The Paladin's Redemption (The Keepers of White Book 3)

by Richard Crofton

  Michael looked away to hide the expression of skepticism on his face. “Yeah? Why’s that?” he asked with a faint hint of cynicism.

  She stepped closer to him, making sure to drive her point across. “These Agents of Shadow. You told me that they operate and are spread out across the globe. And you also told me that the five most senior members, the five most powerful, make up the… what was it? The Primary Circle? And that they’re the only ones who are permitted to complete a Dark Year?”

  Michael nodded. “Yeah. But what’s that got to do…”

  “Think about it,” she interrupted. “It’s a large, overpopulated world out there. Yet of all the places that this Primary Circle could’ve set their base of operations, of all the towns in all the cities of all the nations that they could’ve settled in to conduct their rituals, it happened to be in the same part of the world where you grew up. They, the worst of the worst; you, the only one powerful enough to stop them. And somehow both you and they wind up living in the same area. Michael, haven’t you ever stopped to wonder why that is? I mean, you do realize how unlikely that should be… statistically. And remember, you once said there’s no such thing as luck.”

  The look on his face had changed to that of awe and wonder, and though she didn’t know it, Michael found himself rather stupefied by her epiphany, specifically because he couldn’t believe that such a thought had never crossed his mind, even though he was the one who had been right in the thick of the supernatural war between good and evil. “Could… could just be a coincidence,” he said with no conviction, only to save face.

  “A pretty big one then,” she countered. “But that’s where faith comes in, isn’t it? I haven’t lost mine after what I’ve seen, and I know you haven’t lost yours either.” She stepped closer to him and placed the palm of her hand against his cheek. “I’m very sorry for what’s happened to you, Michael, but I’m thankful you were there to save me. I really believe that if you hadn’t suffered, that if the chain of cause and effect didn’t come into your life, that God would’ve chosen someone else to rescue me that night. But I’m glad it was you.”

  Before he even gave her the strange look, her eyes widened as she realized how he might interpret what she had just said. “I’m… I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I didn’t mean that I’m glad you… I would never wish that on anyone… what happened to you. What I’m trying to say… I mean…”

  He smiled empathetically as he took her hand from his cheek and held it. “It’s alright,” he assured her. “I know what you meant.”

  For a moment she endured the awkwardness of the silence that followed as she stood before him. Then, not knowing how to proceed, decided to turn and walk quickly to the pool room. Again, Michael only stood there and watched her exit.

  As Megan paced her laps in the pool, she silently chastised herself for mistakenly appearing insensitive to his situation. She had felt a glimmer of hope that maybe their friendship would return to the way it had started over a week ago, that maybe they would now put things behind them and once again feel comfortable talking to each other. And at the very end of her conversation with him, she had to say something stupid that may have messed everything up again.

  But her uncertainties subsided by the time she had completed her fourth lap. As she neared the edge of the pool in her freestyle stroke, she heard a loud splash just to her left. Grabbing the lip of the edge, she lifted her head to see Michael treading water in the lane next to hers.

  For several minutes the two swam laps independently in silence, like two strangers at the YMCA who had no intention of socializing; their only intentions to get in a good workout before their lunch hour would end, followed by the need to get back to whatever cubicles of whatever office building at which they had gained employment. But the moment came, when Michael revealed, in his own way, that he was ready to reestablish the closeness that formed between them when he had first entered her mind to remove Diana’s curse in the motel room.

  Megan finished a lap at the edge of the pool to see him waiting for her in his own lane. She stopped when she was next to him, and looked at him, as she could tell he was about to speak to her.

  “Race ya,” he suggested with a smirk.

  She expected he was the faster swimmer of the two. What she didn’t expect was how much faster. While she exerted everything she had to complete her lap, he paced himself with ease, still keeping ahead of her by several feet. Clearly, she could tell that the water was his arena of choice, and he had an unfair advantage over her. She didn’t really care. She was happy to have him apparently in better spirits, now confident that he was once again at ease with her, once again able to be just him. It was the first lighthearted moment they shared together since their arrival, and she was still smiling by the time she reached the edge of the pool to meet him, though panting heavily.

