by Morgan Rice
Right overhead, there was a huge falcon, circling them, and diving fast right towards them.
The bird came in so fast, seeming to dive right for their heads, that they had to both duck at the last second to keep from getting clawed. It landed just feet from them, on the grass.
It turned and stared at them with defiant eyes.
Then, after a moment, it suddenly took off again, its huge wings flapping so close to their faces, that Caleb and Caitlin had to duck again.
They both looked at each other in shock, as the huge bird flew off into the horizon.
They then turned and looked back in the grass, where the bird had been, and saw that it had left something.
It was a scrol . A message, Caitlin realized.
And as she looked closely at it, her heart stopped within her.
On the outside, in delicate, feminine handwriting, it read:
“For Caleb. My love.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER TWELVE
As Sam walked with Kendra down the marble, gilded hal s of Versail es, he was having a hard time concentrating.
After the two of them had met, and Pol y had rushed off, they had been left alone. Kendra hadn’t said anything else to him, but she had looked at him in such a way, that he felt she was beckoning him to stay with her.
So when she had turned, without a word, and had begun to slowly walk away, he felt like he should accompany her. He hurried to catch up, and had been walking beside her ever since. She hadn’t looked surprised that he had done so, and she had not asked him to leave. At the same time, she had not explicitly invited him, either.
She was a confusing person, hard to read. Sam marveled at how this woman—if he could even cal her that at 17—
already had such an effect upon him. After being transfixed by her eyes, a light, mysterious aqua blue, he had fal en hard, and had a hard time thinking of anything else. It was as if she’d had a power to transfix him.
And yet, he could sense, she was not one of his kind. She was a mere human. How could she have this kind of power?
He also could feel the huge sense of entitlement coming off of her. Clearly, she was a member of the royal family. It was apparent in the way she moved, the way she held her chin, the way she carried herself. She was clearly the type of person, he could tel , who was used to giving people orders since birth. He, too, felt that it was hard to do anything but fulfil her command while in her presence.
Not that he minded. His heart had beat faster at his first sight of her, and he didn’t especial y want to be anywhere else but by her side. It was literal y as if he had been struck by a lightning bolt.
He could not understand how she had captured his interest so quickly. He didn’t even know her.
And up until now, he had never even believed in love at first sight.
He thought of the first time he had met Samantha, of the feelings he had felt. He had been so attracted to her, too.
But it was also different. With Kendra, it was something deeper, stronger.
The timing was so weird, too, because, before he’d met her, he had just been starting to warm up to Pol y. Upon first seeing Pol y, he had been struck by how pretty she was.
But she was not ravishingly beautiful, like Kendra was, nor did she have the same power to hypnotize him. And once Kendra appeared, it was hard for him to think of anything else.
As they walked, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous marble corridors, passing huge floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the formal gardens of Versail es, Sam final y began to come back to his senses. He wondered where they were going. Being around Kendra, he was having a hard time remembering why he was here. He was even having a hard time remembering what his mission was at al , and why he’d come back in time.
A wave of her perfume came his way, and Sam felt even more lightheaded. He wil ed himself to think. To remember.
Caitlin. He’d wanted to find her. To help her.
Aiden. Pol y had brought him here. To meet him.
But as he turned the corner with her, and walked down yet another corridor, it al seemed to fade to the back of his mind. Somehow, none of it seemed so pressing anymore.
Strangely enough, he now felt as if he had al the time in the world. And that nothing was more important than being by Kendra’s side.
As the silence between them continued, Sam final y began to wonder if he should say something.
He cleared his throat.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
They walked several more feet in silence, and Sam began to wonder if she would even bother to answer him.
“I am going to the court,” she said slowly, haughtily.
Now Sam felt embarrassed. Was he intruding? Had he misread the signs? Should he leave her be, go in another direction?
“Do you want me to come with you?” Sam asked.
He watched her expression, and caught the slightest flicker of a smile at the corner of her lips.
“As you wil ,” she said.
He didn’t know what that meant, but he decided he would take that for a Yes. He wasn’t ready to leave her side so quickly, at least not until she explicitly told him to go.
“So, like, who are you?” he asked.
They walked in silence, she not bothering to answer.
Final y, Sam figured he should rephrase the question.
“I mean, like, do you live here? How do you know Pol y? I’ve never been here,” he said. He knew that he sounded lame, but he didn’t know what else to say.
“That is obvious,” she said, as she suddenly stopped before a door.
She looked at Sam, waiting there, impatient.
He could not figure out what she was waiting for.
Then he realized. The door. She expected him to open it for her.
Clumsily, he hurried forward and yanked it open.
She turned and walked through the open door, without even a thank you.
Sam rushed through it, hurrying to keep up beside her.
They were now outside, walking through the immaculate, formal gardens. It was a beautiful day, but very sunny and hot.
