by S. H. Kolee
“You need to stop provoking him,” I said as I braced myself against the chilly morning air.
“I just want you to see him for what he is.”
I halted mid-step and turned to him. “Stop. Just stop. If you’re going to continue with your antagonistic attitude, I don’t want your help.”
Ryan’s expression turned grim. “It’s not a matter of wanting my help. You need my help.”
I narrowed my eyes, not liking the autocratic tone of his voice. “Look, I appreciate you being here, but I don’t need your help.”
“Don’t you?” Ryan challenged. “What the hell would have happened last night if I hadn’t been there?”
I couldn’t argue with his logic, but his belief that I needed him coupled with his attitude towards Simon made my anger burn even brighter.
“Simon would have gotten to me in time.”
Ryan scoffed. “And what could he have done? He can only kill humans and vardogers in overtaken bodies. He can’t do anything against a shadow trying to enter you. Only another seer can destroy them.”
I took a deep breath, trying to get control of my anger. “Simon and I have survived a lot together without you. He would have figured something out.”
Ryan almost looked sad as he shook his head. “Caitlin, your loyalty is admirable, but it’s misplaced. You’ve placed your trust in the wrong person.”
I was done arguing so I just continued walking, ignoring his presence next to me. We were silent for the rest of the way, and I resolved to not talk about Simon with Ryan anymore. He would never understand my relationship with him, and a part of me felt like I was betraying Simon by even talking about him with Ryan.
My pulse quickened when we entered the auditorium. The far end of it looked exactly like what I had seen in my vision, right down to the bleachers. Not only that, but several people, presumably the fencing team, were currently practicing. For once, luck seemed to be on my side.
Ryan followed me as I made my way to the bleachers. I shivered a little as I sat down in the exact same spot that I had been sitting in during my vision. I had to admit to myself that I was glad to have Ryan with me. He sat down next to me and we watched the fencers without speaking for a few moments.
“Is anything coming to you? Does anyone look familiar?” He finally asked.
I shook my head in frustration. “Several of them could be the person I saw in my vision.” I sighed heavily. “At least there aren’t that many people to choose from.”
I had learned on the website earlier that there were only eight members on the fencing team, and they were split evenly between men and women since technically they were two separate teams. At least fencing wasn’t too popular of a sport at Maxwell. It was hard enough trying to single out the person in my vision from eight people.
I instantly ruled out two guys and three of the girls. The two guys were too short to be the person in my vision and three of the girls were too well-endowed in the chest area. There was no way I would have missed the generous gifts nature had given them, clearly outlined in their uniforms, that signaled they were singularly female.
Ryan nodded as I explained to him who I had eliminated, his mouth quirking a bit when I explained why I had ruled out the girls. I felt a rush of warmth when he casually glanced at my chest and I fought to keep my face expressionless. Instead of being insulted by his perusal, I felt my pulse quicken and I called myself a fool for reacting that way.
One of the girls that I had ruled out sauntered over to us but she only had eyes for Ryan.
“Hi,” she chirped brightly as she eyed Ryan with interest. “Are you guys interested in the fencing team?”
I nodded as I tried to think of an excuse. I hadn’t expected anyone to approach us. “Yeah, I thought I’d check the team out.”
She reluctantly turned her attention to me. “How much experience do you have?”
“None,” I said with an embarrassed laugh. “I’ve always been interested in fencing, but that’s about the extent of my experience.”
The girl wrinkled her nose, not sharing in my amusement. “Fencing is a serious sport. It’s not something you can just pick up in an afternoon. It might not have as much appeal as football or basketball, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t take skill.”
“That’s not what she meant,” Ryan interjected with a wide smile. “She’s interested in the sport and she heard that Maxwell had an amazing team so we thought we’d check it out.” He was oozing charm as he looked at her like she was the only girl that existed in the world. It was a side of him I had never seen, and I couldn’t help but be slightly disgusted by the way the girl’s whole demeanor changed.
“My name’s Britney,” she said as she stuck out her hand. I watched as Ryan took hold of it while he kept that dazzling smile focused on her.
“Ryan. Nice to meet you.” He glanced over at me, his look turning sardonic. “And this is Caitlin.”
“Are you a student here, Ryan? I haven’t seen you around before.” Britney took no notice of his introduction of me as she reluctantly dropped her hand when Ryan released his grip.
“I’m a little too old to be a college student,” he said with a laugh. “I’m a family friend of Caitlin’s and I’m visiting for a while.”
Britney proceeded to sit down next to Ryan as she flipped her hair flirtatiously. “Are you interested in fencing too, Ryan?” she practically cooed.
“Sure, but I don’t know much about the sport.”
I listened as Britney spoke enthusiastically about fencing as I tried to pick up anything that would jar a new detail from my vision. I watched the other fencers as she droned on, narrowing in on the ones that could potentially be from my vision.
“How sharp are those swords you use,” I interrupted, trying not to notice how closely she was leaning towards Ryan.
Britney frowned at me but answered, sounding affronted by my lack of knowledge. I guess it didn’t help that I had claimed an interest in the sport. “They’re not called swords. We use three different kinds of weapons depending on the kind of tournament. There’s the foil, épée and saber. None of them are sharp.”
