Current Impressions (15 page)

“Of course.”

Outside the fortress walls, she took my hand
and transported us to the shore before I could take a breath. She
didn’t wait and dove in. I followed on her heels, too excited about
seeing Evan and giving him the necklace to worry about my aunt’s
mood. Which, when I thought about it, wasn’t really too different
from her everyday mood.

She swam stealthily all the way to Aberdeen.
How she knew where to stop, I had no idea. She must have talked to
Kieran, because when we came on land, we were on the shore below
the house.

“I’ll wait here,” she said. “Be back in
fifteen minutes. Don’t make me regret this.”

I didn’t waste time responding. I’d already
visualized myself in shorts and a swimsuit. I sprinted up the hill
and stopped at the top, out of breath. It was quiet, and the house
was dark. Although a car was in the driveway, it looked like no one
was home.

A motor roared in the distance. A large boat
moved swiftly toward the shore. It slowed as it approached the
pier. Of course! Evan was working today. How would I explain how I
got here? I had no car. I’d tell his professor that someone dropped
me off.

I didn’t notice Brigid down in the cove.
She’d either gone back in the ocean or found a place to hide and
wait. They wouldn’t see her.

Two figures stood on deck. When they
debarked and tied it off, I recognized Evan and Professor Nolan. A
third man with white hair stepped out of the cabin. I didn’t know
him. Indecision paralyzed me. Wait here or go to the pier?
Better wait here
, I decided. It might seem more coincidental
that I had just arrived and been waiting for only a few
minutes.

I paced nervously when a few minutes grew to
at least ten. Brigid told me I had fifteen. How was I going to give
him the necklace and leave without explaining myself? My plan was
falling apart. I visualized a pen and envelope, wrote Evan’s name
on the outside, and took off the necklace and placed it inside. On
the inside flap, I wrote, “Evan, a gift for you. Wear this and
think of me. Love, Meara.” Not that I was paranoid, but if anyone
else found it, they wouldn’t think anything of my message. I sealed
it and looked down at the men again. They were lingering, probably
putting equipment away on the boat.

I ran around the house to the front and rang
the bell. Maybe the butler was here. He was odd, but he seemed
professional. I was pretty confident that if I gave him the
necklace, he’d make sure Evan got it. I’d know for sure when I
tried to communicate with him later.

“Good afternoon, Miss.” Stonewall looked the
same as the day before, down to the dark suit and serious
expression on his face. “Master Mitchell is not here. They are
working today.”

“I know. I…” I thrust the envelope into his
hand. “I just wanted to leave this for Evan. Can you give it to
him?”

“Of course, Miss. Would you like to wait? I
imagine they will be home shortly.”

“No, thank you.” What I wanted was to get
out of there before Evan or one of the other men spotted me.
“Please just give him the envelope and let him know I stopped
by.”

“Very well.” He stepped back and began to
close the door. “Good day.”

“You too,” I called. “Thank you.”

I hurried down the steps and around the
corner of the house. As soon as I got there, I transported myself
to the cove.

“Brigid,” I called in a whisper.

“I was about to leave.”

I jumped. She was directly behind me. “Did
you say hello to your lover boy?”

“No. Their boat just came back, and they’re
standing on the pier. I left a message with the butler.”

“How quaint,” she said in a bored voice.
“Time to get back and start your lesson.”

“I still have a lesson today?”

She laughed. “Of course, and now that I’ve
done you a favor, well, it’s going to be a long lesson.”

Why did she sound so happy about that?

****

My hair, plastered to my face, obstructed my
view. I could, however, hear my aunt’s cold voice. “Again,” she
commanded.

I sighed and sat down. She drilled me for
hours in the pouring rain. For some reason, the rain didn’t faze
her. Her black hair was pulled back in a high, tight ponytail. Her
clothes seemed to repel the water. I was soaked and she barely
looked wet. How did she do it?

“Can we please Change?” I asked again. I
thought the rain would bother me less in seal form. She insisted we
stay human.

“What if you are attacked on land? You must
know how to defend yourself. You can’t very well change into a seal
in front of the enemy, can you? How helpful would that be?”

