Carrier 02: Shadow of the Mark (22 page)

“You do realize that I’m going to wake up in the morning and be one hundred percent convinced that I dreamed this whole conversation?” she said, her eyes still closed.

“I do that every morning. It doesn’t get easier to believe with time.”

She opened one eye, and her smile dropped. “I’m so sorry about the Adam thing.”

My heart lurched. “Me too.”

“What are you going to do?”

For a moment, even breathing hurt. “What I have to do. I’m letting him go.”

Adam kept calling. I didn’t answer. I sat on my bed and watched the phone light up and vibrate until the battery died.

When Dad got home, he slumped against the door. “The harbor’s a mess. The clean-up will take longer than I thought. I’m going to shower.” He took one look at me and pulled up short. “Everything all right?”

Guilt-stricken, I nodded my head, not meeting his eyes. “Fine. Where’s Petra?”

Worry lines crept across his forehead. “I have no idea. There was some damage to her restaurant, so she left early to get the place fixed up, but I haven’t heard from her since. She’s not answering her cell. I’m getting worried.”

Anger at Petra punched me in the stomach, kicking off my emotions again. I despised that he was worrying about her. I gave him a hug. “I’m sure she’s fine. She’s probably busy cleaning up.”

“I hope you’re right. It’s just unlike her.”

“I bet she’ll be back before you’re out of the shower.”

“Megan, you look upset. What’s going on?”

I swallowed hard and pushed my emotions back into the pit of my stomach, where they coiled and twisted. “Adam and I . . . broke up.” I somehow managed to keep it together. “It’s a long story, but I’m okay.”

“I’m not sure I buy that.”

“Honestly, Dad, it’s been coming for a while. Go, get cleaned up.” I forced a smile. “You smell like rotting seaweed.”

He hesitated and then wrinkled his nose. “Okay, but we’ll talk about this later.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I called out to him as he went into his room.

Half an hour later, Fionn showed up at the house. His silhouette was clear through the window by our door. I fled back up the stairs, hoping he didn’t see me.

“Megan, couldn’t you get that?” Dad asked, stepping over me where I huddled on the top step. He threw on a shirt as he ran down to open the door.

“I can’t talk to him. Please, just tell him to go home.”

I listened from my perch as Dad and Fionn discussed “the breakup.” Fionn was worried, but after enough reassurances from my dad that I was fine, he eventually left.

Dad pushed his damp hair off his forehead and tucked in his shirttails. “I think we need to talk.” He put the kettle on. “Do you want some tea?”

I reluctantly nodded and sat down at the table.

Dad joined me. “Fionn seemed genuinely concerned about how you left things with Adam.”

“It’s complicated, Dad.”

“I’m not going to get involved, but if this is really over, be sure to do it right. Loose ends have a habit of blowing in the breeze and getting more tattered and messy with time.” He smiled and rubbed my arm. I was a bit taken aback by his uncharacteristically insightful remark. “Don’t look so shocked. I was young once, and well . . . it was something your mom used to say.”

“Dad, there are so many loose ends, I wouldn’t know where to start to fix them up.”

Dad set the tea on the table. “I wish I could help, but when it comes to matters of the heart, I’m not so great on the advice front. I’m a good listener, though . . . when you’re ready to talk.”

I leaned over and gave him a hug. “Thanks, Dad.” I wished I was five again and he could make everything better, but I knew that wasn’t possible. I needed to get out of the house. I needed to think, and I didn’t want to be here when Petra got back. “I think I’ll go back to Caitlin’s house. Do you mind?”

“Not at all. Maybe you should stay with her tonight, since I’ll be at the club late.”

I nodded. “Dad, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“I’m just sorry, you know, that you have to work so hard fixing up the mess.”

“Don’t be silly, Meg. These things happen.” He laughed. “It should be the storm gods saying sorry, not you.”

Caitlin was coming to pick me up, but I needed some air, so I set out to meet her along the way. As I locked the front door, Randel swooped down and landed on my shoulder. “Hey, Randel. You here alone?” Randel squawked and flew across the street, where a figure caught my eye.

Chloe stepped out from the shrubs. “Hey, Meg.”

