Carrier of the Mark (23 page)

I stared at the pages of strange script that looked more like hieroglyphics than any language I’d ever seen.

“In 1315 there was rain that fell for more than one hundred days, and crops failed all over Europe,” M.J. continued. “By 1319 there were epidemics and even reports of cannibalism. Then in 1322 Bébinn became pregnant and Áed died within days. The scribes tell of a twenty-five-year pregnancy, which devoured Bébinn as the creature within absorbed her element and every drop of life she had in her. Then it launched itself on the world in the form of a plague—a plague that wiped out half of Europe.”

“Crap, crap, and more crap,” Adam spat. “Those are your interpretations of the entries. They’re just legends written to explain historical events. What about the entry about the
other
Marked pair? The one that came after Áed and Bébinn? You can’t pick your tale to suit your agenda.”

“Neither can you, Adam,” Hugh replied, stepping forward. “The record of another couple only proves the point that the elements attract each other so much that serious considerations like consequence and obligation get ignored. The second pairing wasn’t even named, and their relationship hasn’t been translated.”

“Which proves there wasn’t anything worth translating!” Adam shouted in irritation.

“Adam, there’s also the Fifth Prophecy to consider,” Hugh added, putting his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “You know that. The Order revolves around keeping the bloodlines clean to avoid such a situation.”

Adam shrugged Hugh’s hand off. “Of course I’ve considered the Fifth Prophecy. It would be reckless not to! But the Druid Scribes, ugh. Don’t even go there,” Adam warned through gritted teeth.

I wanted to ask about the Fifth Prophecy, but I suddenly realized that Adam was dangerously close to a meltdown. He was shaking, and beads of perspiration had formed around his hairline.

“Megan, step away from Adam,” Fionn urged.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“Just come over to me.” Fionn stretched out his arm and stepped forward.

“Adam, what…” I looked up at him, then froze. Adam stared forward. His eyes had darkened into huge blackened pupils surrounded by a swirling vivid blue.

“Megan, listen to Fionn. Come over to us.” Rían beckoned me toward him.

“What’s happening to him? What’s wrong with his eyes?”

Rían slowly moved closer to me. “His element is taking over; you need to—”

Adam pulled me closer and glared at Rían. “I need to get out of here,” he said in a gasp.

“Adam, don’t do this,” M.J. said. “Look at yourself! Your element is overreacting to the potential separation from Megan and her element. The dependence has already begun. I know the elemental pull is strong, but don’t confuse this with real human emotion, because it’s not and it’s dangerous.”

“I’m not talking about this now!” Adam shot M.J. a murderous glare. “I need to think. Now open the door.”

None of them moved.

“If you don’t open the door, I’m sure Rían will,” Adam growled.

“I’m right here for you.” Rían stepped forward with two balls of flames in his hands.

Hugh moved to the door nervously. “Please calm down, everyone; I’m opening the door.”

Adam stalked out, pulling me with him.

Before we could get out, though, Hugh grabbed Adam’s sleeve. “Adam, please think about what you’re doing. This is only going to get worse.”

“Let go of me,” Adam said in a hiss.

We walked back out to the great cobbled square, followed closely by Rían, Áine, and Fionn.

Fionn ran to catch up with Adam and me. “Adam, try to control it. Take deep breaths.”

Adam kept on walking.

“Adam, hold up. You need to listen to me. We have to get back to the hotel and talk.”

Adam spun around to Fionn in a fury. “My relationship with Megan is not open for discussion!”

Fionn looked at him sympathetically. “I’m not saying I agree with them. But for now you need to control yourself.”

“Adam, you’ve got to focus, man. You nearly lost it in there,” Rían added. He put his hands on Adam’s shoulders and steadied him, forcing Adam to meet his eyes. “Bro, are you listening to me? We can work this out, but you need to keep it under control, for Megan’s sake.” He looked at me, then back to Adam. Above us ominous gray clouds were gathering at a ferocious speed, darkening the sky and blocking out the sun. “Quick, talk to him, Megan; he’ll listen to you.”

I put my arms around Adam’s waist. “Adam, look at me, please.” I reached up and put a hand on either side of his face and tilted his head toward me. “Look at me.” The black and swirling blue of his unfamiliar eyes focused on my face. Suddenly I felt aware of an icy sensation in my chest. It pulsated, reacting to the darkness in Adam’s eyes. Hiding my anxiety, I smiled at him. “You should listen to Rían and Fionn. I don’t like this either, but they’re on our side; they will help us.”

His eyes flickered green for a moment as he fought for control.

“Adam, you’re stronger than this. You control the element—it doesn’t control you.”

Large splatters of rain started falling around us. Everyone in the courtyard was running for cover.

“Come back to me,” I pleaded.

“You’re right,” he said, exhaling a big breath. “Of course you’re right.” The cloud that hovered angrily above us shuddered a little before falling in a torrent. His soaked hair clung to his skin where the rain ran down his pale face in rivulets. Slowly, his pupils contracted and his irises returned to their usual green. “I’m sorry,” he said, shaking a little. “That’s never happened to me before.” He slumped into my arms and I held him. “What I feel is real; I just know it is,” he whispered. “Please believe me?”

“I believe you,” I whispered back to him. The pulsating iciness in my chest dulled, but I was still conscious of its presence.

“Adam, let’s get you out of here,” Fionn said, approaching us slowly.

Adam nodded. “I’m sorry, Fionn. I lost control.” He looked down at his shaking hands.

