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Rite Name

  Haward Mysteries Short Stories #3

  by

  Sophie Duncan

  Haward Mysteries Short Story Collection #3

  This publication is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organisations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.

  Wittegen Press

  https://www.wittegenpress.com/

  Copyright © 2011 by Sophie Duncan

  https://beren_writes.livejournal.com/

  Cover art by Natasha Duncan-Drake

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  ISBN 978-1-908333-29-2

  Dedication

  Tasha, thanks for the support. You're my Remy :).

  ~*~

  Contents

  Rite Name

  Afterword

  ~*~

  Rite Name

  "Well done, Boys. Now keep it steady," Auntie Daisy's calm praise caused a little puff of pride in Rommy's chest as he concentrated on the ball of visible energy hovering between his and Remy's palms.

  He liked the feeling of both his and Remy's magic running through his body and the fizzling ball of white light was really exciting. Ever since Auntie Daisy had started teaching them until they'd started big school in September, it had all been about how not to do this, and how to stop that, mainly because of Remy's moments, which sometimes did bad things.

  Rommy had been happy to practice for Remy, since he had to look after his little brother and learn to help him stop the magic getting out, but now they were nearly six, and really making magic properly was far more fun. His body was all tingly, even his teeth were itchy, and he grinned at Remy over the top of their creation as he saw his brother wiggle his nose. Remy did not smile back, instead he fidgeted and the ball wobbled.

  "Concentrate," Rommy whispered, trying to stop the first signs of his brother's boredom.

  Remy's eyes narrowed at him for that, or maybe it was more for the elastic bands Rommy'd been pinging at Remy that morning, but, whatever the reason, the ball of magic crackled. Rommy didn't care which, he just glared back, annoyed at how easily his twin lost interest in things.

  "Gently, Boys," Auntie Daisy warned.

  Rommy could feel the sprinkles of heat on his face just like when they'd been allowed sparklers last Bonfire Night and Remy had nearly set his hair on fire, so he pulled his hands back a bit, away from Remy's and at the same time, tried to forget he was annoyed. It worked, well, the magic stopped hissing, but the glow also went down.

  "Good try, Young Man," Auntie Daisy approved and Rommy knew she was talking to him, because she never called Remy 'Young Man'.

  Rommy didn't feel like he was doing well, since he could feel the light going out and he didn't want that. He'd pulled back too fast and everything was out of balance. Remy was too strong and Remy wasn't concentrating, so Rommy felt the magic pushing into him and the fading ball started to drift towards him.

  "Remy!" Rommy complained, leaning backwards away from the prickly heat that was coming very close to his hands.

  Now Remy was grinning, it was probably the elastic bands, and Rommy knew he was going to have to let go of the nice magical feelings, or get stung by his twin's naughty side. He couldn't beat Remy directly, but he was learning his Grail a lot faster than Remy, so he commanded, "Ir onweg!"

  His magic pushed behind the expression and Rommy pushed it at the energy.

  "Hey!" Remy objected as Rommy felt his brother's magic hiccup and then the single ball became thousands of tiny balls of light scattering over their legs and the floor.

  Rommy dropped his hands to his sides and steadied himself, waiting for the bright spots to disappear from in front of his eyes and, as they did, he came face to face with a glare.

  "Romulus Theodore Haward, no fair," Remy snarled, leaning right over his crossed legs so that they were almost nose to nose.

  Rommy hated being a twin sometimes, his brother knew just how to be nasty and using his full name was something that made him all spikey inside, only Remy and their mother did it. And since the nice feelings of magic were slipping away thanks to his twin's naughtiness, Rommy was not going to ignore Remy's challenge.

  "You started it," he growled back, glared and felt his magic rise a little in response.

  "That's enough for this evening, Boys," Auntie Daisy interrupted the argument with a clap and Rommy jumped and glanced up and across at where she was standing outside the circle.

  Then he sagged, as, with a wave of her hands, he also felt her power receding from the round platform on which they were sitting. Remy made a face as well as the atmosphere inside and outside of the circle became the same and the magic levels went back to normal.

  "Remy, please snuff the candles," Auntie Daisy began and then, with a smile at Rommy, told him, "and you, Young Man, open the curtains, please."

  Rommy climbed to his feet and headed over to the first of the study's bay windows. He knelt on the seat and pulled open the left curtain and then smiled as the moon's light hit him. He paused and stared out at the blues and blacks of the night-time. He didn't mean to stop for very long, it was just he liked the stillness, but he jumped when the curtain next to him was pulled back and he turned to find Auntie Daisy standing behind him. He would have jumped off then and run to finish his task, but Auntie Daisy laid a hand on his shoulder and then looked over his head at the view he had just left.

  Auntie Daisy did strange things without explaining sometimes, so, Rommy took her lead and turned back to look out of the window.

  "Do you know what day it is, Young Man?" she asked.

  Rommy did, the word had been so funny when his Dad had read it out from the paper that he had remembered, and he replied, "Equinox."

  Auntie Daisy squeezed his shoulder for that one and Rommy beamed out at the dark lawns.

  "That's right, it is the Spring Equinox today," Daisy praised and then, as she nearly always did, asked another question, "But do you know what that means?"

  Rommy shook his head.

  "Equinox means 'equal night', the time when the day and night are the same length. In the Spring, this is a time of new things, a time to look at starting something."

  "Should we be starting something, Auntie Daisy?" Rommy checked, it was always best to check with Auntie Daisy.

  "Perhaps, Young Man," Auntie Daisy patted his shoulder as she spoke, "Perhaps."

  "Why don't you call me Rommy?" Rommy asked as the idea popped into his head.

  He received another squeeze of shoulder for that and a chuckle from his teacher, but Rommy had no idea why she was so pleased with him. He waited.

  "You know that names are very important in magic?" Auntie Daisy said and when he looked up at her to nod, she was smiling at him. "Well, that means they have to be right."

  "Mine isn't?" Rommy asked, turning round properly in alarm.

  Scared, he crossed over to Remy and, taking his hand, Remy defended them both with, "We're Rommy and Remy Haward."

  "That you are, My Dears, and will always be," Auntie Daisy continued to smile. "You are also 'The Haward Twins' to some, 'Romulus," Rommy went spikey inside again, "and Remus Haward' to others and you will be many more things to yet more people. All those names have their place, but they are not n
ecessarily the names you know in your magic."

  "Mine is," Remy stamped his foot and glowered.

  Rommy did not immediately join Remy in saying no, however, and it did not appear that Auntie Daisy was waiting for him to, because she walked over to them both and, cupping Remy by the chin, told him, "Oh yes, you're very sure in your own skin, Remy."

  However, when she looked at him, still with the soft smile on her face, Rommy was more scared and he didn't know why. He was glad of Remy's hand in his.

  "But you, Young Man, should have a think," and she patted his shoulder again.

  Then the moment was over and, turning to the big pentacle they had just left, she told them, "Now, off with you both to clean your teeth, it's past your bedtime."