“Which one is that?” I asked as I pointed to a sword that looked like the one in my vision.
“A saber,” she answered shortly.
“The edge isn’t sharp?” I asked again. I understood her annoyance when she answered again in the negative, but it was hard to accept that the saber wasn’t sharp. The one I had seen in my vision had been sharp enough to decapitate someone in one fell swoop. I shuddered at the thought and tried to banish the gruesome image from my mind.
“Tell me about the members of the fencing team,” Ryan requested with a coaxing smile. Britney didn’t hesitate in answering, not even questioning why he wanted to know. I guess it was a good thing he was with me because I doubted she would be so chatty without him here. I listened carefully when she described the three people I was interested in.
“That’s Amanda,” she said as she nodded towards a tall girl who was talking to one of the other girls. “She’s a senior and has been on the fencing team since she was a freshman. She’s amazing. Bryce and Justin just joined the team this year. They’re both sophomores but they’re pretty good, especially Justin.” Britney cocked her head at Ryan with a mischievous smile. “I’m a senior and I’m twenty-one. I can tell you more about me on a date tonight if you’d like.”
I almost guffawed loudly at her boldness, but I was left speechless when Ryan agreed. I was silent as they exchanged phone numbers and Ryan promised to call later in the day to figure out their plans. I couldn’t keep silent any longer when she skipped happily away back to her team.
“I didn’t realize you came here to find a date,” I said, unable to keep the tinge of scorn from my voice. “She’s a little young for you, isn’t she?”
Ryan looked at me with a slight smile. “She’s the same age as you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Yeah, like I said, she’s a little young for
you.”
He shrugged although his smile grew wider. “I’m not looking for a romantic tryst. I figured she was a good way to get access to the fencing team. It didn’t seem like you two were going to strike up a friendship.”
I couldn’t refute the logic of his argument, but it still irked me. I didn’t get a chance to respond because I felt my cell phone buzzing in my jacket pocket. I pulled out my phone and saw that not only was Simon calling, but I had five missed calls from him. I cursed myself for accidentally putting my phone on vibrate and forgetting to call him when I got to the auditorium, as I had promised.
“Simon, I’m sorry I forgot to call you,” I said immediately when I answered the phone.
“I’ve been going crazy here! I was about to leave to come find you!” Simon sounded stressed and I felt guilty for making him worry.
“I completely forgot. I’m sorry,” I repeated. I heard him take a deep breath and he sounded much calmer when he spoke again.
“Did you find anything out?”
“Not really. There’re three people from the team that could potentially be the person in my vision based on their build, but I still don’t know who it is.” I glanced at Ryan who was watching the fencing team, but I knew he was listening to every word of my side of the conversation. “Fortunately, Ryan got a little chummy with one of the members and he’s going out with her tonight to get more information.”
“At least he’s good for something,” Simon said sourly. “Are you coming home now?”
“In a little bit. It won’t hurt to watch the team for the rest of their practice. Maybe something will give me a clue to the person’s identity.”
I hung up the phone after I promised Simon I’d come home as soon as practice was over.
“Kind of keeps you on a short leash, doesn’t he?”
My lips tightened at Ryan’s mocking words. I stared straight ahead as I answered him. “The topic of Simon is off-limits unless you have something constructive to say about him. I won’t warn you again.”
Ryan didn’t answer right away, but when he did the tone of his voice made me turn towards him. It was full of anguish and his hazel eyes were dark with emotion. “Just don’t make a mistake that will cost you your life.”
I turned away from him, refusing to answer him since I had told him I would no longer talk about Simon with him. Ryan was wrong. I would believe in Simon no matter what, and I convinced myself that my faith in him wasn’t a death sentence. I had to believe that love was enough. I was willing to stake my life on it.
Chapter Ten
We didn’t learn anything else at fencing practice and conversation was kept to a minimum as we made our way back to the apartment. Simon looked relieved to see me but Sarah and Grant were barely awake, having just stumbled out of bed.
“As much as I’ve loved bunking with all of you, I think it’s time for me to go home,” Grant announced. He looked at me questioningly. “That’s okay, right? My vardoger’s gone.”
I paused and glanced at Simon. I had gotten so used to being on high alert the past few days that it felt odd to let Grant go off on his own. But he wasn’t in imminent danger anymore, and I couldn’t spend my life hovering over him. Making Simon stay back to watch over them had stemmed from remnants of fear that were hard to banish. I smiled at Grant. “Sure. It’s safe now.”
Neither Simon nor Ryan disagreed, but Sarah was the one to object. “Are you sure? Caitlin’s father is still out there.” She looked at me sympathetically, apparently having been filled in by Simon about what I had been doing that morning. “And she’s had another vision.”
“I’ll be able to sense her father’s energy in time so that we’re not taken off guard,” Ryan said. “And the vardoger from Caitlin’s vision is only a danger to the person it’s attached to.”
Sarah didn’t seem entirely convinced and she insisted on going down with Grant to his apartment. The three of us were left alone and before Simon and Ryan could get into another argument, I quickly told Simon in detail everything that had happened while we were at fencing practice.
