[English] CARRIER OF THE MARK

Carrier of the Mark
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“She’s really beautiful, isn’t she?” Killian said, interrupting my thoughts.

Caitlin gave the rider a murderous glare.

“She’s an Andalusian purebred mare. There aren’t many of them in this country.” At this, Caitlin’s face relaxed. “She’s a complete bugger to work with, though, and extremely difficult to ride.”

I found that hard to believe, watching the horse and rider move with such grace.

“She’s vicious in the stables too, damn near killed my old Labrador the other day,” he continued. “I think we’d have sold her if it weren’t for Áine. She has a way with the mare. It’s almost as if they can speak to each other. That, and Áine works for free in return for ring time and use of the horses.”

“Áine,” I repeated, startled. “Isn’t that Adam’s sister?”

“The very one. She’s like a horse whisperer or something. Our vet bills have plummeted since she’s been working here. My parents will do just about anything to keep Áine happy.”

At that, Killian got up and told us he had to give another lesson, so Caitlin and I got ourselves a couple of Cokes from the vending machine and settled in for a marathon session of gawking at Killian. Well, Caitlin gawked. I couldn’t stop myself from focusing on Áine. The way she moved on the horse was breathtaking. I couldn’t help but wonder: Did Adam have the same gift as his sister?

The afternoon crept by and finally Caitlin looked at her watch. “We’d better go,” she muttered, sneaking another glance at Killian. “My mum will have dinner ready, and if we stay here any longer we could be accused of loitering, or stalking, or both, for that matter.”

We got up and made our way out of the barn to the driveway.

“Oh, crap, I forgot my jacket,” Caitlin announced.

“Yeah, right. You just want to get one last glimpse,” I teased.

Caitlin blushed. “I’ll be back in just a sec. Wait for me!”

Dusk had cast a gloom over the parking lot. I was just approaching the gate when I noticed Áine standing under a canopy of trees. She was dimly lit by the orange light of a street lamp that had just flickered to life, and she was laughing quietly to herself while gently waving her arms around. I slowed, stepping back into the shadows, and watched her delighted face as a cloud of white moths began to gather above her head. Where had they all come from? She swayed her arms to one side and the fluttering white cloud of moths danced to her command. It was a strangely beautiful sight. Then she held out her arms to each side and the hovering mass of insects descended on her, smothering every inch of her silhouette in the delicate beatings of white wings.

Stunned into stillness, I stayed where I was. The crack of a branch above my head made Áine flick her eyes in my direction. As quickly as the moths had arrived, they disappeared like a wisp into the darkness. Áine looked right at me, then above my head.

Caw! A crow swooped out of the tree and flew to the lamppost beside Áine. They both stared at me. Then the bird winked. No, he wasn’t winking. It was the crow with the ringed eye. He cawed again and took flight, disappearing into the distance.

“Sorry I took so long, Meg. I couldn’t find it anywhere,” Caitlin called breathlessly as she jogged toward me. She pulled up short when she saw my face.

“What’s wrong?”

I didn’t know what to say. The beauty of the moths had sent a chill through my entire body and left my skin tingling. It was the oddest sensation, sort of like what had been happening with my hands, but somehow gentler.

Áine stepped out from under the canopy and walked toward me.

“It’s Megan, isn’t it? I’m Áine. We have art together, but we haven’t been introduced yet,” she announced, looking at me warily. She stopped short, keeping her distance from me.

“Yeah, hi,” I said, taking a step closer and attempting to shake her hand.

Ignoring it, she scratched her neck and ****ed her head to one side, focusing on something behind me. Her eyes slowly slid back to mine and she looked at me thoughtfully for a few moments. Her eyes were so like her brother’s that it was unsettling.

Then a battered-looking Land Rover Discovery pulled in behind her. I peered into the car, but couldn’t see through the tinted windows in the half-light. The driver’s window opened just a little bit and a gruff voice called to Áine to get into the car.

“Must dash.” She looked at me guiltily and jumped into the front seat. Before they pulled away she rolled down her window and stuck her open palm out of the car. On it was a big white moth that must have strayed inside. She smiled at me and gently blew the moth off her hand, then raised her finger to her lips. Seconds later, the car took off, leaving dust and spinning stones in its wake.

“That was weird,” Caitlin said.

“Totally,” I agreed. “Come on, let’s get home.”

The last of the sun was setting over the Bandon estuary as we walked along the river. It had turned the still water a molten orange and red.

Caitlin looked at me. “What’s with all the silence? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s just … I saw Áine doing something really weird with all these white moths. It’s hard to describe. She sort of had them dancing.”

“She was dancing with the moths?”

“No, she made the moths dance.”

“I don’t get it.” Caitlin snorted, giving me a sidelong glance.

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“I’m not explaining it well. I just … Do you think there’s any truth in the rumors about their being … you know?”

“Stop it! You’re giving me the creeps.”

We made our way up the hill past the school and then turned toward town. Just ahead of us I saw someone who looked like the old man from the other day. I started to slow down, not wanting to have to deal with him again. He turned his expressionless face to us before slowly crossing the road and disappearing into an alley.

Caitlin glanced back at me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“What is it with the creepy monk guys around here?”

“Oh, they’re just the brothers from the friary. They’re all really nice.”

“What about that one, the one with the long gray hair and beard clip?”

“Can’t say I’ve ever seen a monk with a beard clip,” Caitlin said, laughing. “I think you have an overactive imagination. I’m going to have a word with the lads. No more scary stories for you.”

“He was just walking in front of us.” I pointed to where he’d crossed the road.

“Sorry, I must have missed him. My mind was more agreeably engaged.” She winked at me. “Thanks for today; I know it wasn’t exactly your bag of chips.”

Still really freaked out, but not wanting to make her worry, I smiled. “Today was great. Your idea was inspired. Riding in the evenings could be just what I need.” I hugged her. “See you tomorrow.”

“Yes,” she replied, “but I’ll talk to you first.” She waved her phone at me.