  But of course, he had to take it too far by making the gesture of looking at his wrist as if checking a watch that wasn’t there. “Slowpoke,” he said with good nature.

  “Showoff,” she said back at him.

  He shrugged one shoulder. “Was the captain of my swim team my senior year. Guess I forgot to mention that before you agreed to race.”

  “Well aren’t you just awesome,” she said sarcastically while making a goofy face at him. “Bet you can’t beat me on foot. Care to go for a run later?”

  “Aaah, I don’t know,” he teased. “I’m not much for running.”

  “What’s the matter?” she provoked. “Afraid you might lose to a girl?”

  He laughed. “Tell you what. One more length. I won’t go until you’re halfway. If you can get to the other side before I can, I’ll agree to a race on foot.”

  “You’re on,” she said as she splashed a large wave in his face and took off toward the other side of the pool.

  As he promised, he waited. Then took off after her when she had reached the halfway point. Just as she neared the edge, she took a quick glance behind to gauge his distance from her, and she could tell he wouldn’t beat her. She faced forward and swung her arms and kicked her feet with all she had left. But right as she was about to reach her hand to the lip of the edge, she felt a strong grip around her ankle. Michael had maneuvered himself into her lane and pulled her back before she could claim victory.

  She went under for a mere second, and when she popped back up, his arms immediately wrapped around her sides, preventing her from finishing the length. Her face slightly reddened as he laughed at her mock irritation. “That’s cheating!” she huffed in a high-pitched voice.

  He was panting as well after the strenuous effort, still laughing. He finally released one of his arms from her, allowing her to reach and touch the edge of the pool, then placed his own arm on top of the sidewall to keep their heads above the surface of the deep end while continuing to hold her waist with the other. She rested her arms on his shoulders as they both continued to pant. Their eyes were fixed on one another as they shared a playful smile.

  “You’ve got quite a competitive nature, darlin’.” He hadn’t called her that since their drive in the Chevy last week.

  “Sometimes,” she admitted with a voice she hoped would sound suggestive. “When I want something bad enough.”

  They kept their gaze on each other, waiting for their accelerated heartbeats to settle. When their lungs finally settled so that they could breathe normally, Michael bent his arm, keeping his elbow on the edge while gently pushing her wet, blonde hair, clearing it from her face. Megan felt a quick, quivering moment of anticipation as she stared deeply into his beautiful, diamond-blue eyes, then closed her own as he brought his lips to her own; at first with only the slightest touch, but before long, deeply and passionately.

  She drew her arms farther around his neck, placing one hand on the back of his head, as if she couldn’t pull him against her closely enough as they locked into what she felt to be the most incredible kiss of her life. Again she prayed for time to stand still, knowing it wouldn’t be long
before they would part ways, possibly forever. But she pushed this solemnity from her mind, not wanting to care about the future. This moment in the present, though just one grain of sand in an entire hourglass, was perfect. And she wanted to keep it that way, feeling that once more, all was right in the world.

  It was just a kiss. As before, they both denied themselves the desire to take it further, but as they left the pool room to return to their lives above ground, they did so hand in hand.

  Chapter XIV

  Sometimes the dream still came to him. Sometimes not. But every morning before the sun would rise, Michael gave the heavy-bag respite and instead spent his need to release his pain doing laps in the pool. Megan always joined him. On the mornings when he had awoken frightfully from the nightmare, he swam hard, leaving her at her own pace. Neither of them spoke to the other during this time. She gave him his space to work out his demons, but after about thirty minutes of shared solitude, he would eventually come around and become more social with her. Sometimes, near the end of their swim, and only on mornings when he hadn’t had the nightmare, they would share long embraces and pleasurable kisses. But to her, those moments, which were her favorite during the routine swims, were always short-lived.

