Carrier of the Mark (32 page)

I was back to spending a lot of time with Caitlin, which was great. We studied together in the evenings, filling the void the boys left in their absence. Caitlin and Killian had tried getting back together, but Caitlin couldn’t get the image of Killian cheating on her out of her head, and so she ended it … again. Poor Killian was devastated. But something told me that she still had feelings for Killian and that his suffering would be short.

One evening after we finished our homework, we started talking about our plans for the summer. Caitlin informed me that she was stuck working at the bed-and-breakfast from spring right through to the fall, so she wouldn’t have a lot of free time.

“We should do something this weekend. In fact, we should do something each weekend up to when the tourist season kicks off.” She sighed. “I’ll smell like a full Irish breakfast until the end of the summer.”

I laughed at her. “It can’t be that bad.”

“You haven’t smelled me during the summer months. I’m telling you, I won’t be able to even look at a sausage until Christmas.”

“So what do you want to do this weekend? I was actually thinking it would be fun to take a ride at the stables. We haven’t been down there since the whole Killian disaster went down.”

She looked out the window. “In case you’ve missed it, we’re sort of in the middle of storm season here.”

“I’m predicting good weather this weekend.”

“Oh, you are, are you? What have you got, some kind of magical barometer?”

I grinned. “Yeah, something like that. Look, I’ll take care of the weather. You acquire the horses.”

“I’m not sure, Megan. Things are still awkward with Killian. I don’t know who has the harder task: you in appeasing the rain gods, or me in coercing Killian into giving me his horses.”

“Something tells me it won’t be a problem.”

“Oh, fine. You’re on.” She sounded reluctant, but I could tell by the gleam in her eye that she was secretly glad to have an excuse to talk to Killian.

“Great!” I finished my tea and started gathering my stuff. “I’d better get home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She waved me off and I headed home, spying Randel on the tree across the road. I waved discreetly to him. Even though there no longer seemed to be a threat, he still kept a constant watch on me. While the rest of us had moved on, Áine had told me Randel was still unhappy. So he shadowed me, a constant and reassuring presence that I was now well used to.

I was walking for about ten minutes when Adam pulled up and rolled his window down.

“Want to let your inattentive boyfriend give you a lift?”

I looked into his tired eyes and smiled. Despite the fact that he had been hard to talk to lately, I was thrilled to see him.

I leaned over the window and gave him a kiss.

“You’re far too forgiving,” he murmured, as I climbed into the passenger seat.

“No way. Maybe I should be thanking you,” I teased. “Your absence from my life is what’s going to get me into Trinity. I’m going to whip your butt in the exams,” I joked.

“And what makes you think that?” He tapped the side of his head. “This brain is a lean machine; I’ll whip
your
butt, hands down. All I need is a few nights of cramming.”

I ran my finger along the purple rings under his eyes. “All you need is a few nights’ sleep.”

He sighed. “I can’t sleep these days. My brain won’t shut off. I told you, lean machine.” He tried to laugh, but it didn’t quite come out.

I cupped my hand under his chin. “What you need is another night with me. I’d make sure your brain shuts off. It’s been a long time.”

“I know. I’m nearly there, though. It won’t be long now, I promise.”

“You don’t have to do this, Adam,” I whispered.

He opened his eyes and sat upright. “Yes, I do. Time’s nearly up. Come on; I’ll get you home.”

I played with the idea of telling him I was giving up the element, that I had it under control now, but I knew he’d freak out. I sighed and leaned back in my seat as he drove the rest of the way to my house. When we pulled up, I saw that my dad was already home.

“I won’t come in,” Adam told me.

“Will you be in school tomorrow?” I asked hopefully.

“Not tomorrow, but I can see you Saturday.”

“Well, we were thinking of going out for a ride on Saturday, Caitlin and me. I haven’t asked Áine yet, but I’m sure she’ll be up for it too. Do you mind?”

“Of course not. Maybe I’ll see you Saturday night then.”

“That would be nice.” I gave him a good-bye kiss, then stepped out into the rain. “Adam.”

“Yes.”

“Any chance you could think happy thoughts on Saturday? Riding in the rain isn’t much fun.”

Adam’s lips curled into a little smile. “I’m sorry; I don’t even notice I’m doing it.” He put out his hand and flicked it to the side. The clouds broke above my head and the first bit of clear sky I’d seen in weeks peeped through the clouds.

“I’ll save all my happy thoughts for Saturday,” he promised, and he backed out of the driveway and drove away.

“Hey, Meg.” Dad walked out to greet me. “Is Adam not coming in?”

“No, he had to go study.”

Dad looked at me thoughtfully. “Is everything all right with you two? We don’t see much of him around here these days. I haven’t seen his name on the duty list in the club either.”

“Everything’s fine, Dad; he’s just studying a lot.” I decided to change the subject before he could ask any more questions. “Caitlin, Áine, and I are going to go riding on Saturday.”

“That sounds nice. Too bad the weather’s been so bad.”

“I think the forecast is calling for a break in the rain.”

“Really? Well, if that’s the case, maybe I’ll head down to West Cork with Petra.”

“Sounds good. Anyway, I’m going to hit the books,” I said, plodding up the stairs. I was so tired. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for myself too. I missed the real Adam. I couldn’t wait for the time when he and I could just be together, without anything hanging over our heads.

