Trefoil (7 page)

"We could try."  Kellan added.

They all joined hands and began the words to the calming spell that Taggart found in the book.

"
Ciunaigh
reacht
.
 
Ciunaigh
stuaim
."
  The triplets began chanting and soon the buzzing feeling took over them again. 

Meckenzie began to feel an overwhelming sense of calm.  She felt peaceful and tired.  She knew she would sleep well tonight.

They all stopped chanting at the same time.  All three of them smiled and dropped their hands.  There was nothing else to be said; they all felt the calming effect of the spell, so they went their separate ways for the night.

Chapter
10...

The next day Meckenzie awoke feeling refreshed.  She was happy to report to her siblings that she had not been revisited by her dream and she had slept the whole night through.  The calming spell they had performed last night had carried through to her sleep. 

The three decided to walk to school together, since they were going to have to keep an eye out for anyone following them. They were met at the front door by a young military looking guy who must be their new bodyguard.  Meckenzie stumbled out the door, her eyes never leaving the gorgeous man standing in front of her.  He caught her as she tripped, his strong arms holding her up so she didn’t tumble down the front steps and out into the street.  He smiled and introduced himself as Jones, his eyes sparkled their grey color mesmerizing Meckenzie.  He was tall and fit, but not incredibly bulky, like he was a swimmer.  Meckenzie thought about asking for his first name, but he had introduced himself as Jones.  Not Mister Jones, not Mike Jones, just Jones. 

Meckenzie giggled at the idea of this man’s mother calling him Jones. He didn’t seem to mind the giggling and probably assumed that the giddy little teenager was feeling a little teenage lust, which wasn’t entirely false.  That initiated Meckenzie’s giggles to escalate.  Taggart elbowed her and smiled.  She must have been transmitting because even Kellan had an evil grin on her face.

They spent part their walk to school testing their mental communication abilities.  Meckenzie acted as the conduit and the three were able to have full conversations without saying a word.  Isabel had mentioned that doing this too much would probably cause Meckenzie to become tired and worn down, so they should limit their experimentation to when they were at home, but they thought a little pre-school practicing would be ok. 

As they sat down in their chairs for first period, Meckenzie decided to communicate her uneasiness about Ty.  He had not arrived to class yet, but she had a feeling that he was somehow linked to all of this. 

I don’t like the new guy, Ty.  I think he may be involved in this all somehow.
Meckenzie said mentally to her siblings.

He is a little creepy, but do you really think he is involved.  How can we test it without giving ourselves away? 
Taggart thought.

I’m not sure, but maybe we should all keep an eye on him.  We should probably not communicate mentally unless absolutely necessary. 
Meckenzie knew that if he was involved, he would be looking for hints.  The trips had not mastered hiding the facial expressions involved in conversation, so when they were speaking mentally, sometimes they had facial expressions that did not fit the particular situation they were in.

Just as Meckenzie was setting up mental road blocks in her head, like Isabel had showed her how to do over breakfast, Tynan walked into class.  Immediately, there was a buzzing sound that was pushing against Meckenzie’s mind.  She had felt a similar buzzing when they had performed spells, but this buzzing seemed more aggressive.  Meckenzie touched Taggart’s hand and made a quick eye dart to the door.  Taggart looked up and saw Tynan staring back at him.  Taggart moved his chair closer to Meckenzie so that he could touch her with his knee under the table.  He hoped that this would help her to keep from experiencing whatever she was experiencing, because her eyes looked wild and angry. 

With the touch, Meckenzie began to relax and the buzzing dissipated.  She was sure now that Ty was pushing against her mind somehow.  If only she could find a way to test it.  She considered for a moment reaching out her mental hand and pushing against his mind to see what he was thinking.  Meckenzie thought this might tip him off to who she was, so she decided against it.  There had to be a way to determine what was going on with Ty and the buzzing that always occurred when he was in the room. 

Ty made his way across the room like a snake slithering through the grass towards its prey.  Meckenzie couldn’t help but feel the urge to run.  She did the opposite however, and smiled at Ty as he sat down at their table. 

