Destined by Morgan Rice

just have to. How could you possibly miss it? Please . I could use the backup. Everyone else here is so boring, or they have dates. I’d love to have you with me. The best boys, the very best boys will be there, and it helps to have support. It will be so fun. Please, please ,” Polly said, grabbing her arm.
    Caitlin thought. The last thing on her mind right now was going to a dance, or looking for boys.
    All that mattered to her was Caleb, and she simply could not allow herself to rest, or enjoy herself, until she found him.
    She slowly removed the mask and handed it to Polly.
    “I’m sorry, Polly,” she said. “I don’t want to disappoint you. But I can’t go. I really need to focus on finding someone.”
    “That guy you asked about? Caleb?” Polly asked. “Well, if so, then you need to go. I’m sure he’ll be there. If he’s one of us, that’s where he’ll be. You have to go. For your own sake.”
    Caitlin thought about it, and as she did, she realized it made sense. If Polly was right, if this ball was really such a big affair, maybe he would be there. Besides, she had no other leads, no other ideas for where to search for him. Perhaps she should go.

    But another worry struck her: she had nothing to wear. She was never good at going to dances; she always got so nervous leading up to them. And this sounded like the biggest, most formal dance yet. Plus, she wasn’t even a good dancer in the 21st century—how could she possibly dance well in the 18th? She would just look clumsy, conspicuous, stupid.
    “Don’t worry, the dances are easy,” Polly said, annoyingly reading Caitlin’s mind again. “I’ll teach you, I promise. Just grab the wrist of the person next to you, and they lead you along.
    Everyone’s so drunk anyway, I promise no one will notice.”
    “Drunk?” Caitlin asked. “Do they let girls our age drink? Isn’t there, like, an age limit?”
    For a brief moment, Caitlin worried about getting in, about having I.D.
    Polly laughed aloud. “Are you kidding? This is Venice. No one cares. Toddlers can drink if they want to.”
    “But I’ve nothing to wear,” Caitlin protested.
    Polly’s eyes lit up. “Oh, but you do,” she said. “Have you not seen this room? I have enough gowns here to last me for fifteen balls. And we look to be the same size. Please , try one on. Let’s have fun! It’s almost the 19th century, after all! When else will we get a chance to live like this!?”
    Caitlin thought. She certainly had a point. If not now, when? And she’d always wanted to try on one of those elaborate gowns.
    Not to mention, if Caleb was there, what better way to meet him again than in a beautiful, elaborate gown?
    The more Caitlin thought about it, the more she liked the idea.
    Maybe going to the ball would be just the thing she needed.

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CHAPTER NINE
    Kyle, flying over the hillsides of Umbria, dove in lower as he circled the small, medieval town of Assisi. He got a good glimpse of its medieval walls, of the huge church that dominated the village. In the sunset light, villagers were spread out below, lighting torches, herding their cattle, bringing their chickens and sheep inside. Everyone was hurrying to and fro, as if to prepare: this seemed like a town that feared