The wind ruffled Kaliel's golden hair as he rested on the window as usual, his eyes lost in nothingness. But there was something strange about the scene. It was his clothes, suddenly so old-fashioned, or the fact that it wasn’t a window but the branch of a leafy tree. Ali saw him from below and he didn’t seem to notice her, until that moment.
“I didn’t expect you so early...” he murmured, trying not to smile, something unusual for his typically sullen humor. In a matter of seconds, he jumped onto the lawn and was next to her. “Let's go” he urged her, holding out his hand chivalrously.
Ali had no idea where they were going but something didn’t let her ask: she simply followed him. During the whole trip, Kaliel was talking animatedly about a trip he had made years ago to India and how majestic the Taj Mahal was. Every now and then, he would turn around and smile as he told her the story of its construction.
“The emperor met Princess Arjumand when she was fifteen years old, in an Agra bazaar, and both fell in love. A short time later, he had to marry another woman for political reasons. But he didn’t forget her and five years later he married her. He named her then Mumtaz Mahal, which means the pearl of the palace and he named himself Shah Jahan, king of the world, when he became king. They were happy many years until she died giving birth to their fourteenth child. Before dying she made him promise to visit her grave every year... He had the Taj Mahal built for her, the most beautiful tomb in the world. The bad thing is that they cut off the hands of everyone who worked on their construction so that they would never do anything like it...” he added in a lower tone.
Ali laughed as they entered the house.
“And why are you telling me this?”
“Last night I went back to visit the Taj...”
Kaliel paused while searching in his pockets.
“Oh...”
“And I thought that Shah Jahan wouldn’t be upset if I did this” Kaliel said lowering his voice as he came closer and closer. “After all he understood what love is...” he murmured.
“Do what?” Ali asked, almost breathless.
“This”.
He was too close. Closer than he had ever been, to the point where she could feel the brush of her warm breath on the bare skin of her neck. Ali stood motionless, trapped by the green of her feline gaze. It seemed that he was going to kiss her and, inside, she found herself begging that it be so. It didn’t take more than a second until she felt something cold slide around her neck next to Kaliel's hands. It was a necklace. A blue flash lit her chest.
“It's a sapphire” he said taking her by the shoulders. Then he turned her toward the mirror, making sure their bodies remained in contact. “I took it from the Taj. It reminded me of your eyes...”
At that moment, Ali raised her face to see herself, perhaps to see if her eyes were at least close to the beauty of that stone. A moan of fright escaped her mouth and she ran to the mirror to look closer. Those were not her eyes. That wasn’t her little nose and definitely, those golden curls, didn’t look anything like her long jet-black hair. What was happening? She wasn’t her; she was Charlotte.
She felt an inexplicable anguish upon awakening. It had been a dream, although one very real and quite strange. She couldn’t convince herself that it didn’t matter. She still wanted to break into tears but told herself it’d be stupid. Most likely, it was just a rest of the conversation she had had with Kaliel at night and that her fanciful mind transformed into a ridiculous soap opera of passion. She looked for Kaliel with her eyes in his place of the window but couldn’t find him. She thought he had to leave early until she remembered that she didn’t remember at what point... Ali turned carefully and confirmed her suspicion. With his eyes closed, Kaliel lay beside her with the beautiful and perfect face of an angel. It was strange to see him like that, so... in peace. Because of his almost uncomfortable posture, Ali deduced that he had fallen asleep sitting until he fell. But didn’t he say that the immortals didn’t sleep?
Embarrassed, Ali tried to get up without waking him. She couldn’t imagine what he would say in a situation like that. She didn’t even remember falling asleep. She was going to leave but stopped in the doorway. She had the whole room for her. She could snoop around books and shelves without Kaliel's surveillance. However, instead of doing so, she squatted next to the bed in order to satisfy a much deeper and inexplicable curiosity. Perhaps she would never again have the opportunity to see him asleep, to be able to observe him carefully without the situation becoming uncomfortable and him answering with some rudeness. Although, on second thought, there wasn’t much to see that she hadn’t seen before. The only different thing was his innocent expression. Seen like that, he was just a boy and not the potential killer of everyday. Seen like that, he looked human even though Ali knew he wasn’t. Seen like that, she was even more convinced that he had to be an angel.
