the way he heard voices around the corner and dived into the bushes. He recognised Buzz’s voice and didn’t want to risk a confrontation now, not with the bag full of precious medicine for Sylvie. Soon Buzz came swaggering into sight surrounded by his old gang of friends, as loud and ebullient as ever. He seemed bigger than before and more adult. His face was freckled and his blond hair now cropped very short. Yul’s skin prickled with dislike at the sight of him and the memory of the beatings Buzz had given him over the years. He had a score to settle with this large blond youth, and the sooner the better.
As luck would have it, he saw Miranda sitting outside on the long terrace as he skirted the Hall and made his way round to the Tudor wing. Quietly he climbed the stairs, knocking gently on the arched door at the top. Sylvie was sitting in a chair by the window and rose to fling her arms around him. He grinned at her, delighted to see her up and looking a little brighter today.
‘Mother Heggy has sent you some of her potions to help get your strength back,’ he said, showing her the bottles inside the bag. ‘You must drink one – see, they’re quite small – every morning, noon and night she said, until they’ve all gone. And keep the bottles and corks because she wants them back.’
Sylvie looked dubiously at the assorted glass bottles and their murky brown contents.
‘Do you think it’s safe?’ she asked. ‘It won’t poison me, will it?’
‘Sylvie, Mother Heggy is renowned for her remedies. She’s a wonderful healer and I promise this’ll make you feel better. Have one now.’
She did so, and felt the effect of the strange medicine as it slid down her throat. They hid the bag in the fireplace behind the decorative summer fire-screen. She smiled at him and sat down again in the chair.
‘You’re right – I feel different already.’
‘Good! And Mother Heggy said you should get up to Hare Stone as soon as you’re able. The magic there will help you get stronger. We’ll go together if we can manage it.’
That sounds lovely. You look wonderful today, Yul,’ she said softly. ‘You’re shimmering.’
‘It’s the Earth Magic,’ he said. ‘It comes to me now so strongly. Last night at the Lammas ceremony – I didn’t even have to stand on the Altar Stone. It sought me out.’
‘What about Magus? Did he notice? Isn’t he angry that he doesn’t get it?’
Yul’s face darkened at the memory of what he’d seen on the cliff top earlier.
‘No, he doesn’t need it any more. And Sylvie, I know what’s wrong with you now. It’s all Magus’ fault. It’s that stone up at Mooncliffe. It …’
‘No!’ she cried. ‘I don’t want to talk about it! When I think of it all my head hurts. Please … just leave it, Yul.’
‘Alright,’ he said gently. ‘We’ll sort it out when you’re stronger. At least you’re safe from him until the next Moon Fullness. I’m sorry.’
He knelt before her and took her hands in his, gazing up into her thin face. She flinched, her eyes widening with shock, and pulled her hands away.
‘What?’
‘I can feel the Earth Magic in you, Yul! It’s so strong. It feels the way it did when Magus healed me back in the spring.’
‘Really? Then take it, Sylvie, take it now! Maybe I can heal you too!’
She looked uncertain.
‘Are you sure? Magus said he had to be careful or it’d be too powerful. Can you control it?’
He shook his head. She looked down at him kneeling at her feet, his deep grey eyes full of concern for her. It seemed every time she saw him he’d changed. He looked so grown up nowadays, more a man than a boy. She thought back to the Yul who’d dug her back garden and looked at him now more closely. He was different; the thin defiant face now filled out into strong planes and hollows. He was so good looking. She reached forward hesitantly and stroked his angular cheek bone, tracing the thin scar.
‘Just hold me,’ she whispered. ‘That’ll be enough.’
He stood up and helped her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. She felt thin and frail and he was careful not to crush her. Tentatively he tried to free just a little of the energy burning inside him and let it pass gently through his fingertips where they touched her. He felt her tremble but he held on and slowly felt the release. It was a strange sensation but not unpleasant, and he was pleased to be able to do something to help her.
Eventually she pulled away and held him at arm’s length, looking deep into his eyes.
‘Thank you, Yul. I feel stronger already.’
He saw a faint tinge to her cheeks that hadn’t been there before, though whether that was due to his Earth Magic or Mother Heggy’s potion he couldn’t be sure. Her eyes sparkled slightly, no longer so dull and clouded, and she smiled. His heart filled with compassion for her. She was so brave, not complaining about what had happened to her, not making a fuss at all.
