Renounced: The Shelean Moon, Book Two Read online

  “So,” Marok said after they’d all been served. “Let’s brainstorm. We seem to have more than one problem here. There’s a lot stirring, plus no shortage of evil.”

  Donny didn’t think it was a fluke that all this had kicked off just as Leira renounced. He mentioned it to Marok.

  Marok shook his head. “We don’t know, but it’s much too big a coincidence if you ask me.” He paused while he chewed something. “Leira renouncing was a gift to him. He thinks he can change her now. He’s getting through my block. The evil within him—the venom given to him—has warped his powers, and he can slide through. Luckily, Leira knows who it is, and what he’s up to and is mostly able to ignore him. But she’s still renounced, so her protection from him through Shalea is limited. Her choice…and one we need to accept.” He looked hard at both Donny and Brios. “However hard it seems. Understand?”

  They both nodded. Donny wondered if Brios had his fingers crossed the same way he did.

  “Good. Right—now apart from Leira, Struan, and the Rogues, and whatever else is happening—Andy is worried about Ali.”

  “Ali?” Brios spoke before Donny could. “Why? She’s not Shalean. She’s human. What’s wrong with Ali?”

  “She was a bit in our face when we went for burgers,” Donny reminded Brios. “Sort of glitter eyes and over the top. Is that what you mean?”

  Andy made a face. “I’m not sure, to be honest, but she’s definitely acting strangely. Up ’til now she’s always been sort of reserved—the quiet one of the girls. She was really niggly at the club and kept asking Lei if you two were really over. I don’t know, I just have this gut feeling she could be out to cause trouble—especially for you.”

  Donny groaned. “That’s all I need. She’s been a pain before, and I’ve never encouraged her, or anything like that. I just don’t—never have and never will—fancy her. She’s a nice girl but not for me.”

  Andy laughed. “Not for me either, but we’ve always been friends. Now she’s all secretive, and…I don’t know—brewing up something.”

  “Maybe she’s a witch,” Brios commented. “Going to put a love spell on Donny.” He laughed.

  “Ouch,” he said when Donny punched him on the arm. “Enough already.”

  “Don’t even joke about it.” Donny groaned again. “I’ve plenty on my plate without that, thank you. And while we’re on the subject…” They weren’t, but he decided to twist it a bit. “Anyone know anything about this new bloke on the scene?”

  “Which new bloke?” Marok sounded cautious.

  “This Troy guy I’ve been hearing about. The one who had Lei lifesaving with him.”

  Marok smiled. To Donny’s surprise, he looked carefully at him, Brios, and Andy in turn. “You have no need to concern yourself with this matter.” His tone was that of Patriarch. The discussion was closed.

  Hmm, something to think about later…

  What’s that all about? It was obvious Brios thought it was dodgy as well. Something going on there, d’you think?

  Yup, be interesting to talk to Andy later.

  “I’m waiting for a sign of acceptance here.” No one had thought to answer their Patriarch, but in unison, three voices signified assent. “Good, now eat.” Marok turned to his wife and Saul, Donny’s dad, and began to chat about the forthcoming rugby international.

  Later.

  Yup.

  “Dad, just going upstairs with Bri and Andy so we can sort out a round of golf.” It was the first thing Donny could think of that all three of them often did together. His dad looked skeptical. For once, he chose not to question them.

  “Ten minutes—we’ll drop Andy off on the way.”

  Donny nodded, and then followed Andy and Brios out of the room. They had hardly gotten into Brios’s room before Donny spoke. “Okay, what is this crap? Who is this guy—Troy—and what the hell is going on? Shit, I meant to ask your dad why the Rogues have a thing about the number eleven as well. Eleven elders, meet at eleven, that sort of thing. Any clues?”

  Brios and Andy both shook their heads.

  “Some Chapters choose a specific number to be their lodestone. Maybe eleven is theirs,” Brios suggested. “I’ll try and find out.”

  Donny nodded. “And me.” He turned to Andy. “Why’d you say that about Ali?’

  “C’mon D, you know she’s always had a thing for you.”

  Donny grimaced. “Yeah, but it’s all on her side. You know that.”

