The Witches of Panay Read online

  The Witches of Panay

  The Fire Witch

  Malika Gandhi

  Published in 2019

  Copyright © Malika Gandhi

  First Edition

  The author has asserted their moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

  All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, actual events, locales or organisations is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design : Luke Bailey

  TO MY SONS, TRISHUL & DHANUSH

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS

  My sincere thanks to my family for the enthusiastic support they have given me whilst writing this book. I would also like to thank my fab editor, Michelle Morrow, for her encouragement and excellent work editing this book.

  *

  Contents

  PROLOGUE

  (1) BEACH STORM

  (2) DARK MAGIC

  (3) THE LURER’S HOUSE

  (4) THE PENDANCE AND PIA

  (5) THE MIST

  (6) THE WORLD OF PANAY

  (7) PIA’S BIRTHDAY

  (8) AZARETH’S DAY

  (9) THE BLACK PANTHER

  (10) ADISA VILLAGE

  (11) THE BIRTH OF THE FIRE WITCH

  (12) BACK TO AZARETH’S DAY

  (13) THE ELDERS

  (14) THE OLD COAST GUARD STATION

  (15) THE PORTUGUESE CARAVEL

  (16) CAMI’S ISLAND

  (17) THER MERMAID CITY

  (18) THE OBSERVATORY TOWER

  (19) THE SECRET KEEPER

  (20) THE WITCHES COUNCIL, UK DIVISION

  (21) BACK AT ROBIN HOOD’S BAY

  (22) EDDIE’S DEAL

  (23) THE ARRANGEMENT

  EPILOGUE

  PROLOGUE

  The Last Generation Fire Witches

  Kaya, N.E Panay

  The Fire Witches watched the Tenkurian village from the sanctuary of their dwelling, stone and timber, three-storey building, set on the high banks of the river Soar. Even from there, they could see the non-stop, the hustle and bustle of the Tenkurian men. Their days may be filled with dread, and fear of what must come, but they were powerful creatures and carried on with their lives.

  The power of magic hung heavy in the air of Panay, good and bad. The Tenkurian, aware of the threat from the dark Queen Regina, and her army, prepared for an uncertain future of what could be destruction and an end of their race. Perhaps of survival too, from the battle yet to come to them.

  Nevertheless, they carried on, teaching the young ones who had come of age, to harness their powers and skills, the women by the side of the men, creating weapons with the control and influences of their mind. Half human, and half Elven, they formed a new race: The Tenkurian.

  Warrior training became a daily occurrence, from dawn to dusk. Suriaya, Tempesa, Miha, Nebulah, and Yari, the five Fire Witches, let the Tenkurians ready for the imminent battle for this was a fight for them as much as it was for other witch clans, the Elvens, the Men, the Merpeople, and the dwarfs of Panay.

  “They are ready,” Suriaya observed.

  “We must act soon, before the Kaya brothers destroy them, sister,” Miha cited. “Enough fear is embedded in the poor Tenkurian souls... so many lives lost already.”

  “Have all the Crystals been hidden?” asked Yari. She looked to Miha and Tempesa, whose responsibility it was to make sure they were scattered throughout the galaxy.

  “All but one,” said Miha. “This crystal will be the portal between these worlds, for the next Fire Witches who succeed us.” She held a turquoise blue crystal in her palm and closed her other hand over it. When she opened her hand, the crystal was embedded in a silver case and was made into a necklace. “Our time will end soon sisters, and we must return to the creator of the Sun. This crystal holds enough power to regenerate us to defeat the evil of the Kaya brothers. I have made sure of that.

  “After us, and when the universe is ready, the power of the Sun will create five new Fire Witches. The crystals are important, and they will restore peace throughout the galaxy. This pendant will open the realms in which the other four crystals are hidden. The next Fire Witches will need it to regenerate their powers via the sun. One crystal for each Fire Witch. We must not lose this pendant, as it is our lifeline too. We will take it in turns to wear it, but we must be careful. No one must see it.”

  “Right then. Miha, please light the torches.” Suriaya rose from her chair. “It is time to travel.”

  The Fire Witches held hands and spun to the outside of the house. A spell murmured, the undisturbed sand rose and spun around the witches, gaining powerful friction, grit against air, spinning faster and faster. The witches now obscured from view, they disappeared. They came to be in the South West of Panay.

  (1)

  BEACH STORM

  Yorkshire, England

  Placing white orchids at the base of three tombstones, they stood together. The sky above told the story of a typical British winter’s day with clouds the colour of slate rolling over in an ever-darkening sky. The names engraved on the grainy stone had weathered in the last ten years but were still visible. Senon Marshorn, Marcaria Marshorn, and Leena Marshorn; their birth and death dates scripted in a language unfamiliar to the human world.

  “We will have the names re-engraved in gold lettering, if you like, Pia,” a tall woman spoke. Her dark hair fell to her waist in waves, and her flawless skin showed the age of a thirty-year-old witch than one who was nearing her hundred years.