‘I have to go, Sylvie,’ he said reluctantly. ‘It’s the cricket match and I’m on the Villagers’ team. Edward picked me after all. I’m so excited! That bastard Buzz is back and I’d love to bowl him out. I wish you could be there to watch and cheer me on.’
‘Me too. Good luck, Yul. I’ll be thinking of you.’
‘I’ll come and see you again soon, I promise, and you can take some more of the Earth Magic next time. I’ll learn to control it properly and then I’ll share it with you until we can get your moon magic back.’
She smiled and, reaching up, kissed him softly on the lips.
‘The moon magic isn’t mine to keep. I must give it all to Magus. It’s what I was brought here for.’
The Village Green had been transformed for this one special day. The cricket pitch was marked out, with bunting strung around the trees in the colours of Lammas – green, gold and red. A platform had been erected for the scoreboard, the whole thing decorated with corn dollies and knots, and the great silver cricket cup stood up high on a plinth. Tonight the winning team would be drinking specially brewed Lammas mead from it to celebrate their victory. Chairs and benches were positioned all around and many families were staking claim to their places with rugs and cushions. Long trestle tables were set up for lunch and, later on, tea. Children ran around excitedly; when they started to get bored during the day, games would be organised for them on the Playing Fields with their own junior cricket match.
The two teams were changing into their whites ready for the match, Hallfolk in the School House and Villagers in the Jack in the Green. Yul was excited but nervous, and his hands shook as he tied his laces. Both Magus and Buzz were in the Hallfolk team and he’d love to beat them personally, but realised that was only a dream. His fear was that one of them would get him out at the very beginning and make him look a fool. He felt the energy rushing through his veins and prayed silently to the Goddess to help him play well today.
As the two teams were led out onto the Green, the community cheered and whooped. All the players wore proper whites and used best quality equipment, for this match mattered a great deal to Magus. He was very skilled at cricket and although his team didn’t always win, he played well every year without fail. Yul stood out from everyone else with his dark curls, now almost shoulder-length again. Most of the Hallfolk team were very pale blond and the Villagers tended to be darker blond or brown-haired, so there were very few black-haired people in the community. Maizie and the children cheered especially loudly as Yul walked p
ast, grinning at them. Maizie was so proud of her eldest son. He was turning into a fine young man, strong and handsome, and she knew he wouldn’t have been striding out confidently as part of the Villager cricket team if Alwyn had still been around. Rather than have the boy doing well and feeling good about himself, her husband would’ve taken pleasure in ensuring that Yul wasn’t fit to play. Maizie shuddered at the thought and thanked the Goddess that Alwyn was no longer around to blight their lives.
The two teams stood beneath the platform and the captains climbed up the steps for the toss. Magus captained the Hallfolk team, and Edward the Village team. The Hallfolk won the toss and chose to bat second. Under the blazing August sun, the Lammas cricket match commenced. The Villagers batted well, scoring many runs. Yul himself scored a respectable forty or so before being bowled out. He felt he’d acquitted himself fairly well and his family cheered enthusiastically as he came off. Magus was in fine form, bowling superbly, and Yul was very pleased he hadn’t had to contend with any of those balls. Buzz was so busy showing off to his Hallfolk gang that he missed several catches and often bowled wide. He was letting down the Hallfolk team and Magus was clearly annoyed. When play was stopped for lunch with two Villagers still in, Yul noticed Magus hauling Buzz off for a private word and smiled to himself. He liked the idea of Buzz being on the receiving end of Magus’ wrath.
Everyone enjoyed a good lunch, and then a minor stir was caused when a Land Rover appeared. Clip, who was not playing cricket, got out and waved to everyone, then went round to open the passenger door. Yul stared in joy as Clip helped Sylvie out of the car and ushered her solicitously over to a comfortable seat near the platform. Magus seemed taken aback and strode over to talk to them.
‘Hello, Sylvie! What a pleasant surprise! I hope you’re well enough to be out?’
‘She was desperate to come and watch and I thought it would do her good,’ explained Clip. ‘You’re feeling a great deal better today, aren’t you, Sylvie?’