“Definitely,” I said, waving mine back at her.

I started huffing and puffing my way up the hill. When I was halfway home, I leaned against a tree to catch my breath. There was a squawk from the branch above my head. I jumped and looked up into the silver-ringed eye of a familiar crow.

“And what are you looking at?” I said to him. I took another deep breath and battled the last of the steep hill to my house.

“Hi, Dad! Wait until I tell you what I saw,” I shouted as I let myself in. “Dad?” There was nothing.

I went into the kitchen and flicked on the lights just as my phone beeped with a new text.

Having dinner at work. Order pizza. See you later.

“Oh, Dad.” I sighed. “Of all the nights for you not to be here.”

My stomach was still in knots, so I decided to skip the pizza. I picked up the remote and turned on the TV for some much-needed background noise.

The sound of a cracking branch drew my attention to the window. There, in the tree just outside, was the same weird crow. His beady eyes glared at me in the half-light of dusk.

“Yah!” I shouted at the window, but the bird simply jumped to another branch. With the hairs standing up on the back of my neck, I hastily pulled the curtains.

Four

SAILING LESSONS

I couldn’t believe a month had passed since we moved to Kinsale. Time had flown by, and I had settled into a comfortable routine: Monday to Friday I did the whole school thing, and then on the weekends I hung out with Caitlin and Jennifer, either at one of our houses or in one of the coffee shops in town.

I hadn’t ventured into Cork City yet, though there was a trip planned for a week from Saturday. Caitlin had even been given a pass on her usual cleaning duties in the B and B. I was really looking forward to it. As much as I liked Kinsale, it was hardly Rodeo Drive, and I was desperate for new clothes. My pursuit of Adam might be futile, but I needed to look good anyway. Making myself a tad more visible couldn’t hurt either.

It was funny: When I first arrived here Adam seemed to be everywhere. True, besides the odd looks and furtive glances, he generally ignored me, but he was a regular presence. Lately, though, Adam had been keeping a lower profile. He was in school, but I was seeing him less and less.

I had even asked my dad about him. He said Adam was still working at the yacht club, and sailing and instructing more than ever. Strangely, Rían, who’d graduated last year, still skulked around the place. It was creepy. What on earth was he doing lurking around the school anyway? Shouldn’t he have been in college or something?

And while Adam had been pulling a disappearing act, Áine had become more approachable since our meeting at the equestrian center. But though she was always nice and friendly, she never got too close. One day in art, I plucked up the courage to ask her about the moths.

“Áine…” I chickened out at the last minute. “Could you pass me a red oil pastel?”

“Sure,” she replied, handing it to me. I noticed she avoided touching my hand, though. Weird.

I swallowed hard and tried again. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”

She looked at me, half-wary, half-surprised. “Sure.”

“What happened with the moths that night at the equestrian center?”

“I don’t understand what you mean,” she said quietly, and turned back to her drawing.

“They were all around you, dancing. I saw them covering you.”

She laughed, not making eye contact. “That’s a good one.”

“But I saw—”

“I don’t know what you saw, Megan, but whatever it was, it had nothing to do with me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just…” I felt my face redden. She must think I’m deranged.

She looked at me with pity. “Don’t beat yourself up over it. The light can play tricks at dusk.” She tapped her hand on mine in a reassuring way.

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We both jumped. The zing that passed through us was short, but strong. It was like a static shock, and the tingling that had been flickering through my arm before was gone. I looked at her now pale face.

“Was that static?” I asked, looking from her hand to mine.

“Yeah, ouch. I gotta go… I’m not feeling too well.” She turned to the teacher. “Miss, I feel sick. Can I be excused?”

“Of course, Áine,” she replied, and Áine fled the room.

She hadn’t sat next to me in art since then, but Caitlin told me not to worry about it, that Áine was, after all, a DeRís, and oddness was to be expected.

My Adam drought came to an abrupt end the first day of our sailing course. While most students were excited that they would be getting out of gym for five weeks, I was dreading it. Boats, water—ugh! The only thing keeping me from dropping out of the whole charade was the thought of seeing Adam, being close to him.

When school broke for lunch, people who were signed up for the sailing course were allowed to go home to get their gear. Once home, I changed, grabbed the bag containing my new wet suit (yeah, attractive! But a must with the freezing Irish waters), and set off to the marina. Now that I was so close to seeing Adam, my body was fizzing with excitement. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves, but it didn’t really work.

Caitlin and Jennifer were waiting for me at the club.

“Hurry, Meg. Dump your bag,” Caitlin said, pointing at the clubhouse.

Jennifer looked at her nails, oozing a lack of interest. “Yeah, Meg, come on; let’s get this over with.” She flicked her blond hair over her shoulder. The appeal of the hair flick was lost with the very unflattering gray-and-pink wet suit. I suppressed a smile.

“I’ll be right there,” I called, running up the steps. I glanced back at them and ran slap into Adam’s hard chest at the door. Winded by the collision and teetering on the edge of the step, I grasped in vain at the handrail. He put out his arms behind me and caught me before I fell, pressing me against his solid body. He looked down at me with an inquisitive glance, and I tilted my head toward his face, then jumped back from him, realizing I had paused a second too long, giving away far too much. Get out of here quick, I thought to myself, and ran for the locker room. I poured myself into the wet suit, then dashed back down to Caitlin and Jennifer. They were chatting in excited voices with Darren and Killian. Nausea washed over me. I wasn’t sure whether it was the impending sailing or my run-in with Adam, but I could feel the bile stir in my stomach.

Caitlin and I paired up and we were assigned a tiny two-person boat. We were instructed to drag the boats, which were on little wheels, down the slipway and into the water.

I can’t believe I signed up for this. What was I thinking? We started walking down the concrete slipway. The water lapped up at us halfway down. Green slime and seaweed swirled around my feet. My stomach churned uneasily. I needed to get out of here. I was looking around for a private place to puke when Killian came up to me and put his hand under my elbow.

