Current Impressions (2 page)

“Visualization,” he corrected. “An illusion
is not real, but visualization is something you create with your
mind. This it is quite real, believe me.”

I could make anything I wanted by thinking
about it? How unbelievably cool was that? I wished I could call my
best friend Kim and tell her. I pictured her face in my mind, her
mouth open in surprise, her eyes sparkling as she dared me to
visualize one Oscar gown after another.

Dad tapped the bracelet on my wrist,
bringing me back to the present. “I conjured that for you from your
box.”

“Conjured?” I didn’t recognize the word. It
sounded like witchcraft. “Unlike visualizing something, conjuring
is when you call an item to yourself that already exists.
Visualization doesn’t use much energy; it’s limited to clothes and
personal items.” I tried not to appear disappointed. I should’ve
figured as much. If stories in books were true, then all magic had
limitations. Dad continued, “Conjuring takes vast amounts of
energy. It’s best done with small objects, like your bracelet.” He
lifted the gold chain with one finger. “It will still protect you
until you learn your powers.”

Dad charmed the bracelet to protect me from
Selkie persuasion. I asked him to after that a Selkie named Kieran
manipulated my emotions at the dance club, and Ula and my dad
realized my mind was vulnerable to Selkie powers.

“Do I need protection here?” We were in a
small cove, surrounded by an embankment. The walls were steep and
rocky, the tops covered in springy green moss that looked like
hair. It reminded me of those Chia pets they advertised around the
holidays. I turned in a slow circle. I didn’t see another living
creature. The roll of waves breaking on the shore was the only
sound.

“I’d rather not take chances,” he said,
which really didn’t answer my question. He added. “You should be
safe. Humans cannot find us here.”

I wasn’t sure why he was worried about
humans finding me. The threat had been another Selkie, not a human.
It didn’t keep me from asking, “Why not?” After all, we passed
Scotland and many small islands to get here. The last one, I
recalled, was only a short swim away, maybe five miles. I’m sure
humans inhabited those places.

“This island is warded. It does not show on
human maps or their fancy navigational equipment. Our magic is
stronger.” He offered me his hand. “Are you ready to see your new
home?” When I nodded, he whispered, “Close your eyes.”

No sooner had my eyes closed than the earth
tilted, and a strong breeze lifted my hair. Jolted, my eyes flew
open. We stood on top of the cliff, facing a large fortress. It was
not pretty enough to be called a castle, but it was fierce.
Weathered, gray stone blended into the hillside, making it appear
to be one with the environment. A lookout tower on each corner and
a spiked gate completed the striking façade. “I thought you said we
were safe here,” I murmured in awe.

“Better safe than sorry.” His lips quirked.
“At any rate, Ronac stood long before I was born.”

“Ronac?”

His face softened when he turned toward me.
“Our home.”

Home. I tasted the word on my tongue even as
my eyes drank in the endless green of the land. The brilliant
emerald was broken only by the occasional jut of rock, and its
beauty astounded me.

I tilted my head and studied my dad. The
lines that appeared around his eyes and mouth in the final days of
my mom’s life had softened. He still looked older than when I first
met him, early thirties now instead of mid-twenties, but he
appeared healthy and happy. It must have been hard for him to leave
his people and stay with us. He had been willing to give this all
up.

He squeezed my hand. “Are you ready to go
in?”

“Does everyone in the clan live here?” I
asked. “I didn’t expect you to live in something so—”

“Imposing? Grand?” His eyes sparkled. I
shrugged, at a loss for words. Dad’s mouth twitched. Was he
laughing at me again? “I suppose you thought we slept on the shore
like actual seals?”

“I guess… I hadn’t really thought about it.”
I fell in step beside him, and we walked through the raised gate.
“Do a lot of Selkies live here?”

“In our clan, yes, but of course, there are
other clans all over the world.”

“Clans?” I immediately thought of Celts,
Highlanders, and other more barbaric communities. Clans sounded
medieval.

“That is how we refer to ourselves, yes. You
met Kieran. He hails from a clan near Southern California.”

Figures, a surfer boy.

Dad cleared his throat. “I’m friends with
his father, Stephen.”

Confused, I glanced up at my dad. “I thought
you told me to stay away from Kieran. That he was dangerous.”