  Michael and Moonie spent much less time working in the “Bat Cave” after the day they had supplied Megan and her father with their new credentials. When Jim had asked if they had everything they needed, Michael had answered that they would be leaving soon. “We just need to take care of one more thing,” he had said. “Just need a little more time to prepare.”

  Michael also accompanied Megan during her morning runs, and they raced once as he had agreed. He was still the faster of the two, but she certainly proved more formidable of an opponent than in the water.

  They had also enjoyed further recreational time in the pool during several afternoons, with Moonie and the children as well. Jim would sometimes sit on a chair by the edge, giving verbal hints to Emily and Alex as they took turns being “It” during games of Marco Polo in the shallow end. Other times he would utilize the treadmill in the adjacent gym while the others enjoyed the pool.

  Megan noted with amazement how easily Moonie managed himself in the water without legs to help him get around. He certainly seemed capable of many physical tasks that others would deem impossible for someone with his disadvantage.

  And like their stepfather, the children took to the water like fish, showing excellent form and mechanics as they raced each other from one length of the pool to the other. Emily was by far the stronger swimmer, though Alex did more than well enough. Her mastery of the water somewhat resembled Michael’s, as if it were in her genes. But Megan knew that couldn’t be, as they weren’t blood related.

  There had been one night when Megan awoke to the voice of Emily’s cries, shouting “Mommy,” repeatedly. She had hopped out of bed and rushed to the children’s room, but Michael had gotten there first. The girl had woken her brother as well, and their stepfather had held her close to him while rocking her on her air mattress, shushing her gently as she wept. With one free hand he had pulled Alex close to him as well.

  “Anything I can do?” Megan had asked, feeling her own sense of motherly protectiveness for the first time. It never dawned on her before how the loss of Michael’s wife had affected her children, but upon witnessing this heart wrenching scene among the survivors of such a tragedy, she had silently scolded herself for not having thought about it before, especially since she knew what it was like to lose a mother. As much as it had hurt her, she couldn’t begin to imagine what it would’ve been like if her mother had died when she was Emily’s age.

  “Maybe a couple glasses of water?” Michael had replied to her, and she had immediately set off to the kitchen. When she had returned with their drinks, both children had calmed themselves, but still hugged their stepfather with tears in their eyes. She had approached and handed them their waters, which they had accepted gratefully, and Michael had asked her to stay, and this had moved her explicitly.

  “Mommy will always be here with you,” he had promised them as he pointed a finger at Emily’s heart. “I know she misses you too, but she’s always looking down at us from Heaven. You know that, don’t you guys?” The two little ones had nodded sadly as they sniffled and took light sips of their drinks.

  Megan had stood by, feeling somewhat out of place, somehow apart from this family that wasn’t hers, until Michael had looked to her as he continued comforting them. “You know,” he had said, “Miss Megan’s mommy is in Heaven too. Isn’t that right, Miss Megan?” He had gestured her to sit on the mattress with them.

  “That’s right,” she had answered in a voice shaky with emotion as she sat next to the children opposite Michael.

  “Really?” Emily had said curiously, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “She must have been a good mommy like ours if she’s in Heaven.”

  “She was,” Megan had agreed. “And you must have had a great mommy. I can tell because you two are the most awesome kids I’ve ever met.”

  “I’ll bet your mommy was really nice,” Alex had spoken up, “because you’re so nice.”

  She had leaned forward and given the darling boy a kiss on his head. “She was nice, and since she’s been in Heaven, she’s been my guardian angel. Did you know that when mommies go to Heaven, God makes them guardian angels for their children?”

  Their faces had brightened a little as they suddenly gave her their full attention. “Is that true, Dad?” Alex had asked.

  Michael had nodded, smiling lovingly at Megan for her aiding him in soothing their pain. “It’s absolutely true, buddy.”