“Jeez, Megan, you okay? You look like you’re about to hurl.”

Caitlin turned from the front of the boat at the sound of Killian’s voice. “You do look awful. Do you need to sit this out?”

Killian put his arm around me. “Come on; I’ll help you back up to the club.”

At that moment Adam walked down among us all and stopped at the end of the slipway. I shook my head back and forth; I had to snap out of it.

“No, Killian, thanks. I’ll be fine.” I felt myself cool almost instantly. Then the prickling started working its way through my body. The sensation no longer startled me. In fact, I found it soothing today. I could feel my stomach settling and my color returning to normal.

“Only if you’re sure,” Killian said in a worried tone.

“Honestly, I’m fine. Caitlin, tell him I’m fine.”

“Thanks, Killian, but it looks like your knight-in-shining-armor skills won’t be needed,” Caitlin said, glancing at Adam.

“Well, if I can be of any help, just give me a call.” He smirked and winked at her.

Adam had made his way to his boat in the front and was running though some notes. He looked so vital, so full of life. The rest of us looked hideous in our wet suits and life vests, but he still looked gorgeous. How did he do that?

He flicked his eyes around at us and started giving a lecture on water safety and dos and don’ts while operating leisure craft, his green eyes holding everyone’s attention. I idly rubbed my tingling neck and tried to listen to his instructions, but it was useless. I felt my body melting toward him, my breath catching. I dropped my eyes and tried to refocus. I quickly risked a look back up to him under my eyelashes, but his eyes caught mine at the same time and he immediately looked away, dropping his clipboard in the process. Caitlin elbowed me in the ribs.

“Focus, Meg,” she whispered under her breath.

We cast off into the water somewhat successfully; it was actually quite fun, as long as I didn’t look into the deep, dark liquid swirling around us. It was reassuring to see that Adam treated everyone else with the same level of reserve as he did me. He called us in two boats at a time to do some work on knots and lines. He was giving a complicated demonstration on the importance of tying up pulleys or something; I wasn’t really listening. I assumed Caitlin was—well, at least I hoped she was. But when I looked over at her, she was gazing at Killian, who was concentrating hard on his ropes and mimicking Adam. Panic hit me. Oh, crap! I tried frantically to catch up with what Adam was saying and doing, but it was too late.

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“Go out twenty yards and keep plenty of room from each other, and, working as a team, tie in your lines and secure your sails,” Adam shouted as he moved on to the next pair of boats.

I glanced at Caitlin. She was still looking dreamily over toward Killian’s dinghy.

I kicked her. “Cait, did you get any of that?”

“Huh?” she said, with a vacant expression.

I flushed with embarrassment. God, could we be any more pathetic?

“Don’t worry, Meg. It looks pretty simple. I’m sure I can figure this out,” Caitlin said, as she started pulling at ropes and levers.

I looked back at Adam, who was giving a helping hand to one of the other pairs. He was so gorgeous; his lightly tanned skin rippled over his toned body. His dazzling eyes were hidden for the moment behind a pair of dark sunglasses. His defined cheekbones were flushed red from the sea air. His full, curling lips were slightly parted; I wondered what they would feel like, taste like…

Bam! I was interrupted by a hard thump on my head.

The shock of the cold water was temporary. It was replaced by fear as I gasped for air. Whatever hit me had snapped all of the oxygen from my lungs before dunking me in the sea. I sucked in a vast breath and choked on the salt water that swirled its way into my body. I couldn’t figure out which way was up. I knew I was wearing a life jacket, but I couldn’t find the surface; there was no air. Then I got warmer, my breathing became easier, and the strangest sensation of calm came over me. I was underwater, but no longer felt the panic of water filling my lungs. My head was spinning and pounding with pain, but I was breathing. The sound was muffled, like I was cocooned.

A firm arm supported my back.

“Megan.” I heard my name being called in the distance. “Christ, Megan, answer me! Megan, come on; can you hear me?”

I wanted to open my eyes, but even the slightest movement hurt my head.

“Oh, Megan, Megan, I’m so sorry,” I heard Caitlin crying in the background.

“Caitlin, please stay back,” the voice instructed. “Come on, Megan, open your eyes.” It was Adam’s voice, calling me back to consciousness.

I obeyed him and opened my eyes, trying to focus on his. I was lying in Adam’s arms on the slipway. His face was so close to mine I could hear his ragged breath and taste the warmth of it.

“There you are.” He smiled in relief.

The sun was shining behind him and I couldn’t see his face clearly. I tried to sit up and coughed, attempting to clear the burning stinging in my throat. I became acutely aware of a throbbing sensation in my head; it spun and little stars twinkled around Adam’s face.

I gasped at the pain and put my hand to the back of my head. It felt warm and sticky. When I looked at my hand, it was all bloody. I tried to get to my feet, but fell forward. Adam’s strong, warm arms caught me.

“Whoa, take it slowly.”

He put my arm around his shoulders and his arm around my back *****pport me. I gasped at the warmth and closeness of his body; it was like a static shock. Misinterpreting my gasp as pain, he swung me up into his arms.

An orange lifeboat pulled alongside the slipway. “Hi, Adam, you need help? We were just coming in from a call and noticed all the commotion,” a crew member shouted up.

“We’re all good here now, thanks, Dave. Actually, can you do me a favor and see that the class gets the dinghies back into the yard, while I look after this one?”

“Sure thing,” Dave replied.

As Caitlin walked past me up the slipway she gave me a tearful smile. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay? I’m so sorry; I let go of the rope that controls the boom and it just shot out.”

“Don’t worry; I’m good.”

“Go on, Caitlin; join the rest of the class,” Adam said.

It was quiet and calm for a moment, and then I remembered I was in Adam’s arms. I was sure I weighed a ton, but I felt faint and my head pounded. I let it fall against his chest. I could hear his heart thudding away. I was so comfortable there; I felt so safe. My eyes were fluttering again, and the last thing I saw before losing the battle with them was the gray monk, standing at the gates to the yacht club. His watery, expressionless eyes met mine; then a hint of a smile touched his lips.