  “I do, you do, and I thought she did. But now I’m not so sure.” Andy shrugged. “Something is weird.”

  “Well this Troy guy,” Brios butted in. “Something’s weird there as well. Dad is very close-mouthed about him, even to me. After everything that’s gone on today. Strange…definitely strange. And about Ali, Donny? I agree with Andy. You need to watch yourself. She wouldn’t have tried anything while you and Leira were together but now…”

  “Now,” Donny said, beginning to get fed up with the assumption he couldn’t sort the Ali situation—if there was one—out. “I’ll tell her no go—no interest—no chance.”

  “If she lets you.” Brios sounded serious. “I’m wondering if there’s any truth in what I said earlier.”

  “Huh?” Donny couldn’t remember what Brios had said.

  “That Ali might be a witch.”

  14

  Leira sighed. She became lost in thought as she stared at yet another piece of brown and blue cardboard and wondered why on earth she thought she had the patience for a jigsaw puzzle.

  How long have I been here anyway…and how much longer before someone tells me what the hell this is all about? She imagined she could see her mum’s frown at her language and had to smile. Sorry Mum, but even you’d swear if you were stuck wherever this is with no electricity, no phone, no iPod, no net—no idea what’s going on. Sometimes blokes are so thick. She placed a piece of blue card into the puzzle and realized it was in the wrong place and sighed again. I am so bored…I sound like a girl in one of those cheesy historical novels we giggled over when we were younger…

  The door opened, and Troy came in carrying two steaming mugs. He put one next to her and sat down to carry on reading the book he’d focused on for most of the last hour or so.

  “Yay, thanks.” She broke into speech hurriedly before he had a chance to read that thought and ask her what she meant. “I just love the smell of nice coffee. Almost as good as drinking it.” There was no chance she was going to explain about the sighing and swooning women and the manly torsos she and her friends had sniggered over to each other when they’d first started reading what they called grown-up books.

  “I know what you mean. I’ll get something to eat for us in a bit. There’s cake in that tin if you want some. How’s it going?”

  Leira assumed he meant the puzzle. “Why on earth are so many pieces the same color?’ she asked rhetorically. “It’s boring and bland. Not even a nice hot pink or something—just sludge.”

  Troy looked up from his reading and chose to take her question at face value. “Let’s see.” He put the book down, stood up, and approached to peer over her shoulder. He laughed and punched her gently on the arm.

  “You nut. What do you expect? It’s a jigsaw puzzle of a loch—in winter. Lots of water—murky brownish water.”

  “Yup,” she said gloomily. “And most of the bits that aren’t loch are sky and just a bunch of grey. What made you get such a depressing jigsaw anyway?”

  “Oh, it’s not mine, it’s my landlady’s,” he said absently as he picked a piece up and deftly inserted it into the right spot. “I asked her to give me some stuff that might enterta…” his voice trailed off. “Oh shit, busted.” He rolled his eyes.

  Busted was an understatement. If she hadn’t been so ready to throw the whole puzzle in his face, she might have laughed at his expression. As it was, she just stared.

  “You what? I think, Mr. Troy Conlan, you have some explaining to do. Lots of explaining.” She stood up, so they were face to
face—well, shoulder to face—and poked him on the arm. “How about starting right back at the beginning like, why were you swimming in the river the other night? And don’t even think of going with the to meet you, babe crap. I want the truth—all of it—on your oath as a Shalean and on whatever witches swear on.”

  “By the Rede,” he elaborated as she looked blankly at him. “Your education in all things Wiccan is sadly lacking ba—er…Lei. Our creed is harm none. I’ll tell you the truth as best I can. What I can’t divulge, I’ll say I can’t—fair enough?”

  She nodded. “Fair enough. Start with what the flash of light was that I saw as you left. It went right over you.”

  “Light?” He seemed interested. “That I don’t know. It sounds like Shalean fire to me. Were you hit?”

  Leira started. “Yeah, Mum said something about Shalean fire as well. So it did come from the light then?” She sounded satisfied, and she knew Troy had picked up on the fact by the way his eyes narrowed.

  “Right, before you start interrogating me, what can you tell me about your mate, Ali?”