  “It sure is,” Megan had concurred. “And so whenever I miss my mommy, I say the Prayer of the Guardian Angel. Do you know that prayer?”

  They had looked at her with wonder. “I don’t know it,” Emily had answered. “I know the Our Father and Hail Mary, and when I had my first Penance, I was taught a prayer about being sorry for my sins, but I forget that one.”

  “The Act of Contrition,” Michael had reminded her. “And I’m sorry, guys. I should’ve remembered the guardian angel prayer, but I forgot all about it. I haven’t said it since I was a little boy.”

  “It’s okay,” Megan had said, taking one of each child’s hands in her own, “I can teach you both, and then you can say it before you go to bed at night or whenever you miss your mommy. And she’ll hear you whenever you do.”

  Michael had held their glasses of water so they could fold their hands together, and Megan had said one line at a time, so that they could repeat each line after her. Both children had agreed that it was the best prayer they had ever learned. Soon after having recited it several times, they had been comforted enough to nestle back under the covers in their air mattresses.

  When Michael had shut off the light and eased their bedroom door closed, Megan had put a hand on his shoulder. “You alright?” she had asked quietly.

  He had nodded, but held a bothered look. “I think the worst part of losing Heather is having to watch how much they have to suffer from it,” he admitted. “Thankfully, being as young as they were, they’re more resilient. It’s very rare that one of them wakes up crying anymore.”

  “Do they know the truth? That the Agents were responsible?”

  “No,” he had answered immediately. “God, no. I can’t chance them developing a sense of fear or hatred for them. It would make their training in the Alpha Magic extremely difficult.”

  She had said that she understood, and that if he or they needed anything else, to let her know, and he suddenly turned to her and pulled her close in the darkness of the hallway. He had hugged her tightly for a noticeable length of time, and the gesture had filled her with warmth, having known he had done so out of sheer appreciation for her. “What you just did in there…” he had whispered to her, “…I can’t thank you enough.”

  As he held her close, a sense of something not of her own thoughts had entered her mind. “You’re worri
ed about Alex, aren’t you?” He had drawn his head back to stare into her eyes. “You’re worried he feels hatred anyway. Even though he doesn’t know who to hate, he feels it anyway for having lost his mother.”

  “How do you know that?” he had asked softly but with a look of surprise.

  “I don’t,” she had admitted. “Just that you’re worried that he does.” Then she had slanted her eyebrows as if thinking intensely. “This connection thing is taking a while to fizzle out, isn’t it.”

  His expression had matched hers. “I’m starting to wonder,” he had answered, “if it’s possibly getting stronger.”

  May stepped aside for June. The six occupants of the Cirillo residence spent the last few days quite leisurely. They enjoyed a couple days at the beach, where the kids built sandcastles with Megan and Jim assisting, while Michael and Moonie played catch with a baseball. The ocean water was still quite cold in the early season, and only Michael enjoyed a brief swim while the others dined on tuna fish sandwiches on their beach blanket.

  Each day, during whatever activity they engaged in, Michael spent a much greater amount of time by Megan’s side, sometimes chatting up a storm about nothing important, but she never tired of it. Moonie once commented to her that he hadn’t seen his friend that happy in a very long time.

  “I used to call ‘im Dumbo,” he said. “When we were in college, his ears looked big because his face hadn’t filled out yet. Now that his smile is even bigger than his ears, I gotta think of a new nickname for him. Maybe Dopey.” He turned to her and studied her for a moment, then pointed as he laughed, “Looks like you’re Bashful!”

  Megan continued her meditation sessions with Moonie, but eventually joined Emily and Alex when she no longer needed verbal guidance from her host. Michael continued to meditate in solitude, both morning and evening. It was around the middle of the first week of June when he reported to Jim and Megan that they would finally have to be on their way after the following weekend passed. She asked him about the spell Moonie had said he was preparing, and what it had to do with their need to stay, to which he replied that she was starting to gain some intuition, and then promised her he would tell her.