by Morgan Rice
And Napoleon, of course, looked to Kyle for direction.
Kyle felt himself surge with power, relishing the feeling of being in charge of an army once again, relishing the destruction and bloodshed that were about to happen. As he stood with his men in the cobblestone plaza opposite the Bastil e, Kyle stared up at it. The castle-like fort, with its drawbridge and turrets, was wel -defended by soldiers, looking as formidable as he remembered. But having been inside, Kyle already knew it strengths and weaknesses.
And he knew now how to bring it down. He carried in his pocket a chemical that would counteract the effect of the titanium, and free the savage seven for good.
Kyle smiled at the thought. Once he unleashed those creatures, there’d be mayhem spreading across Paris unlike any the city had ever known. Indeed, he knew, it would spark an entire revolution.
This huge mob was exactly the distraction Kyle needed to breach its wal s and get to work. And the revolution was the bigger distraction he needed to get to and isolate Caitlin.
With such havoc unleashed across the city, he felt certain that it would free her from her royal protectors, and that in the chaos, he could find and kil her much more easily. He salivated at the thought. There wasn’t a second left to lose.
“NOW!” Kyle screamed.
As one, the huge mob suddenly burst into action, sprinting across the plaza, heading right for the Bastil e. They stormed its wal s as one, and within moments, shots were already being fired, and the drawbridge raised. The mob returned fire as it charged. It was already a bloody mayhem, and they weren’t even near its wal s.
Kyle took advantage of the confusion. He broke from the crowd and lifted into the air, flying off to the side, over the moat, and around the other side. He hid behind a stone embankment, and watched as al the guards streamed around to the front of the building. As they did, Kyle saw his chance. He flew across, and in one quick motion, he knocked out the remaining guard, grabbed his keys, and snuck inside.
Kyle was familiar with the building now, from his first excursion, and he knew exactly where to run in the darkness. He ran down the spiraling stone staircase, and then suddenly ducked into a recess he’d found previously in a wal . He stood there and waited, remembering how many guards there had been below. He knew that if he just waited, they would race past him, to help defend the gate.
He was right. Moments later, dozens of vampire guards raced by, oblivious to his presence. He waited several more seconds, until the coast was clear, and then took off at a sprint, heading lower and lower.
He first reached a large iron gate and, without pausing, tore it off its hinges with a single hand.
He descended deeper, and reached a large silver gate, and this time, he extracted the guard’s key and unlocked it.
The gate opened quickly.
Now Kyle was in utter blackness. He kept descending, sprinting lower and lower. He could already sense the stench of the savage seven as he ran deeper, and he knew he was getting close, nearing the lowest possible level.
Kyle final y reached it. It was cavernous down here, and he saw the titanium bars. He had to recoil from the metal, even from where he was, the energy of it so strong.
But Kyle was prepared. He reached into his bag, extracted a powder, and threw it on the bars.
Sidnius Moroxide. The only compound which could dissolve the titanium.
Kyle waited several moments, and as he watched, the titanium turned colors, from a glowing silver to a pink. Once it al turned, he knew was ready. He reached out, grabbed the bars, and yanked with al his might.
Even with the effects of the powder, it took considerable strength. But as he pul ed and pul ed, he eventual y tore the thousand-year-old bars from their hinges.
The moment he did, the savage seven stepped forward, only feet away from him, snarling. They were the most evil demons he had ever seen, preachers from hel , ones that made his entire race look like fairies. Their gnarled faces were thousands of years old, and they lifted up their huge claws, and snarled at him, ready to pounce even on him, their liberator.
He knew that these creatures would not be grateful. On the contrary, they would kil him if they could.
He admired that. And he wanted them to kil . But he didn’t want to fight them himself. That would defeat his purpose.
Kyle turned around and took off at a sprint, then broke into flight, knowing they would fol ow on his heels. He headed up higher through this through the circular fort.
The savage seven where as quick as they were rumored to be, and within moments, Kyle sensed them flying on his heels, right after him.
Good, Kyle thought. They’re ready.
He flew and flew, and final y burst out onto the main level, through the front door, and right to the drawbridge. As he hoped, the seven fol owed him, like a pack of hornets, but now, as they saw a glimpse of freedom, they got distracted.
They lost sight of Kyle and instead, tore the heads off al the guards in the post.
Kyle flew out into the open, relieved to have them off his tail.
He had a huge smile on his face.
Below him, thousands of citizens were fighting to the death, storming the building. On the other side, the savage seven were tearing apart the guards from the inside. Within minutes, they would be free, roaming the streets with the others, and they would weak destruction of a scale that Paris had never known.
Kyle hadn’t felt so giddy since he was a boy. This was exactly what he had needed. Now he could find and kil Caitlin quite easily.
Now, his revolution could begin.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
Caitlin sat on her bed, staring down at the open container in surprise. Inside it lay a delicate scrol , curled up, and sealed in wax. On the wax was an insignia of a smal , ancient cross, one which Caitlin immediately recognized as identical to the design of the smal silver cross that she wore around her neck. Caitlin reached down and felt her necklace now as she looked at the symbol, and felt comforted to know that it was stil there.