“Yes, well.” Dad shifted uncomfortably. “You
see, I confronted Kieran. He swears that he didn’t use magic on
you.”

“You believe him?”

Dad shrugged. After I danced with Kieran at
the club, we kissed. My emotions were such a mess that night,
sorting them out was impossible. Maybe I couldn’t blame Kieran for
what happened. My pulse jumped when I pictured his deep brown eyes
and gorgeous, tan body. I was attracted to him, magic or not. “Do
clans interact?”

“Sometimes,” Dad said. “Usually through
marriage unions.”

“Marriages are arranged?”

Please say no,
I thought.
I love
you, but I don’t want you picking my future husband.

“They used to be, but that hasn’t occurred
in the last century. We’ve modernized.” He gestured for me to
follow him down a stone hallway. It was cool and dry. Openings
carved in the outer wall let in sunlight and fresh air. The walls
were undecorated, not a tapestry in sight. The clean, smooth, gray
stone was beautiful in its own way.

The hall emptied into a large chamber. A
heavy, wooden table ran the length of one side, while comfortable
chairs gathered around a large fireplace on the other. The room was
empty save for one small, curly-haired figure, her nose in a book,
her feet tucked up underneath her.

“Ula!” I cried.

She ran over and hugged me before pulling
back to kiss both of my cheeks. “I’m so glad to see you.” She took
my hands in hers. “How was your journey?”

“Good,” I said. “Uneventful.”

Ula looked over my shoulder at my dad and
smiled. “You made good time.”

“She’s a natural,” he said from behind me,
his voice full of pride.

Ula pulled me to the chair next to hers.
“Sit and warm yourself. I’m sure you’re tired.”

I didn’t think so, but once she said it, my
muscles quivered and my eyelids grew heavy. Maybe I could rest for
a while. I sank into the chair, kicking off my shoes and tucking my
legs under me. It was very comfortable.

“Perhaps Meara would like some food and a
drink?” Ula looked at my dad expectantly. He raised an eyebrow in
reply, waited a moment, then sighed and left the room.

“Boys,” Ula whispered once he was gone, and
then added louder. “I sent the others away for now. I thought you
might need a few minutes to yourself before you meet them all.”

I nodded sleepily. “How many live here?”

Ula tilted her head and considered. “With
the birth of the triplets—”

“Triplets?”

“Mmm… yes. They’re quite a handful. Um, that
would make it, ninety-seven.”

“That many people live here?” I straightened
in my chair and took in the room. “And they all fit?”

“It’s a big castle,” Ula said. “It’s built
into the rock, so it appears smaller than it is. This is one of
three gathering halls. The smallest.”

I was tempted to explore, but my eyes
wouldn’t cooperate. They were barely slits. Ula laughed.

“Stop fighting it, Meara.” She patted my
knee. “Rest. I’ll stay right by your side and when you wake, we’ll
explore together.”

That was the last thing I heard before I
surrendered to sleep.

****

I stretched the stiffness out of my muscles.
Considering we crossed the Atlantic, keeping a steady swimming
pace, I wasn’t too sore. The fireplace cast the room in dancing
shadows. How long had Ula let me sleep? Her chair was empty, but I
heard footsteps in the hall. A moment later, she peeked around the
corner, eyes full of mischief and hair a riot of curls like always.
It was good to see her again; I missed her. My dad had told me she
returned home after my mom’s funeral, and the months that passed
afterwards were difficult without her. She’d become one of my
closest friends and understood me better than most.

“Feel better?” She carried a tray into the
room and set it on the table before me. My stomach rumbled in
reply. “David brought food earlier, but I didn’t want to wake you
and it grew cold.” She uncovered the plate. “I hope you like
salmon.”

My mouth watered as the savory scent hit my
nose. The grilled salmon rested on a bed of wilted greens. I picked
up subtle notes of basil and lemon. It was something I’d expect
from a fancy restaurant, not a stone fortress on an island in the
middle of nowhere.

“You made this?” I asked between mouthfuls.
Being a vegetarian, I was surprised she cooked fish, but this was
fantastic. The texture of the salmon was delicate, but the flavor
intense. I tasted the fresh green of basil, the tang of citrus,
velvety butter, and a spice I couldn’t identify. Would all food
seem richer to me now? If so, I hoped being a Selkie meant a fast
metabolism.

