The Mark of Cain

This dark and atmospheric young adult novel, a companion to "Long Lankin," weaves a dual narrative across centuries. It begins in 1567 with the tragic story of Aphra, a gifted witch ostracized and ultimately persecuted, who enacts a powerful curse on her tormentor's lineage. The story then shifts to 1962, following sisters Cora and Mimi, the last of this cursed line, as they confront the terrifying manifestation of Aphra's revenge within their crumbling ancestral home. Parents should be aware of themes of persecution, revenge, death, and intense supernatural peril. It's suitable for mature young adult readers who enjoy gothic horror and historical fantasy.

A spine-chilling companion to Long Lankin, here is the story of a wronged witch’s revenge, spanning generations and crossing the shadowy line between life and death. In 1567, baby Aphra is found among the reeds and rushes by two outcast witches. Even as an infant, her gifts in the dark craft are clear. But when her guardians succumb to an angry mob, Aphra is left to fend for herself. She is shunned and feared by all but one man, the leper known as Long Lankin. Hounded and ostracized, the two find solace only in each other, but even this respite is doomed, and Aphra’s bitterness poisons her entire being. Afflicted with leprosy, tortured and about to be burned as a witch, she manages one final enchantment—a curse on her tormentor’s heirs. Now, in 1962, Cora and Mimi, the last of a cursed line, are trapped in an ancient home on a crumbling estate in deepest winter, menaced by a spirit bent on revenge. Are their lives and souls forfeit forever?