Chapter 5: Irritation, Anger, Desire
We were sitting across the table from each other. "So?" I said. "What do you want to talk to me for?"
He was looking at his hands. I looked at his hands. "Your name," he said, "Is Morgan MacEwan."
"I think we covered that already."
"And you're staying with Selene Belltower and her son this summer."
"Yeah, that one was covered, too."
"Your father is Ciaran MacEwan."
"And your father is Daniel Niall. Are we quite finished with these niceties?"
"Your mother," he continued, relentlessly, paying no heed to me, "Was Maeve Riordan."
"You," I said, "Are starting to bore me."
He looked at me, and something passed through his eyes, quick as lightening. What was it? Irritation? Anger? Desire? Now, one would think at this point the conversation would turn around, but:
"You live in New York City, but you are staying here because your father is in Scotland for the summer."
Warning bells! This seeker knew way too much about my business.
"Look," I said, "This conversation isn't going anywhere. And All My Children is on in 20 minutes. So, I'm going. Good-bye."
That said, I left.
Selene sat down next to me on the couch. I had a bowl of popcorn in my lap, and was quite immersed in the troubles of Maria Santos Grey. "What are you watching?" she asked me.
"All My Children. Kick-ass stuff."
She watched it with me for a while. "Selene," I said, "I went over to Red Kill today, to this magick store—"
She nodded. "Practical Magick."
"The Seeker was there. He and I talked for a while. Actually, he didn't really listen to my contributions. More like, he rambled to himself, and I was bored out of my mind, but then at the end he said something about Da being in Scotland. He knew I was staying here because Da was in Scotland. That's a little too close for comfort, if you know what I mean," I said this slightly threateningly, as if I believed she told the Seeker where Da was.
"He did?" she asked, sounding worried.
"He did," I said, glaring at her.
"That's bad," she said.
"Yeah, I know it's bad, Selene." Goddess, she was useless. "I'm going to call Da."
"And this Seeker," I concluded, "Knew you were in Scotland."
"Morgan, dear, calm down. If you get upset you won't be able to function properly."
Too right, Da, I thought. Of course, he didn't know the real reason I was so upset. "Da, a Seeker is here, and he knows where you are. What am I supposed to do?"
"Watch. Wait. Morgan, the odds that this kid has any evidence against us are very, very slim. He's just trying to frighten you. Don't let him."
"I won't. Are you coming home soon?
"Not for a few more weeks. I have to go. Goodbye."
"Bye, Da."
Da didn't think there was anything to worry about. Perhaps I was overreacting.
Cal, Bree, Robbie and I went out to the movies that night. It was some action film; no plot, but lots of guns. Lots of guns. Cal and Bree made out the entire movie. I rolled my eyes at them a couple of times until I realized they weren't going to stop, and if I kept rolling my eyes, I would get a headache.
The movie ended, and we went outside. And there he was again. Cal, Bree, and Robbie had gotten into Cal's car. "C'mon, Morgan," Cal said.
"I think I'll walk," I said, staring at Hunter.
"Are you crazy?" Bree put in. "It's ten miles to Cal's house from here."
"Are you deaf? I said, 'I'll walk.'"
"All right, Morgan. See you back at the house," said Cal, and they drove off.
I walked over to where Hunter was standing, leaning against his car. "You're not stalking me, are you?" I asked, lightly.
"Have you ever heard of a book called Darke Spells for Enlightened Witches?"
Uh-oh. "No," I said carefully, "I don't think so. Why?"
"Your father went to Scotland to study it."