“No. My brother, Padraic.” She laughed.
“Paddy’s the chef of the family.”

“He cooks for everyone here?” I wondered if
my uncle would be able to show me a trick or two. I couldn’t even
heat spaghetti sauce without burning it. My grandma learned early
last summer to keep me out of the kitchen unless it was time to
eat.

Ula shrugged and settled into her chair. “He
has a staff, and we all pitch in at times. No one is solely
responsible for meals, although David is in charge of Ronac as a
whole.”

“In charge—?” I let my question hang
unspoken.

Ula nodded. “Of everything. He’s like our
leader, I suppose you’d say.”

I knew my dad was the oldest in his family,
but I had no idea he was in charge of everyone, almost one hundred
people. No wonder Ula said he was powerful.

“Who handled things while he was gone?” A
year was a long time to be without your leader.

“Angus took over,” Ula said. “He’s our
great-great uncle. He led the clan before my dad, and before
David.” Under her breath, she mumbled something. I thought I caught
“crotchety” and “goat”.

“What did you say?”

Her cheeks flushed slightly. “Oh,
nothing.”

I ate the rest in silence, noting the
texture variations between the fish and vegetables. It was a new
experience to be so aware while eating. This was a sensory feast. I
was almost disappointed when I ate the last bite. It didn’t feel
right to ask for seconds.

Ula glanced at my empty plate, and then
sprang from her chair. “Ready for that tour?”

“Sure. Let’s go.” I uncurled my legs and
stood, taking a moment to stretch and assess. My muscles were sore,
but no worse than a good workout. I had no idea what to expect, but
I didn’t think I would feel so much like me. Except calmer, much
calmer. The pull of the ocean was one of comfort now, not
anxiety.

Ula led me through a doorway in the back of
the room. It was hidden behind a partial stone wall, and I hadn’t
noticed it before. It emptied into a hallway, and she turned to the
right.

“We’ll start in our family wing,” Ula
explained. “It’s on the second floor.”

We passed several closed doors before the
hallway ended. To the immediate left was a stairwell, and I
realized it was one of the towers I’d seen from the outside. I
followed her up the stairs, which emptied into another stone
hallway. This one was dimly lit by sconces, not windows. Doors
lined the hall.

“Bedrooms,” Ula said when she saw me
looking. Halfway down the hall, she stopped at a door and opened
it. She stood back to let me in. “This is my room.”

Her room was bright and colorful. Scattered
throughout were beanbag chairs in red, blue, and yellow, each
covered in a soft, fuzzy fabric. Tie-dyed material draped along one
wall to hide the gray stones. A large, shag carpet covered the
floor, and a bookcase full of well-worn novels stood beneath the
two large windows.

“It’s great,” I said. She had a wonderful
view of the rocky shore. When I looked at her books, I saw many of
my favorites.

“Feel free to borrow any that you like.” She
smiled at me. “There’s a study upstairs with more books. You’re
welcome to those as well.”

“Thank you.”

She hesitated a moment before asking, “Would
you like to see your room now?”

“I have a room?” My heart surged with a
sudden sureness that I belonged here. This was family, more than
I’d ever known.

Ula grinned. “Of course you do. David asked
Brigid and me to get it ready for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

I thought of my aunt Brigid and her cold,
violet eyes. “Brigid helped decorate my room?”

Now, Ula laughed. “As if I’d let her. Do you
like the Goth look?”

“Um—”

“I didn’t think so.” Ula shut her door
behind us, and we continued down the hall. “She was more than happy
to let me take care of it.” She paused outside the last door in the
same hall. Just past it was another stairwell. Another tower.

“The end rooms are slightly bigger,” Ula
said. “David insisted you have this one. It was his as a
child.”

She opened the door, and I gasped. The room
was beautiful, all soft greens and blues. It reminded me of the sea
on a calm day. A bed covered in pillows of all shapes and sizes was
centered on the long wall. A small dresser had my picture frame and
other personal items already on it. A bookshelf, the twin of Ula’s,
sat under the windows. Its top was covered with fat candles,
casting the air with the light scent of vanilla, though they were
unlit. The shelves held a few books.