A servant wearing white linen trousers and a billowing shirt beat the gong again. Ivy waited, holding her breath. She hoped her father would ignore Vincenzo. Surely her dad wouldn’t do something as barbaric as enter a duel. But then the massive doors of the castle swung open and Charles appeared in the archway.
Ivy’s dad strode out, looking dignified in black trousers and a red silk shirt. Had the whole world gone batty? Olivia and Lillian followed closely behind him. Lillian was pulling the sash of her silk robe tight. Her porcelain face was screwed up with worry. Ivy didn’t blame her. This was a terrible substitute for a wake-up call.
‘Dad!’ Ivy tugged on his sleeve as he passed her. ‘You can’t fight about this,’ she begged. ‘Please don’t fight.’
Lillian, resting a hand on his shoulder, piped up. ‘Really, Charles, this is ridiculous. You can’t honestly take him seriously.’ She pointed at Vincenzo, who now seemed to be imitating a chicken pecking around the front lawn.
‘Are you scared, Charles? Are you not enough of a vampire to follow vampire tradition?’ Vincenzo was playing to the crowd that was slowly starting to gather out in front of the Lazars’ home. The sunlight peeping over the castle roof was dazzling and the dry breeze gusting at their backs smelled of summer. Everything felt out of place for a duel. This was supposed to be the setting for Tessa’s wedding day, not some macho death-match between two vamps old enough to know so much better!
Charles shook both Lillian and Ivy off, his jaw set. ‘Don’t worry. I’m not living in the Middle Ages.’
Olivia sidled up to Ivy and reached out for her hand, which Ivy took and tried not to crush.
From all over the castle, servants and courtiers streamed out on to the lawn. Ivy groaned. They looked just as excited as the students had at Wallachia. But this was her father, not some dumb kid fighting over the rules of a stupid sport.
Vincenzo pointed a long finger at Charles. ‘You embarrassed me in front of my niece.’
Charles casually placed his hands in his pockets, laughing. ‘I embarrassed you? I believe you embarrassed yourself by turning up looking like you were going to a fancy-dress party as Peter Cushing.’
‘Who’s Peter Cushing?’ whispered Olivia.
‘No idea,’ Ivy whispered back.
Her dad narrowed his eyes. ‘You have always caused problems, Vincenzo,’ he continued, approaching the pony-tailed vampire slowly. ‘Ever since we were at school, you’ve refused to grow up and act your age. What are you now, over two hundred years old? And yet you would rather play-act the scary villain than be a proper uncle to your niece, or a friend to me when I needed you.’
‘I – that’s not fair. I . . .’ Vincenzo scratched his cheek and shifted his weight from foot to foot.
Charles interrupted his sputtering. ‘No, what isn’t fair is that you make every major event about you.’ He circled Vincenzo. ‘My wedding, even your niece’s – they become one big Vincenzo Show!’
‘I do not !’ Vincenzo pivoted in place, keeping his eyes on Charles. ‘I mean, they do not!’
‘Enough is enough, Vincenzo.’ Charles folded his arms.
‘But . . . but . . .’ Then like a car with no petrol, Vincenzo stopped, dropping his greasy head. He clasped his hands together behind it, the way Ivy had seen boys at her school do when they missed an easy free-kick on the football pitch.
‘You’re right, my old friend,’ Vincenzo said at last. ‘Of course you’re right – I came out here to make it up to Tessa and to try to do the right thing, but look at me. I’ve made a mess of everything all over again.’
Charles’s posture softened. Ivy let out a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. Was there still a chance she wouldn’t have to witness another silly duel?
‘I just didn’t expect you would ever come back to Transylvania,’ said Vincenzo. ‘I thought I was safe living in a tiny village, being the centre of attention there. For years, it was enough for me. Then I heard that there was to be a royal wedding, I saw the newspaper reports – Tessa’s photo and rumours of wedding guests, including you. I couldn’t resist coming. I’m sorry.’
Ivy’s father rested his hand on Vincenzo’s shoulder. ‘Apology accepted. You were right about what you said before – it’s all in the past.’
Now that is how vampires should act, thought Ivy.
Prince Alex pushed his way through to the centre of the ring, his dark eyebrows drawn together. He looked as if he’d been getting ready for his wedding when the gong had struck. He already had his cummerbund fastened around his waist, but his sleeves were loose, awaiting some cufflinks. A flutter of hope sparked in Ivy’s chest. Maybe there will be a wedding, after all!
‘Speaking of the old ways –’ Alex cleared his throat – ‘what are we going to do about the duel? I’m pleased to see you two have made amends, but once a challenge has been issued, it cannot be refused.’
Charles ran his fingers through his hair, tilting his head. ‘Says who, exactly?’
A young vampire stepped out of the crowd. ‘How dare you talk to the Prince that way!’
Alex held up his hand. ‘No, it’s OK. Go on, Ka– Charles.’
Ivy’s dad went on: ‘Who says that we must follow through with a duel once the challenge has been issued? Who came up with these rules?’
Alex pursed his lips, looking as though he was trying to work out some particularly tricky maths problem in his head. ‘I don’t know. That’s just how things have always been done.’
Charles looked back to Vincenzo. ‘I am proud to be a vampire and I haven’t turned my back on the old ways entirely, but that doesn’t mean I think our system is perfect. Remember what Professor Igor taught us at Wallachia all those many years ago: a person is on the right road in life when he walks it alone.’
As soon as their dad finished, Olivia started clapping wildly. Every head turned in her direction. ‘What?’ she asked, shrinking back. ‘Vampires don’t applaud?’
Ivy laughed. She thought about what her father had said, how the right path was the one you created for yourself, and she realised she had never been more proud of her father. If her dad could graduate from the Academy without becoming a Wallachia drone, why couldn’t she? Maybe it would be good for her. And, who knew – maybe she would be good for it too.