Impulsively, she extended a hand to his face and stopped millimeters before brushing against his skin. A series of fine freckles popped the bridge of his nose giving him a childish air. That woke up in Ali a feeling of tenderness and wished she could caress his hair, disarming his curls between her fingers. But no. What was she thinking? Ali shook her head trying to get rid of those absurd ideas and sat up. She went to a bookshelf and began to read the titles of the loins, with her head bowed, but in the end she didn’t remember any. She was just trying to get Kaliel out of her mind and, above all, that dream about Charlotte. She had a feeling that it wasn’t just any dream. Invaded again by melancholy, she went to the window. What would Kaliel observe when he seemed to look at the nothingness itself? Ali sat carefully on the sill, imitating Kaliel's position, even with her right leg dangling into space. She could see the golden light of dawn above the treetops and beyond that part of the city with its medieval houses. It had to be a joke! He had a perfect but distant view of Alexander's house, that is, Charlotte's house.
What an idiot she had been! Wasn’t it the most obvious? Even her unconscious had warned her a while ago and was trying to tell her: «he's still in love with Charlotte; Get away before it's too late ». Surely everyone should know. After all, even Sabrina knew the true punishment of Kaliel before himself. And everyone was beginning to believe that there was something between them, as Zhaira had suggested. Maybe it was her fault to start believing it too. But why did it hurt so much? Was it the act of being foolish? Or was she beginning to feel something for him? Impossible. With her father gone, her boyfriend murdered and her life completely destroyed, she couldn’t be so selfish, so frivolous, to worry about that. To even think about falling in love again.
Something flew by her side with a quick whistle and made her sway in fright. Frightened, she immediately got out of the window and instinctively walked away. She saw then the arrow stuck in the intersection of two stones in the window frame. Did someone try to kill her? No. It wasn’t any arrow. It had a ribbon hanging from it. Carefully, Ali came over and tore off the arrow. She noticed that, in reality, the ribbon tied a small scroll to the arrow: it was a message. Kalo's warning echoed in her mind as if she heard him again: you will recognize my personal signature. She put the arrow to one side and unrolled the message, with trembling fingers.
I know where your father is.
See me in an hour at Churchill Garden. Follow the blue ribbons. Come alone
Ali let out the air she had been holding. Nobody signed the letter. It had to be a trap. Why would they ask her to be alone? If it was the message she was waiting from Patrick, why hadn’t Kalo sent the message directly in that letter? Her mind was screaming Don’t go! but she also knew that she couldn’t risk losing any information that could bring her closer to her father. She couldn’t tell Kaliel either, since he wouldn’t let her go out alone under any circumstances. Ali was cornered. This time she would have to do it on her own. Determined, she took her jacket and left the room.
Just minutes later, Ali went down to the main ship with a plan in her mind. She knew that the Trinity Chapel room would be almo
st full of people coming to hear the morning service at 7:30. She only had to wait for it to end and mix in the crowd to get out. Trying to get as little attention as possible, she took one of the last seats and prepared to listen. She was aware that not only should she not draw the attention of the Redentto but also of anyone who could recognize her. She remembered with bitterness the words of Kaliel: it’d be better that everybody believes that you are dead. Then she realized that it had been a long time since she left the cathedral during the day for the last time. What would happen if she crossed paths with an old classmate? What if she met Jess? Would it really be such a terrible thing?
The minutes passed slowly like an endless litany while the priest spoke. Ali had lifted the hood of her jacket and tilted her face as if praying with great concentration. Her hands were entwined on the back of the chair in front of her. From time to time, she would glance surreptitiously around her, in case she saw Mikah, and also at the watch of the woman next to her. It was 7:45. If the service ended shortly after eight o'clock, she would have only fifteen minutes to arrive on time. Her only option would be to run.
