by Mark Hockley
of this."
But Zack was incensed and he went to push him again, but this time Luke moved sideways and in one quick motion shot a punch at the taller boy's face. It made solid contact and blood began to spout from Zack's lip.
"No!" It was Leonie's voice and she came running over to his side, taking a handkerchief from her pocket and placing it gently against his injured mouth.
Zack just stared in disbelief at Luke, who now also had a startled, 'did I really do that' expression.
Leonie was attending to Zack's wound and was dabbing at the blood on his face when she reached up with her other hand to stroke his cheek affectionately without even thinking about it. "Are you alright?" she asked softly, "how bad is it?"
Zack looked down at her and attempted a smile, but could only grimace. "I'll live."
It was only then that he let his gaze move to where Allana had come to stand beside Luke. Both were staring at them. Luke's features conveyed embarrassment and worse, disappointment. But the expression the witch wore was far more disturbing. She watched them with shrewd calculation, her eyes narrowed with the weight of judgement.
Ellie had kept the journal for too long and she knew it. Although she had finished reading it in its entirety, she had really wanted to go over it in more detail, but the growing sense of anxiety that Margaret would discover that it was missing was getting too much for her. And now that she was going to leave Witch Town that fear had become overwhelming.
The most frustrating thing of all was that she wanted to better understand Rebecca and what had really happened as she literally built her township from the ground up, populating it and training its inhabitants.
She had skimmed the parts of the manuscript concerning bringing men in from the outside, first as employees, then as what were to all intents and purposes prisoners. But there was little to indicate how or why Rebecca met her end. The last few entries merely mentioned some cryptic references to some kind of anomaly that had concerned her. Also she recorded an altercation with the brother of one of her protégés that had apparently disturbed her greatly but she did not elaborate on why.
Obviously it was impossible to know what really went on as it was all written from Rebecca's biased perspective.
But now Ellie had to put the journal back where she had found it. Maybe she would have a chance to study it more carefully sometime in the future. She caught herself thinking this and felt both ashamed and unnerved. This is not my life, she rebuked herself harshly.
Concealing the journal within a stack of other books, she carried them casually along one of the hallways of the Black Coven House, making her way towards Margaret's room. Hesitating outside the door, she eventually gave a loud rap and waited.
No response.
She knocked again, louder. Still nothing.
It was as she had hoped. The witch was out on other business. Ellie let herself in and surveyed the interior of the room. It was very quiet. Silent like the grave she mused. She shook herself out of this morbidity, as this was not exactly the kind of image she wanted to envision when she already felt so on edge.
There was no time for thinking about such things. She needed to get on with it and then get out of there fast.
Ellie put down her stack of books on a side table and slid out Rebecca's journal. The odd binding once again made her feel a little queasy. A number of times while she had been reading it she had needed to put it down for a while, as it made her uneasy just touching it. Resisting this sensation, Ellie went to work.
"Reveal," she spoke and the stone amulet began to shimmer with her inner essence.
As before the panel in the wall opened smoothly and the girl went quickly to it, intent on replacing the manuscript.
But she was stopped in her tracks, her hand frozen in the act of replacing the book.
There was an envelope. And it had her name written on it.
Ellie didn't move and absently she looked over her shoulder as if expecting Margaret to be standing there watching her. But the room was empty.
What was this?
She placed the journal under her arm and very tentatively picked up the envelope. She was almost afraid that it was some kind of trap, but nothing happened. Ellie tore it open and took out a single sheet of paper. On it these words were written:
Thank you for returning my book. But please understand that if you ever take something of mine again without my permission I will not hesitate in killing you.
P.S. I trust you now feel even closer to Rebecca having actually touched her skin. The binding keeps our esteemed Mother's memory alive don't you think?
The girl gaped at the paper in shock. She hardly knew what to do, but she couldn't stand there like a fool and do nothing. She stared at the journal in disgust. Human skin as a binding for a book! That was nothing short of sickening and she had been touching it. She felt bile threaten to rise in her throat and barely suppressed it.