  “As you wish, aunt Serilda,” Pia replied without enthusiasm. She stood head-to-head with her aunt; her emerald-coloured eyes downcast. She avoided looking at the tombstones.

  The smallest one seared her insides, burning with a pain she wanted to go away. Feeling her tears threatening to spill, she blinked her eyes. She was the only one to stay alive, perhaps not remembering it was a blessing. Her aunt told her she was only five when it happened, her twin, Leena, and her mother and father didn’t survive the crash.

  Serilda blew into a blue and white printed handkerchief. Her daughter, Fleur, looked forlornly at the graves before her. She took Pia’s right hand and squeezed it, feeling a lump in her throat for a family she wished she had known.

  “Your mother and father would have been proud of you, Pia.” Serilda sniffed into the handkerchief. “Had your sister been here... ”

  Pia said nothing. She didn’t care about her perfect academic life. She wished she was at home. A flutter from a fallen leaf caught her eye, and then another shifted. A wind materialised, and soon a small storm of leaves covered the cemetery. The temperature plunged, and then Fleur screamed.

  “We should get home,” said Serilda, her tone suddenly nervous. “Quickly, girls!” She ushered them through the gate and back to the car. Glancing at the dark clouds above, Serilda started her Range Rover, muttering, “It’s not normal, it’s not normal.” She sped away.

  Pia slumped in the back seat with her headphones on, trying to forget the images of the grey slabs of her family. She remembered everything about them. She saw their faces perfectly in her mind, especially Leena. Her stomach tightened.

  “Pia, are you listening to me?” Fleur shook her c
ousin’s elbow in frustration.

  Pia pretended to be asleep. She didn’t feel like having a conversation. For good measure, she blocked Fleur from talking to her through telepathy.

  “That’s not fair, Pia!” complained Fleur.

  Pia continued to ignore her cousin. Outside, the storm brewed.

  *

  Pia put on the bracelet Max gifted her and slid her fingers over the stones. Her chest rose and fell, her excitement at its peak. Pia allowed herself to dream back to the day he took her to a fancy restaurant and pulled out a box from behind his back.

  “I want you to have this,” he said, taking her hand and dropping the box on her palm.

  “Oh Max! You need not give me a present. It’s not my birthday… but it’s sweet, thank you,” Pia said as an afterthought.

  “Open it.”

  Pia opened the lid of the box to reveal a silver bracelet studded in emerald and white stones.

  “It’s beautiful, Max! Oh, it must have been expensive. I can’t take it.”

  “I want to give it to you. Please wear it all the time.” Max’s face seemed to be in pain, but it disappeared quickly, replaced by a smile. “Please?”

  “Err, okay.” Pia watched Max closely; what was going on? “So, you’re not going to tell me where you are going on your holiday?”

  Max clasped the bracelet onto Pia’s left hand. “I’m not going on holiday. My parents live in New Mexico, and I will visit them.”

  Pia kissed Max. “I’ll miss you.”

  “I’ll miss you too,” Max kissed her back. “Promise me you will wear the bracelet every day.”

  “I promise,” said Pia, and she kept it.

  Pia and Fleur wrapped themselves up warmly in their coats, scarves, and boots. Blankets of powder snow sparkled as the sun hit the frozen crystals. Bare trees stood tall and strong with a bitter wind whistling through them. Pia shivered and walked closer to Fleur.

  Serilda instructed the girls to deliver a backpack to Mike. It was imperative; she emphasised.

  “What’s inside it?” Fleur asked curiously.

  “That’s none of your business. Now, go on.” Serilda ushered them outside. “And make sure you are back early!”

  “I don’t understand why I have to come,” moaned Fleur to Pia. “You could do this errand all by yourself.”

  “I could,” Pia agreed. “But where’s the fun going to the beach all alone? Besides, a little exercise and fresh air will do you good.”

  Thin snow laced the cobbled streets with watercolour blue skies washing the horizon as the girls reached the quaint winding road leading down to the coastal front of Robin Hood’s Bay. The street dazzled with different coloured Christmas lights and decorations. The usual ones hung off lampposts and inside the high street shops. Plastic fat Father Christmas’ and reindeer toys waved at passers-by from shop fronts. Ignoring the decorations, shoppers bustled past with bags full of presents.

  Pia stopped to admire a white Christmas village display. The tree centred the village and little children, men, and women skied on a frozen lake.

  “Can we buy it?” Fleur asked.

  “Not at that price!” said Pia.

  “Excuse me, love.” A stout woman with a warm smile stood behind them. “Can we get in? It’s freezing, and I have two very excited grandchildren!”

  “Yes, sorry.” Pia smiled back and moved away from the doorway.

  Pia and Fleur began to walk down the sloping road, but it wasn’t long before they stopped again. The shop looked homely, displaying a variety of Christmas-themed cakes and biscuits. This was enough to entice the girls to step inside the cosy bakery.

