It’s a pleasure to meet you and if I may be so bold, I predict that we’re all going to be great friends.”
“I find nothing bold about that statement at all, Michael,” Phaedra said, smiling. “I find it to be quite accurate.”
Ronan wanted to question Phaedra further about Mykonos and New York, not that he didn’t believe her, but he felt drawn to her, compelled almost. He usually didn’t find girls that interesting and worth the effort of getting to know, but this one seemed different. Phaedra seemed sincere. However, before any more questions could be asked, Imogene came out of the examining room, her cheeks streaked with tears. “My boyfriend’s going to be all right!”
Standing in the doorway, Mrs. Radcliff didn’t even bother to try and quiet the group when they started to cheer. She knew trying to control a bunch of screaming teenagers was a pointless task. Instead, she said a quick prayer thanking God that yet another child would recover and then told the kids they had three minutes to say good-bye to Penry before they had to let him rest.
“But I feel fine,” Penry protested.
“Doctor’s orders, Pens,” Imogene overruled.
Ronan was thankful Penry was all right. He looked a bit pale and was more lethargic than he would admit, but Nakano didn’t cause any permanent damage. At some point he would have to confront Nakano, make him understand that what he did was unacceptable and hope that he could talk some sense into him. But he feared he wouldn’t listen. Brania was Nakano’s master, not Ronan, so there was only so much he could do. But for today, he had obviously done enough.
“Thanks, Ronan,” Penry said.
All heads turned to stare at Ronan, who was caught off guard. “For what?”
A little color dotted Penry’s cheeks. “For, um, finding me and, um, carrying me from The Forest. Thank you.”
“No problem, mate.”
“You too, Michael.” Then Penry added with a sly wink, “Guess I’m lucky that you two were out having a … morning stroll.”
In response Imogene giggled, Ronan blushed, Michael started to make up some excuse, and Mrs. Radcliff announced that their time was up. Only Phaedra remained silent.
“Take good notes in history, Michael,” Penry said. “You know Willows isn’t going to let me get out of tomorrow’s test.” It looked like Penry would fully recover.
Ronan was a different story. Try as he might, he couldn’t move past the morning’s events. He tried to remind himself that Michael was unharmed and Penry had survived, but he knew he didn’t have the full story. He wasn’t prepared to speak with Nakano, so he avoided him all morning. One altercation with his ex-boyfriend per week was more than enough, so he remained true to his word and met with Ciaran at St. Joshua’s. Two minutes into the conversation and Ciaran wished he had reneged.
“Ronan, is it possible that this is all just coincidence and not worth further speculation?”
“I would like it to be nothing more, but Penry’s neck,” Ronan whispered. “He was bitten.”
It wasn’t that Ciaran wasn’t concerned; Penry was one of his best friends. He just knew that one bite wasn’t deadly. If it was followed up by another, well, then, yes, things could become more serious, but for the moment, as far as Ciaran was concerned, there was nothing to worry about. Still, he couldn’t hold his tongue. “You know as well as I do that Nakano’s a loose cannon. I told you that when you started dating him, but as usual, you didn’t want to listen to me then.” Ronan felt his patience growing thin. He didn’t need to be reprimanded, he needed advice. “So isn’t it at all remotely possible that he bumped into Penry and just couldn’t resist him?”
Why was his half brother so incredibly dense sometimes? “Yes, of course it’s possible, but it’s never happened before. Nakano knows the rules. We all do, and we all know the consequences. Aren’t you at all concerned? Aren’t you frightened?”
He wasn’t, not at all, but Ciaran wasn’t going to reveal why, so he lied. “Of course I’m frightened, but worrying isn’t going to change anything.” Ciaran traced the looping paisley pattern on the couch with his finger. “Do I need to remind you that I’m virtually powerless against you … people?”
“Do not lump me in with Them!” A few heads raised, but not Ciaran’s. He had anticipated Ronan’s outburst, so he remained focused on the couch. “I am nothing like Kano and his kind,” Ronan said in a much more civilized tone.
Looking up, Ciaran lied again. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I just don’t know what to tell you. Unless you want to expose yourself and tell Michael the truth, there really isn’t any way you can protect him, not one hundred percent.”
Suddenly, Ronan reached out and grabbed Ciaran’s hand. He did it so quickly, for a second Ciaran didn’t comprehend how unusual an act it was. “Promise me, Ciaran, promise me that you’ll watch over Michael and help me keep him safe.”
All thoughts of provoking or antagonizing Ronan vanished as pride swelled Ciaran’s heart. This was all he wanted, to feel needed and connected, to be part of a family. He looked at his brother’s pleading face. He needed him, needed his help, and of course he would have it. “I will do everything humanly possible,” Ciaran said. “But you, Brother, you’ll have to take care of the rest.”
Once again Ciaran said something borderline inappropriate, but this was different. Ciaran was actually displaying a sense of humor, and it calmed Ronan. First Phaedra and now Ciaran. It was an odd sensation, one second to be concerned and aware of imminent danger, and the next to be peaceful and mindful that help was nearby. He had a feeling this was all Michael’s doing. Ever since they met, his life had changed. He didn’t say the words out loud because he wasn’t sure if Ciaran was ready to hear them, but he knew that Michael was his salvation.
And Michael felt the same way about Ronan. He never imagined from that first meeting in the rain that he would come to feel so brave and self-assured, or at least more brave and self-assured than scared and lost. So when he saw Ronan after school heading over to St. Sebastian’s for a swim before tomorrow’s tryouts, he called out his name in a strong voice that was uncolored by shame. “Ronan.”
Stopping in his tracks, Ronan turned around to greet Michael and felt some butterflies fluttering in his stomach, mainly because Michael looked perfectly poised. His voice matched his appearance. “Ronan Glynn- Rowley, would you like to make it official and go out on a date with me?”
A strong wind blew past them and the butterflies were swept away. Ronan had so many reasons to say no, so many reasons to ignore what had taken place between them, their first meeting, their kiss, and to tell Michael that despite his previous declarations, he wasn’t ready to have another boyfriend or he just didn’t want to complicate his life by dating a classmate. But all of that would be a lie. The truth was, he wanted to spend every waking moment with Michael and he wanted to make their relationship official. And so he said yes.
“Excellent,” Michael said. “Tomorrow night, then. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Ronan couldn’t wait for tomorrow night to come. “I’ll be waiting.”
He wouldn’t be the only one. In the distance, Phaedra stared at them, observing their actions the same way she had when she first saw them outside St. Joshua’s. But this time, she was even more alarmed than before.
chapter 13
Michael and Ronan were both swimming in the water. They just happened to be roughly 252 miles apart. Michael was on his third lap in the pool in St. Sebastian’s while Ronan was swimming in the ocean off Inishtrahull Island. They were separated, yes, but only by distance; they each swam with the same powerful determination. They had goals to achieve.
Michael was determined to make the swim team. He didn’t really care about impressing Mr. Blakeley or Fritz, who just this morning expressed doubts that the American had the stamina to make the team, or any of his fellow students. He wanted to impress himself. Prove that the awkward, self-conscious Michael from Weeping Water was nothing more than a distant memory. Ronan, on the other hand, had to feed.
Earlier this morning, he had followed the scent of death to an elderly man living alone in a cottage in the