Sam felt something in his hand, and looked down, and saw her place a long, slim, black parasol into it.
He couldn’t figure why she had handed him an umbrel a, since it wasn’t raining, but then, he realized. She expected him to open it for her. To block the sun.
He assumed she expected him to hold it over her head, so he did. She continued to walk, as if his holding it over her were the most natural thing in the world. He was starting to feel like he was her servant.
“To answer your question,” she said slowly, in a dignified voice, “yes. I am of the royal family. I am Marie’s cousin.
Younger than her, obviously, but stil , we practical y grew up together,” she said.
“In fact, al things being equal, I am as entitled to the crown as she. But because of legitimacy questions, she retains the glory.”
Sam looked at her in a whole new light. A would-be Queen.
That explained it. She certainly carried herself like one.
But even if he didn’t know this, even if she wasn’t a royal, he stil would have felt equal y attracted to her.
“Life here can be very dul ,” she added, with a sigh. “Yes, there are the parties and bal s and visitors and dignitaries.
But there are also endless formalities, etiquettes, mind-numbing dinners, ceremonies. I’d much prefer to be elsewhere. Horseback riding, like the men do. Archery was something I liked as a child, but which is forbidden for me now. Life here is restrictive for a woman.
Our best hope is to find a man. That is the sum of al our ambition. Quite boring, if you ask me. In fact, I think it should be reversed. I think the sum of al ambition should be for a man to find a woman. And that she should be free to do as she wishes.”
Sam marveled at her strange combination of total silence, then opening up in a long, detailed monologue. He wondered if she
had opened up to him because she felt close to him in some way, or if she was just like this with everybody.
“Wel , at least you’re not opinionated,” he said with a smile.
She turned and gave him a cold look, and he realized he fumbled. Clearly, sarcasm wasn’t her thing.
“Just kidding,” Sam said, trying to ease the tension.
“That is apparent,” she said, coldly.
They walked down a long row of perfectly trimmed hedges, workers al around them, hard at work trimming and pruning, tending to an endless row of roses.
“The only thing that brings life to our party is your kind,” she said, as they turned down yet another trail, and passed a huge bubbling fountain.
So, Sam realized. At least she knew he was a vampire.
That was a relief. It meant less explaining for him.
“You bring an element of unpredictability to the equation,”
she added. “An element of freedom.
I like to watch your kind train. I like to see the battles. The techniques. Your kind keeps our kind on edge. If truth be told, it is the only thing that keeps the Royals in their place.”
They walked for a while in silence, as Sam thought over their conversation, everything she said.
“So, what about you?” he asked final y, without real y thinking in advance. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
He realized right away it was a mistake. He was too blunt, as always. He should have been more subtle.
She turned and stared right through him, looking appal ed.
“I beg your pardon?” she said. “You’re very forward. And rude.”
“Just asking,” he said quietly, feeling dejected.
“I don’t see what business that is of yours,” she added.
They continued to walk in silence, the tension increasingly awkward between them, and they final y came to another immaculate palace. Sam was confused. He had always thought that Versail es was just one palace. He hadn’t realize that there were several palaces on the property.
Each one seemed grander than the next.
As they reached the front door, several servants rushed to open the door for her. Sam returned her parasol, and she stopped, and faced him. He was surprised she had stopped; he had assumed that she didn’t like him, that he had messed up, and that she would just walk away.
She looked at him, and once again, her eyes struck him, held him in place as if hypnotized.
Sam felt his heart beat faster, as her eyes locked onto his.
He was certain this time that she was giving him a message.
“You’re different than the others,” she said quietly, out of earshot of the guards. “The others are ancient. They’ve been around forever. They’re more predictable. You’re younger. More naïve. That’s a good thing.”
Sam didn’t know what to say to that.
“Wel ,” he said, smiling, “I guess you’re not half bad yourself.”
Once again, his sarcasm fel flat. She stared back coldly, and he thought that he blew it for sure this time.
But suddenly, she added: “To answer your question: No. I don’t. But maybe, quite soon, I wil .”
Then, without another word, she turned and walked away.
Sam stood there staring after her, speechless.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Caitlin sat there, her heart pounding, as Caleb sat across from her, reading the scrol with concern on his face.
She couldn’t believe it. It had been such a magical moment, one of the peak moments of their relationship, and she had felt that she and Caleb were on the brink of getting so much closer. And then that stupid bird had to appear, out of nowhere, diving down like a messenger of death.
Whatever the letter had to say, she couldn’t stand the suspense anymore. Her heart now pounded, not with love and excitement, but with fear and dread.
With love, it had been signed. That could only mean one thing. It was from Sera. Who else would sign it that way?
Caitlin’s body shook with anger. Always, at every turn, Sera somehow managed to be a thorn in her side.
“Wel ?” Caitlin final y asked, with more anger in her voice than she would have liked. But she couldn’t stand waiting anymore.