She reached out and took hold of the scrol . It was brittle, written on a hard parchment, and yel owing. It looked ancient.
She gingerly broke the seal, and unrol ed it.
The first thing she noticed was that the scrol ended abruptly as she was halfway through unrol ing it. She looked at the bottom, and saw the torn ridges, and she could tel right away that this was an incomplete scrol , apparently torn in half. She only held the top half.
She looked at the scrol , and observed the elegant handwriting. It reminded her of the script she had once seen when looking at a copy of the Declaration of Independence: it was so perfect, it was hard to imagine it had been done by a human hand.
She felt her hands trembling as she stared at it, realizing that this was the script of her father.
That he real y existed. That he’d real y left something for her. That he cared enough about her enough to do so. She felt her heart lift, and felt more determined than ever to fulfil her mission—
and to find him. She read each word with utter fixation: My dearest Caitlin:
If you are reading this, you have already surpassed many obstacles. It means that you have already chosen to travel the road less traveled, to take the difficult path. For that, I commend you.
You are truly your father’s daughter.
You must forgive al the riddles, codes, letters, and keys, but the secret that I guard is most powerful, and must be broken into fragments, to prevent others from decoding it.
Only the truly worthy—only yourself—are meant to decode the secret that you ultimately wil .
If you are reading this, you already have one key in your possession. You must obtain the final three to reach me.
The second key is your focus now. To find it, you wil first have to go to the Fields of the Scholars—
The letter was torn right there, in mid-sentence.
Caitlin read it a second time, and a third time, then final y s
et it down.
She leaned back, her mind spinning. Holding this was overwhelming. Her mission felt more real, and more pressing, than ever.
But she was also confused. The Fields of the Scholars?
Where on earth could that be?
She was more determined than ever to embark right away, to embrace her mission, to head there immediately, wherever it was, and to find the second key.
But before Caitlin had any more time to dwel on where this place may be, there was a sudden knock at her door.
She started to get up from bed, but before she could even reach it, the door swung open by itself.
In strutted Pol y, a huge smile on her face, beaming. She was dressed in a lavish, formal outfit, a long, satin pink gown with white trim, her hair pul ed back in a bun, and her face careful y made-up and powdered.
Ruth ran up to her, so happy to see her, jumping at her feet.
“Oh my God, why are you not dressed!?” Pol y began. “The
“Oh my God, why are you not dressed!?” Pol y began. “The concert is tonight!”
She rushed into the room and immediately began to ruffle through Caitlin’s wardrobe, as if to prepare an outfit for her.
Caitlin sat on the edge of her bed, confused.
“What concert?” she asked.
“Didn’t I tel you? He’s singing tonight. My boyfriend. You have to come. Everyone wil be there!”
Pol y came running over excitedly, grabbing Caitlin’s arm and pul ing her up off the bed and onto her feet.
“Not to mention, dinner is starting now,” Pol y continued.
“There’s always a feast before a concert. Everyone’s going to be expecting you!”
Caitlin withdrew her hand from Pol y’s grasp, and slowly shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Pol y,” she said. “But I can’t go. I’m actual y about to leave Versail es.”
Pol y looked incredulous.
“What are you talking about? We barely had time to talk to each other! What do you mean leave?
Where!? You just got here!”
“I’m sorry,” Caitlin answered, “but I need to find my father.
I’m going back to Paris. To the Notre Dame. I feel that he’s there, or that there might a clue there to lead me to him.”
She watched Pol y’s face fal in disappointment.
“And we haven’t had time to talk because you’ve been so wrapped up with this singer,” Caitlin added. She felt that she had to let her know how she was feeling.
Pol y looked down, looking sad for the first time Caitlin had ever known her.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I just…” She looked up, and her eyes were suddenly beaming again. “This guy is just so amazing. You have to meet him. Please. I promise, after tonight, things wil be different. We’l hang out a lot more. It’s just the beginning.
He hasn’t met any of my friends yet. I want you to be the first!”
Caitlin sighed, not knowing what to do. On the one hand, she wanted to leave right now. But on the other, she certainly didn’t want to let Pol y—or anyone else—down.
Especial y since everyone had been so hospitable to her here. After al , it was already night, and she didn’t see the harm in waiting until the morning. And looking at Pol y, she could see how much it meant for her to meet this guy. She could see how much it meant for her to meet this guy. She could understand. If the situation were reversed, and it were about Caleb, she might feel the same way, too.
Most of al , Pol y always managed to touch a soft spot in her heart.
“Okay,” Caitlin said, “but I’l just stay tonight. Tomorrow, I leave.”
“Yeah!” Pol y screamed, jumping up and down, excitedly rushing about the room. Caitlin marveled how much she was like a little kid. She went through al of Caitlin’s clothes in a rush, and picked out a long, elegant yel ow skirt, with a red trim.
