tightly onto her ankles whilst Jay held her down. She saw glimmers of the dark water not far below, swirling and raging, moving very fast. Jay had to shout to make himself heard over the noise of the water.
‘When I say “go”, lower her down and stop when I tell you!’
Leveret started to thrash about at this, trying to kick their faces, trying to raise her body off the wall. Jay just thrust down even harder making her ribs crunch, and he shouted again.
‘Ready boys?’
She felt the stone scrape her stomach as Jay began to slide her over the edge towards the racing water.
And then it was all gone: the river, the darkness, the three thugs. She was in the bright place before the other realms and the raven was there. It hopped towards her and spoke softly.
‘Be brave, Little Hare, for this will come to an end. They’ll suffer as they make you suffer now. You have a friend who looks out for you and soon she’ll show herself, when the time’s right.’
‘But why must I put up with this?’ she asked. ‘I’ve never hurt them – why do they do this to me?’
‘They envy you. They’re scared of you because you’re different and not like them. They see something in you that’s strange and they try to destroy what they don’t understand. It is ever thus.’
‘Bloody hell! What’s happening?’
Jay felt her go limp, which was odd as she’d been rigid with terror the second before, and then her whole body started to jerk. He hauled her back up and turned her over to see her face.
‘Shine the light on her!’ he yelled and Gefrin fumbled about with the torch and managed to switch it on. He screamed as the harsh beam found her face. It shone from below her chin, so the shadows cast by her sharp bones made the face look like a skull. But more frightening than this was her eyes – they’d rolled up in their sockets and gleamed whitely as she shook.
‘She’s having a fit!’ screamed Jay, who’d seen a boy like this once at college. ‘Quick, let’s get out of here!’
‘We can’t leave her here,’ said Sweyn, scared by the sight of his sister. ‘Look, it’s stopping now.’
Jay felt her go completely floppy in his arms and they saw her eyes return to normal. She screwed them up in the bright light, unable to see a thing. She was utterly confused and thought she was still in the bright place.
‘Where are you?’ she called feebly. ‘I can’t see you anymore. When will she come to me?’
‘Leveret!’ said Sweyn sharply. ‘Snap out of it!’
‘I don’t like it,’ moaned Gefrin. ‘She’s weird.’
‘She’s always bloody weird. Leveret!’
Jay shook her then, not caring that her head bounced back and forth.
‘You’re putting it on now!’ he said harshly, more shaken by her behaviour than he liked to show. ‘Stop it, Leveret! Get that bloody light out of her eyes, Gef!’
The torch moved slightly and she blinked, focusing on the three faces hovering over her.
‘This will come to an end and you’ll suffer as you’ve made me suffer.’
They’d finally reached the cottage and Jay let her go, having half-carried, half-dragged her back. His fear had receded and he was just angry with her now.
‘You’ve messed us about tonight, girl,’ he said, shaking her slightly again but careful not to overdo it just in case. ‘You think you’ve fooled us with your party tricks but you haven’t. You wait, Leveret – just you wait!’
‘If you say a word to Mother about this we’ll tell her you were out on your own again,’ growled Sweyn, jabbing her hard in the chest. ‘Do you understand?’
She nodded, utterly exhausted and wanting to get inside the safety of the cottage.
‘How am I going to explain the marks on me?’
She was sure her stomach would be bruised from the punch. It was also scraped sore from where Jay had held her down so hard on the rough stone bridge and then dragged her almost over the edge and back again. Her back felt bruised too from the weight of his knee.
‘You’ll think of something,’ said Jay. ‘Or you’ll make sure she don’t see. Now you’d better get some beauty sleep ready for Imbolc – you need it.’
‘Yeah, and think about the lovely surprise we got for you!’ said Gefrin.
‘Shh! Shut up, Gef,’ warned Sweyn.
‘You’ll regret it,’ she said wearily. ‘I know you will, whatever it is.’
‘Are you trying to threaten us?’ asked Jay quietly.
‘No, I’m