The Sight (bxb)

What Evan learned didn't sound difficult, but it did present a few problems. While there were some things he could learn on his own in advance, Mark and Cullen assured him that for the ritual itself, both he and Rory would have to come to Manvale so they could guide them.

It was necessary to arrange this with the Alpha of their pack, a responsibility Ryan had decided to take on, while also ensuring that Rory had time to come.

The next full moon was in three weeks, and fortunately, it fell on a Saturday. It was one of the key requirements of the ritual. Apparently, that's where the legend of people turning into werewolves during the full moon came from.

Evan had learned almost more in the one hour they'd spent at Cullen and Mark's house than he had in his entire life. As Ryan commented later, some of the things they'd discovered would probably give Evan's parents a heart attack. A thought that, in turn, brought a smile to his face.

But he didn't just leave their house with information that expanded his horizons. Mark's instructions were clear: in order to give Rory a piece of his soul, he first had to connect with his own essence. Nothing more challenging could have been asked of him.

"Maybe you could try it through your art," Angie suggested after Evan filled her in on what Mark had told him. He explained that each person had their own way of connecting with their essence. Many people used meditation for that, but it wasn't the only way.

"Maybe." He'd thought about that, too, but he wasn't sure if it was the right choice. After all, he had always created art, but he had never been able to look inside his soul while doing so.

"We'll figure something out." Ryan automatically cheered him on, as he always did. Evan gave him a grateful smile and snuggled closer, laying his head on his shoulder.

"We'll help," Angie wasn't giving up on this conversation. "After all, we are the weave protection program."

At her words, Evan turned his gaze to Michael, who hadn't yet joined the conversation and hardly seemed to be listening to them. Instead, he was sitting on the floor, putting together the birdhouse Natalie had bought but couldn't assemble herself.

"Maybe Rory will have an idea," he echoed from the ground. He didn't raise his head, and his tone was monotone as he concentrated on working with the screwdriver. Even so, it was clear he was listening.

"I haven't called him yet," Evan admitted. "I'm trying to sort through everything I've heard today in my head. I may have good news, but there are still a lot of things to take care of."

"You didn't even know if that was possible before. I think it's more than good news," Michael replied.

"You're way too positive today," Evan commented. He couldn't help but point it out, since Michael was the last person he'd expected such optimism from.

The black-haired boy finally lifted his head, and their gazes met.

"I'm realistic, not optimistic," he assured him. "Not only did you find out it was possible, but you found out it was a solution that might actually help Rory. Plus, you have potential explanations for why Alex still hasn't told Rory the truth. I'm sure he'll be glad to hear them."

"Don't forget the part where Rory has potential magical powers," Angie added.

"He'll be thrilled to hear that," Ryan said. He knew Rory's situation best, as they were always texting each other, so he also understood how Rory felt about everything. Evan knew quite a bit as well, but he didn't dare predict how Rory would react to all of this. Rory had been pretty frustrated the last time they'd texted. Besides, Evan was convinced that Rory's relationship with Alex had progressed—even if his friend wasn't ready to admit it aloud. There was a bond between them that made staying apart impossible.