“Chloe.” I guess it was inevitable that she would be here. The others wouldn’t be allowed to come, and they still thought I needed protection. Couldn’t they see that I was the only dangerous person around? “You don’t need to be here. You should go back to Rían.”

“It’s my job, and besides, I thought you might need to talk.”

“And what makes you think I’d want to talk to you?” I said, brushing past her.

She fell into step beside me as I headed down the hill. “How are you doing?”

I flashed her a scowl. “How do you think I’m doing?”

I wanted to blame her for everything. She was the one who had wormed her way into our lives. She was the one who flaunted her physical relationship with Rían in my face, making me think I could have one too. With every step I took, my anger grew.

Chloe pulled up in front of me to halt our progress. She nodded at the trees that whipped around with my rage. “You better calm down before you go throwing another hissy fit that will destroy the town even more.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down! Things are working out nicely for you now, aren’t they? You’re in with the Knights, and you’re buddy-buddy with all the DeRíses. It must feel pretty good to be you at the moment.”

Chloe’s face turned to stone before she whispered, “You don’t know shit.”

“Excuse me?”

She threw her arms in the air and screamed at the sky. “You think everything is just la-di-da, don’t you?”

I swung back at her. “Oh yeah, everything is just perfect in my life. Look around you, Chloe. This is my life crumbling right before your eyes.”

“Megan, there’s a lot more going on here than tragic love stories. Don’t you see?”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

She moved toward me with her arms outstretched. At first, I thought she was going for my neck. I gasped and tried to duck away, but she grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “This isn’t about the Order versus the Knox anymore. This is so much bigger. Forget Adam for one second, and look around you.”

I called on the air between us and flung her away from me, landing her hard on her backside. “Stay away from me. My biggest mistake was trusting you. I will never be so naive again.”

She sprung to her feet easily. “That’s more like it. You need to start using your element defensively. You’re going to need it.”

My blood ran cold as her words sliced through me. “Tell me what you know.”

She shook her head and stepped back. “I’ve already said too much. I’m bound by the Knights, but . . . I’ve tried to help you figure it out. Didn’t you get the note I slipped you?” She took a deep breath and sighed. “Believe it or not, I actually care about you. I can’t stand by and wait for it to happen.”

“
You
planted the list of names in my pocket?” My element pulsated, wanting to be unleashed, but I quelled it and focused my attention on Chloe. “Tell me what those names have to do with me.”

She clenched her fists. “I can’t.”

“TELL ME!”

“They . . . they were all Cluaíns. The Order destroyed them. The Circle of Truth has been waiting for the next Cluaín for so long. We’ve been instructed to protect you at all costs but not to intervene. I just . . . I find it hard to just stand by, to let you deal with this alone.”

My element flickered in irritation, blurring my sight and covering my peripheral vision in a haze, like I was peering out a foggy window.

“Deal with WHAT?” Suddenly something hit my face, and I felt like I was lifted right off the ground. Confused, I lost my balance and fell backward, smacking my back on the concrete. “What th—?” It came again, this time on my other cheek.

“Megan! What’s wrong?”

“Chloe!”

“I don’t see anything.” Chloe grabbed at the air around me. “There’s nothing there. What’s going on?”

The air whipped around me, looking for my assailant, but there wasn’t one. Chloe crouched, with her arms out, waiting for the next attack. I felt groggy, dizzy. My head wobbled on my neck, then hung heavy to the side. I felt the ground moving beneath me, as if I were being dragged. Each bump on my spine stung, like my back was sliding over something hard. My eyes darted around as I tried to make sense of what was happening. I hadn’t moved an inch. Black spots obscured my vision, and my ears felt plugged, muffling the sounds around me. A scream, a shout, a thud, and a dull ache rippled through my skull. Then I heard Áine’s voice. It was the only clear sound in the cacophony of muted chaos.

“Megan, help us.” I pushed past the distressing noises, pain, and dark fog that clouded my brain. Chloe was shouting. Her lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear her. I took a deep breath and focused on her mouth, squeezing all other sensations from my mind. Slowly words started to form.

“Megan, what’s happening? What’s wrong?”

My pulse quickened until the blood raced through my system, flooding me with dread. “It’s Áine—she’s hurt. She needs my help.”

“How do you know?”

“She was in my head. She told me. We have to hurry.” I jumped to my feet and started running, not sure where to go next.

