Shadows at Stonewylde (50 page)

Clip had explained that he was trying to broaden Leveret’s mind, taking her for long walks and showing her plants and rocks that would help with the book studying. Maizie had confided her wish that Leveret become a doctor one day and he’d agreed that she had the potential to be a great healer. He said her studies with him would help as every healer needed a broad and deep knowledge. Clip felt a little guilty misleading Maizie but knew the end would justify the means; Leveret would be a great Wise Woman and shaman for Stonewylde.

But he was unsure about the Dark Moon, worried about her casting and scared that with so little experience she might conjure something unwanted. Clip felt Leveret was on the cusp of something and when the time was right, all would be made clear. In the meantime she shouldn’t do anything to put herself in danger.

‘What do you feel at Dark Moon?’ he’d asked her.

‘A great excitement inside me,’ she’d replied. ‘A thrill, a sort of rush of power and magic. I tingle with it as the skies darken and the stars come out. I feel as if I could do anything and it’s growing more powerful as I get older.’

‘I think you should walk in the night,’ he’d advised. ‘Go somewhere you feel the Earth Magic and let the Dark Moon flow through you. But don’t try to channel anything yet, not until you’ve learnt more.’

So now she must broach the subject with her mother. Maizie had been fine about the Wolf Moon because Clip had said they were working in his tower for the evening. How far could she bend the truth now without actually deceiving her mother?

‘I saw Clip yesterday at school, Mother,’ she began nonchalantly, stitching with sudden diligence.

‘Oh yes? Was he pleased you were chosen as Bright Maiden?’

He’d been delighted, saying it was highly symbolic.

‘Yes, he was thrilled and wants to help me prepare spiritually.’

‘Ah, the spiritual side. We’ve been thinking of your outfit and making sure you know the rituals, but the spiritual side is important too, o’ course.’

‘I must go out this evening and Clip’s keen for me to do so. Is that alright?’

‘Yes, if Clip wants you to. I know he’ll look after you.’

Maizie had followed her trail of implication without her having to actually lie. Leveret smiled, her green eyes lighting up.

‘Thanks, Mother – I won’t be late.’

‘I’ll keep your supper under a plate on the range. I’m at the Hall with Miranda and Sylvie tonight, running through things for Imbolc so I’ll probably be late back. Oh Leveret, I’m so excited!’

‘Mmn, me too.’

In fact Leveret was dreading being the centre of attention. Despite evidence to the contrary at Yuletide, she was convinced of her ugliness and worried sick she’d forget the complex dance steps and words she must chant. And despite her crush on him, Leveret was nervous about Kes being her partner. She was scared of making a fool of herself, terrified of dancing with him and sure that he’d hoped for one of the pretty, amusing girls to be his Bright Maiden, not a boring, plain one like her. He must be feeling disappointed.

But she hid her fear and self-doubt for her mother’s sake, putting on a brave face and letting the chatter wash over her – at least she’d be out tonight celebrating the Dark Moon. Leveret felt a sudden tingle of excitement and forgot all about menstruation pains and the proximity of Imbolc. All she thought of was the night ahead and the dark joy of being out, wild and free, in the magic of the Dark Moon.

Y
ul strode into the Stone Circle, his long legs covering the distance quickly; he wanted to be here for the sunset and it was almost time. He took a great leap onto the Altar Stone and stood there, tall and powerful, both hands raking his dark hair back from his face as he turned towards the golden pool of light that was the setting sun. It was already a month since the Solstice but as yet there was little noticeable difference in the days’ length. As he stood waiting, Yul noticed the charcoaled designs on the stones and frowned at the thought of Imbolc. He was still angry that Leveret had been chosen, and that he’d had to give in and agree to let Sylvie lead the forthcoming ceremonies when she wasn’t completely well.

But at least things were finally improving between them. For three nights now they’d eaten dinner together, actually talking to each other and then moving to the fiery hearth to make love. It wasn’t maybe quite as spontaneous and passionate as in the past, but was a big improvement on the situation in recent months. As they started to relax in each other’s company again hopefully they’d return to their former happiness. He grinned suddenly, thinking that whatever happened he felt a damn sight better now than he’d done for ages. It was a shame it was now Dark Moon.