“Good morning.”  Ty said.

“Good morning.” The trips responded in unison.

“We missed you yesterday.  I was tempted to think that you didn’t like me and were going to switch classes.”  Ty smiled, “I like your bracelets,
and I
don’t believe I saw them before.” 

Meckenzie knew now that this was his way of testing them, “Oh you like
these;
we got them at a street fair last year.  Some woman who sold crystals and sacks full of herbs to ward off all kinds of things sold them to us.  She said they were each for something different.  Mine is for knowledge, Kellan’s is for strength, and Taggart’s is for money.  I think that is what she said. 
Right Taggart?”

Taggart was dumbfounded with the exchange he was seeing.  Meckenzie seemed to be trying to charm Tynan into believing everything was not as it was.  Taggart knew that it would take more than a story about a witchy street fair sales woman, but he played along.

“Yeah I think so, though I could have sworn mine was for knowledge and yours was for money,” he laughed as he said the last part.

Tynan gave a wry grin as he responded, “I think they are actually protection bracelets, my aunt used to make something similar to them for an internet website she ran.  People will buy anything off the computer these days.” 

Kellan, who had remained silent during the exchange added, “I saw where someone was selling their appendix that the doctor had removed on eBay.  Who would possibly want someone else’s rotten appendix?”

Just then the teacher began class.  Meckenzie couldn’t see any way around discussing the exchange at this moment.  She decided to see if she could create a mental block around her thoughts and place them into the heads of her siblings.

I’m going to try doing this mental telepathy thing by placing the thoughts specifically in your heads and no one else’s.  Taggart, keep an eye on Ty. And when you respond, try putting the thought in a box that is just for me.  Has Tynan reacted?
Meckenzie knew this was risky, but there had to be some advantage to them being the Trefoil.

Taggart looked up at the teacher, trying to watch both the front of the class and Tynan who was to his left.
I don’t think he can hear you.  What was the bracelet story about?

I wanted him to think that there might be some logical explanation as to why we had some kind of magical bracelets on.  I didn’t think telling him the truth was what we should do.  Do you think he believes us?

No.  I think he is trying to figure us out right now.  He keeps looking at you through the corner of his eye.  I would almost venture that he will try to ask you out on a date.  I think he wants to get inside your head. 
Kellan added.

I can’t date him.  I’m not even sure I could pretend to go on a single date with him.  What do I do?

Just then the teacher called Taggart’s name.  Meckenzie searched the heads of other students and the teacher to find the question, and then placed it into Taggart’s mind.  He either was paying attention or it went more smoothly than planned, because he never missed a beat.  Taggart answered the question without hesitation. 

Thanks,
Taggart looked down at his book and flipped the page. 
I don’t think I have ever not answered a question in this class.  I’m sure Mr. Humphries would have had a field day with it if I had not had the answer.  I think we should talk at lunch.  I don’t want to push the chance that someone will figure us out.  This was awfully risky of you Meckenzie

Meckenzie began to protest, but she agreed and the rest of class went smoothly.  Several times Meckenzie caught Ty staring at her.  He always had a devilish grin on his face.  Meckenzie wondered if she was imagining the grin.  Maybe she was imagining that he was somehow out to get her.  She was a little paranoid lately, with good reason, but still a little paranoid.  She decided to ask Isabel what she should do if this boy asked her out.  Would the advantage of putting herself in danger be worth the reward of any information she might get from going on a date with him?  If he was a Fae spy, then it would make sense that he would know what her mother looked like, and since Meckenzie looked so much like her mother, it was reasonable to think he saw the resemblance.  This was a war, and if they were going to bring the war to her, then she would have to respond by gathering as much information as possible.  The best way to do that would be for her to appear unknowledgeable and go out with him.  Maybe he would let something slip.  Meckenzie believed that if things were planned well enough, then she could probably handle the situation.  She was pretty sure that if he asked her out, she would go.

