Old Magic(41)

‘Jarrod, listen to me.’ We reach the fork in the road. From here Jarrod takes the bitumen track west to his place about two kilometres away. I know where he’s staying – the old Wilson homestead. Vic Wilson died about five months back, leaving his estate to his solicitor son, Stephen, who lives in Sydney. Stephen never intended returning to Ashpeak, so decided to lease the place. It’s rundown, but not uninhabitable. ‘There’s a couple more things we can try.’

‘Another magic spell, Kate?’

I wish he would kill his black, self-absorbed mood. ‘No, you idiot. Jillian’s got an idea, but it’s a bit farfetched even for me. So we won’t consider that an option at this stage.’ With a bit of manipulating, hopefully, we would never need to consider it.

‘So what’s the other idea?’

‘You.’

He gives me this disbelieving look again. I’ll never get used to it. Why can’t he just accept? ‘Like how?’

‘Your powers of course. When are you going to admit that I may be right about this?’

He grunts and spins towards the road that leads to his place. ‘Kate, for God’s sake, leave it alone.’

I grab his arm and yank hard. ‘No, I won’t. Look, not everything fits neatly into your simple book of rules. There are things in life that cannot be explained. The paranormal is only one example. With the help of your gift, Jarrod, we might just be able to fight this thing.’

‘You’re confused, Kate. I don’t have any “gift”. The things that happen to me, if anything – and I can’t believe I’m actually saying this – are caused by that stupid curse, not from any unrealised supernatural powers.’

‘No, Jarrod, you’re wrong. Sure, the accidents and misfortune, broken bones, clumsiness, they’re from the curse, I’m almost certain. But the storms, sudden winds, earthquake! You are the one causing those.’

He’s quiet and hopefully thinking about what I said. Using his powers is our only way really. Jillian’s idea won’t work. It can’t work. Besides, the mere concept is outrageous, and would only make Jarrod positive we’re both ready for a spell in a psychiatric centre.

But he only shrugs and slips his empty water bottle into his backpack’s side pocket. ‘What’s the other way? Jillian’s idea? The one she read about in that ancient manual.’

I stare at him but can’t find the words.

‘What is it, Kate?’

Frustration has me seething. I spin away, towards home. ‘Forget it. You don’t want to know.’

‘I asked, didn’t I?’ he calls into the distance I place between us.

My wave is half-hearted. ‘Go home, Jarrod.’

He doesn’t. Instead he jogs up beside me. I glare at him. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’

‘Well, if you won’t tell me the other way, I’ll ask Jillian myself.’

I groan, instantly regretting opening my big mouth. Ever since Jillian read the ancient texts, she’s been in a spin putting her idea into practice. Other than essentials, she’s been doing little else except running around in a mad frenzy making preparations, even to the extent of whipping up hand-made original clothing right down to authentic leather boots. I shudder just at the thought. If Jarrod discovers what Jillian’s plan is he’d only laugh, and I’m not confident he would keep it to himself. I can’t trust him. The way gossip spreads up here, the whole town could be laughing by midnight. If he asks Jillian, she’ll tell him. It’s as simple as that.

I have a lot of faith in Jillian. I’ve seen what she can do. As a healer, especially of animals, she’s brilliant. She knows her herbs, but it’s much more than that. There’s power in her body. There’s power in her mind. She draws deeply from her ancestral heritage. She can transcend to a different level, and it’s there her magic is unearthly.

But this thing she’s talking about is different. It doesn’t fit into any category: preternatural or the norm.

‘Listen,’ I begin. ‘Jillian’s idea is a bit, well, over the top.’

‘So, what else is new?’

I scowl at him long and hard, have to force myself not to chant the words of a nasty spell. Recalling the vision of his hairless exposed chest last night, sprouting excessive body hair sounds like a good idea, thick and curly. I restrain myself, only just. ‘Listen,’ I try again, gritting my teeth. ‘You know what people think around here. If I tell you Jillian’s plan, how can I be sure you won’t go spreading it across the mountain?’

He looks seriously offended, and stops walking. ‘What do you think I am? For heaven’s sake, Kate, I wouldn’t do that. I like Jillian. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.’