  What…does he fancy her or something?

  “No, I don’t. However, there is something about her—something not quite right.”

  “Aargh…Will you stop doing that?” Leira demanded. “How do you do it anyway? I’ve renounced—can’t project or be projected to—in theory, anyway. Bloody Struan sneaks in, and you pick up everything I’m thinking—how?”

  “Struan…because evil has distorted his capabilities, and you don’t have the ability yet to block him. Well, maybe yet isn’t right. Since you’ve renounced, you have even less chance to block him,” Troy said seriously. “Your dad is working on it, but Struan has others on his side. Who else and what else, we don’t know yet. Me? I’ve been given special dispensation—and witching skills over and above my Shalean self—which comes in handy. So…Ali?”

  “Why…Why are you so special?” Leira ignored his question, stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at grey waters and white crests on waves whipped up by an ever-growing breeze. “Where the hell are we?”

  “Not hell.”

  Shoot, he sounds peeved.

  “Scotland, where you live.”

  “Well, okay then…”

  Sheesh, men. They can really be pains at times.

  “Where in Scotland?” she added, hoping for details. “You know, it might not be the size of Australia, but it isn’t the Isle of Wight either.”

  Troy looked blank. She sighed again.

  “An island,” she explained. “Off the south coast of England. Used to have music festivals. Well, they still do, but not the same ones as then.”

  Troy now appeared bemused. “Ah, okay, I’ll take your word for it. What’s it got to do with Scotland and Ali?”

  “Nothing. Not a scooby. I was trying to say that telling me we’re in Scotland isn’t very helpful. That although Scotland is not the size of Australia, it’s still big enough for me to not know where we are when that’s all you tell me.”

  “It’s not even the size of Vic,” Troy added and mock-ducked. “Victoria, the state I live in. Okay, don’t get violent. I’m not allowed to say—except, it’s as safe for you as we could make it. And after that first projection, you haven’t had Struan what’s-his-face back, have you?”

  “There’s a thought. No, I haven’t. How’d you manage that, or is it something else you can’t say?” Leira studied the regret on his face. “Thought as much so. How about explaining to me what you can say? Might save us an hour or two.”

  “Probably will…but first, watch out for that friend of yours. As you don’t want to say anything, I’ll say this instead.” His tone was so serious, Leira blinked. “She is more than she seems.”

  “Ali? She’s just a mate at school. Not Shalean or anything—just a mate.”

  “Well, she might not be Shalean, but she certainly isn’t just human. I hope she is a real mate. Still, take care around her. Now, as for the rest—not a lot I can say really. Just that I was asked to keep an eye on you. So I am. When you started to fall, I got hold of you, took you out safely, and brought you here. And…” He hesitated.

  Leira watched the expressions chase each other across his face. Strange, he seemed a nice guy, and was definitely fit, but he did nothing for her. Now Donny…one look and… Shoot, do not go there—it’s over.

  “And?” she prompted. “And…what?”

  “And it’s my cottage that Troy is renting. The Matriarch and Patriarch thought that as an impartial Shalean I might be able to help you,” a new voice, female and familiar said.

  Leira whirled round so fast her hair stung her cheek.

  “You? Why on earth would they think that?” I can’t think of anyone worse to help me.

  You’re right, don’t trust her, don’t trust them—trust me, Leira. Come to the lochside—I’ll be there for you. Trust me. Struan again. Weird, Troy said they’d blocked the little toad.

  “No. Bog off. Go away.” She looked at the two shocked faces in front of her and realized how childish she was being and how that must have sounded.

  Oops, better do the sorry route.

  “Oh, our gods…Sorry, that wasn’t at you. I…er… think your magic—or whatever it is—is wearing off. Snake-face Struan got in on the act again.”

  “He uses your anger to channel into you. He’s clever—evil and clever. The fact he can get through the block on your sensing shows that.” Melinde…tall, blonde, and elegant…walked to the window next to Leira and looked out at the ever-increasing waves on the loch. Leira thought she seemed lost and alone. Had she been so tied up in herself that she couldn’t really see what Melinde was like? Sometimes—somehow—she’d gotten this really negative view of the woman and couldn’t really say why. It hadn’t gone away, even after she’d found out Melinde was friendly with Rach’s dad and had helped Rach to understand her Shalean roots.

