“The importance of swimming,” I stammered.
“How peculiar.”
Relief set in. We were on to a new topic. “Ronan—I mean, Tracer Ronan—will be my swim instructor again this term.”
“I see.” He nodded. “Do you know where Master McCloud went after your little tête-à-tête?”
Every muscle in my body seized. Which was worse—Alcántara suspecting that Carden and I were close enough for me to know his comings and goings, or that Carden might have something to do with Watcher Angel’s death?
“I…I don’t know where he went.” And I didn’t. I didn’t know where he went, where he rested, how he spent his time. Carden had told me to keep my distance, and even if I wanted to defy him, I didn’t have the first clue as to how I’d find him.
“I cannot help but note that these unfortunate incidents have coincided with the arrival of McCloud,” Alcántara said, adopting a pose of elegant thoughtfulness. “I wonder if something happened to him in that dungeon. If our enemies poisoned his mind somehow.”
“I couldn’t begin to say.” My words hung, and Alcántara did nothing to fill the silence.
We stood frozen, locked there on the path, but footsteps coming from behind pulled both of us from the moment.
I looked over my shoulder. Who knew I’d be so glad to see my mysterious roommate?
“Hello.” Mei was calm, neither overly formal, nor overly casual. You’d have thought the vampires were an everyday occurrence in Long Island.
“Hey.” I edged from Alcántara to insert myself between them. I’d gathered I was supposed to protect Mei-Ling from outside forces, but at the moment, I wanted to protect her from this vampire the most. “You headed to dinner?”
Her eyes shifted from me to Alcántara and back again. Her expression remained flat, sizing us up like some young Chinese-American Terminator. “Yes.”
“Cool. I’ll be right there.” The perfect excuse to flee. “I saw on the board that it’s pasta night. A girl’s gotta get her carb on. Save me a seat.”
Mei nodded and walked on.
“You must look after her,” Alcántara said to the back of my head.
“So I’ve gathered.” Alcántara, out of everyone, saying I needed to look out for some girl? It was ludicrous. “But why?”
“Acari Mei has promise, and we’d like to nurture that promise.”
“I see.” My voice was calm, but my mind was racing. My suspicions had been correct—Alcántara had been the one behind her kidnapping.
“She has a great musical gift,” he went on, “but her extreme youth does not lend itself to the same physical adeptness as the older Acari.”
I wanted to snark, so why’d you kidnap her if she’s only fifteen? But I only nodded. “I understand.”
“We like to give every guest of the island a fair and equal shot.”
Yeah, right. Seeing as they’d killed her boyfriend, threatened her family, and simply plucked her from some New York suburb to take her for their own, these vamps had a pretty weird concept of protection.
He began walking again. “You are both so gifted, after all.”
I shuffled to catch up, thankful to see the dining hall peeking in the distance.
I’d been right. The vampires had stuck Mei-Ling with me so I’d protect her. But why? Did she know what she was doing here?
Before this went any further, I needed to get to know her better. And quickly, too. Because on the Isle of Night, watching out for someone just as easily meant offering your life for theirs.
CHAPTER NINE
He came for me in the night. I woke to his touch. Gentle pressure stroking up and down my leg.
I stretched, rolled onto my back. The pressure increased until I sensed his individual fingers splayed along the side of my thigh. A light grip, then release. Grip and stroke.