Chloe caught up and pulled me to a stop. “Megan, this could be a trap. Stop and think for one minute.” She took out her phone. “Let’s call the house first.”

I didn’t want to waste time calling; I needed to get to Áine—and fast. My legs itched and trembled as adrenaline mixed with my element, ready for flight.

Chloe listened for a second. “No reply. I’m going to try Cú.” She tried a few numbers. There was no reply from anyone. Then her phone vibrated as a text came in.

Phones to silent. Get Megan to a secure location and wait for contact.

“Shit,” she muttered. “We have got to get out of here.”

“I told you. Let’s go!”

Chloe’s phone rang. She exhaled sharply. “It’s Adam.” She hit the answer button. “Adam, we were just coming to look for you.” Chloe’s face dropped again. “Oh, it’s you. Yeah, she’s here. Hang on.”

I grabbed the phone. “Adam?”

“It’s me, Matthew.”

“Matthew? What’s wrong? Where’s Adam? Is Áine okay?”

“I don’t know. I just got back to the house, and everyone was gone. I heard Adam’s phone ringing. Is everything all right? Where are you?”

I didn’t answer him. I grabbed Chloe and pulled her into the air that whistled around me. “We have to get to the DeRíses’.”

She screamed as I lifted us off the ground. She wriggled out of my grip and fell with a sickening crunch, dropping awkwardly on her arm. “Shit.” She chewed on her bottom lip and pulled her arm to her chest. “You . . . you can’t use your element openly. If there is danger around, you’ll be a sitting duck.” Her face paled.

“Chloe, I’m so sor—”

“No time for that. I need to get you to safety. Let’s get out of here.”

“I can’t leave the others. We have to go to their house.”

“Forget it. It’s against protocol.”

The wind whirled dangerously around us. “You can’t stop me.”

“Ugh! Fine, but from now on, listen to what I say and stop using your element. You’re leaving residuals everywhere.”

I jumped as Caitlin pulled up alongside us and nervously got out of the car. “What the hell is going on?” she asked, shielding herself from the vicious winds. I’d forgotten she was picking me up.

Chloe looked at her and smiled grimly.

“We’re not involving her,” I said.

“She’s already involved. Get in,” Chloe ordered, opening the back door of Caitlin’s car and pushing me inside.

“Oh my god! Something’s happening, right?” Caitlin said, excitement creeping into her voice as she jumped back into the car and gripped the steering wheel. “Is it the Knox?”

Chloe’s jaw dropped. “You told her!”

I leaned into Caitlin’s shoulder. “You remember all that life and death stuff I told you about? Well, this is it. This could get dangerous. You don’t have to come.”

Caitlin swallowed hard. “Where to?” She put the car into gear and pulled out with a jerk. The Micra jumped, shuddered, and cut out.

“Agh!” Chloe gasped, cradling her arm and sucking in a breath.

“Oops, sorry, I still stall when I get nervous,” Caitlin muttered, turning the key in the ignition again.

Chloe finally exhaled. “The DeRíses’. And gently does it, please.”

When we got there, the house was dark. As we approached the back door, Matthew emerged.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “Caitlin! What are you doing here?”

“Well, I, um, well . . . hang on, what are you doing here? I thought you had gone back to the UK?”

“My flight was canceled because of the storm. I go back tomorrow. Where is everyone?”

I looked around, taking in the stillness of the yard. “I don’t know. They should be here. Wait, if you decided to stay, where have you been?”

“I was just hanging ou—”

My Mark began to sting. In the next instant, I was assaulted by the Sidhe’s whispers.
Danger, danger
. They swirled around me, disorienting me for a moment. “Matthew, I think we should get inside the house.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Go in the house. I need you all inside now.”

Chloe looked at me wide-eyed, before her demeanor changed. “Megan, Caitlin, get in the house NOW!” Seeming to forget her injury, she grabbed Caitlin by the arm and shoved me toward the house.

D
anger, danger
.

“Matthew!” Chloe shrieked, her good arm beckoning him toward the back door.

A slight smile curled Matthew’s lips. “All right, all right, I don’t know what all the fuss is about.” He followed Caitlin inside.

Danger, GET OUT!
The whispers became more incessant and distinct. I shook my head, trying to get clarity.