But she still had to put the thing back. So taking it between thumb and forefinger, her face twisted with revulsion, she hurriedly tossed it back inside the compartment.
Ellie stepped away still clutching Margaret's note.
"Conceal," she uttered without really thinking about what she was doing.
Did this change anything? She wasn't sure. If the witch had wanted to punish her, she already would have. No, Margaret had need of her, at least for the time being.
Leonie and Allana were deep in conversation, but well out of earshot from the two boys.
Zack and Luke stood together in silence watching as the girls spoke animatedly, their gestures expressive even if their words were lost on them.
Zack still nursed his mouth. He glanced at the other boy and nodded. "This could mean serious trouble."
Luke didn't look at him. "Isn't that all our lives are now?"
His friend couldn't really argue the point. "That was a good punch," he mused dryly.
With a fleeting smile Luke finally did turn towards him. "You had it coming."
"Really!?" countered Zack and winced a little.
"Okay," the smaller boy allowed, "maybe I got a bit carried away. But now I see what you've been up to with..." he nodded towards Leonie, "maybe I should hit you again!"
"I haven't been up to anything."
"Oh yes, I'm sure you haven't." Luke rolled his eyes, unconvinced.
"It's not like that," Zack insisted becoming very serious, "She isn't like the others."
Luke 's brow furrowed and he appeared far older than his eighteen years in that moment. "We had better hope you're right."
The discourse between the two witches had become quieter and calmer now and there seemed to be a consensus between them. Finally Leonie made her way back towards the boys, her expression hard to read.
"Luke," she spoke evenly, "would you join Allana please?"
For a few seconds Luke made no response, but then he gave a unexpected grin. "Fair enough," he said and strode off towards the blonde girl without even a glance back at the other boy.
Zack's eyes were focused on Leonie. He was very afraid. But not because their feelings had been revealed to Allana, but because he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. His pulse raced and he felt dread lurking in his mind. "What did you say?" he asked at last.
Leonie's face was very grave. "I had to lie," she whispered. The boy just listened, his fears mounting. "I had to tell her that I had been given an undertaking by my Coven, a covert task."
"To do what?" Zack questioned, confused.
"To seduce you." Leonie's shame was evident. She lowered her eyes, unable to hold his gaze.
"But why?" was all he could find to say.
She looked into his eyes again with unchecked sorrow. "My honour," she said very softly, "is forfeit. I have no husband, therefore I can be used." Leonie paused as emotion choked her voice. "Used in any way that benefits my Coven. I told Allana that I have been charged with gathering intelligence from you. And I am using my favours as the instrument to gain your conf
idence."
Zack just stared at her. "Oh," he uttered.
"It was the only way I could stop her from reporting us." She looked at him carefully, trying to read his expression.
"Did she believe you?" he asked her in a flat, emotionless tone.
Leonie had a tear creeping down across her cheek now. "Yes."
Zack was struggling to know what to say. "I suppose that's good then."
The girl didn't respond, but she wiped away her tears with her hand and then turned to look over at Allana and Luke. She gave a small gesture towards the other witch and they both came to join them.
"Please retrieve your churn and go back to refill it," the blonde haired girl instructed Luke brusquely.
He gave her a challenging glare, but went and picked it up nonetheless.
"Let us finish the task we have begun," Leonie spoke to Zack, all business now, indicating his own milk churn on the ground beside him.
The boy held her gaze only for a brief moment and then hefted it up and began to walk. There was an uneasy silence among both couples as they went their separate ways.
25
Who would bind a book in human skin!?Is that sick or what!? Margaret just gets creepier the more I find out about her. It always feels like she's playing games with me. But maybe it's time I played this game my own way. I don't have to stick to her rules. I don't care about their stupid history and their precious heritage. I will break every one of their crazy laws if it means I can escape from this place and then help my friends. The only thing I'm really scared of is finding that I don't actually have any friends
