Katharine Corr - The Witch’s Tears

Much as I’d like to .

But that never seemed to be an option.

THE BUS TURNED up, eventually. As they queued to get on, Merry spotted one of Leo’s old school friends already on the bus, but her brother didn’t seem to notice him. He went upstairs to the stiflingly hot top deck, dropped into a seat at the back, pulled an ancient iPod out of his pocket and put his headphones on.

Merry did the same for a while, sinking into the music, singing along inside her head, tapping out the rhythms on her knee. The muggy air and the glare of the sun through the window was making her eyelids heavy. But she suddenly realised that having Leo next to her was too good an opportunity to waste: the way he’d been recently, she didn’t know when she’d next get to talk to him alone. She paused her playlist and nudged him with her elbow.

‘What?’ He pulled one earbud out.

‘I was wondering, when do you want me to put the protective charms on you? I need to look some stuff up, and I’m going to be working at the cafe this afternoon, but I could have a go this evening if you like.’

‘Don’t bother. I’ll be fine.’ He pushed the earbud back in.

Merry yanked it out again.

‘Hey!’ Leo glared at her.

‘What do you mean, “I’ll be fine”? You don’t know that. I have to keep you safe, and witchcraft is the only way I can do it.’

‘Witchcraft?’ He groaned, running one hand through his hair. ‘You all act like it’s so great, but it isn’t. Charms and spells and curses … It was magic that got you involved with Gwydion. It was magic that killed Jack.’ He shifted in his seat, turning away from her.

Merry stared at the back of his head for a few moments. He was sort of right, but …

‘What about your eye, though? And all the other injuries you had?’ She poked him in the back. ‘Magic fixed you. Otherwise you’d still be lying in bed bleeding.’

Leo swung round.

‘Well, that’s another problem, isn’t it? I’m going to medical school in September, supposedly. I’m going to have to study for five years and train for even longer so I can be a doctor. But what’s the point?’ He flung his hands up in a shrug. ‘Why should I bother when Gran can throw some pink liquid around, sing a few bars of terrible music and heal me, just like that?’

Merry opened her mouth to reply, but Leo wasn’t done.

‘You lot have all this power, but who benefits? Your families, maybe. And a handful of locals who still believe the legends and stories, and aren’t too proud to go to the resident wise woman when they need some help. Nobody else. Oh, you go on about protecting your identities like you’re so many superheroes. But you’re selfish, basically. You just want to keep the power to yourselves.’

‘That’s not true! You know it’s not true. People would be terrified of us if we didn’t keep it secret.’ Merry looked around at the empty seats as if they might give her some inspiration. ‘Helping people without them knowing that we’re helping them is really hard. And the coven aren’t perfect. But they try. You know they try.’

Her brother shrugged, crossed his arms and sank lower in his seat.

‘They helped me, back in April.’ She paused. ‘Or would you rather they hadn’t bothered?’

‘Course not.’ Leo was flicking the on-off switch of the iPod back and forth with his thumbnail. ‘Of course I’m glad they helped you. And I’m glad you could stop Gwydion.’ He stared at her, searching her face. ‘You know that, right?’

Merry nodded. ‘Yeah.’

‘But I …’ he sighed. ‘I dunno. I’m tired, I guess. I need …’

‘What?’

Leo twitched one eyebrow upwards.

‘To get away from here, maybe. Lately, I feel like something about this place is sort of … sucking at me. Sucking away my energy.’ He yawned and rubbed his eyes. ‘Ignore me. Like I said, I’m tired.’ He glanced out of the window. ‘It’s nearly our stop. Come on.’

They walked in silence back to the house, Merry trailing a few steps behind her brother, watching his hunched shoulders. It was hardly surprising he was in a bad mood, given what he’d just been through. She could still feel the pain she’d sensed earlier, like a long, continuous howl of anguish. Was it new, this agony? Or had it been there all the while and she’d just been too wrapped up in witchcraft and in her own loss to notice it?

I wish I could make him better. I wish, I wish .

Not paying attention, she turned off the road and bumped straight into Leo, standing motionless in middle of the driveway.

A transit van was parked in front of the house. And there, sitting on the front step, was Ronan.

He glanced up from his phone and smiled at them.

Leo turned and looked at her, his eyes wide, and Merry knew her brother was thinking the same thing: how on earth were they going to explain Leo’s miraculous recovery?

Ronan was walking towards them. There were spells to alter perception and memory, but Merry didn’t know them off by heart. Meanwhile Leo was fumbling in his bag for his sunglasses, but it was definitely going to be too late.

‘Leo!’ Ronan clapped one hand on Leo’s shoulder. ‘You look great. So much better than yesterday.’ He scanned Leo’s face. ‘So much better than I expected, to be honest.’

For a moment nobody spoke. Merry could feel the blood rushing up to crimson her face. Leo, also scarlet, was staring at the tarmacked ground. She had to think of something. She had at least to say something.

‘Um …’

‘Are you a witch?’ Ronan suddenly asked. ‘Or do you just happen to know one?’

Leo’s head snapped up. He took a step sideways to stand in front of Merry.

‘What do you want?’

Ronan laughed.

‘Relax. I’m not about to reach for my pitchfork and start trying to burn people at the stake. Not my style.’

Leo didn’t move.

‘I said, what do you want?’

Ronan backed away a little, holding his hands up, palms out.

‘Really, I just came to see how you were doing. And I know about witches because I’m one too. Well –’ he shrugged – ‘a wizard. So can I put my hands down now? Please?’

A wizard?

Merry didn’t know how to react. Sure, she was relieved that she didn’t have to come up with some plausible explanation for Leo’s unbruised features. But her brain was simultaneously sending a massive, flashing ‘DANGER!’ alert to the rest of her body. Her fingernails started to tingle.

Get a grip, Merry. Get a grip.

‘A wizard?’ Leo exhaled loudly, shaking his head. ‘Sure, you can put your hands down. Why didn’t you say something last night?’

‘Generally, I don’t go around advertising the fact to folks I don’t know. They tend not to react so well. Besides, my healing spells aren’t all that great, to be honest. I didn’t think I could do anything to help.’

‘Are you kidding? You saved my life.’ Leo stuck his hand out. ‘I owe you one.’

‘It was my pleasure.’ Ronan took Leo’s hand. But instead of shaking it, he pulled Leo into a brief hug. ‘Honestly, any time. So,’ he glanced at Merry, ‘are we good?’

Were they? Merry hesitated. Gran had told her – less than two hours ago – that wizards were untrustworthy. But this one had actually rescued her brother. Had turned up again today to visit him. And there was Leo looking all … smiley.

What wouldn’t I put up with to have Leo happy again?

‘Of course.’ She nodded. ‘We’re good.’