They flew up the cliff, landing back where they had started, right before the entrance to the castle. Caitlin set Scarlet down, as Caleb set Ruth down, and Caitlin brushed the hair out of Scarlet’s eyes, trying to calm her as she cried.
Caitlin knelt down, leaned in and kissed her on her forehead.
“Shhh,” Caitlin whispered, stroking her hair. “It’s all right. Everything is all right now. Tell Mommy what happened.”
“He put me in a boat,” Scarlet began, crying, “with Ruth. I wanted to stay and fight. But he said I had to go. Then he pushed the boat into the ocean. He said it would take me to you.”
“Who?” Caitlin asked, confused.
But Scarlet began crying again, and only held out her little fist, as if to hand her something.
Caitlin reached out, and Scarlet dropped a small piece of sea glass into her hand.
Caleb was at first puzzled—and then she realized. There was only one person in the world who would have given her this glass.
“He told me to tell you that he loves you,” Scarlet added.
Caitlin felt as if a knife had plunged into her heart. Blake. He had saved Scarlet. He had put her in the boat, sent her off. She felt more indebted to him than she ever had.
But saved Scarlet from what? That was the question.
“From an army,” came the voice, answering her silent question.
Caitlin stood and spun, as did Caleb, and was shocked to see, standing a few feet away, Aiden.
He stood there, his back against the open sky, wearing his white robe, holding his staff, and staring at her with grave concern. As always, he had appeared at the most uncanny moment.
“What army?” Caitlin asked, feeling terribly guilty already that she had left, that she hadn’t been there to help protect Scarlet, Polly, her brother and whoever else.
“It was Kyle’s work. And Rynd’s. And Sera’s. They sabotaged and surprised our people. There was little they could do.”
Caitlin felt the wind knocked out of her, her feeling of dread confirmed. She felt more grateful than ever that Scarlet had made it out alive. But she wondered who else might not have been so lucky.
“Was anyone…hurt?” Caitlin asked, already knowing it was a stupid question.
Aiden nodded gravely. Caitlin braced herself for his response.
“Many of our finest are dead. Taylor. Tyler. Cain. Barbara. And, I’m sorry to say, Polly.” Caitlin felt herself week in the knees, sinking into the earth. Polly. Her best friend. Practically, her sister. One of few people she had come to care for most in the world. Her future sister in law.
Dead.
Polly.
All while she, Caitlin, was away. Caitlin couldn’t possibly feel worse.
Then she remembered the others. Blake. And Sam.
“And what of the others?” Caitlin was afraid to know. “My brother?” Aiden paused, a long, serious pause, and that silence terrified her more than any news. She already knew that, whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
“I’m afraid we have lost him,” Aiden finally said. “Not to death. But to the dark side.” Caitlin was bewildered.
“Our men are not the only ones who have died on this day. Kyle, too, is dead. So is Rynd. And Sera. But there was a high price to pay for this. Sam has crossed to the dark side in rage and vengeance. It is a path from which he can never return. He is lost to us. The brother you once knew is no more.”
Caitlin felt herself sinking, spiraling down, her whole world becoming black. She felt as if she were about to collapse. She didn’t know if any worse news could come on this day. She suddenly had the desire to fly off into the horizon, to go back to Skye, to do whatever she could.
Aiden read her mind, and shook his head.
“There’s nothing you can do. It is too late. You see, this was all destined. Pre-ordained. Your purpose is to finish the mission. We all count on you.”
“But there is no one left,” Caitlin said, weakly.
“You’re wrong. Many are left. And when you find the shield, it just might be our only hope to bring the others back.”
Caitlin hesitated, unsure if she could go on anymore.
Aiden stepped forward and stared at her intently, looking deep into her eyes.
“You vowed,” he said. “You vowed that no matter what, you would go on. I told you it would not be easy. I told you something would be taken away from you. But you made a promise. And now it is time for you to fulfill your promise.”
Aiden took two steps forward, reached up on the iron knocker, and slammed it twice. Then he stood to the side, as the sound echoed throughout the empty courtyard.
Finally, the ancient door slowly opened.
Standing there, staring back, were a dozen vampires, all old men, with long white beards, and all dressed in white. They nodded at Aiden, who nodded back. Then they parted ways, and gestured for Caitlin and Caleb to follow.
It took all of Caitlin’s will to force herself to take the first step.
*
As they all walked into the castle, following the vampires, Caitlin knew that they were in the right place. She could feel her father so close, as if he were just beyond the next door.
They followed silently down an ancient stone corridor, twisting and turning, single file. They came to a large doorway, and the door opened, revealing a large, interior courtyard.
Caitlin took in her surroundings in awe: the soft grass of the inner courtyard was lit up in the sunset, and a beautiful rose light descended over the ancient stone walls. Even more startling, in the courtyard were hundreds of vampires, all along its walls, dressed in all white, standing at attention, waiting silently.
Caitlin felt a hundred eyes on her as they walked to the center of the large, triangular courtyard.
They approached three vampires who stood apart from the others, in the center, staring at them.
The one in the middle held a small, golden chest. The vampires on either side of him each held a golden goblet, filled, Caitlin could see, with a white liquid.
She looked everywhere for a sign of her father. She wondered if any of these men could be him.
But she didn’t see him. Caitlin stopped right before the center vampire, and as they waited, she could hear a pin drop. The only sound was the whipping of the wind in this remote place, whistling over the grass, over the ancient walls.
“Caitlin of the Pollepel Coven,” pronounced the vampire in the middle, staring down at her.
“You have done well. We are proud of you. And so is your father.”