The warrior facing him was bigger and stronger, but Sam parried with him blow for blow. Sam was getting more and more tired with each strike, and finally, his arms were too heavy to lift. He sunk to his knees, as the warrior raised his sword high, ready to plunge it into Sam’s chest.
Sam blinked and opened his eyes to see that he was standing in the desert, the hard-baked sand stretching beneath his feet as far as his eye could see. In the distance was a giant mountain, and Sam found himself slowly hiking up it, using his sword as a staff. He was now dressed in a white robe.
Sam pulled back his hood, dying in the heat, and looked up the mountain. There, at the top, was a man outlined by the sun. The man also wore a white robe and hood, and held a staff. Somehow, Sam knew that this man was his father.
Sam hiked higher, excited to meet him, trying to increase his pace, determined to reach him. But it was getting harder with each step, the mountain steeper, and as he looked down, he saw snakes and scorpions slithering all around him. It was getting hotter, too, and he knew the road was treacherous, and that he wouldn’t make it.
Sam, too tired to go on, looked up.
“FATHER!” he screamed.
His father smiled down at him, with a look of pure love, as he slowly pulled back his hood. The light was shining off of his face, and Sam could see that the two of them looked alike.
Suddenly, Sam stood in the cobblestone streets of Paris.
It was nighttime, there was a thick fog everywhere, and amidst the torchlight, he saw a huge façade of a church—
and somehow, he knew that it was the Notre Dame.
Sam opened the huge, medieval door, and stepped inside. It was gloomy and empty. He walked down the aisle, and as he did, he saw floating in front of him, a huge silver key. The light shone off of it as it floated, hanging in midair.
Sam reached out, and was about to grasp it. He knew that this was a key that he needed to have. Somehow, he just knew that this key would save his father’s life.
Sam woke up, breathing hard. He looked al around, disoriented, expecting to see his father.
But he was nowhere in sight. Sam spun several times, trying to get his bearings, to realize where he was.
He was lying on the silk blanket, on top of a hil , in a field of grass, and Kendra was in his arms.
They were both naked.
Sam thought back, and quickly remembered. Sleeping with her had been amazing, and he was stil shocked that she had gone from showing no interest in him to wanting to be with him so quickly. Had she been playing games al along?
Or was that just her personality?
Whatever it was, it felt so good to have her in his arms. He looked down at her pale, soft skin, her curly blonde hair.
Her chin was nestled in his chest, a slight smile on her face.
Was she just using him? Or did she real y feel as strongly for him as he did for her? And how was it possible that he could have such strong feelings for someone so quickly?
Was this al real?
Whatever it was, the one thing he knew for sure was that he didn’t want to be away from her side.
Sam thought of his dream. It was one of the strangest and most vivid dreams he had ever had.
He had never seen his father before, and the dream had felt more like a meeting. He struggled to figure out what it meant. But he had no idea.
Sam suddenly remembered something, and sat up. The afternoon sparring. He heard that Aiden would be there today, and he was determined to be there, too, to get Aiden’s attention whether he was summoned or not. He looked down at Kendra’s watch, and saw it was already 4:30. He was half an hour late.
Sam sat up with a start and hurried to get dressed, determined to make it on time.
Kendra sat up quickly, alarmed from her sleep.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Aiden,” Sam said. “I need to see him. I’m late.”
Kendra frowned back at him.
“I should imagine that your time spent with me is more important than your time with him,” she said, petulant.
Sam looked at her, and saw how upset she was, and he stopped.
“Please, understand. I don’t mean to offend you. It’s just that
—I need to see him. I can’t miss him again today. And I’m already late.”
Kendra looked away, clearly offended.
Sam didn’t have time for this, though. He finished getting dressed and jumped onto his horse.
He looked down and saw that Kendra was moving slowly, taking her time, gathering her clothes slowly and putting them on. It appeared that she was not going to be rushed for anyone.
Sam was impatient. “Please, Kendra,” he said. “I need to go now!”
“Then go!” she snapped, angry. “I’m not stopping you!”
Sam sat there on his horse, looking back and forth from her to the path, unsure what to do. It was clear that she was not going to hurry.
“GO!” she commanded, loudly.
He could hear the anger in her voice, and was surprised by her ferocity.
“Can I see you again?” Sam asked.
Kendra looked away, as she finished buttoning her blouse.
“Go see your little vampire friends,” she snapped. “They are clearly more important.”
Sam could see that there was no consoling her, and he didn’t want to waste any more time. He would have to deal with this later.
He kicked the horse and gal oped off, racing down the hil .
He only hoped Aiden would stil be there and that he could, final y, see him.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Caitlin stood in the sparring ring, surrounded by al of her coven members, Aiden watching intently off to the side.
After their training in the woods, he had brought her back to ring. She had been sparring—and winning—for hours now, and the crowd had grown considerably. She had fought nearly everyone in his coven, and had defeated them al .
She was now down to some of their very best warriors.
Word had spread, and now al the royals had gathered, too.
The marble steps were completely fil ed with them, along with tons of onlookers.
Caitlin felt as if she had come into her own. She fought with a skil unlike any she had ever experienced. She felt more fluid, more in control. She felt as if she knew what her opponent would do before he even did it. Whatever Aiden had taught her—and she stil wasn’t even exactly sure what that was—had sunk in deep, and as she fought, she heard his words in her head. Your own worst enemy is yourself.
The only one who can defeat you is you. This is about what you’re becoming.