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“
I will see for
meself.”

Jack simply
stepped into Alastair’s path. Clenching his fists, he held them
back. “No, you won’t.”

“
A need tae
see!” Alastair demanded, pushing at Jack.

This was a big
mistake. Jack wasn’t doing well at pushing his anger back. An image
of Cora, the blood soaked towels, suddenly flooded his mind. “Don’t
do that,” Jack snapped.

Alastair
stepped back a moment, gauging him. Alastair shook his head and
pushed at Jack. “Move out of the way!”

“
No.” Jack held
himself.

No one moved.
Everyone seemed to hold their breaths, apart from Clay, who was
already balancing on the balls of his heels. He wanted this. You
could see the excitement on his face at having his turn at
Alastair.

“
A really need
tae see,” Alastair said, this time he was a little
gentler.

“
Again, I
repeat, you don’t need to step foot upstairs.”

“
A’ve had
enough of this!” Tavish stormed and pushed past Jack.

He didn’t get
far. He was stopped by Clay. Jack turned slightly and looked at
Clay. Clay was asking permission, but Jack wanted to take this. He
needed to let something snap. Jack threw Tavish aside as Quinn
jumped on him. Jack couldn’t avoid the first punch. It hit. Black
spots flickered in his vision.

Shit. That
really hurt.

“
No you don’t!
You’re mine!” Clay growled.

Quinn’s weight
was lifted off Jack. Alastair sneered as he stepped towards Jack
who was still on the floor.

They were
interrupted by the shop door opening and the ring of the little
bell. Jack surged to his feet and watched as Tavish stumbled to his
feet. Alastair’s eyes widened.

It wasn’t Mrs
Rogers. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. She was suspicious most of
the time, so explaining this to her may have pushed Jack over the
edge. Although, he was sure that Mrs Rogers was part witch. She
spent so much time at the shop, more than any other
Commoner.

The shop
filled with everyone they’d become friends with over the course of
the year. Jack felt pride grow in his chest as they stood behind
him, supporting them. Jack could see that Alastair didn’t know what
to make of everyone siding with them. He was weighing up how to
deal with it. It appeared to be the Scottish coven versus every
other coven.

“
Whit is this?”
Alastair laughed. “Do yer really think this will stop
me?”

“
Yes,” Tommy
growled.

Ryan stepped
alongside his leader. Kayleigh remained behind them, protected. The
two of them clenched their hands. Dillon stepped up, followed by
Alwena and Ben. The Irish coven was helping elsewhere but Alastair
knew this. He knew they were somewhere. They were all there for
Cora. Each of them respected her so much that they were willing to
fight for her, whilst she fought for her life upstairs.

“
Well...well...
so whit would this be?” Alastair teased as Ben disappeared.
Alastair was already relying on his gift.

The shop door
opened once more and Jack watched as a woman entered. Her blue hair
shimmered as if it was alive, like electricity flowed through her
entire body. Her hair swayed happily around her hips. White eyes
studied the room. They landed on Jack and flashed. The black pupils
held warmth that was impossible in such a bold colour.

“
I believe this
is a revolt,” she approved with a nod of her head.

Alastair
stumbled back. For the first time in a long time, Jack saw the fear
in his eyes. “No...yer dead...”

Adanna came to
halt in front of Alastair. She stood eye level with him, her back
straight, her body held tight as if she expected something. No one
could be overly cautious when it came to Alastair. Whilst he
enjoyed the rare sight of fear on Alastair face. Jack couldn’t help
smirking as she raised her hands up in the air.

“
Surprise!” she
announced.

38

Mind Games

“
So, whit are
yer going tae do?” Alastair asked, but his voice quivered ever so
slightly.

Now that
Adanna had appeared, Jack was surprised that Alastair’s face still
held the annoying sneer.

Jack found
himself smiling. They’d waited for this. He could smile now because
he believed things were going to fine. The plan was in hand, and it
had worked up to this moment.

Adanna ignored
him and turned her back on him, heading towards Jack. Jack found he
didn’t know where to look. He’d never felt so intimidated in his
life. Jack shook his head as she came to stand in front of
him.

“
Are you the
young Jack I’ve heard so much about?” she asked.

Jack smirked.
“I guess so, yes. I hope what you’ve heard is all about my good
looks and charm?”

Adanna held
her hand out to him and laughed. “I like you.”

He looked down
at her palm and then shook it, feeling her cool hand embrace
his.

“
Thank you for
ridding us of the Corenthio Coven. I know you lost some of those
you loved, but you saved so many of our kind.”

Jack coughed,
feeling embarrassed. “It wasn’t only me... I helped, but it
was-”

“
It was Cora,”
Adanna finished, nodding her head.

“
She
did-”

“
She worked
with you. You are one hell of a team, one I wouldn’t want to go up
against. No wonder he’s nervous.” Adanna cast a look behind her at
Alastair.

“
A’m-” Alastair
began.

“
So, your
friend, Ember...” Adanna looked around the shop.

Ember suddenly
appeared in the room holding Ciaran and Evelyn. She looked straight
at Jack, her question there. Jack shook his head. Ember disappeared
and quickly reappeared with Kayla.

“
Ember
explained everything to me. You have a very powerful witch in
Kayla. No one has been able to find me before. I’d made sure of
it.”

Jack looked
over at Kayla whose face had turned a nice shade of red. Jack
smiled. “Henry also helped...we are lucky.”

Adanna nodded
and pulled out a pink vial of liquid from her pocket. “You need to
give Cora this.”

She handed him
the vial. It felt heavy, like there was sand in there. “What is
it?” He was weary of giving Cora anything, even if Adanna was there
to help them.

“
It will stop
things. His potion won’t stand up against mine.”

Jack held the
vial tightly as Alastair stepped towards Adanna, his face contorted
with anger.