Saturday was indeed beautiful. I wondered what happy thoughts Adam could have come up with to produce such a perfect day. We were all up bright and early and down in the stables before ten a.m. As I had expected, Áine was delighted to hear about the riding trip, and had been talking about it all week. When we got there, Áine and I found Caitlin and Killian talking happily together. When she saw us approaching, she hugged him and ran over to us.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Áine teased.

She blushed. “It’s hard to stay away long! I guess I just can’t resist a man in jodhpurs.”

I laughed. “I knew it was only a matter of time. I bet he’ll be much more attentive this time around. No screwups.”

The three of us turned and looked at him. He happened to glance at us at exactly the same time, and when he met our eyes, he spun around fast to look busy doing something. Unfortunately for him, he tripped over a wheelbarrow and caught himself just in time to keep from falling on his face. Then he tried to gather his dignity and saunter away looking nonchalant. We all burst out laughing, but tried to smother the sounds so we wouldn’t hurt his feelings.

“Come on,” Áine said when she managed to get her breath back. “Let’s get going.”

Killian had tacked up three of the yard’s best horses. I stretched my foot up into the stirrup and hauled myself up. As I sat in the saddle my Mark stung for a split second. I spun my head around, but there was no one else nearby, and Áine was still smiling away.

I must have imagined it. My hair was probably caught on my riding hat. I reached back to free it.

Caitlin leaned over. “Here, let me help.” She hooked her finger under my hat and pulled out my hair.

“Thanks, that’s better. Come on, guys,” I shouted, and trotted off down the path.

“Hold up,” they called after me, kicking their horses into action, trying to catch up.

It was a gorgeous morning. We trotted all the way out to Sandycove beach, letting the horses go into the water up to their chests to cool them down; we all got a little wet in the process, but it was fun. We had our picnic on the beach, under the soft glow of the winter sun, and then doubled back toward Kinsale. We were making our way to a particular field that Áine said was long enough to ride through at a gallop. When we arrived at the field the horses all got giddy and excited, prancing around the place and shying from imaginary things in their excitement to get going.

Áine put her hand up in the air. “On your mark, get set, go!” she roared, and all the horses took off, half rearing up in their first stride. All that could be heard was the thudding of hooves, and I gloried in the feel of the wind in my face.

Something tugged me back. I didn’t see anything; I just fell to the ground, totally winded. I could see Caitlin and Áine galloping out of view with my horse hot on their heels. They hadn’t even realized I’d fallen. Then something covered my mouth. I tried to scream but I couldn’t. I couldn’t even breathe. I was being held down and dragged.

I felt the blackout coming … and then I felt nothing.

I
t was dark and cold. There was no air. I tried to move my hands to push off whatever was on top of me. But my hands wouldn’t move. They were bound. I didn’t know which way was up or down. I screamed and kicked my legs against anything I could hit, but it did no good.

My eyes finally adjusted to the dark and I could see I was in a small, enclosed space, with a tire wedged against my back. And I was moving. I was in the trunk of a car. I tried to reach the lock, to see if I could activate it from the inside, but I was too tightly bound. I screamed again and tried to use my power, but nothing happened.

Suddenly the car skidded to a halt, slamming me into the trunk wall. My head took the brunt of the blow and a stabbing pain sliced across it. Fear gripped me. What was going to happen? What was this? Logic told me it was the Knox; they’d come for me. How long had I been unconscious? Was it minutes? Hours?

At least I could be sure that Áine would have figured out by now that I was missing. She would have told her family. Adam would know.

Adam. His name stabbed through my heart. He would be frantic. They all would. This was the one thing they feared above all else, and now it had happened. It hurt to imagine how Adam’s face must have looked when he heard the news. I knew how it would crumble, how his eyes would narrow and darken. Even here, in my little prison, all I wanted was to somehow get to him and tell him not to worry.

A car door banged close by and I heard footsteps, then a clunk as the trunk was opened. I was blinded by the light that poured in. All I could see was the silhouette of a person with the bright sky behind. Then there was a hand over my nose and mouth again. I struggled, calling on my power in vain, but not for long. My body went limp before my brain shut down.

I was being dragged out of the trunk. My legs hit the ground as the blackness took hold.

I felt sick and drowsy. I remembered waking up in the dark trunk of the car after falling from my horse, and being smothered by some choking chemical. I had no idea where I was. It was damp and cold. I could hear lapping water. I looked around me.

Was I on a boat? I must be, but the floor was at a funny angle. I tried to stand up, but my hands and feet were still bound and I fell over. I heard footsteps clumping down the stairs.

“Good morning, sunshine. You awake again?” a voice with an English accent rang out. “Are you going to be a good girl this time or do I have to drug you again?” The words were heavily laced with sarcasm. I shook my head frantically from side to side, trying my best to convey to him that I would play along.

He pulled me roughly off the floor and sat me down on a makeshift bed.

“Now you stay quiet, right, or it will be night-night for you again,” he threatened, and removed my gag. My mouth was sore and cracked where the gag had been tied tight. I opened and closed it a few times, trying to ease the pain in my jaw. I tried once more to tap my power, but it was dead.

“No point in tiring yourself out. Your powers won’t work on me,” he said right into my face. My expression must have revealed my shock, because he laughed and held out a charm that was on a chain around his neck. “You see, I have the Amulet of Accaious.”