  The aroma of freshly baked bread hit Pia, bringing a warm memory to her mind. The farmhouse kitchen filled two four-year-old girls with sublime happiness. Marcaria perched her daughters on the table bench and carried on kneading the flour. A small timer went off. Marcaria dusted her hands on her apron and used a large wooden pan–size, handled slate to take the bread out from the open oven.

  “Would you two like some?” Marcaria asked.

  “Yes please, mummy!” Their eyes sparkled.

  Marcaria laughed, slicing through the bread and buttering one side, before giving one to each of them on a plate. “Careful now, it is hot.”

  The bell on top of the shop door rang, and a man entered. Pia jolted back to the present.

  “So, what’s happening with you and Max?” Fleur eyed a particularly delicious looking iced éclair.

  “What?”

  “Max? Earth to Pia!”

  “Oh, um, nothing,” said Pia and Fleur rolled her eyes.

  A lady bustled towards them from behind the counter, “Yes, dears, what can I get you?”

  “I would like an iced éclair and a cinnamon bun, please.” Fleur pointed at the delightful looking cakes through the glass cabinet.

  “Are you going to eat them both?” Pia asked incredulously. “A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips... ”

  Fleur looked at Pia, and then at the cakes.

  “I’ll risk it,” she said with a grin. “So?”

  “So... ?”

  “You haven’t answered my question about Max,” said Fleur.

  “What do you mean?”

  “He has been home for a week now and you haven’t seen him yet. Are you two having a break?”

  “No. We are seeing each other later today.”

  “I see,” said Fleur.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing,” Fleur said. She was smiling again. Pia rolled her eyes this time.

  Leaving the toasty shop, they were greeted with thick falling snow, making the street very festive. They continued down to the beachfront in high spirits and halted at the top of a set of stone steps, overlooking an almost snow-covered beach. Fleur sat on the first step and began to eat. Pia sat next to her and watched the mass of white foam heralded to the beach by the bitter wind.

  Pia loved the coast. It may be cold, dark, and grey, and possibly depressing, but to her, it held a little piece of heaven, nature at its best. She closed her eyes and smelled the sea air.

  “Where is Mike... hey, Pia, do you think we should tell Max about... you know?”

  “No,” Pia said bluntly, her eyes still closed. “Are you mad?”

  “Well, it’s not good to keep secrets and especially from a boyfriend.”

  “I don’t want to keep Max in the dark, any more than you do. He is a good guy, but we can’t tell him, okay?”

  “Hey!” A deep voice shouted from below them.

  Pia and Fleur peered down where a man was standing in a thick jacket, a scarf, and a hat.

  “Max? Is that you?” Pia shouted.

  “Yes!” came the reply.

  The butterflies in Pia’s stomach, which had quietened down, became alive again. She automatically placed her right hand on her bracelet. Pia picked up the backpack she had put down, and with Fleur, walked down the slippery steps carefully, holding the rails. The cold crept through Pia’s gloves.

  “Max, what are you doing here?” she asked as they reached him.

  “Hello, Max,” Fleur said matter-of-factly, extending her hand forward to shake his.

  Max shook her hand with amusement dancing on his face.

  “Did you bring the backpack? Mike had something to do, a last-minute thing,” he asked.

  Max stood at the height of six feet and sported a biker’s look. His face gave off a sexy and rugged appearance, with a bit of stubble on his chin. Fleur nudged Pia.

  “Quit staring and give him the backpack!” Fleur hissed at her. Pia didn’t respond. Fleur sighed and took the backpack from her.

  “Here you go then,” she held it out to Max.

  “Thank you, Fleur,” he smiled.

  “Lovely,” said Fleur. “So, now, I’ll leave you two lovebirds then, if you don’t mind. I fancy a bit of shopping. I’ll catch you at home then, Pia.”

  “Lovebirds?” Pia hissed at Fleur. “Really!”


  “Okay then, bye!” Fleur ran off and then stopped a little while away. “Have fun!”

  “Fleur, wait!” Pia began to protest.

  “I’ll see you at home!” Fleur shouted back.

  “Do you fancy a walk on the beach?” Max asked when Fleur disappeared out of sight.

  “Perhaps I should go after her... ” Pia said.

  “She’s a big girl; I’m sure she can look after herself. Come on, I need not be back until later.”

  “Okay,” said Pia. “Sure. So, how was your visit?”

  “It was great. I loved spending time with my parents. We travelled up and down the country, and then to the United States.” Max looked down at Pia, “I wish you could have come with me.”

  “One day, I will,” Pia promised.

  Max took Pia’s hand. “I see you are still wearing the gift I gave you.”

  Pia blushed. “I suppose I am.”

  They walked along the beach in comfortable silence for a bit, and then Max spoke again.

  “I missed you, you know?”

  Pia blushed, “I didn’t know you felt so strongly about me.”

  “I know it is still early days, but I feel there is something special about you… Well, anyway,” Max brushed a hand over his hair and Pia saw two warm spots on his cheeks, “I’d better head off back to Mike’s and give him this backpack. What’s in it anyway, that’s so secretive?” Max asked.

  “I don’t know. Aunt Serilda didn’t say.”