  Sometimes I wonder about why I’m such a sulky, pouty kid. Memo to self: Grow up. I want to be treated like an adult? Act like one.

  Melinde shook her head and sighed.

  “Half a mile away…no waves,” she said, pointing at the stormy waters. “Yet, we have rough waters here. Stormy waters and stormy times ahead. Once past them, all is smooth and clear.”

  Leira looked at her, puzzled. She talked in riddles, and Leira had no idea what she was trying to say.

  A thin sliver of silver plaited into a band was loose on Melinde’s wrist, and it sparkled in the lamp’s light as she moved her hand. Leira looked at it closely. Her mum wore one very similar. It denoted an elder in the Sept. She didn’t remember seeing Melinde wear one before. Her dad and mum must trust and respect her then.

  “He’s being helped by someone,” Melinde continued. “As yet no one can work out who it is, or what their agenda is. But we know that for some reason Struan didn’t just target you on their behalf. He wants you for his own reasons as well.”

  “So, did renouncing make it better or worse?” Leira asked.

  “Either—or,” Troy said. “Easier in that you can’t shift or project reliably, so you haven’t got Shalean protection—or so he thinks. Harder, because you know what you’re up against.”

  “So, what next? I can’t stay here forever. There’s a little thing called exams looming large in my life at the moment. Not only that, but—wait, hold on…Ha.” There was a rush of noise like wind and rain, as if someone had opened a door and let the elements into her mind. No voices though and no comments, just sound. “Sorry, someone was trying to project, I think, but didn’t manage it. I just got a lot of noise. Oh, and before I forget, the last thing he got through…when you thought I was being even more bratty than usual? If it was Struan—and it damned well sounded like his weasely voice—he told me to go to the lochside, and he’d be there for me and to trust him. Huh, as if.”

  “Getting impatient it seems.” Melinde looked thoughtful. “Why so urgent all of a sudden? Something big must be about to happen.” It see
med she was almost talking to herself and not expecting answers, which was probably just as well because Leira had other things on her mind.

  “Why just noise this time,” Leira asked, “when he got through before?”

  “You’re calmer now, babe—sorry habit—and he can’t get to you as easily,” Troy told her. “You’ve got pretty powerful protections around you. There’s a lot of Shalean and Wiccan help for you here, you know.”

  “There’s more…if you want it.” Melinde looked at her now with a strange expression on her face. “Leira, will you trust me when I say I’m here to help—as a Shalean and as a woman?”

  15

  Leira remembered Rach’s words and decided she had nothing to lose.

  “If I do,” she said cautiously, “what, exactly will I trust you with? Why you and not my mum—or Rach—or even kangaroo boy here?”

  Troy laughed. “I like that. Kangaroo boy. Babe.”

  Reluctantly, she laughed back. “Okay, no animals, but why?”

  “Your mum, even though she’s Matriarch, is first and foremost your mum. She said she couldn’t be impartial, which I understand, so I was asked to show you—to explain to you—what renouncing really means. If you still choose to renounce, you’ll do it officially on Shalean moon. Troy is here to teach you self-defense—Shalean style.”

  “I thought I had renounced? Do I have to do it again, properly, in front of the Sept?”

  Melinde nodded as she looked at Leira. “To show you know what you’re saying. If you do decide to renounce, you need to know exactly what it means first.”

  “And, I stay here until Shalean moon?” She looked from Melinde to Troy and waited. They glanced at each other.

  “Well, maybe…” Troy answered cautiously. “The Sept is concerned about your safety. Rogues are also on the move, and whether you like it or not, Donny needs to know you’re safe. You might have decided he’s not for you, but he’s Shalean and won’t give up easily. Melinde will explain all your options. I’ll teach you self-defense—oh, and a few witchery-tricks that can confuse and annoy the opposition. Don’t worry, nothing major.” He must have noticed her shudder. “Not going to give any secrets away. These are things anyone with a bit of sense—in our usage—can do. What do you say?”