Caleb final y looked up, a mix of concern and sorrow across his face.
“It is from Sera,” Caleb said. “It says that Jade is alive. That she has managed to resurrect him, and to bring him back in time. That he is here, now. That he wants to see me.”
Caitlin’s heart plummeted. She felt as if she’d been stabbed with a knife. She could see already, from the look on Caleb’s face, that an offer to see Jade was something he could not refuse. And that if she tried to get in the way, he would resent her forever, would always view her as the person who prevented him from seeing his son.
“How is that possible?” Caitlin asked. “How could she possibly resurrect him?”
Caleb looked down at the letter again, shaking his head, looking puzzled himself. “I don’t know,” he answered. “I real y don’t.”
He looked at her with sorrow and guilt.
“Caitlin,” he said, and she could hear the grief and longing in his voice. “I’m so sorry. I would never ever want to leave you. And I never would. But this is different. It is my son.”
Caitlin suddenly stood, overwhelmed with anger. Caleb stood, too.
“You have to understand,” he said, reaching out and grabbing her as she turned to walk away. He turned her to face him. “He is my son. And this is a chance for me to see him alive again. How can I walk away from that?”
“You love her,” Caitlin said. “You stil do.”
“No,” he insisted. “I promise you, I do not. This has nothing to do with Sera. It is only about Jade.”
Despite herself, Caitlin burst into tears.
“How can I prove it to you?” he asked. “You met Jade. You know what a special human being he is. How can I turn my back on him? How can I never see him again?”
Caitlin stood there, crying, not knowing what to say.
“You can accompany me,” Caleb said. “I wil prove it to you.
I wil prove to you that this is not about Sera. We can go together. We wil see Jade. And then we can bring him back here, to live with us.”
“And you think Sera would al ow that?” Caitlin asked. “Al ow us to take her son away from her?”
Caleb furrowed his brow.
“He’s my son, too. And regardless of what she wants, I don’t plan on spending any time with her. I’m going to see my son. I don’t need to be with her to be with my son. Come with me. You wil see. We wil get Jade together, and we wil leave.”
Caitlin shook her head, again and again.
“I could never go with you. You know that. I could never stand to see Sera. And I don’t want to be involved in your relationship with her.”
“I have no relationship with her,” Caleb insisted. “You have to believe me.”
“Is that why you’re going to leave me and see her?”
“Caitlin,” he said softly. “Please, understand. It’s not like that.”
Caitlin turned, wiping away her tears. With her back to him, she said, “You don’t need my permission. If you want to go
—go.”
Several seconds fol owed. He stepped up close, laid a hand on her shoulder.
“Wil you wait for me? Wil you be here when I return? It wil only be a few days. I promise you.
I wil return, with Jade in hand. And then we can start our lives together. Wil you wait? Please, promise me!”
She turned and looked at him, straight in the eye, feeling scorned, and her sadness hardened to resolve.
“I won’t promise you anything.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Kyle stood opposite Napoleon in the smal side chamber of the Pantheon. After his dramatic entrance, Kyle had marched Napoleon off, fuming like a chided schoolboy, surrounded by a dozen o
f his closest fol owers.
Napoleon’s men had wanted to come inside, but Kyle had ordered them to wait outside. They looked to Napoleon for approval, and he grudgingly lowered his gaze and nodded, clearly embarrassed he was no longer the one giving orders.
One of them wouldn’t budge, though, so Kyle walked up to him, picked him up, and threw him with such force that he went flying through the air, out the door, and into the hal way.
“Wait outside,” he said to the others.
They abruptly turned, and hurried out, leaving just Kyle and Napoleon facing each other in the smal chamber.
“You needn’t always be so dramatic,” Napoleon fumed. “I would have fol owed you here if you had only asked. You needn’t order around my people.”
“Your people?” Kyle asked. “The only reason you are in power is because of me. I’l do anything I wish. Including stripping you from power.”
Napoleon final y softened, as if ready to take orders from his commander.
“Why are you here?” Napoleon asked. “I thought you were waging your war in New York?”
“I was,” Kyle snapped. “But a girl got in the way. A very annoying girl named Caitlin. And her boyfriend, Caleb. And her brother, Sam. The three of them—they have ruined my plans. I’ve come back myself to take care of them al .”
“So?” Napoleon snapped. “What do you want from me?”
“They’ve come to your time and place, unluckily for you,”
Kyle said. “You and your men are going to help me find and kil them.”
Napoleon stared back, indignant. “You have chosen the worst possible time. We have no time for such distractions now. We are in the midst of a revolution. My men—I can barely control them.
They want a revolution. They want democracy. They want to be entirely out in the open.”
“Perfect,” Kyle said. “We wil give them the war they want.
We wil attack Versail es.”
Napoleon raised his eyebrows.