My head was throbbing. I opened my eyes and reached for the back of my head, only to encounter a hand and an ice pack. Startled, I sat up.

“Dad!”

My dad’s worried face softened into a smile. “God, Meg, you gave me a fright! How do you feel?”

“Sore. Where am I?”

“The Kinsale clinic. I wanted to take you to the hospital.” I stiffened. I hadn’t set foot in a hospital since the crash and I intended to keep it that way. My dad reacted immediately. “It’s okay, I won’t make you go. Let’s see what Dr. Forrest has to say, okay? Look, here he is now.”

“So, Megan, how are you feeling?” Dr. Forrest asked, shining a light into my eyes.

“Okay, I guess. My head hurts.”

“Luckily the wound is superficial, but even so, I’d like to have you under observation for twenty-four hours.” He looked sternly from me to my dad.

My dad squeezed me tighter. “I’ll keep a close watch on her at home.”

Dr. Forrest smiled. “Good. Well, here’s a prescription for the pain. If there’s any swelling or nausea, call me immediately.”

My dad helped me up from the bench and opened the door of the exam room. “We better let Adam know you’re all right.”

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“What! He’s still here?” I gasped, stepping into the waiting room. Sure enough, there he was, sitting in a low, comfy chair, a small smile playing on his face.

Oh, cringe. I just wanted to get out of the room. And what was he smiling about, anyway? For God’s sake, it was hardly a big smiley moment.

I couldn’t talk to him with my dad in such close proximity, but Adam’s eyes met mine, this time holding them. What was that in his gaze? Humor? No, but there was something, an intensity. Something had changed. I yearned to know what. His eyes were laden with meaning and questions; I was desperate to know them, to answer them.

“Come on, Meg; I think your sailing career is over. Let’s get you home.” Dad turned to Adam. “Thanks again, Adam; I can’t tell you how grateful I am. She’s all I have and so, so precious.” He said it with such emotion. I felt a mix of intense embarrassment and love for my poor dad.

“No problem, Mr. Rosenberg. I completely understand.” Adam strode across the room and firmly shook Dad’s hand.

I struggled to say something, anything. But the words wouldn’t come. I just stood there, looking at him awkwardly, then shuffled out of the room.

I caught a last look at his exquisite face. He had one hand in his hair and the other held the back of his neck. His eyes, clouded by confusion, followed mine until the door closed silently on his gaze.

Five

AFTERMATH

School on Monday was all drama, drama, drama. Everyone wanted to hear what had happened and how the heroic Adam had come to my rescue. I didn’t really want to relive the experience—it was embarrassing the first time around and it became more so with each retelling.

After first period, Caitlin grabbed my sleeve and pulled me into one of the girls’ bathrooms.

“So, what happened after Adam carried you off?” she asked.

“I passed out, I think. I just remember waking up in the clinic.”

“Did he say anything? Did he mention the accident?”

“No. Why?”

She leaned back against a sink and chewed on her bottom lip for a second. “I swear to God, I saw the freakiest thing.”

“What do you mean? What happened?”

“Well, after you fell in, I couldn’t see you for a few seconds. I was shouting and grabbing at the water, but there was no sign of you. Within seconds Adam had dived in and swum to you. Like, I mean, seconds. I’ve never seen anything like it. Then, before he got to you, there was a glow in the water. It’s hard to describe. It looked like a golden light just below the water’s surface. Then suddenly, there you were. I could see you perfectly, but here’s the weird thing. You weren’t in the water. You were under it, but not in it. Your hair was hanging down normally and … and … well, you looked content. I swear to God … I’m so freaked out right now. Nobody else saw it. I’m beginning to think I imagined it all. I was hoping you might remember.” She ran her hands through her hair, shaking her head.

“Caitlin, don’t stress yourself out. Maybe it was the sun playing tricks on the surface of the water.”

“Maybe you’re right. It all happened so fast,” she muttered, looking confused.

The door to the bathroom swung open and Jennifer flounced in. “What are you two doing skulking in here?” She went into a stall and slammed the door shut, but kept talking. “Did you guys hear about Killian’s dog? He followed Killian to school today and one of the school buses ran over him.”

“Oh, no! Is he all right?” Caitlin gasped.

“The bus was doing the poor dog a favor, if you ask me. He’s so decrepit! He should have been put down years ago,” Jennifer replied.

“No, you numpty. I meant Killian,” Caitlin said in exasperation.

“Let me finish! Anyhow … Áine arrives just as it happens and runs over to help the poor mutt. She just put her hands on his head and hey, presto, the dog stood up and headed off home.”

Caitlin and I exchanged startled glances as Jennifer flushed the toilet, opened the door, and walked over to a sink. “How freaky is that? I mean, I could have sworn the wheel rolled over the dog. Then the thing just gets up and trots off. There is something strange about that girl. She’s working some kinda voodoo, if you ask me.” She looked at us with her face all scrunched up. “You don’t find that odd? Am I the only one who thinks it highly unlikely the bus missed all of the dog’s vital organs?”

“It’s a possibility,” I piped up.

“Well, I think it’s weird. But then, when have the DeRíses ever been normal?” Jennifer said, leaning into the mirror and reapplying some lip gloss.

It was pouring at lunchtime, so the boys decided to play indoor soccer. Jennifer went along *****pport Darren, and Caitlin and I found an unused classroom and sat in two desks at the back. The rain had been falling all day and now it ran in torrents down the windowpane. The glass was all fogged up on the inside, distorting the greenery beyond.

“Caitlin,” I started.

“Yeah,” she replied, not looking up from her soggy sandwich, which she was opening up and peering into in disgust.

“I…”

“Come on; spit it out.” She paused. “Do you know what that is?” She opened her sandwich wide and put it up to my face. I wrinkled up my nose and took a little sniff.

