Blake jumped into action. He reached down, scooped up Scarlet in one arm and Ruth in the other, and lifted them into the air. He flew away from the oncoming army, over the tops of the human warriors, into the thick mist, then down low into the treetops, where he knew he could lose any pursuers. He flew with all he had, wanting to get Scarlet safely on her way and then get back to help the others.
“Where are you taking me?” Scarlet yelled, struggling, as they flew.
“To safety,” Blake yelled back.
“But I don’t want to go!” Scarlet argued. “I want to go back to the castle! And help you guys defend it!”
Blake was taken aback by this child’s fearlessness. In some ways, she reminded him of Caitlin.
But still, he could not give in. Despite her warrior spirit, she would certainly die in any ensuing battle.
Blake soon reached his destination: an ocean beach, on the far eastern side of Skye, down beneath the cliffs. He dove down a cliff he recognized, and aimed right for the rowboat he had stored there, in a cave. He landed right before it, and wasted no time placing Scarlet and Ruth inside the boat.
It was a long, seaworthy, wooden rowboat, with a small sail, and looked like a miniature Viking raiding ship. Blake had used it many times, taking it far out to sea on long voyages. He had liked to sail by himself, late at night, when the ocean was completely empty, letting the waves lap at the boat, and looking up at the moon. He liked to get as far away from others as he could, and let his thoughts wander alone.
Now he could put the boat to good use with Scarlet and Ruth. He could send them off, towards Caitlin.
He leaned over, held Scarlet’s shoulders, and looked her in the eye, firmly, mustering all the intensity he could to try to convince this strong-willed girl.
“You are a brave little girl,” Blake said. “You are fearless. I know that. And there’s no other little girl in the world that I would ask to do this. But I know you’re special. I know that you can handle it. Am I right?”
Blake had sensed her pride, her fearlessness, and he wanted to appeal to it.
He was happy to see it work. She lifted her head up tall, proudly, and nodded her head solemnly.
“Good,” he said. “I’m sending you on a voyage, to your mother and father. You have a special power, a special bond with them. The sea will take you right to them. If you focus. Use your power.
Close your eyes as you sail, and let the universe guide you to exactly where you need to go. You are a powerful child. You can make it happen. Can you do that for me?” Scarlet nodded back, but seemed unsure.
“But what if it takes me to the wrong place?” she asked. “What if I don’t end up near my Mommy?”
“You will. You could end up in no other place. The vampire connection is too strong. Only focus on her. And don’t let go.”
Blake was about to turn and go, when suddenly, he remembered something. He reached into his pocket and extracted something he’d been meaning to give to Caitlin for centuries. He took Scarlet’s little hand, opened it, and placed it in her palm.
Scarlet looked down, eyes open in wonder.
It was a small piece of sea glass. A piece of the sea glass he had given her centuries ago, in Pollepel.
“Please give it to her,” he said “and tell her I will always love her.” And with that, Blake suddenly leaned down, grabbed the hull and give it a huge heave into the ocean. Within moments, the small sail caught, and the current took the boat out, already far from shore.
Blake saw Scarlet stand in the boat and look back at him, fear momentarily crossing her eyes.
Blake raised a fist into the air, holding it up high over his head. It was a gesture of confidence, to tell her that she could make it.
After a moment’s hesitation, Scarlet raised her fist in the air, and returned the gesture.
Blake turned, took three strides, and leapt into the air.
Now he had a war to wage.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
Blake raced back to the castle, flying faster than he ever had, eager to get back and help his people. Now that Scarlet was safe, Blake turned all his attention towards helping the others.
As he reached the castle, he looked down and saw complete mayhem: it was an all-out war, as hundreds of vampires battled each other below. His people were terribly outnumbered, attacked from all sides, and Blake was crestfallen to see that, with the battle barely begun, several of his people were already dead, their bodies thrown over the edge of the castle.
Simultaneously, Blake could see there was another battle going on below, on the castle grounds, before the entrance. This battlefront was being led by Kyle and by McCleod. Together, they were relentlessly killing all those who tried to flee. It was an ambush, and there was nowhere to go.
It was all happening so fast, at vampire speed, in the blink of an eye. As Blake flew for just a few seconds, debating where best to land, he already saw so many things happening at once: on the rooftop, he flinched as he saw Rynd step up and murder Taylor, stabbing her in the back, and through the heart, as she faced off with other vampires. He heard her scream, and watched her life force depart from her.
At the same time, down below, Kyle stepped up and surprised her twin brother, Tyler, putting his sword through his heart, and killing him on the spot. Blake was breathless. The two twins, who he had known and loved for centuries, now dead in a matter of moments, killed at the hands of Rynd and Kyle.
In the same instant, McCleod charged on his horse, up behind Barbara, swung his axe, and chopped off her head in a single blow. Aiden’s men were being wiped out faster than Blake could even take in.
There were a few signs of hope. One of them was Samuel, Caleb’s brother. Blake watched in admiration as Samuel fearlessly fought off hordes of Kyle’s men, down below. He seemed to be as good a fighter as his brother, and few vampires were able to get close to him.
As Blake watched, Samuel faced off with McCleod. They each drew long swords, and a crowd gathered around to watch. Their swords clanged, left and right, as they faced off, swung and parried.
Neither gave an inch, both seasoned veterans, and for a moment, it seemed as if it might end in a stalemate.
But then, suddenly, Samuel spun around, holding out his sword, and in an unexpected move, he surprised the King, and in one quick motion, he chopped off his head with his silver sword.
For a moment, the body remained in place; then, it slumped and collapsed to the ground, and his head went rolling. The crowd of McCleod’s men let out a horrified gasp, too surprised to react.