You are both on the same search, but you must both take different routes. And you might not be searching for the same thing.
Samuel, your road leads to Warwick, where you will begin to find the answers you seek.
Caitlin, find me on the mount of judgment.
With all my love,
Your father.
Caitlin slowly lowered the scroll, and looked over at Sam. He stood there, staring at her, wide-eyed. She could tell that he was taken aback by it all. After all, this was the first clue that was also addressed directly to him. Caitlin remembered the feeling of enormity of having a letter from the past addressed directly to her for the first time.
"Samuel," he said. "No one's called me that in forever.” Caitlin stood there, reading it again, trying to decode it. It warmed her heart that her father had left this for her, and she felt closer to him than ever. But at the same time, the idea of splitting from Sam hurt her. Why couldn't they be on the same journey together? What were their different destinies?
The mount of judgment.
She had no idea what that meant.
She looked slowly at Caleb, wondering if he knew, but he just shook his head, as did Polly, Sam and Lily.
"Warwick?" Sam asked. “What's that?”
Lily cleared her throat.
"That part’s easy. It can only mean one thing. It has to be a reference to Warwick Castle. It’s the oldest in that region, and it’s been a stronghold for your kind for thousands of years.”
"And what about the mount of judgment?" Caitlin asked.
Lily slowly shook her head. "Your guess is as good as mine."
*
Caitlin's mind reeled as she sat at the huge dining table with the others. That letter from her father, which she had since read again and again, had been like a bomb dropped into her consciousness. It held so many implications, both for her future, and for Sam’s. She kept going over every word in her mind, trying to figure out what it all meant.
But she didn't have time to think about it all right now. Lily had led them all to this enormous banquet, laid out so generously, under her supervision. It was indeed a lavish feast. She sat at a huge, oak table, Scarlet beside her, Caleb on her other side, and Sam, Polly and Lily across from them. Just the six of them, sitting at a table meant to hold a hundred, reclining in gilded, gold, stuffed armchairs.
Caitlin examined the silver, the delicate china plates, the fresh flowers, the huge candles, the chandeliers above, and the enormous windows on all sides of them, letting the sunset in. Before them were spread out heaps of every type of food. There were slices of the finest steak, overstuffed turkeys, breads, fruits, jams, desserts…there was no end to the food in sight. And behind them stood several waiters, ready to jump at their slightest need.
Caitlin looked over and saw Scarlet’s expression, how amazed she was at the feast before her.
Clearly, she had never seen anything remotely like it in her young life. Caitlin smiled wider, realizing she must think she was dreaming.
"Is this all for us?" Scarlet asked Caitlin, blinking in disbelief.
"Yes, sweetheart," Caitlin responded, "it's all for us. Dig in.” Scarlet reached over, like a kid in a candy shop, and grabbed a large piece of cheesecake to start.
Caitlin smiled. Scarlet had probably not eaten this well in her entire life. She grabbed the food quickly, as if worried someone might take it away from her.
Caitlin reached out and laid a reassuring hand on top of hers.
“It's okay," Caitlin said. "You can take all the time in the world. All this food is just for you.” Scarlet looked at her with a look of complete disbelief, as if she had landed in heaven.
More relaxed, Scarlet heaped several large strips of steak on her plate, along with the cheesecake.
Caitlin smiled, as the tower of food soon reached higher than her head.
Scarlet then took the top slice, reached over, and handed it to Ruth, who had been sitting patiently by her side, watching wide-eyed, smacking her lips. Ruth snatched it from her fingers, and Scarlet laughed in delight. Scarlet did it again and again, giving her an entire plate of steak.
Caitlin was amazed. Here Scarlet was, probably having never having such food in her life, and the first thing she did was give all her food to Ruth. Caitlin admired her more than ever. If she ever had a daughter, she wished she’d be like her.
Caitlin reached out and put a huge serving of steak on Scarlet’s plate. "This portion is just for you, Scarlet," she said.
Scarlet looked at it wide-eyed, picked up a knife and fork, and put a big piece in her mouth. She chewed, and Caitlin could see the satisfaction in her face.
Suddenly, servants appeared, and large, bejeweled goblets were placed before Caitlin, Caleb, Sam and Polly, overflowing with a white liquid. Caitlin could already sense what it was, with every pore in her body: the finest of white blood. Every ounce of her body craved it.
They all lifted their goblets, reached forward and clicked them together. Caitlin leaned back and, finally, drank.
It was the best blood she’d ever had. She drank the entire goblet without stopping, and with every sip, she felt every ounce of her being restored. By the time she set it down, she felt like a new person.
Caitlin watched as the servants placed delicately cut strips of meat before Lily, and she remembered that, of course, Lily was human. It felt so natural having her around, Caitlin had momentarily forgotten that she was not one of hers. Lily, sitting with a perfectly straight back, ever poised, reached out and gently took her knife and fork, cut it into small pieces, and chewed. It was like watching royalty. Caitlin was amazed at how refined Lily was.
Scarlet’s laughter filled the table, giving it a festive feel, as she snuck Ruth piece after piece of food off the table. Caitlin felt her heart warm at the sight, so happy to see Scarlet so well cared for here, and that Ruth was equally happy. Caitlin sat there, looking at Caleb, Sam, Polly and Lily, everyone smiling and chatting and happy, and felt so grateful. Finally, they were all together. She was with Caleb, she was with Sam, she was with Poly and Lily. They were all in this beautiful place, having this amazing meal. Finally, she felt as if there were peace and serenity in her life. It felt so good, and she wished she could freeze this moment forever.
But the letter gnawed away at her. Once her dad's voice got in her head, she found it impossible to get it out. The phrases turned in her mind, over and over again. The mount of judgment? Where could that be? Why were she and Sam being given two different paths? Would they both lead to the same place? Or would their separate journeys tear them apart forever?