“I’m not sure. Um … cheese, maybe?”

“Well, I’m not risking it.” She threw the sandwich back into the aluminum foil, picked up her apple instead, and took a big bite. “You were saying?”

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“Adam.” I paused, thinking where to go from here. “What’s the deal with him?”

“Even after everything we’ve told you, you’re still besotted with him,” she said with a faint smile.

“I’m not besotted.”

“Oh, come on, Meg, be honest with yourself. You are and have been since your first day here. It can’t have escaped your attention that he is fairly taken by you as well,” she continued.

“If he really liked me, he’d ask me out. Anyway, that’s not what I want to talk about. I’ve been thinking—”

“I hope you didn’t strain yourself.” She laughed.

“Seriously, Cait, listen to me. Ever since you told me about seeing that light in the water I’ve been racking my brain trying to remember what happened. I don’t remember a light, but I vaguely remember a warm, floaty feeling.”

“You think there’s something to what I saw?” she asked, leaning toward me.

“There might be. Remember the dancing moths down at the equestrian center? I couldn’t explain that either. Then today there was the incident with the dog and the bus. I think there are too many coincidences with the DeRíses. What’s their story? I mean, they’re not exactly your straightforward, run-of-the-mill family, are they?”

“Far from it. I don’t know all the details, but apparently their parents died in some tragic car accident years ago. They were orphaned and had no other relatives, so an old family friend took them in. They moved around with him for a couple of years and then settled here in Kinsale at the Killeen estate, which has been in their family for generations. That estate has been shrouded in mystery since … well, forever. You’ve heard the stories. And there was the hex that everyone talks about.”

“I haven’t heard that one.”

“Really? Well, the Killeens used to be the big landowners in the area. At some point, the locals began to resent the land charges they were forced to pay, and then in the summer of 1842 something happened over at the big house and darkness descended on their lands. Literally. Clouds rolled in off the sea and settled over the entire estate. The land turned brown and everything started to die. It was like a plague. The crops failed and the ‘sickness’ radiated out farther and farther until the whole of coastal West Cork had been affected. The townspeople believed the Killeens had hexed their land and town as punishment for their insubordination. But who knows how much of that is true… It was around the time of the Great Famine, and they may have just been looking for someone to blame.”

“Wow. Imagine trying to shake that kind of association.”

“Yeah, that’s got *****ck. But honestly, they do nothing to endear themselves to the locals. When they first moved here three years ago, we were all a little bit in love with them. Rían was, like, sizzling hot, and Adam was swoon-worthy, but they were absolutely obnoxious and shunned anyone who tried to make friends with them. Áine was more approachable, but she always lurked in the shadows of her brothers, so we eventually stopped trying. The DeRíses seemed to like the distance, and then all the old stories started popping up again.”

“So who’s the guy in the Land Rover?” I asked, totally engrossed.

“Oh, that’s Fionn.”

“Fee-un?”

“Yeah, the guy who took them in, Fionn Christenson. He is so hot … well, for an oldie, that is. Wait until you see him!” She nibbled the last bits of her apple and then threw the core in the trash. “He’s some sort of consultant, and he travels a lot. When he’s not traveling, he works from home. He has this ***y English accent, so Darren’s convinced he’s working for Her Majesty’s Secret Service … you know … MI5.” She laughed. “Darren and his conspiracy theories!”

“Are you serious?”

She nodded and rolled her eyes.

“What about Rían? Do you have any idea why he’s still hanging around the school?”

“I don’t know what his problem is. He finished school last year, and from what I’d heard, he was due to start at Trinity College this year. I’ll tell you one thing for sure: He’s not too keen on his brother having the blatantly obvious hots for you!”

I flushed. “Áine seems pretty nice, in a strange way,” I said, moving swiftly on from Rían.

“Oh, yeah, she’s fine. Actually she’s been much better since you’ve been here. Before you came she was as bad as the other two. She would always have one of them by her side. They’re a bit overprotective, don’t you think?”

“I guess so. Maybe being orphaned at such a young age made them that way.”

“Maybe.” She looked at me thoughtfully. “Do you really think the DeRíses have magical power?”

“I don’t know what I think. But there is something really odd about them.”

She laughed. “Haven’t I been telling you that all along?”

Six

DINNER

I decided to quit the sailing classes. I hated being a quitter, but the truth was, I was not meant for water. I was better off accepting my fate now; otherwise fate would come looking for me … again. So on Friday, the gang went to the marina and I changed my clothes for dreaded PE. What a way to finish the week. Yuck. After a riveting class of running laps around the hockey field while Miss O’Toole flirted with the groundskeeper, I packed my stuff and headed home. I was red faced and sweaty by the time I got to my house, thanks to the laps and the uphill struggle with my ever-increasing-in-weight backpack. I opened the door and dumped the monstrosity inside.

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I tried to shake off my bad mood. I knew I was only cranky because all my friends were currently under the tutelage of the gorgeous Mr. DeRís and I was not. I was just about to head upstairs to take a shower when a text came in on my phone.

Don’t forget. Dinner tonight 7 p.m. I’ll be home to pick you up at 6:30. Dad.

Oh, crap. I had forgotten all about it. Dad wanted to introduce me to the who’s who of Kinsale, most of whom I already knew through idle gossip and their kids who attended the school. He also seemed pretty eager for me to try out a fish restaurant in town, the Crab Cage or the Lobster Pot or something like that.

I got a glass of water and went to my room—my favorite place in the house. White walls, oak floors—and two dormer windows flooded the room with light by day, making it cheerful and homey. It also contained my prize possession, my bed, which I had brought with me from the U.S. It had been my mother’s bed before mine, and it made me feel close to her. Its white wrought-iron headboard was an intricate mesh of flowers and leaves that twisted and spiraled from one side to the other. I threw myself down on the pillows, kicked off my shoes, and tried in vain to piece together all the little bits of oddness that made up Adam DeRís. My eyes wandered to my bookshelves. I glanced at some photos and mementos of my life before Kinsale, a life that I rarely thought of. These things had meant a lot to me a few short months ago, but now their significance had faded.

I closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep, but it just wasn’t happening. I may as well start getting ready for tonight. I’d just grabbed a towel when something behind me started tapping and scratching. I tiptoed to the window and pulled back the curtain. I wasn’t at all surprised to see my feathered friend sitting on my windowsill. This time I stared back at him. The crow angled his head and glared back at me with his winking eye. I stuck my tongue out at him and went in for a shower.

Feeling refreshed, I got dressed in my soft, comfy jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Then I slicked on a little black mascara and pink lip gloss and threw myself back onto my bed to do my math homework while I waited for Dad to get home.

At six forty-five I heard the key in the front door.

“Megan, are you ready?” Dad called into my room as he passed. “I’m just going to change my shirt and we’ll go, all right?”

“Yeah, Dad, I’m ready.” I grabbed my purse and went downstairs to wait for him.

He was down in double-time, smelling nice and his face flushed.

“Ohhh, you’re putting in an extra effort tonight, Dad,” I teased him.

“No more than usual,” he said, carefully inspecting his reflection in the hall mirror.

“Yeah, sure.” I gave him a sidelong look.

There was obviously something very appealing about this restaurant, and I had a feeling it wasn’t the crab cakes. As we pulled away from our house, I looked back. The crow was perched on the highest point of our roof, watching me leave. Was that bird really following me? No. That was insane; birds didn’t stalk people. I pushed the thought out of my head.

The restaurant was lovely, quaint, and totally jam-packed. The food was amazing. Too bad the people surrounding us were so dull. They were bigwigs in town: the superintendent from the Kinsale Gardaí (the Irish police), who, at seven feet tall, towered over us all; as well as the owners of the various town shops and businesses. Killian’s mom and dad were there (Caitlin would be seething that she missed this one). Then there was the owner of the restaurant, Petra Van Meulder. Judging by all my dad’s excessive laughing and beaming, she was the object of his extra efforts.

To be fair, she was lovely and really pretty. Petra told me she was from Holland and that she had come to Ireland to forget a bad divorce and never went home. I appreciated that she was making an extra effort to include me in their conversation, but I couldn’t help feeling like a third wheel. It was great to see Dad actually getting a life, and I wanted to leave them to it. We were just finishing up the meal and thinking of ordering dessert when I saw an opportunity to escape.

I nudged my dad. “Do you mind if I go for a walk?”

“Meg, it’s late. I don’t think so.”

“Caleb, let her go for a walk. It’s very safe around here, and she’s well able to look after herself,” Petra said, giving me an understanding smile.

My dad ****d. “Okay, but stay close and don’t be too long, okay?”

“I won’t. I’m just going to wander down to the marina.”

I stepped out into the night air and filled my lungs with a deep, fresh breath. I exhaled slowly, looking up at the stars, and then started walking along the waterline. The yachts swayed gently where they were moored, creating a musical tinkling sound. I punched in the code to the jetty at the marina and opened the gate. Finally I found a secluded spot and sat down between two big yachts. I let my feet dangle over the edge, toward the water. Funny, it didn’t look scary at night. In fact, it had an almost magical quality in the dark.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I almost didn’t notice the person gliding quietly up the gangway in my direction. The flat, calm water shimmered and pulsated, then rose slightly up, as if there was something just below the surface. I watched in amazement as the water took on a life of its own and followed the person as he walked along the wooden jetty and then moved out of sight behind a boat. I shrank back into the shadows of the yachts as he walked past.

“Adam,” I breathed quietly, enjoying the tingling sensation that ran through me.

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He was wearing heavy sailing pants, boots, and a padded sleeveless jacket. He climbed nimbly into the yacht beside me and disappeared inside. My heart was pounding. Then I heard the flapping sound and a cawing. I looked up. That freaky crow was sitting on the railing of the yacht, his head ****ed to the side, watching me.

“Go away,” I whispered, but he cawed down to me again and disappeared in between the boats. Just then two big boots hit the deck above my head and Adam peered down over the railing, squinting into the darkness.

“Who’s there?” He turned on a flashlight and shone it down in my direction.

I played with the idea of pulling myself farther into the shadows and hiding, but quickly realized that it was virtually impossible.

I leaned out into the beam of light and waved up at him. “Hey, Adam.”

He looked around worriedly. “How long have you been down there?”

“Don’t worry; I won’t say anything.”

“What do you mean?”

“About the water. I saw it, but I won’t say anything.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Really, Megan, you shouldn’t be hanging around the marina at night. It’s dangerous. You should go home.”

“But … the water … it was glowing.” I stopped, doubting myself for a second.

“Megan, honestly, you’ve lost me. I’m guessing you’ve been listening to all the stupid stories about my family. Do yourself a favor—go home.” He sighed and started to turn away.

My temper flared. What made him so goddamn superior? “Hey,” I called up at him, “that’s not fair.” I stumbled in my haste to get up off the gangway and teetered on the edge. He jumped down and steadied me.

“You were saying?”

“Oh, nothing.” I was furious at myself for still aching to touch him.

“Wait,” he said, rubbing his jaw. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be.”

He laughed and turned off the flashlight. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the darkness again. “I mean it,” he said softly, very close to my face.

I could hardly breathe. “Forget it,” I managed, and turned to flee.

But he was quicker; he caught my hand and spun me back to him. “Honestly, I’m sorry.” He lowered his eyes to mine. “But the marina is not the place to be hanging around after dark.”

I lifted my chin defiantly. “You’re here, aren’t you?” I looked him straight in the eye.

He held my glare for a moment or two; then his eyes softened. All traces of my irritation melted away as he moved closer.

I felt like we were being pulled together by some unknown force. With his face now only inches from mine, I could feel his hot breath on my lips; it tickled the end of my nose. Every nerve in my body was screaming for me to throw my arms around his neck, but his eyes held me still. My lips parted, eager to taste his breath on the tip of my tongue.

