Life… was actually quite good. She still hated everyone, but that was healthy, she couldn’t lose that. Between hanging out with Lara and learning how to create a pretty decent illusion of any Disney princess she liked, things were remarkably okay. She had bruises on her waist from all the pinching. Any moment she’d wake up and things would be back to normal.

Even her bed felt more comfortable. JK Rowling was making more Harry Potter films. I mean, they weren’t actually Harry films, but close enough. The sun was out, the smell of pizza was wafting up from downstairs. Any moment now, any moment…

Her computer pinged and she lifted it onto her lap. An email. Lara communicated almost entirely via phone and facebook, so it was probably Martin, or possible MR Hoidjs Insifkasd explaining that he was giving away his inheritance of ten squillion dollars and wanted her to have it. The first time she got one of those emails she danced around her room, oblivious to the sweat and sudden shortness of breath that came from doing actual physical exercise.

Then she called Lara and told her to pack her bags. A few minutes later she put down the phone, face burning red and deleted the email.

This one was from Martin and she read it with a sick feeling in her stomach.

 

Dear Scarlet

I apologise that I come to be communicating with you in such an impersonal way, but something has come up and I have to hurry. I have had information that suggests my wife might be in Australia. I will be journeying there today and may be gone for up to a month. This will of course mean a cessation in your lessons for the next few weeks. 

I apologise for this and assure you they will resume immediately upon my return. 

Yours

Martin

 

Damn, how much effort did it take to write like that? Surely he didn’t think like that? Or maybe he did. She could imagine him sitting in front of his computer, one finger typing with a cup of tea in the other hand, nodding enthusiastically after each sentence. Hang on. He was going to Australia. Today.

She was out the door before her laptop hit the bed and dashed through the estate. Before she’d had time to think about what she was going to say, she thumped the door with a clenched fist, oblivious to the pain it caused. She was about to shout his name when he pulled the door open. He was wearing his best frown and the relief made her giggle.

He stood to one side and she ambled in, still laughing.

‘What, pray tell, is so funny?’

‘Nothing, really, nothing, just… why aren’t you in Australia?’

‘Well, I have to fly there first and that takes really quite some time, you know.’

‘Hah hah, very funny. I thought you were going today?’

He glanced at his watch. ‘In about three hours, to be precise. I had hoped—’

‘To avoid me.’

He blushed and she stared, wide-eyed. He was actually trying to avoid her. ‘Well, anyway, it’s all good, cos you’re still here. So, I’m coming with you.’

It was his turn to look surprised and she nodded. ‘Yeah. It’s summer holiday, I’ve got six weeks off, I’m coming too.’

He was already shaking his head.

‘I want to help. You always help me, with the teaching and the really boring lectures and stuff. I want to help you.’

‘You rescued me from the Council, I think that qualifies as helping.’

‘Well, yeah. Actually, that was pretty amazing. But I want to help with this, with your wife.’

He shook his head again. ‘I’m sorry, Scarlet, this is something I must do alone.’

‘Oh god, did you really just say that? One man on a mission. Outnumbered, outgunned. They call him… Martin.’

He looked at her as though she’d just suggested he get a tumblr account. ‘Why alone?’

‘It may not be safe.’

‘Great, so you’re going to bugger off around the world and probably die and never come back. How am I gonna learn magic then?’

‘Your concern for my wellbeing is touching, truly. Scarlet, this isn’t up for discussion. I am going alone. You will stay here and practice and I will see you in a few weeks.’

‘But that’s not fair.’

He smiled. ‘Who ever told you life was fair? You must stay here, I’m sorry.’

‘You aren’t sorry. If you were sorry you’d take me with you.’

He shook his head and turned away, sorting through stuff on his table. His back looked so big from here, all mastery and annoying. The temptation to punch him was pretty strong but she resisted. She was better than that. ‘If you don’t take me, I’m gonna steal all your stuff and sell it on ebay.’

He turned back, eyebrows raised. ‘No you won’t. You’re a good person, a decent person who knows very well what is right and wrong.’

She stamped her foot, then realised she’d stamped her foot and blushed. ‘This is so not fair.’

He sighed and turned back to his desk. Fine, that was just bloody fine. She’d known it was coming. Life was too perfect, so something had to go wrong. She sat on the couch, staring at the wall and wondering just how long she could sulk for. Hang on, she could just buy a ticket, she didn’t need his permission.

‘Just out of interest, you know, how much is a ticket to Australia?’

‘About £1000, give or take.’

Bugger. He turned back, looking contrite. Contrite was a good word. It sounded like what it meant. He did a good contrite face. Her eyes travelled down to the book in his hand.

‘Scarlet, I’m sorry about this, truly. This book is the next stage in your training. It contains a new level of magic, things we have yet to explore. I am giving it to you now because I believe I can trust you with it, but I implore you. Do not attempt any of the spells within until I return. You may learn them by all means, but do not cast them. Do you understand me?’

She nodded, biting her lip. He thought he could pay her off with a shiny new spell book. He probably could. She took it, running her hand over the rough brown leather. Yeah, it was definitely working. Dammit. She was still pissed at him though.

‘I’m still pissed at you. This doesn’t make it better you know.’

He nodded, mouth turning up at the corners. ‘Do you promise you won’t attempt any of the spells?’

She nodded again. It didn’t count unless she actually said the words.

‘I’d like to hear you say the words, please. I trust you, but I know something about teenagers.’

‘That’s, like, racist or something. Ageist.’

‘Scarlet.’

‘Fine, fine, I promise I won’t do the spells until you return.’

He nodded gravely. ‘Thank you. And now I must go.’

‘What, now?’

‘Yes.’

‘Meaning, this moment right now?’

He ducked into his bedroom and emerged with a heavy bag slung over his shoulder. Taking another from the desk he crossed to the door and paused. ‘I have set my warding so you may come in at any time. This place is yours until I return. But no parties.’

She looked around at the shoe box he called home and burst out laughing. ‘That’s just what I was gonna do as well. I was gonna call my two friends and have them over for a right old knees-up.’

He raised his eyebrows again and was gone. She resisted the urge to run after him. He’d be back, surely he’d be back? Grumbling under her breath she leaned back into the sofa and cracked the spell book open. It was heavy and lay on her legs like a sleeping cat. The first page was covered in writing she didn’t understand, letters she didn’t even recognise.

She stared and stared until her eyes began to water and when they did, the page went blurry and she slammed the book shut. He’d left her with a book she couldn’t bloody read, probably just to shut her up while he made his escape.

She scrubbed her eyes with her hands and jumped as her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and read the text. It was from Lara, which made sense as she was only person who ever texted her. The feeling she’d got when she read Martin’s email returned, only worse. Worser.

 

Hey we have to talk I can’t come out could you come to Harrow please?