“
Yer can’t stop
the process!”

“
Jack, go,”
Adanna instructed. “Now, Alastair, do you think it is wise to step
into my personal space like that?”

Jack rushed up
the stairs. Tabitha looked up from her position on the floor, knelt
beside Cora. He could see the worry and the strain on her
face.

“
Adanna is
here. She gave me this.” He passed Tabitha the vial.

“
Thank God!”
Tabitha cried and rushed into the kitchen to do whatever needed to
be done.

“
Head back
downstairs, we will need everyone down there,” Iona told
him.

He nodded and
left them. He knew they would give Cora the potion. They would do
everything they could to make her well again.

Jack rushed
back down the stairs and into the shop. Only now, could he see the
support they had. Only now, he saw the wall of amazing witches that
faced Alastair. Goose bumps flew up his arms and slid down his
spine.

The plan had
come together now that Adanna was here. As he watched, Jack could
see the way Flynn pushed a strand of Ember’s hair behind her ear.
Ember rolled her eyes but smiled at Flynn. Jack nodded and smiled
at Flynn. It took a brave man to make such a move and get away with
it. Maybe they were onto something there?

They had to
wait. Their first point of action was Flynn. They waited and Jack
hoped Flynn could work his magic without having to touch the
person, it would make things a little harder that way.

Jack didn’t
have to wait long.

Tavish’s eyes
narrowed. “Whit the hell huv yer done?” he demanded and suddenly
turned on Alastair.

For now, they
could sit back and enjoy the show. Flynn was a bloody
genius.

“
Whit?”
Alastair snapped, staring at Tavish like he’d lost the
plot.

“
Don’t try and
hide it!” Tavish jumped at Alastair.

Alastair
jumped out of the way. Tavish disappeared and popped back up behind
Alastair, pushing him. Jack nearly laughed at Alastair’s expression
of shock.

“
Where is
she?!” Tavish asked.

“
Who?” Alastair
looked confused.

Tavish
growled, clearly at the end of his patience when it came to
Alastair avoiding his questions. Now Tavish knew how they felt.
Jack had time to blink and Tavish jumped. Alastair and Tavish
crashed to the floor. Tavish gained the upper hand very quickly.
Understanding dawned on Alastair’s face.

“
What the hell
is going on?” Quinn shouted as he watched the only members left of
his coven fight.

Quinn moved to
Tavish and pulled him off Alastair. Jack shook his head. Quinn was
going to regret that very soon. Tavish quickly turned and snapped
Quinn’s wrist. Quinn yelped, moving back whilst holding his
wrist.

“
You call that
an injury,” Clay muttered.

Jack smiled.
“Do you want to educate him?”

Clay grinned.
“Why not! He doesn’t know when to stay away this one!”

Clay lunged at
Quinn. His fist slammed into Quinn’s face and the sound made Jack
smile. Blood rushed out of Quinn’s nose. Quinn looked like he was
choking on it. Clay held Quinn back, applying pressure to the
broken wrist when he saw fit.

“
Tavish, what
are yer doing?” Alastair challenged.

With his hand
already on the shop door, Tavish turned. “A need to find my
sister!”

Tavish stormed
out, slamming the door behind him. Alastair was now a man
down.

Alastair
glared at Flynn. “Yer think yer can win using yer mind
tricks?

Flynn cocked
his head, studying Alastair. “You seem to think you can win full
stop.”

“
A-”

“
Alastair, help
me!” Quinn panted.

Alastair
looked at Quinn with disdain. “Why should A do that?”

Quinn looked
taken aback. Jack sighed. Here it came. The brutal reality. Quinn
should have seen this coming a long time ago.

“
Yer huv tae,
as my leader. Yer look after me and my brother.”

A man fell
onto the floor. Jack watched Quinn’s face. The horror. The grief.
This was his brother. Even Clay stepped back. Most of the blood
from Quinn’s nose was drying. The flow wasn’t as bad. Quinn sucked
in a deep breath and fell to the floor, protecting his
brother.

“
What huv yer
done?”

Alastair
shrugged. “What always needs tae be done.”

The man
struggled to stand as Quinn made a move to help his brother. Jack
and Eli stepped closer. Quinn stiffened. He obviously didn’t know
them. They would never hurt someone that had been used by
Alastair.

The difference
between Quinn and his brother... Quinn had gone along with
Alastair’s plan from the beginning. He‘d created rods for his own
back because of his behaviour. His brother, however, was different.
He’d been caught up in the cross fire.

Eli put his
arm under the boy’s arms, and helped him to stand up. Quinn nodded
his thanks. Jack didn’t like Quinn, but his brother had become a
victim. Alastair had no right to do what he was doing.

“
A thought yer
was different!” Quinn spat.

“
Yer don’t know
the half of it.”

Quinn looked
around the room, his eyes resting on Jack’s.

“
If yer leave
the shop,” Alastair snarled, “there will be
repercussions.

“
No, there
won’t,” Cora said from her position at the doorway to the
flat.

Jack felt
relief at seeing her face. Seeing her stood up with a little colour
in her cheeks.

“
Cora?” Quinn
asked, shocked.

“
You were used
by Alastair. He uses everyone, it is his way. He used your brother
against you, he used that to keep you in check. You may go, I will
make sure you won’t come to any harm by his hand.”

“
Yer huv nae
right to make that decision!” Alastair argued. “A’m the
leader!”

“
Yes, I do. I’m
the leader of all and I will make sure they are unhurt by
you.”

Quinn nodded
his head at Cora. “Am sorry for everythin’ I put you through. You
will never see or hear from me again.” Quinn left with his
brother.

As the door
closed, Alastair glared at them, only now he didn’t look quite as
comfortable. Alastair was the last remaining coven
member.