His eyes shifted and flickered up toward the pier. He took a step back, the spell broken.

“Yeah, but I work here,” he said softly. “See you at school on Monday.”

He walked back down the gangway into the shadows and disappeared into the blackness.

“Megan,” my dad called from the pier. “Are you down there?”

“Yeah, Dad,” I shouted back, still looking in the direction where Adam had disappeared.

“Come on. It’s getting late.”

“I’m coming.” I ran up the gangway to the gate and into my dad’s view.

My crow swooped up the gangway above my head and landed on the gate by my dad.

“What is it with these Irish birds?” my dad said. “They’re persistent, aren’t they?”

“You’ve noticed too!” I blurted out. “I thought it was just me. That crow is a menace. I swear he’s been following me.”

“Have you been reading Stephen King again?” he asked, laughing. He threw his arm over my shoulders and changed the subject. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you much at dinner. How’s school been?”

“It’s fine. I wish people would stop talking about my stupid drowning incident, though.”

He chuckled. He knew I despised being the center of attention.

“Caitlin was talking about going into Cork City tomorrow. Can I go with her?”

“Sure. You haven’t been outside of Kinsale since we got here, and you need to learn how to get around.”

“Great! I’ll let Caitlin know I can go. Thanks, Dad.”

“Come on. Let’s get back to the car; it’s getting cold,” he said, pulling me closer. “Did you see how tall that guy from the guards was?”

“I did. He was pretty hard to miss. And it’s pronounced Guard-ee, Dad. The ‘i’ with the fada on it is pronounced ee.”

“Since when do you know so much about the Irish language?”

“Since I discovered half the population of the school has unpronounceable names,” I said, laughing.

Seven

CORK CITY

He walked toward me, holding me in his gaze, his eyes wide with intensity. His pupils were dilated black and deep, ringed by a circle of yellow that fanned into the green that made up his irises. The green was enclosed by a thin black ring, encasing all that intensity, holding it there. They shimmered. I tried to take a step forward and realized I was underwater. He held out his hand to me. I couldn’t grasp it.

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“Don’t leave me,” I screamed over and over. My head was swirling. “Come back.”

“I’m here, Meg, don’t worry,” my dad said, sitting at my bedside. Confused, I glanced around the room. It was a hospital room.

“You came back to me… I thought I lost you,” he said, smiling at me with sad eyes.

My eyes flickered behind him. The gray monk stood there with a hand on my dad’s shoulder. His eyes gazed at me softly and he smiled gently before dissipating into a shimmering mist.

I threw myself forward and nearly tumbled out of bed. My breath was ragged, my head disoriented. Glancing around, I saw that I was back in my bedroom at home. A dream. It was only a dream.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I allowed my head to drop back onto my feather pillow. My damp hair clung to my cheeks and I rubbed it off in irritation and threw back the duvet. Needing air, I crawled out of the bed and opened the window. It blew fresh and salty onto my clammy face, and I breathed deep as the memories of my encounter with Adam last night washed over me.

“Good morning,” I croaked at the crow who was sitting on my windowsill, as I’d known he would be. He ****ed his head and bowed it a little, then flew away. “See you later, Winky.” I watched him soar down toward the harbor, until he was just a dot in the distance.

My cell phone vibrated on my bedside table with a message from Caitlin.

On my way! Will be at your place in ten. Be ready.

Crap! I’d better hurry. I chucked on what I was wearing last night, giving it a quick sniff to make sure it didn’t smell like fish; then I pulled on my Converse and ran down the stairs. I gasped in horror as I caught sight of myself in the mirror. Whoa, hair. Calm yourself. I quickly pulled it into a ponytail and slicked on some lip gloss and mascara. Just as I was finishing up, there was a knock at the door.

“Hi,” Caitlin sang, sticking her head into the hall. “Bring your raincoat; it’s starting to drizzle.”

On the way out, I noticed a white envelope with my name on it. Inside there was a wad of euros and a little note.

Have some fun on me!

Dad, you’re the best, I thought as I pocketed the cash.

“Let’s go,” I said, and pulled the door firmly behind me.

“The bus will be here in ten minutes, so we’d better leg it. Jennifer’s meeting us in Cork. She went in with her dad earlier.” We set off quickly down the hill and made it just in time.

“So … how was dinner last night?” Caitlin asked as soon as we sat down on the bus.

“Okay. Nothing too riveting.”

“Weren’t Killian’s parents there?”

“Yep. How did you know?”

“I have my sources. Next time, try to get me an invite. It wouldn’t hurt to get some insider info, you know.” She smirked and raised her eyebrows.

I smacked her arm, laughing. “You have it so bad! We have to sort that out soon before you injure yourself. So … I bumped into Adam last night.”

“No! Tell me all the sordid details.”

“Nothing sordid, unfortunately, but I think you might be right about him liking me! I’m pretty sure we came close to a kiss.”

“Agh!”

“I know. It was all very intense.”

“Details, please.”

I gave her a rundown of the previous night’s events, and then paused.

“Are you keeping juicy bits from me?”

“Not juicy bits, but, well … there was all this weird stuff happening with the water when Adam was around. It started to shimmer and bulge up.”

“Agh! Just like when you fell in. Holy crap, now you’ve seen it too. I’m telling you—there’s something up with them!”

“But that’s crazy!”

“I’ve been doing a little digging. I only came up with the usual tales of witchcraft blah, blah, blah, but do you know what’s really strange? These are old stories. There’s been nothing new in ages. All this strange stuff has only been happening since you’ve been here.”

We went quiet, lost in thought as the bus pulled into the city station and we jumped off and started walking toward the main shopping area around Patrick Street.

“Do you think it’s you? You know, with Adam fancying the pants off you?” Caitlin asked after a few minutes.

“Don’t be ridiculous. How could it be me? This was all going on long before I arrived. I think Adam just got caught out when I fell into the water.”

