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.’
‘Grand.’ He smiled. ‘So, listen, I have to take off, but I wonder if you fancy watching the footy tomorrow? We could go to one of the pubs in town, have a couple of drinks …’ He trailed off, looking enquiringly at Leo. Obviously, the invitation wasn’t meant for both of them. Leo was already nodding enthusiastically.
‘Definitely, sounds great.’
‘Excellent. Here’s my number.’ Ronan pulled a pen out of his pocket, took Leo’s hand in his and wrote on the back of it. ‘Text me later and I’ll tell you which pub I’m going to.’ He waved at Merry and climbed into the van. She watched as he reversed out of the driveway and took off in the direction of the Black Lake.
‘Huh.’ Ronan was not what she’d expected, when Gran talked about a visiting wizard. Because it had to be him; how many wizards could there be, wandering around an average market town at the edge of Surrey? Clearly, not all wizards were going to be like Gwydion. But she’d still expected someone … weirder. She turned to say as much to Leo, but he was gazing at the mobile phone number Ronan had scrawled across the back of his hand. Now that was weird – too familiar, almost, from someone he hardly knew.
‘I wonder why he didn’t just get his phone out and text you.’
Leo pulled a face. ‘Why? This was just as quick.’
‘I s’pose.’ Merry turned towards the house, but her brother put out a hand to stop her.
‘Hey – don’t tell Gran that I’m going to the pub with Ronan. You heard what she said this morning, about wizards.’
He was right; Gran was unlikely to be thrilled.
‘Sure. I won’t say anything.’
‘Thanks.’
A car turned into the driveway: their mother, back home from her yoga retreat. Merry waved at her and went to open the front door. ‘And just remember,’ Leo called out behind her, ‘I’m allowed to have my own life. OK?’
No more spying on him, in other words.
OK, Leo. I’ll remember.
‘Mum, I’m going up.’ Merry yawned and rubbed the muscles in the back of her neck. It was Friday evening – only 10.30, but she was definitely feeling a bit … bleugh. Lack of sleep combined with working all afternoon at Mrs Galantini’s cafe in town (her new summer job) and all the drama with Leo. ‘I think the cats are still outside.’
Her mother didn’t reply; she just kept scrolling up and down through a document that was open on her laptop. It didn’t look like she was actually reading any of it.
‘Mum? You OK?’
‘Huh?’
‘I’m going to bed.’
‘Oh, all right. Do you know where the cats are?’
Merry frowned. ‘Outside, I think.’
Merry thought yoga was meant to relax you, but Mum had been restless all evening, fidgeting with stuff in the kitchen during dinner, rearranging cushions on the sofa while they were trying to watch TV. Leo had taken himself off upstairs at that point, having barely spoken two words to Merry since their conversation on the driveway earlier.
‘Is