“This one,” Pol y said. “Yes, this is perfect. You have to wear this.”
Caitlin looked at it, and shook her head. She’d never worn anything remotely like it before. It was so long, heavy, formal, and had so much material. It looked like it had enough material to make drapes for an entire house.
“I don’t know, Pol y,” she said. “I don’t think it’s me.”
“Nonsense,” Pol y said, running around and holding it up against her. She gasped. “Oh my God!
It’s beautiful!”
Caitlin decided it would be futile to resist. Clothes were clearly Pol y’s thing. She figured she’d letter be happy with what she wanted, especial y since Caitlin didn’t much care for al these fancy clothes anyway.
“Okay, I’l wear it,” she said.
Pol y practical y screamed with giddiness, clapping her hands. Ruth barked excitedly, joining in.
And Caitlin realized she was in for a long night.
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
After what felt like hours getting ready—far longer than Caitlin would have liked—Pol y was final y satisfied with the way that the two of them looked. Because they couldn’t see themselves in mirrors, they had to rely on each other.
According to Pol y, Caitlin looked ravishing. Caitlin wasn’t so sure. She had never thought of herself as ravishing, in any outfit.
But she had spent more time putting on makeup, and getting into this outfit, than she had in any outfit of her life.
There had been layers and layers of fabric, each more uncomfortable than the next, and in this July heat, she felt her body temperature rise with each added later. She had no idea how they did it.
If that were not enough, Pol y had caked her face with layer after layer of thick, white powder.
Caitlin didn’t understand why this generation thought this to be attractive. And even if for some reason they did, wasn’t one layer enough? She was pale to begin with, but now, she was sure she looked ridiculous.
As if al this weren’t enough, as if she weren’t already boiling over and ready to tear off every item of clothing in this heat, her outfit had to be topped off with a huge, heavy hat. Caitlin was so warm and stiff that she could scream.
She felt like a plaything, dressed up to be shown off to people.
She hated it. She preferred loose, simple clothing, that she could throw on and off easily, and she preferred not having to wear any makeup. And she hated spending hours getting ready.
That said, she tried to put on a big smile. She didn’t want to ruin Pol y’s excitement, which, as usual, was brimming over.
“Oh my God, you look gorgeous!” Pol y said again. “You’re going to be the talk of the night!”
Without another word, she took her arm, and the two of them walked out of the guest house, and began to cross the grounds.
They crossed through the perfectly trimmed formal gardens, heading for the main, marble palace of Versail es, Ruth trailing on their heels.
As they headed up the marble staircase, immediately several servants rushed to open the doors for them. Caitlin had never felt so regal.
They glided through the open doors and down a marble hal way, and in the distance, several more servants opened doors for them.
They entered a grand, magnificent, dining room. Caitlin had never seen anything more opulent.
The room was dominated by an enormous dining table, which looked like it sat at least fifty. This was surrounded by thick, grand velvet armchairs, decorated in a light blue velvet with white arms.
The table was covered in flowers and burning candles.
Everywhere was real silver, real china.
There were heaps and heaps of food al throughout, and each guest already had a plate brimming over. Dozens of servants hovered around them, waiting on their every whim, pouring glass after glass of wine into the finest crystal she had ever seen. Above the table were several magnificent crystal chandeliers, reflecting light off of everything.
And this was just the beginning. Everyone was dressed in fineri
es more opulent than Caitlin had ever seen. There were gowns and dresses and suits of every shape and size and color imaginable.
The table was a rainbow of color. And this was topped by extravagant hats, and even more extravagant jewelry, women and men wearing rings the size of golf bal s, long glittering earrings, draping bracelets. The table positively sparkled.
Off in the corner of the room was a harp and a cel o, and the performers played lightly, providing pleasant background music.
Caitlin surveyed the group, and there were so many faces she didn’t recognize. But there were several that she did.
She spotted Sam, sitting way too close to Kendra, who leaned into his shoulder as he fed her chocolate-covered strawberries.
As she scanned further, she saw Blake sitting at the far end, and beside him, a beautiful, tal blonde girl. Caitlin could sense that she was human, and seeing Blake together with her, and seeing the two of them so happy, felt like a smal dagger in her heart.
She immediately looked away, trying to focus on anyone else. She saw the twins, Taylor and Tyler, and then, to her relief, she saw Lily. That was the only face that set her at ease. She was even happier to see that there was an empty seat beside her. Caitlin hurried over, Pol y at her side.
“Mind if we join you?” she asked Lily.
Lily looked up, and her eyes opened wide in delight.
“Who else do you think I saved it for?” Lily asked with a smile.
Caitlin sat beside Lily, and Pol y sat on Caitlin’s other side.
Caitlin tried not to look in Blake’s direction. She turned her head the other way, and saw Sam and Kendra. But seeing those two so enmeshed upset her, too, so she looked away from that end of the table. She fidgeted, not knowing where to look, already impatient to leave.