“It would if the ocean was nearby and I
could swim away,” I muttered.

“What did you say?” Her voice was as icy as
the rain.

“Nothing.”

Next, I tried to explain that I’d been human
for a long time, my whole life to be exact. She sneered at me. “I
want you in human form, not human,” she corrected. “Besides, as a
human, you had no power. Now you do. Defend!”

I shot to my feet when she threw a bolt of
blue light at me. From experience, I knew it hurt. I drew my shield
and blocked her bolt. Another followed in its wake.

I was tired, cranky, and so done with this.
I focused on my shield and its pliability. In my mind, I formed it
into a glove and caught the bolt. It sizzled and encircled me, but
it didn’t touch my skin. I added my power, and it changed from
electric blue to blazing orange. The orange engulfed me like
flames. The power raised the hairs on my body. I wasn’t afraid. If
anything, I was energized. I threw my arms skyward and flung the
orange bolt into the clouds.

“Enough!” I cried.

A flash of brilliant light blocked my
vision. When I could see again, the sky was clear blue, not a cloud
in sight.

Brigid stared at me, her mouth ajar. Several
moments passed before she asked, “What did you do?”

“Sorry,” I mumbled. I shuffled my feet and
looked down. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Let me rephrase that.” She pronounced each
word with care. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she looked
shocked. “
How
did you do that?”

Tired of the damp clumps of hair clinging to
my neck, I ran my hands through the strands, will them to dry. “I
just pictured my shield as a baseball glove—”

“Excuse me?” Brigid’s brow rose.

“Baseball. You know, American sport? A ball,
bat, and glove?”

My aunt rolled her eyes. “Go on.”

“I caught your power in my shield and added
mine to it.”

Brigid looked thoughtful. “That’s when it
turned orange.”

“Yes,” I said, confused. “Haven’t you done
that before?”

“Never,” she said. “Selkies don’t often work
magic together, and we rarely fight each other.”

I blew my now-dry hair out of my face and
planted my hands on my hips. “Then why are you teaching me
combat?”

Her eyes widened, and the corners of her
mouth twitched. I thought she might be having a convulsion until a
peal of laughter burst from her lips. “I was teaching you defense,”
she said. “You, apparently, are teaching yourself combat.”

I stared at her, dumbstruck. Her violet eyes
held warmth I’d never seen before, and her smile made her look
years younger.

“You amaze me, Meara,” she said. “And so few
do.” She caught herself, and the smile disappeared. “Speak of this
to no one. I need a chance to talk to your father. You are
dismissed.” When I continued to stare at her and not move, she
waved me away. “The lesson is over.”

She disappeared, and I contemplated the
strange turn of events. I wasn’t sure if what I had done was good
or bad. It certainly left an impression on my aunt. I sat on the
mossy ground and turned my face to the sky. It was late afternoon.
I could tell by the position of the sun. Give me another month or
two, and I’d probably understand those crazy moon phases that my
uncle told me about.

A gentle breeze caressed my skin. I stared
out at the ocean and thought of Evan. Had Stonewall given him the
necklace yet? Would Evan put it on right away, as I requested?

Tonight. I’d try to contact him tonight, not
now. He could be with the professor and the other man. Late at
night, I could reach him alone and explain.

Ula said they worked through mind speak, so
Evan would hear my voice in his head, a form of telepathy. Would he
realize it was me speaking to him? Would he believe it? If not, I’d
have to convince him.

I stood and transported to Ronac. It was
easy now. The clearer I thought about what I wanted, the more
accurately it occurred. I was growing stronger. Brigid noticed and
Kieran did, too. Did my father know? When Brigid told him what
happened, would he be impressed?

I hadn’t seen my dad since I asked for
permission to see Evan. He was missing at breakfast, already
starting his busy day of leading the people. Then again, for all I
knew, he wasn’t even on the island right now. When I decided to
move here with him, I thought we’d get to know each other better.
He was as distant as ever.

“Good lesson?”

I jumped and placed my hand over my heart. I
was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t seen Kieran. He leaned
against the outer wall, close to the entrance.