7:50...
7:59...
Not even at school had she waited so long for recess.
8:10. Finally people rose from their seats and the sound of hundreds of murmurs invaded the air. Some took the opportunity to greet and cross a few words with their acquaintances. Others preferred to stay there praying or contemplating the immeasurable beauty of architecture and sculptures. Ali looked for a group of people who crowded near the door reading an ad that hung on the wall. With pretended interest she approached the older women who were further back and, then, as soon as they started to leave, Ali slipped between them as if it were the line for a recital. Once outside, she began to walk faster and without looking back. She reached the street, walked to the corner and, sure that nobody was following her, ran as if she were being chased by a demonic legion. Maybe people would turn to see her. Maybe she seemed crazy. She didn’t know and she didn’t care. Her hood fell with the force of the wind and she could feel her hair flying like a flag behind her back. Either way, nobody could recognize her just by watching her pass for a moment.
She ran blocks and blocks. Her lungs burned as if she had breathed in acid by the time she reached Churchill Garden. She slowed to a halt next to a tree that grew beside the river and leaned on it while recovering her breath. Breathing so fast always caused dizziness. She looked once more around her. Apparently, no one had followed her, although that didn’t guarantee any security. Vampires were much worse than Redentto traitors and now they walked freely in broad daylight. Moreover, they were always on the lookout, hoping to find her alone and helpless. She knew it. A chill ran down her neck despite the heat she felt after running. It would be better to hurry, it wasn’t time for regrets.
Not far away, in the middle of a group of trees, Ali saw a blue ribbon tied to the trunk of a tall cypress tree and went there immediately. However, she didn’t find anyone waiting for her and nobody came in the minutes that followed. It wasn’t until then that she noticed that this wasn’t the only tree marked by the blue ribbon, but that the road continued to penetrate between more trees and shrubs, and away from the Cadells Club. She could still hear the laughter of the children who played very close. As Ali moved forward looking for the end of the path of tapes and the person who had quoted her there, her heart was racing. However, she told herself that nobody could choose such a public place if they tried to harm her. In that case, she could just scream and all the people who were in the park, the mothers, the children, the runners, they would all hear it. But she was wrong...
At first she felt like a blow that came from behind and then felt that they dragged her covering her mouth with a hand. She tried to scream as planned, but her moans were barely audible. Her captor dragged her into a dark thicket, holding her with iron arms while she shook and struggled to free herself. She knew it was a trap! Why hadn’t she told Sabrina, at least? Her captor made the mistake of turning her towards himself and in a slip, Ali managed to disengage an arm and gave the punch as hard as she could.
“Oh, my God, I'm sorry!” Ali exclaimed when she saw who it was. A blue cap hid his face and she hadn’t recognized him.
“Shhhhhh!!!” He covered her mouth again, this time using less force.
Ali dropped on the grass, relieved and, suddenly, also cheerful. Larsen crouched down next to her and surveyed her gravely.
“You sent me the letter?” Ali smiled.
“No” he bellowed. His gaze nailed sharply to her, commanding her to lower her voice. Judging from his expression, something was very wrong. “We have to get out of here as soon as possible. Follow me”.
Ali obeyed without question and both halted the way down, trying to take refuge behind the bushes. If it hadn’t been Larsen then who had summoned her? Surely it was some of Darry's men.
“Come closer” Larsen whispered as he took off his coat and cap. “They shouldn’t see you. Put these on”.
“But what about you...” Ali hesitated observing his bare arms. It was a day more than cool.
“I'll be fine” he insisted with impatience full of sweetness.
Without stop looking around, he helped Ali to put on his jacket. It was a military green and it was big and long. Then he placed himself behind her and his fingers caressed her neck as he gathered her hair and hid it under the cap. His touch gave her chills.