“Then how do you explain Áine?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Honestly, Cait, is it possible we are adding one and one and getting three? I sort of mentioned it to Adam and I felt really stupid afterward. He told me I was imagining things.”

“Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he?”

“I guess.”

“Wouldn’t it be cool if they were, like … magic? Hey! You should ask him to the Halloween party.” Caitlin looked at me with excited eyes.

“What Halloween party?”

“Oh, yeah … breaking news; the social event of the year is happening next Saturday night. Jennifer has all the details. Look, there she is,” Caitlin said, waving across the road.

Jennifer was standing in the doorway of a department store, talking into her cell phone.

“Hey, Jennifer! What’s the story? Any news on the party?” Caitlin asked as Jennifer ended her call.

“Yep. We are ‘G’ for go. My dad is throwing a huge Halloween bash at the yacht club, so while all of our parents are getting their groove on at that party, we will have free rein to have some serious fun at our party. It looks like there’s going to be a full student-body turnout, so, girls, we’d better get shopping.” She grabbed our arms and marched us in through the brass doors of the store. Jennifer led us right to the very expensive floors full of designer clothes, far beyond anything I could afford. Jennifer, however, made several purchases.

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“This place is great for getting ideas before we hit the more affordable shops,” Caitlin explained as we stepped onto the escalator. She winked. “Now, here’s the main reason for hitting this store first.”

We were greeted by the smell of perfume.

“The makeup department.” I sighed.

We proceeded to work the entire floor. By the time we reached the doors at the other side, we were creamed, preened, and perfumed within an inch of our lives. We looked and smelled fantastic. The doorman in his top hat and tails opened the door with a flourish and we walked out of there feeling like royalty.

We crossed the vast street, completely ignoring the crosswalks, just like everyone else. This whole place was a lesson in jaywalking. I followed Caitlin and Jennifer onto a small lane that led to a maze of narrow cobbled alleys. Caitlin told me it was called the Huguenot Quarter. It was a really old part of the city and a treasure trove of boutique shops and restaurants. We browsed through them, picking up bits and pieces for ourselves in the process.

We were just looking for somewhere to have lunch when we heard loud knocking on the window beside us. We peered in through the fogged-up glass and beyond our reflections. Inside, smiling and waving at us, were Killian and Darren.

“What is Darren doing here?” Jennifer said, putting her hands on her hips and tapping her foot. “I told him we were having a girls’ day.”

Caitlin bolted for the door. “Come on,” she murmured. “Maybe I won’t have to wait for the party. Let’s put some of that plotting into practice.”

Killian moved over on his bench, pointedly making room for the suddenly very shy Caitlin, while Jennifer immediately launched into a deep discussion with Darren about his invasion of her girls’ day.

“What are you all doing in town?” Darren inquired, breaking away from Jennifer. “If we had known you were going in too, we could have come in together on the same bus.” This earned him a look of pure poison from Jennifer.

“I was getting an introduction to the delights of Cork,” I replied.

Jennifer scowled at Darren’s back and raised a very pointed middle finger in his direction.

Suppressing a smile, I kept babbling to keep Darren’s attention on me, as Jennifer continued the sign-language attack behind his back. “I really like it here.”

Seeing Killian laugh, Darren turned to look back at Jennifer. She quickly flicked her gaze over to me and looked suitably aggrieved. “I can’t imagine why! I can’t wait to start university, so I can get out of this dump!”

“Hey, that’s a little harsh,” Darren said.

“Whatever,” she bit back.

“Ouch! What’s up with you?” Killian asked, looking at her.

“Nothing.” She stood up and pouted at Caitlin and me. “Girls, want to ***ch the boys and do some shopping?”

“Ah, Jen, we just got here, and I’m starving,” Caitlin said.

“Suit yourselves. I’m outta here,” she announced, turning to leave. “Text me when you’re finished.”

“And that, unfortunately, is my cue.” Darren frowned. “Man, is she high-maintenance,” he whispered to us before he ran to catch up with Jennifer.

We ordered lunch and Caitlin and Killian chatted easily about school and the impending midterm break. Talk moved on to the big Halloween party, and I think Caitlin noticed I was starting to feel like a third wheel, because she suddenly turned to me and asked if I thought I would be able to go.

“Probably; I’ll have to run it by my dad.”

“You’ll be there, Caitlin, won’t you?” Killian asked eagerly.

“I sure will.” She smiled.

“You know, I might meet up with Jennifer after all,” I said, getting out of my seat. “I still have to buy something for the party. Do you mind?”

Caitlin looked at me, not quite sure what to say. I quickly intervened. “Killian, you can take good care of my friend here for an hour or so, can’t you?”

“I’m sure I could manage that. It will be a burden, but I’ll cope.” He laughed.

“Great, so I’ll see you guys later then!” I raised my eyebrows at Caitlin to let her know that she should use the time with Killian wisely, and set off down Patrick Street in the direction of Grand Parade. I texted Jennifer to see if she was up for more shopping.

Within seconds my phone beeped:

Definitely. Let me just ***ch Darren. Meet you in five at the fountain on Grand Parade.

Darren was kissing her good-bye when we met up. Then he waved to us and set off.

Jennifer sighed once he was out of sight. “I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on Darren. It turns out it was Killian who coerced him into ‘accidentally’ meeting us. Killian is finally going to ask Caitlin out.”

“That’s awesome! I’m glad I left them alone so it could actually happen!”

“Yeah, well, it’s about time. Now with her sorted it’s just you we have to worry about. Are you still hankering after Adam?”

“I don’t think I was ever hankering after him.”

She gave me one of her withering looks.

“Okay, so I did some hankering,” I admitted. “I don’t know; I guess I still am, but as you’ve all pointed out, he’s a no-go.”

“Listen, if Adam DeRís showed even the slightest bit of interest in me I’d snap him up. When a guy’s that gorgeous, he could sprout wings and sport a tutu and I’d still have a bit of him.”