A great cloud of black starlings flew overhead blocking the light, and as the shadow passed over Yul he shuddered involuntarily. He felt a tremor of green magic below his boots, a glimmer of the energy that had once doused him completely. Why wasn’t it coming back to him? Surely now he and Sylvie were united again, the equilibrium had been restored and the magic could once again seek him out? Yul was convinced that his role as magus and his ability to channel the earth energy was somehow linked to his relationship with Sylvie. None of it had started until she’d come to Stonewylde and he’d fallen in love with her, and it hadn’t stopped until recently when things became so bad between them.

He thought suddenly of her moondancing – perhaps that held the key to his problems too. Maybe he’d been wrong to stop her going last month He’d encourage her to go to Hare Stone next Moon Fullness and see if that helped. But he was sure that at the heart of it all was their passion for each other, and when that was fully restored the Earth Magic would return as well. He’d just have to work at it a bit harder.

The sun had now disappeared completely and the clouds were darkening. Then Yul felt a thrill of a different nature – the Dark Moon. He breathed deeply, filling his chest, and tipped back his head to the skies. A sinuous thread of power stirred within him; it had always been like this at the Dark Moon. His fingertips tingled with this dark energy, the delicious sensation of power and control over everything around him. He smiled to himself and leapt off the Altar Stone, his boots landing with a thud in the soft earth. But as he strode back across the great Circle towards the Long Walk he sensed a movement, something stirring behind him. He spun around, seeing nothing.

‘Who’s there?’ he called, his deep voice bouncing off the stones in faint echoes. There was no reply so he continued to walk, but the hairs on the back of his neck had risen, and try as he might he couldn’t rid himself of the notion that he hadn’t been alone in the Stone Circle. He jumped at the sound of a sudden mew and looked up to see a great buzzard with barred wings circling overhead.

Leveret stood with her back to the Hare Stone, also watching the sun set. She’d spent a long time thinking about where to go and decided that this was the special place for her. There was also symmetry in the fact that this was where Sylvie used to dance at the Moon Fullness. Leveret had no Dark Moon dance but she felt sensations coursing through her. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard.

‘Mother Heggy, are you here with me? Or are you out there in the night?’

She sensed no answering reply but still the magic tingled in her fingertips. Her stomach knotted with excitement – should she cast a circle after all? Clip had admitted that he didn’t really know what to do for the best and maybe he’d been wrong to advise against it. The spell of protection she’d cast for Magpie seemed to be working, for nobody had harmed him yet, so perhaps calling Mother Heggy tonight would work too, especially now she had her own spirit guide. Leveret looked up into the skies where the light was fading fast now the sun had gone, hoping to see a raven or crow as a sign. But there was none – only the call of a jay from the distant woods at the bottom of the hill, and a jay was no good at all.

Sighing, Leveret realised she didn’t have the tools for circle casting with her anyway – the salt for protection and the objects to represent the elements she’d summon. So that was that. She began to walk slowly down the hill but then thought better of it. Retracing her steps, she started to move anti-clockwise, moon-wise, widdershins around the stone at the summit. It was growing dark and of course there was no moon, but the stars were emerging now, twinkling and flickering, and she sensed the great stone to her left emanating some sort of energy of its own.

It was an ancient energy, very powerful, and Leveret wondered why this huge monolith was here on top of this particular hill. Had it been some kind of marker stone to guide people? If so, what was it marking? As she walked, her feet sure on the stiff, cold grass, her breath pluming out into the January night air, she began to feel a rising, a creation. It was similar to the sensation she’d experienced when walking around her circle on the Green at the last Dark Moon. She was raising something without even trying to. Round and round she walked, gazing up at the brilliant stars, thinking of the dark magic that surrounded her. Then suddenly she stopped dead. Something had joined her in the darkness.

