to keep him away until he’d calmed down. Yul had been stalking around under a black cloud all through the festivities, upsetting people without thinking and generally dampening the spirits of those around him. Even he didn’t know what was the matter with him. Everything he did seemed to go wrong, starting with the first Solstice celebration and going on from there. He couldn’t get the Yule Log to light. He’d dropped the flaming torch during the evening ceremony at the Circle, reminding himself forcefully of the ceremony when Magus had done the same thing all those years ago at the Summer Solstice. The Earth Magic was very weak and he knew there was something wrong but didn’t know how to put it right.
During the Yule party he’d managed to get really drunk again without planning to at all. Swift had come over for a chat, building on the relationship forged between him and the magus on the night of his Rite of Adulthood. Before he’d realised it Yul was knocking back mead by the bottleful, assisted by the sober young man. Luckily there hadn’t been a repeat of the previous fiasco with Sylvie, but only because he’d stayed down in his study and virtually passed out on the sofa. Even then he’d woken at some point in the night and considered going up to their bedroom to make love with her, telling himself that he was her husband and she had no right to be so cold and frigid. Fortunately he fell asleep again before he could do anything about it.
The whole holiday was terrible with Sylvie avoiding him at every opportunity and his own daughters eyeing him warily. He wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but he sensed a certain hostility amongst some of the folk, which he could only put down to the disappointing lack of Earth Magic at the festival. People seemed to avoid him, or at best watched their tongues when he was around. Yul had never felt so cold-shouldered by Stonewylders before, but without anything tangible he wondered if perhaps he was simply being a little paranoid. Whatever the case, it did nothing to improve his bad temper.
The unwanted visit came when Leveret had gone back home with Maizie, having first been promised by both Hazel and Marigold that they’d look out for Magpie and keep Jay well away from him. Leveret was now back in the cottage where she’d lived all her life and basking in Maizie’s affection. She had yet to face the rest of the community and was dreading it, feeling so ashamed of herself and what she’d tried to do. She made excuses when Maizie tried to persuade her to come and join in the fun at the Barn, saying she still felt wobbly and tired. She actually felt very well indeed having caught up with her sleep and eaten fit to burst.
It was whilst Maizie was organising the children’s treasure hunt around the Village that Yul arrived unannounced. Leveret was reading a book by the fire, curled up in one of the old leather armchairs. The door swung open and her eldest brother stood on the threshold, tall and filling the doorway with his muscular frame. She looked up startled, her heart starting to skip with fear. He triggered a memory from way back in her past – of an enormous man standing on the threshold looking in. Had that been the old Magus?
Yul frowned down at her and she was struck by how changed he looked. Although he was still very handsome – the chiselled face and deep grey eyes would always ensure that – his hair was unkempt, falling into his eyes, and his mouth hard.
‘Good! I was hoping to find you here.’
He stepped in and firmly shut the door behind him.
‘Can I get you something to drink?’ she asked politely, knowing the kettle was bubbling gently on the range.
‘No … yes, some mead if Mother’s got any. It’s cold out there.’
She was a little surprised but duly poured him a glass which he sipped slowly, watching her all the while. She felt very uncomfortable under his scrutiny.
‘You’re looking well, Leveret.’
‘Thank you, I feel fine now.’
‘I can’t help but think you came out of this too lightly. Violent stomach pains or cramps might’ve put you off ever trying it again.’
‘I won’t ever try it again.’
‘Really? Even though it’s proved so effective this time?’
She stared at him in puzzlement. Surely he didn’t think she’d just done it