Meckenzie laughed out loud at the idea that her first date might actually be with someone who ultimately wanted her dead, everyone in the class turned towards her, so she blushed and looked down at her book.  Meckenzie had never really wanted to date.  It was not that she hadn’t been asked, or that she didn’t have an interest in boys, she had always just wanted to get through high school and college without the distraction of some romance that might not last pulling her down.  Meckenzie knew eventually someday, love would push down her walls, she just didn’t think it would be some high school boy only interested in a little action.  It would be someone like Jones the bodyguard, with his grey eyes and strong arms; she blushed at her school girl crush. 

The rest of the morning dragged on and it was a relief when the lunch bell rang, Kellan and Meckenzie quickly found Taggart and headed off to lunch together.  Most often they ate separately with friends, or in Taggart’s case, on his way to the lab or studying somewhere quiet.  They decided to head across the street to a sandwich shop that was probably only in business because of the school.  It was always busy at lunch, but Taggart had enough foresight to text their order in a half hour early, so their food was ready when they got there.  They picked up their order and headed for a small park-like area beside the school.  They were able to find a bench that was unoccupied to have their lunch and discuss things.  Meckenzie scanned the area to see if anyone they knew was hanging around or listening. 

“I feel like we talk more now than we ever did before,” Kellan stated while opening her sandwich. 

“I hope that through all of this we get closer and not father apart.  It would be easy for all of this to get the better of us and lose sight of the fact that we are brother and sisters.  I like that we are talking more.”  Taggart added.

Both of her siblings looked at Meckenzie expecting an addition to their comments.  She bit into her sandwich and thought to herself that she wasn’t sure they would all come out of this.  The foreboding feeling she had all morning was getting stronger.  Meckenzie wondered if they could tell something wasn’t right.  She knew that she needed to stay positive, but something was telling her that there was something about to happen that would change them all. 

“I think something is up with Ty.  He freaks me out.  I don’t know if it is just normal boy stuff, or if it is something else, but I don’t like him.”  Meckenzie felt like saying more, she just couldn’t put her finger on what it is she wanted to say.  She knew he was really interested in the three of them, but Ty was also new at school and maybe he was just looking for friends.  He also seemed to come with a buzzing noise that constantly went off in Meckenzie’s head whenever he was around.  She knew from the little experience that she had that this was associated with magic.  Meckenzie felt the buzzing directed out of her whenever they had performed the spells that Isabel had taught them. 

Kellan kind of giggled.  “You have always kept your distance from boys Meckenzie.  Maybe he just has a crush on you and you don’t know how to respond.”

“I don’t know.  She does get those buzzing headaches when he is around, that can’t be normal.  Today when he came into class, our connection was enough that I could feel the buzzing, not in my head, but like you were letting me feel it through our connection.”  Taggart added.

“You could feel it?”

“Just enough to know that something wasn’t right.
  Then you touched me and it subsided.  That is why I shifted toward you so we could touch and you could concentrate.  I thought if Ty was doing it, then he might be aware of our connection and be able to tap into it while we communicated silently.”

Kellan looked at the two of them with disbelief.

“I don’t want to become this conspiracy theory person.”  Kellan stated.  “I just want to live as normal as possible for as long as possible.  If I had my way, I would ignore the whole thing and go to college and live my life.  I really can’t do this right now.”

Kellan was getting angry.  Meckenzie thought that Kellan had dealt with her feelings of denial, but it seemed that Kellan was just trying to go with the flow.  Well that didn’t seem to be working right now.

Taggart reached out to touch Kellan’s hand, but Kellan jumped up from the bench.  “I have to go.  I’m going to work out after school, let that freaky security guy know.  He has been standing over by the side of the building watching us this whole time.  I just can’t deal with this, I need to be alone.” 

With that, Kellan stormed off toward the school.  She had always had a temper.  Of the three of them, Kellan had always been the one to have the least amount of patience with the other two.  It was a good thing that Taggart had an overabundance of patience and Meckenzie was blessed with an overabundance of love.  They always seemed to forgive Kellan of her temper, and she especially liked to direct it at them from time to time.