Miriam

Hoping that she wouldn’t attract Bran’s attention, the young woman moved into the shadows. Allison’s tinkling laughter irritated her, but it was her husband’s words that cut through her fragile confidence. “My wife is enthusiastic, but naive. She has little knowledge of how to please a man.”

Tears ran down her pale cheeks as she slipped unnoticed through the open door onto the terrace. Haunted by his words, Miriam raced towards the airstrip. She had little time left before the aircraft departed. The first storm of winter descended without warning as Miriam waited for the crew to complete their pre-flight checks. Shards of ice bruised her slender frame as she clambered onboard. The journey seemed to take forever.

When the crew disembarked, Miriam changed into jeans, a hooded top and Doc Martens. She opened the safe and stuffed jewellery, currency and her passport into a black backpack. Four large suitcases, packed ready for their trip to the UK, were loaded into the Jeep. By sunset, Miriam was heading north towards her home in Whitby.

Lightning danced among dense inky black clouds as she locked the garage door. “Home,” she whispered sadly.

Her beautiful waist length platinum blonde hair fell to the floor. Tears cascaded down her pale cheeks as she ran her fingers through the short spiky locks, barely one centimetre long. Men glanced admiringly at the tall slender woman when she sauntered into the pub, taking a seat by the bar.

“Vodka on the rocks and a menu please.”

Allan returned Liberty to the water the following afternoon. Nearly two days later, she set sail, making her way north-east through the Baltic Sea.

Olivia was concerned as she hugged her daughter, “It has been a long time. Miriam, what has Bran done now?” She winced when Miriam described Bran’s actions and repeated his comment about her inability to please him. “I don’t want that bastard to visit my island. I didn’t approve of you marrying an old man with children. Bran is sixty years old, nearly three times your age. He treated Amy badly so why did you expect his treatment of you to be any different.”

“Bran isn’t aware of the island’s existence. There’s something you should know, Mom, although Jenny mentioned that I may be pregnant I’m uncertain. Bran has been obnoxious since he brought his new lover to the island.”

“What were you thinking of, Miriam, Jenny is Bran’s sister. When his child is born, he will find you. Amy left him. When the twins entered her world, his minions traced her. Bran took Jade and Jake away from their mother.”

“Mom, I’m astute enough to know that she can’t be trusted, but she saw the test kit. Bran’s lapdog arrived at my old cottage two days after I left the island. The new owner warned me, so I escaped just in time.”

“When was your last bleed?”

“Nearly five weeks ago.”

Olivia opened the safe, dropped a small carton onto the table and poured a glass of water, “Miriam, take it, now.”

Bran’s fury was palpable when he returned from the trance: his anger amused Jake, but not Jade.

“Despite all your powers, you won’t find Miriam.” She smirked as he topped up the coffee with rum. “You can’t blame her for leaving the islands. Goodness, Daddy, what the hell were you thinking of? Miriam is a few months younger than me, and she was in the bedroom when you arrived with the whore.”

“Allison isn’t a whore. Don’t lie to me, Jade, it won’t work. Where is she hiding?”

Bran winced when his daughter cursed him. “I don’t appreciate foul language, especially from a woman.”

“And I don’t give a damn. Use your powers to find her but bear in mind that Olivia is powerful. She loathes you, and who can blame her. Even you must be aware that female witches are far more powerful than males. The fact is that I don’t know where Miriam is hiding, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Allison is an escort who accompanies anyone willing to pay the price; much the same as a whore as she provides sex in return for cash.”

Fury emanated from Bran when Jake quietly said, “We are returning to Scotland. A jet, organised by my mother’s solicitor arrived at the airport a couple of hours ago. All our belongings are onboard. Don’t cross us again: our mother’s powers have risen, as have ours.”