“Sorry for scaring you,” he said. “Brigid
just came flying in like a bat out of hell.”

I tilted my head and studied him. “How is it
that you know slang and expressions, but other Selkies look at me
like I’ve grown another head?”

He shrugged. “I grew up in California. I
live closer to humans than most Selkies do. I’ve learned things
over the years.”

I nodded. It made sense. “What are you doing
out here?” I asked.

“Waiting for you,” he said. “Want to go for
a swim before dinner?”

It was a tempting offer. My muscles ached,
and my skin prickled from the energy I’d expelled. “I’m in,” I
said. “If we can walk to the cove. I’m not up for another transport
right now.”

“Too much magic today?” His expression was
sympathetic.

“You could say that,” I said.

“What happened?” He fell into step beside
me.

“I’d rather not talk about it,” I said.

“Some storm we had earlier. Funny how it
cleared up so quickly.” I felt his eyes on me, but I kept looking
ahead.

“Hmm…” I gave him the noncommittal answer.
When I added nothing else, he spoke again.

“Of course, the bright orange firework
display might have had something to do with it.”

“Really? I wouldn’t know.” I kept my voice
innocent. “Why don’t you tell me about your day?”

He laughed. “Today, I had the distinct
displeasure of tutoring the children.”

“The triplets?” I asked. They were cute, but
mischievous.

“No,” he said. “Your friend Arren and his
entourage.”

“My
friend
Arren?” I quirked my
eyebrow at him. “I just met him the other night. I’d hardly call us
friends.”

“Oh, but he couldn’t stop talking about
you,” Kieran teased. “He had a million questions. I wouldn’t be
surprised if he asks you out.”

“Do Selkies date?”

Kieran shrugged and smirked at me.

“You told him I have a boyfriend right?” I
glared at him.

He threw his hand over his heart. “What? And
crush his dreams?” He playfully tugged a chunk of my hair. “Oh no,
my sweet, that’s for you to do. You can squish his heart just like
you did mine.”

“Really?” The sarcasm dripped in my voice.
His eyes danced in response. I shoved his arm playfully. “Yeah, you
look heartbroken.”

We were halfway to the cliff when Kieran
shouted, “Race you there. Last one has to surrender dessert
tonight.”

I ran after him, tight on his heels. Just
before the cliff, I overtook him and jumped. I Changed and dove
into the ocean. Delirious, I twirled in the water. I heard his deep
laughter in my mind. He swam up to me and slid along my side.

That was impressive
. His voice, like
his body, caressed me. I shivered involuntarily. He affected me
even in my seal form.

Anything for extra dessert
, I replied
lightly and dove down. I shifted course and sped to the surface,
flipping in the air before diving under again.

Dolphins could do it, why couldn’t I? I
laughed inside my head, delighted. It was fun.

Kieran dove and flipped as well. For a
while, we competed to see who could get higher. He won. He was more
muscular and had years of practice. After a while, we slowed to a
leisure pace and swam around the island. The water relaxed every
muscle in my body, and I was glad I came.

A deep rumble sounded, and I heard Kieran’s
laugh in my mind again.

Was that your stomach?
he asked.

I missed lunch
, I said.
Training
with Brigid, remember?

Come to think of it, I missed breakfast,
too. She was in such a hurry to escort me to Scotland. I didn’t
tell Kieran this.

Let’s head back
, he said.
It’s
probably dinnertime anyway
.

On the shore, back into our previous
outfits, I dried my hair while Kieran rung the water out of his
cap. “Double or nothing?” he asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“The bet.” He grinned at me mischievously.
“Let’s race back.”

“I’ve already won your dessert. What’s the
double portion?”

He twirled his hat on his finger. He looked
like he was thinking about it, but I figured he was just
pretending. “I’ll take your next dish duty,” he offered.

“You’re on!” I took off running. I heard him
behind me, gaining fast. I refused to turn and look; it would cost
me time. In the end, it didn’t matter. He flew past me in a blur.
When I got to Ronac, he was back in his original spot against the
wall, a smug expression on his face.

“You played me!” I said.