‘Mother Heggy?’ she cried hopefully. ‘Are you here?’

But again there was no answer and she felt the fine hairs on her arms start to rise.

‘Is it you, Mother Heggy?’

There was a whispering in the still air, a stirring of very slight movement like leaves sighing in the trees. Except that there were no leaves in the trees.

Leveret started to go back down the hill, still tingling all over and not sure if she were terrified or exhilarated. What had she raised? Who or what had joined her by the Hare Stone? She refused to panic and run, for the grass further down was too long and tussocky and she could fall. She made herself stop when she reached the rocks, just to prove she wasn’t frightened. Leveret sat on a boulder and looked up at the stars sparkling in the blackness. She felt a little strange, not just with the dark magic but something else. She started to get the prickling sensation that she knew preceded her absences, the funny turns her mother so dreaded. She felt the world start to spin too fast but for the first time she was aware of it and fought the feelings, struggling to remain conscious. Her tongue felt too big in her mouth but she swallowed hard, staring at the stars and concentrating on staying there and not letting her mind disappear.

Suddenly her head was filled with the image of a serpent, a great viper with slashing zigzags black on his silver skin. He writhed slightly, his flickering tongue tasting the air, and she saw the vertical slits of the black pupils in his eyes, which gleamed like jewels. He was all around her and as he moved, she could see other vipers beneath him, a writhing mass of snakes, hundreds and hundreds of snakes. Snakes of destruction, of venom, of attack, writhing and hissing and …

‘Raven!’ she shouted. ‘RAVEN!’

Her raven shimmered into her head, banishing the image of the snakes. Its bright eye regarded her steadily, then it blinked and cocked its head.

‘Raven, why am I seeing snakes? What’s happening?’

But the raven only cawed loudly and flapping its massive wings, it flew off.

‘
Beware of walking blind into the vipers’ nest. Beware the snake that sheds one skin to return in another
.’

And then the starry night was back in focus and Leveret felt very cold. How long had she been sitting on the boulder? She rose stiffly, finding her feet numb, and walked briskly down the hill and into the woods. She wasn’t scared in the darkness for she knew these woods so well; Yul had brought her here almost daily as a child, teaching her the names of the trees, birds, flowers and creatures, and she felt safe here away from any threat that the hill had posed. Leveret was feeling elated – that was the first time she’d ever gone into a trance and remembered what happened. Maybe she was learning to control her strange absences after all. And she remembered the message clearly – but what on earth did it mean?

As she approached the fork in the path near the Village, Leveret decided to take the right-hand route and make a detour up around the other side of the river to Mother Heggy’s cottage. Her mother had given her permission to go out tonight and would be late back herself, so Leveret knew she wouldn’t be waiting impatiently at home getting worried. Leveret felt a little guilty that she’d allowed her mother to assume she was with Clip, but pushed that qualm aside – she hadn’t actually lied. Her stomach gurgled with hunger and it almost prompted her to change her mind and go the other way, the way straight back home where her supper was waiting warm on the range.

But it was the Dark Moon, the special night, and this might be her last chance for a whole month. If she called into the tumbledown cottage and just sat there for a while maybe she’d feel the crone with her. Leveret was sure someone had been there on the hill with her but wasn’t convinced it was Mother Heggy. There’d been nothing since the last Dark Moon and the unexpected return of the gathering knife. She so longed for contact with her and the answer she’d been given during her journey with Clip had filled her with hope.

But as Leveret skirted around the back of the Village close to the river she began to feel uneasy. She had the strangest feeling that someone was behind her, and plucked up the courage to look around. She could see nobody but the feeling persisted, and then she started to lose her nerve. She began to hurry, her boots clattering on the cobbles as she walked faster and faster, breaking into a run. Something was closing in on her. She heard voices and laughter up ahead and almost sobbed with relief, quickening her pace still further. And then the voices were clearer and she saw torchlight swinging, and just as she stopped being scared, stopped panicking about the shadow in the darkness behind her, she realised with terrible clarity whose voices they were. But too late.