We got back to the car and all climbed in. The tension was unbearable. As Fionn started the engine, the news blared out from the radio:

“Despite Met Éireann’s forecast of clear skies today, sudden torrential rain in the past few minutes has stopped play at the Republic of Ireland’s friendly with New Zealand. Spectators claimed that—”

Rían flicked off the radio and we rode the rest of the way in silence. We parked the car and collected our bags, then waited for Fionn to check us in. Áine looked particularly upset. I’d have liked to say something to make her feel better, but I was just trying my best to keep it together for Adam’s sake. He still looked dangerously close to snapping. My hand ached where he held it tightly, apparently unwilling to let it go.

Fionn walked toward us. “Right, Áine and Megan, you’re sharing.” He gave us our key card and room number.

“Adam, you’re with Rían.” He held out the key card to Rían. “I’m in two oh five. Go up and get yourselves settled and meet in my room in ten minutes, okay? Adam, you come with me; we need to talk.”

We walked to the elevator in silence. When we got out on the second floor and walked up the carpeted corridor, Áine stopped. “This is us.”

I looked at Adam. He still hadn’t let go of my hand. Fionn kept walking past us.

“Come on, Adam,” he said over his shoulder. Adam looked at me again, then let go of my hand reluctantly. I could feel the blood start flowing through the veins that had been constricted before. He watched me walk into my room. Áine closed the door on his troubled face.

She walked in, chucking the key card on the dressing table and her bag on the floor, then grabbed a towel from the bathroom and flung herself on one of the beds.

“Wow. That was so intense,” she said, rubbing her hair absentmindedly.

I walked over to my bed, took off my soaked jacket, and sat down heavily. “Will he be all right?”

“He’ll be fine. Fionn will make sure of it… And I thought
I
had problems.”

“What do you mean?”

She smiled. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear all my woes today, of all days.”

“Oh, please tell me; I could really use some distraction.”

She looked at me thoughtfully for a few seconds. “Well, as you know I was the only female Marked One, until you appeared. So when I was born, the Order picked a male for me, an intended, my ‘perfect partner.’ He’ll eventually be my husband, and he and I will be in charge of producing children in hopes that we will be able to have four Marked Ones.” She shuddered visibly. “To think there is an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old boy somewhere being groomed to be my husband, to marry me! Ugh! I’m sure he’s probably lovely and all that, but the idea of being forced to marry a complete stranger, the way my mom did, is so awful.” She gazed off into space for a moment, then glanced up at me. “You know, she never loved my dad.”

I groped for words, shocked. “I’m sure she did.”

She shook her head. “She was in love with Fionn, and Fionn was in love with her. But she did her duty and married the one chosen for her. And in doing her duty, she broke her own heart and devastated poor Fionn.”

Áine smiled wearily at my disbelieving face.

“Fionn doesn’t talk about it much; I think it’s all too painful for him. Anyhow, I was hoping that you would be the answer to all my troubles. You’re so in love with Adam. I was sure, up to today, that you would eventually get married and have loads of Marked babies and I would be off the hook. But now that’s looking less and less likely.”

My face fell; I was devastated by the outlook she had just given me a glimpse of. Today was supposed to be about the four elements and my evocation ritual. But now it was all about Adam and me and our future … and babies. All that felt so far-off. But what scared me more was the thought that what I felt might not be real. Was it just my element reacting strongly with Adam’s? If I gave up my element, would Adam stop wanting me? Would his attraction die with my power?

“Oh, crap, I didn’t mean to upset you,” Áine said sadly, coming over to sit next to me. “Look, we’ll come up with something and it will all work out. Please, Megan, don’t cry.” She wiped away my tears. “You have no idea just how much he needs you.”

I turned to her. “What if it’s just his element that needs me?”

She looked at me seriously. “Megan, he only started living when you came into his life. I know my brother. This is not just elemental attraction; this is the real deal. You have to believe him.”

“I do. I feel the same way,” I whispered. I believed Adam’s feelings to be true, but I couldn’t convince myself of where those feelings originated—from him or his element.

“I know you do. I only slag you and wind you up because I’m dead jealous. I wish I could experience that intensity, feel that kind of attraction. I just don’t see it in my future.”

I hugged her. “Don’t say that. It will happen for you. I’m sure of it.”

There was a knock at the door.

“I wonder who that could be,” Áine said, rolling her eyes.

I ran to the door, needing to see him. I pulled the door open and fell into his arms. I breathed a sigh of relief. “Adam.”

“Hi,” he whispered into my neck. “Are you all right?”

I nodded my head close into his chest. “I’m fine. Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine.” He kissed me tenderly. “I’m so sorry about earlier. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Don’t worry.”

He looked over my shoulder to Áine. “Are you ready? Let’s get this over with.” The three of us walked to Fionn’s room, where Rían was waiting for us.

“Right, we’re all here,” Fionn began. “I’m sorry it has come to this. The last thing I want to do is interfere in your lives, but it has to be done. Will, M.J., and Hugh are our friends. And they are genuinely concerned about the effects your relationship will have on this world, as unlikely as that sounds.”

“But, Fionn, this is all speculation!” Adam protested.

“You’re right; there is no hard evidence, but nonetheless, if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years in the Order, it’s that prophecies and fables have a habit of becoming fact. We would be wise to observe a little caution until we have more details.”

I stood there listening to them discussing the rights and wrongs of our relationship and its effects on our world. It soon became very clear to me that there was only one course of action. After hearing Áine’s tales of her mother’s sacrifice and Fionn’s heartache, I knew what I had to do.