“How do you know he’s gone?”
“Because he’s with my dad. All the men, including Caleb—if you want to call him that—are meeting tonight to discuss you.”
“Me?” I said, my voice entirely too high.
“Yep, you. Apparently they are going to sneak onto the Watson compound and try to find out something about the echoling.”
“Watson? Is that what Marcus is?”
“Yep.”
Then I really heard what he said.
“Wait. They’re going to sneak into the compound? You mean their house right?”
“Yeah.”
“So, Caleb is off sneaking into a rival clan’s house right now with who knows what kinds of abilities these guys have.”
“Pretty much.”
“You’re not worried?” I asked in question to his easy tone.
“It’s not my concern,” he spat. “At least that’s what I was told when I asked to go. But only those who have ascended are allowed at these meetings and since I’m most definitely not ascended, I was told to stay put.”
“But Caleb isn’t ascended either.”
“No, but he’s close enough,” he said kicking the bench with the toe of his shoe.
I felt sick. Knowing Caleb didn’t have his abilities yet but was breaking into a place where they had plenty of people who did and all because of me. All because some guy threatened me. I was sick thinking about what could happen to Caleb and his family. My hands trembled with wanting to call him, but I didn’t think that was a good idea.
An image of him sneaking behind someone and his phone ringing, alerting them to his presence, played over in my head.
“So anyway, since he abandoned you—because I knew he was supposed to take you to the movies tonight—I figured I’d come save you,” he said and winked.
“Kyle,” I said softly. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why? Because I’m in love with you?” he spouted bluntly and I almost choked.
“Yes.” I started to step away. “I’m just gonna go home, ok?”
“Mags, I’m not going to do anything about it, ok? It’s useless. It’s not like I could actually steal you from him. Please? You’re still my friend, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but I…” I sighed. “I don’t think Caleb would like it if we hung out.”
“He can’t tell you who to hang out with. Are you saying he doesn’t trust you?” he said snidely.
“He doesn’t trust you,” I countered.
He grimaced. “Come on, Mags. You have to know I’d never hurt you. Look.” He stepped back another step. “If you don’t want to, that’s fine, I’ll just walk you home and head to mine, but I’d like to do something. I won’t say anything remotely in the same ballpark as flirting and I’ll keep at least three feet between us. Promise.”
He smiled angelically and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Kyle, it’s not that I don’t trust you. I just...I don’t want you to be uncomfortable and I don’t want me to be either. I miss hanging out with you and I want to still be your friend, I do, but we can’t be anything more than that. I love—” I stopped and his eyes widened in horror, but he quickly contained his expression to blankness. He knew I was about to say I loved Caleb. “I will never do anything to hurt Caleb,” I rephrased.“Ok. Ok. I understand and I agree. I mean, he was my best friend.” He shook his head looking tired and sad. “We used to spend every weekend and summer together.” He screwed up his lips. “I don’t want to hurt him either.”
“Ok.” I smiled. “Then yes. We can do something but I’d like to change first.”
I motioned to my outfit.
“It’s ok. We don’t have to see a movie. We can go to the park. You can push me on the swing.”
I laughed. When Chad and I were together and we all used to hang out as a group, we used to go there and play around at night. There’s a couple big playgrounds and a bridge over the lake, lots of huge oak trees. It was a good place to play Spotlight—which is hide and seek with flashlights, if you didn’t know.
I nodded to him.
“Ok.”
He grinned and waved his hand, dramatically bowing for me to lead the way. We walked the few streets over to the park as he told me about the meetings Caleb was attending. They were called Rite gatherings. Every male that had ascended from the clan attended on a monthly basis. They scheduled the meetings on a different day every month so other clans wouldn’t get any ideas about ambushing or attacking the ones left behind.
They discussed the company, the school, family issues or events, safety measures. It was the only time that everyone was together. And tonight, they were discussing me. I felt even sicker.
I couldn’t stop the worrying for Caleb as I listened. If something happened to him—
I groaned involuntarily. Kyle sighed beside me.
“Don’t think about him. I thought we went over this.”
“I can’t help it. You told me he’s in danger, because of me, no less. What else am I supposed to do?”
“I didn’t say he was in danger. I said he was sneaking.” He looked at me and smiled. “He didn’t tell you, did he?”
“Tell me what?” I said confused at why he would be smiling at a time like this.
He chuckled. “So modest, our Caleb. Our clan, the Jacobson clan, is famous. We are the most powerful clan in Virtuoso history. When we ascend, our abilities are way more useful and powerful than most clans. They fear us.”
“Marcus didn’t seem to fear you, or me,” I muttered.
“That’s because we haven’t ascended yet. Think about it. They’ve had an echoling this whole time. Now granted, that’s pretty powerful, but it’s usually unheard of in other clans. The last one I’ve ever known about was my great, great grandfather. So they’ve had this powerful weapon this whole time and were too scared to use it. They knew they didn’t have the other resources for an attack so why bother? Once you ascend, they won’t mess with you either. They are using it to their advantage right now. They have lame abilities like changing things from one color to another and talking to animals.”
I felt some better at his words, but still didn’t understand everything.
“Caleb told me his parent’s abilities, and I know about your parents and Gran, but what about everyone else?”
“Well, I have an uncle who can see into the future, only fifty seconds, but still.” I gaped at him but he went on. “His wife can see someone’s past. My other aunt can recognize any herb, spice, plant, tree or weed and know exactly what to do with it. She can tell you what plant will cure a fever then turn around and make the most wicked quiche you’ve ever had. She’s awesome. And then her husband can make anything grow. Like right then, he can make a tree bud grow to a full size tree right before your eyes. It’s amazing. When we were kids, he would make vines chase us across the yard.” He laughed. “And then I have this cousin...”
He smiled and laughed and I couldn’t help but notice the affection and pride he had for his family as he continued to explain everyone’s abilities. I could see what they meant by the abilities complimenting each other when you were significants. All the married members of his family’s abilities went hand in hand with each other. I found myself being anxious and a little giddy at thinking about what Caleb and my abilities would be. Then I started thinking about Caleb again and the ache in my legs and arms got worse.
We made it to the park and sat on the swings. I laughed as he kept going higher than me in a silent challenge. We walked over the bridge and he told me that he was looking forward to getting to college and wondered if Caleb had talked me into going yet. I glanced at him curiously and he just smiled and shrugged saying he knew his cousin.
He was supposed to room with Caleb at his apartment, but that was apparently not going to work now. I felt bad for him and assured him that if the decision was made for me to go, and I hadn’t decided yet, that he would be more than welcome to stay at the apartment with us. He smiled sadly and said, “We’ll see”.
Eventually it started to sprinkle and we made our way out of the park. Then it started to rain, then a torrential downpour. He took his jacket off and held it over us as we tried to swiftly walk to my house. By the time we got there I was drenched and dripping, freezing and my fingers were numb.
“Mags, I’m so sorry,” he said fervently on my porch. “I had no idea it was supposed to rain. It was nice out earlier.”
“It’s ok,” I said through chattering teeth.
My dad opened the door behind me and took in the scene. “Good Lord, Maggie! Get in here. Kyle, you, too.”
“No sir, thank you. I’m gonna head home.”
“Let me drive you.”
“No, no thank you. I’m already soaked.”
“Kyle,” he said firmly. “I will not let you walk home in this. You get your butt in here while I get my shoes on and then I’m driving you,” he said leaving no room to argue.
“Yes, sir.”
Kyle had been in my house many times over the years. Our group used to come here and watch movies sometimes together and we always handed out candy to kids on Halloween from my house. It was a tradition, but no more. This past year was the first year we hadn’t done that since I was in third grade.