That still doesn’t explain it. Why would they even care about that? What’s it to them? It doesn’t
make sense.”
“I know,” Jack
sighed.
“You’re not telling me
everything,” Schuyler realized. He was protecting her. ‘ tell me the truth. There has
to be a reason why they’ve been trying to kill me.”
Jack hung his head. Finally he
spoke. “A long time ago, during the crisis in Rome, the Pistis Sophia saw the
future. She said that one day, the irrevocable bond among the Uncorrupted would
break. That Gabrielle would spurn Michael and bear a daughter with a Red Blood. And that daughter
would be the death of the Silver Bloods. Sophia has never been wrong.”
“So I’m their death?” Schuyler
found it absurdly funny. “Me? They’re scared . . . of me?” A half-hysterical yelp escaped before
she could stop herself. It was so absolutely ridiculous. What could she do to harm them? As the
Inquisitor had pointed out, she had used her mother’s sword and missed. She might be fast and
strong and light, but she was not a fighter, not a warrior, not a soldier.
Jack crossed his arms. “It’s
nothing to laugh about. Leviathan would have killed you right there that night in Rio if he had
known who you were. And now that he knows he was so close and failed to kill you, he’s tracked
you down here to finish the job.”
“But how do you know Leviathan
has tracked me?”
“Because I have been tracking
Leviathan,” Jack said grimly. “My father and I have been tracking him for months.”
“Charles is here?” she asked.
She wondered why the news did not make her feel safer. Charles Force was the greatest of them
all. He was Michael, Pure of Heart, the Valiant, Prince of the Angels, Supreme Commander of the
Lord’s Army. She had been looking for Charles herself, and to know that he was here in Paris, and
as her protector, or one of them, anyway, should have gladdened her heart. But it did
not.
Charles Force was not a
friend. He was not an enemy, but he was not a friend either. But maybe now she would be able to
find out what Lawrence had asked her to do. Charles would have to tell her about the Van Alen
Legacy. Schuyler had to know. She owed her grandfather that much. Jack nodded.
“Yes. He decided to come
himself when the Conclave would not send the Venators after Leviathan following your testimony.
We have been one step and two cities behind him for months. When Leviathan led us here, to this
party, we thought he was after the countess, as she was instrumental in bringing about his
imprisonment on Corcovado. But when we saw you in the ballroom, we suddenly knew what his real
intentions were. Charles sent me to make sure you were safe while he took care of Leviathan
himself.”
So basically she was in danger
from the baddest demon around. Wonderful. She was running from the
Venators when she probably should have been running toward them, now that she knew what was truly
after her.
“So you believe me? You
believe that I didn’t kill Lawrence like the Conclave thinks?” Schuyler asked.
He looked down. “I can’t speak
for the Conclave. But I have always believed you. I’ve always believed in you,” he said
softly.
“Right.” She
nodded, trying to appear businesslike, to hide the fact that she had been moved by his faith.
Jack believed her. He was on her side. He didn’t hate her, at least. He didn’t hate her for
breaking his heart. “So what now?”
“First things first,” he said
briskly. “Let’s get out of this dungeon. I was worried you would choose this place to hide. And I
think you’ve noticed it smells pretty awful down here.”
NINETEEN
Bliss
Muffie Astor Carter (real name
Muriel) was a Blue Blood in every sense of the word. She was educated at Miss Porter’s and
Vassar, and had worked in the publicity department of Harry Winston before marrying Dr. Sheldon
Carter, who had found
Taylor Lewis
Heidi Vanlandingham
Tracie Peterson
Nadia Comaneci
Kevin J. Anderson
Christina Henry
Robert Bloch
Wayne; Page
Simon Brett
Katie Hayoz