“Now, come on” Larsen indicated and, passing a hand around her waist, pushed her to walk, as if nothing happened, towards the street.
They walked in silence and with their eyes fixed on the floor for about five minutes. They edged Churchill Garden in the opposite direction of the cathedral. Ali noticed that his hands were shaking. So much mystery and such haste frightened her. As if that were not enough, Larsen began to walk faster and faster. That meant they were not safe yet, but they should have been running from the beginning but they didn’t do it so as not to get too much attention. Then, before the clump of trees ended, Larsen took her arm and pushed her toward them again. This time, he instructed her to keep silence with a finger. Where did he just take her?
A darkness hovered over the trees and wasn’t the result of the natural shade of the foliage. Ali could feel that something evil and dark was very close. Larsen went to his knees and advanced one last stretch in this way, to a thick bush of bushes. Ali imitated him. With extreme care, Larsen pushed aside some branches so Ali could look at what was behind them. She easily found a blue ribbon tied to a tree on the other side of a small clearing. That must be the end of the road. She scanned the place but didn’t see anyone. Then, Larsen told her to look up.
Max. Her blood froze when she found Max and Zhaira crouching over the branches of the tree. Along with them were also some of the vampires who had participated in the ambush of the previous night. An intense fury invaded Ali and she wished she could kill them. At that moment, something moved and Ali saw four more Redentto appear. Among them was the girl who had supported Max the night he attacked her. There was no doubt: they were Darry’s allies now. Would Mikah know of their betrayal?
With a slight squeeze on her arm, Larsen made her return from her musings and his gaze told her that they should leave as soon as possible. They walked in silence, as fast as they could and turned into the corner of a school. Just there, Larsen stopped suddenly and turned on Ali, cornering her against the side wall of the huge building. His hands gripped her firmly on both shoulders as he stared at her gravely:
“You can’t go back...” he said decisively. “The cathedral is no longer a safe place for you”.
22
The awakening
Awakening was an unknown feeling to Kaliel as it was to dream. It was even more terrifying. That moment when he opened his eyes without noticing when they had closed. It was a strange moment of silence, a flight from his own thoughts just before they resumed the internal chaos that tortured him without rest. The last time he had experienced
unconsciousness, the awakening had been devastating. And he knew it wouldn’t be different this time.
A twinge of fear ran through his body. He stood up in one jump and began to beat and pinch his skin in search of some suffering that would make him more human. He hoped not to find it.
“When did I fall asleep?” He asked, naive, just seconds before noticing his loneliness. “Girl...” She wasn’t there. “Alanis...” he murmured his name now that he knew she wouldn’t hear it. It was strangely sweet.
The name of Alanis had a perfect musicality that harmonized with her: sweet, innocent and fragile. Something that Kaliel's nature prevented him from ignoring especially knowing that his soul had been thrown into hell just like that. Especially knowing that Baaltazhar, for some obscure reason, wanted her. He remembered the night before, watching her disarm between rales and tears, filled with terror by the darkness of a world she had been dragged into. Where had free will been left? At that moment, he wished he wasn’t so weak and to assure her that he could keep her from that but it wasn’t true. It was every time less true.
Kaliel noticed the arrow on the floor next to the window. He had a bad feeling. He picked it up and closed his eyes. He saw the arrow flying until it stuck in the window. He opened his eyes and found that the brand was there. He closed his eyes again, trying to see in his mind what had happened, but he couldn’t. God kept punishing him.
“Why do you punish my compassion!?” He exclaimed frustrated. “Isn’t that what you want?”
“You confuse compassion with passion” said a calm voice behind him.
Mikah leaned against the doorframe, bathed in an iridescent aura that few could see. Kaliel turned slowly, rehearsing a cool, controlled expression.
“What are you playing Kaliel? Where do you think this will take you?”
“Leave me alone Mikael. I'm not one of your repentant bloodsuckers... I don’t need a confessor”.
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