“What are you going to do with the girl from the fencing team?” Simon asked.
“I’m not going to do anything with her,” Ryan responded caustically. “She’s just a way to get closer to the fencing team. Right now, we have no idea which of the three is the one from Caitlin’s vision. The best we can do is try to get to know them better and hope that Caitlin sees something that tips her off to the identity of the victim.”
“That’s not going to happen if you’re the one spending time with members of the fencing team,” I countered. “I should be the one hanging out with them.”
“That can only happen if you have a pathway to the team.” Ryan gestured to himself. “I’m the pathway.”
“Let’s go to my apartment,” Simon interjected. I cringed at the rudeness of his suggestion since that would leave Ryan alone in my apartment.
“I think it’s better if we stay here.”
“Why?” he challenged. I glanced at Ryan who looked bemused by our conversation. I remembered his comment about Simon keeping me on a short leash and I couldn’t help flushing.
“Even though we’re not in immediate danger, I think it’s best if we stay together. We want to have as much time as possible to prepare once Ryan feels my father getting close.” It was a weak excuse since Simon’s apartment was just down the street and it would take less than five minutes to travel the distance if we needed to get back, but I was relieved when he didn’t argue. I didn’t want to admit that I felt safer with Ryan around because that would hurt Simon.
The rest of the day was more than a little uncomfortable as we spent it together in the small apartment. I was questioning the wisdom of my decision to spend the day together and decided that so much togetherness wasn’t needed in the future. I told myself that I was no safer with Ryan around than I was with just Simon.
It was almost a relief when Ryan left for his date with Britney. He had made arrangements to meet her at the Cove, a local Italian restaurant. Simon seemed to relax once Ryan was gone, smiling at me easily.
“It’s been forever since we’ve been alone together,” he said. I leaned against him on the couch as he put his arm around my shoulders. It almost felt like old times as we watched mindless television and cuddled, avoiding any serious topics. I almost forgot about Ryan and his date. Almost.
It was almost ten when Ryan returned, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he and Britney could have been doing for three hours.
“How was it?” I asked casually, not wanting to seem eager for details.
“A little mind-numbing,” Ryan said with a rueful smile. “You’re right, she’s a little young for me.”
I rolled my eyes although I wasn’t sure how I felt about his answer. “I meant, did you learn anything that might help us?”
“Not really, but I got myself invited to a get-together they’re having at her place tomorrow and she said I could bring some friends along. It’ll be a perfect chance for you to get to know the members of the fencing team and see if anything tips you off to the identity of the person in your vision.”
I laughed as I thought about Britney’s reaction to me showing up. “Somehow I don’t think she’ll be too pleased to see me.”
“I hope she knows you’ll be bringing more than one friend,” Simon said meaningfully.
“Yes, I know,” Ryan said with a sigh. “You’re coming too.”
Fortunately, no arguments erupted before Simon and I went to bed but I was disappointed when I had a peaceful sleep with no interruptions by dreams or visions.
The next morning was clear and sunny despite the cold and we spent the morning trying to come up with a possible way to figure out the identity of the person in my vision, but it was a fruitless discussion. Sarah had spent the night at Grant’s but returned in the late afternoon. Her presence helped to dispel some of the tension between Ryan and Simon, although that didn’t stop them from arguing a
bout insignificant details.
I was on edge from their bickering by the time we left for Britney’s apartment. Her place was only a ten minute walk from my apartment, and I couldn’t help feeling nervous as we rang the doorbell.
“Ryan!” she exclaimed as she opened the door. “It’s so good to see you again!” Her face dropped a little when she saw me, but her expression brightened again when she saw Simon. “Simon Crewe! I’m a big fan of the Henchmen!”
Simon nodded uncomfortably and Britney shifted her eyes from Ryan back to him, as if she couldn’t decide who to settle on. “Come in,” she said enthusiastically and stepped back to let us in.
The rest of the fencing team was already there, and it was a bit of a tight fit in Britney’s small apartment. She introduced us to the group, as well as going over all their names, and I was relieved that the rest of the members, including the girls, seemed friendly.
“Help yourselves,” Britney said indicating a table full of food. She put her hand on Ryan’s arm in a proprietary manner, apparently having decided who she would focus her attentions on, and led him away.
“Let the games begin,” I muttered to myself as I approached Amanda, leaving Simon to fend for himself by the food. She was the only girl who could potentially by the one in my vision since she was tall and flat-chested. In a uniform and mask I doubted I could tell her apart from a male.
“Hi,” I said cheerfully. “Amanda, right?”
She nodded with a sincere smile. “Yeah, nice to meet you.”
“You too.” I paused, trying to muster up more bravado than I felt. “Britney tells me you’re an amazing fencer.”
Amanda raised an eyebrow with a skeptical look on her face. “Britney said something nice about me? I don’t believe it.”
A genuine laugh escaped me. “Yeah, she is a little…intense.”
“You can say bitchy, it’s okay. We all think it, even if we don’t say it out loud.”
Amanda’s candor broke the ice and I listened with real interest as she talked about her passion for fencing. I found myself actually interested in the sport.