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quickly as the moths had arrived, they disappeared like a wisp into the darkness. Áine looked right at me, then above my head.
    Caw! A crow swooped out of the tree and flew to the lamppost beside Áine. They both stared at me. Then the bird winked. No, he wasn’t winking. It was the crow with the ringed eye. He cawed again and took flight, disappearing into the distance.
    “Sorry I took so long, Meg. I couldn’t find it anywhere,” Caitlin called breathlessly as she jogged toward me. She pulled up short when she saw my face.
    “What’s wrong?”
    I didn’t know what to say. The beauty of the moths had sent a chill through my entire body and left my skin tingling. It was the oddest sensation, sort of like what had been happening with my hands, but somehow gentler.
    Áine stepped out from under the canopy and walked toward me.
    “It’s Megan, isn’t it? I’m Áine. We have art together, but we haven’t been introduced yet,” she announced, looking at me warily. She stopped short, keeping her distance from me.
    “Yeah, hi,” I said, taking a step closer and attempting to shake her hand.
    Ignoring it, she scratched her neck and cocked her head to one side, focusing on something behind me. Her eyes slowly slid back to mine and she looked at me thoughtfully for a few moments. Her eyes were so like her brother’s that it was unsettling.
    Then a battered-looking Land Rover Discovery pulled in behind her. I peered into the car, but couldn’t see through the tinted windows in the half-light. The driver’s window opened just a little bit and a gruff voice called to Áine to get into the car.
    “Must dash.” She looked at me guiltily and jumped into the front seat. Before they pulled away she rolled down her window and stuck her open palm out of the car. On it was a big white moth that must have strayed inside. She smiled at me and gently blew the moth off her hand, then raised her finger to her lips. Seconds later, the car took off, leaving dust and spinning stones in its wake.
    “That was weird,” Caitlin said.
    “Totally,” I agreed. “Come on, let’s get home.”
    The last of the sun was setting over the Bandon estuary as we walked along the river. It had turned the still water a molten orange and red.
    Caitlin looked at me. “What’s with all the silence? Are you okay?”
    “I’m fine. It’s just … I saw Áine doing something really weird with all these white moths. It’s hard to describe. She sort of had them dancing.”
    “She was dancing with the moths?”
    “No, she made the moths dance.”
    “I don’t get it.” Caitlin snorted, giving me a sidelong glance.
    “I’m not explaining it well. I just … Do you think there’s any truth in the rumors about their being … you know?”
    “Stop it! You’re giving me the creeps.”
    We made our way up the hill past the school and then turned toward town. Just ahead of us I saw someone who looked like the old man from the other day. I started to slow down, not wanting to have to deal with him again. He turned his expressionless face to us before slowly crossing the road and disappearing into an alley.
    Caitlin glanced back at me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    “What is it with the creepy monk guys around here?”
    “Oh, they’re just the brothers from the friary. They’re all really nice.”
    “What about that one, the one with the long gray hair and beard clip?”
    “Can’t say I’ve ever seen a monk with a beard clip,” Caitlin said, laughing. “I think you have an overactive imagination. I’m going to have a word with the lads. No more scary stories for you.”
    “He was just walking in front of us.” I pointed to where he’d crossed the road.
    “Sorry, I must have missed him. My mind was more agreeably engaged.” She winked at me. “Thanks for today; I know it wasn’t exactly your bag of chips.”
    Still really freaked out, but not wanting to make her worry, I smiled. “Today was great. Your idea was inspired. Riding