Chapter 13

Great, Caila thought. Where am I this time? She looked around her to find that she was standing in her own room. Everything seemed to be in its rightful place, except anything she had brought with her had disappeared and there was red and white rose petals scattered over her bed and along the floor, leaving a trail out her door. Where does this lead?

Caila stood up and started for her door but she stopped before she turned the handle. She didn't feel right; how she felt now was not the same fuzzy numb feeling she had the other times. She grabbed the door handle roughly and swiftly pulled it open. There was nothing out there except for the rose petal path. Down the corridor she could see Gwen running toward her, a grin on her face and a bag in her arms.

"Miss, what are doing, you shouldn't leave your room before the ceremony tonight, there are too many Lycan about, and I'd rather you not get hurt."

"What ceremony," Caila said while Gwen pushed her into the room. "Gwen that's not for a week, what are you talking about?"

"You are so silly miss, I'm not Gwen, but that's a pretty name. I'm Meredith as you should remember, I've been with your for the last couple of years."

Years, Caila thought as she was pushed in to the bathroom and commanded to get a bath, which she found quite odd that Meredith, the Gwen look-a-like, was barking orders. She washed and wrapped herself in a towel before leaving the bathroom; Meredith was waiting patiently in her room, pulling a white dress from the bag she was carrying. She held it up for Caila to see, it was long, sleeveless and strapless. The white corset middle of the gown, held the flowing skirts together.

"Here miss," Meredith held the dress while Caila stepped into it. She turned to face the mirror and she thought she looked beautiful, except something was off. The reflection was extremely faded but she could still make it out. Her hair was black, as usual, but it was curled to her shoulders. Her eyes, that were bright blue, were sapphire. Her cheekbones were more pronounced and her chin rounded off. She patted her face with her hand and she wasn't seeing things, she isn't who she thought she was. Meredith must have noticed something off because she turned Caila around and walked her to the bed.

"Is there something wrong miss?"

"Who am I?"

"Such silly questions today, you are Her Highness, the Queen, the Wife to our dear Lord Drake Von Countaine."

This all shocked Caila, she knew she must be dreaming, but this was just really strange. "Meredith, Can you just answer another odd question?"

"Of course I can mi'lady."

"What is my name?"

She laughed, "You are Queen Lyra."

Caila looked in the mirror again. She felt wrong all over, but she was quite sure that she wasn't dreaming this time. Caila could see Meredith walking to the door out of the corner of her eye, but before she left she turned around and said, "What is going on with you mi'lady, you aren't acting like yourself." To herself she said, "Must have knocked her head last night."

"You should brush your hair and get down to the Cathedral before you are late, I'm afraid for you because of all the Lycan but Nikolas and Isabella would want you there." Meredith closed the door silently behind her.

Caila took a deep breath and then let it out slowly; she wasn't only worried about where, when, she was also worried about how she would find the cathedral. Did Jack even show me a Cathedral? She picked up the fine toothed brush from her bureau and pulled it through her curly hair, and then she slipped on her shoes and left her room.

She walked down the hallway and Caila, or at least her body, seemed to know where she was going; she took a turn to the left, down a stairway, a turn to the right, another turn to the left and then up a smaller set of stairs before she saw the large oak double door, The stained glass picture this time was of Judas hanging from an aspen tree. It's a very peculiar picture for a cathedral.

She opened the door and found a hundred vampyres sitting on her right and another hundred lycans sitting on her left, their scents mixed together in the aisle as she walked down. The thunder of two hundred gestures of peace pronounced her arrival.

Caila saw a bishop-she knew he was a bishop because of the white robe and hat he wore-standing by an altar next to Drake Von Countaine and Nikolas. Drake's eyes fell on Caila, they were still the cold and distant eyes Caila knew but today they sort of had a warm glow to them. He shook hands with the bishop and walked across the stage to where Jack was standing with Synister. Caila took a deep breath and calmly walked over to them. Jack and Synister bowed and then excused themselves.

"Lyra, my love," Drake said with an absent smile as he grasped Caila's wrists affectionately.

Caila felt weird but she had to play along, "Hello Darling, It's always nice to attend a wedding."

"Don't be daft my sweet, this isn't only a wedding, it's a joining of our two great civilizations. When Sir Nikolas and your dear sister join blood it will end the feud that has been going on for millennia." Drake laughed quietly and pushed Caila gently in the direction of their seats. "It's time for the hand fasting to begin."

The bishop turned from the altar to the seated vampyres and lycans, he raised his arms and began to hum a slow melancholy tune and it reverberated off the walls until it overwhelmed the totality of the cathedral, the room stood as he lowered his arms and began to speak.

"The two greater of all the races will be united tonight by love, and most importantly, by blood. Sir Nikolas D'Aranie, heir to the lycan throne and Lady Isabella Halliway, sister to the Queen and Duchess of the southern regions will be united today to end the fighting and the feuding between our two glorious races." The whole room erupted into cheering as, from opposite ends of the room, the two entered.

Nikolas, to Caila, looked exactly the same as ever, except he had no stress lines on his forehead and he was smiling-actually smiling. She turned her attention to the bride, she was beautiful beyond comprehension. Her honey-maple brown hair had Nikolas's silver blonde curls looking dull, they were in swirling curls underneath her lace veil. She was as tall as her groom but in the purple-black dress she out shone him. Caila looked around and it seemed as if no one in the room cared that the vampyre came out on top.

The room thundered as hundreds of people took their seats as the ceremony began. Caila paid close attention to the events that were happening before her and tried to think of a reason why she had been sent to this moment in history. It seems as if Nikolas is really happy, but in my time he isn't. Did something to happen to Isabella? Well of course something happened to her, or I wouldn't be marrying Nikolas. What happened to Queen Lyra during this time up until Drake met my mother? I guess I'm just going to get more questions than answers out of this.

While Caila was speaking to herself she had this strong feeling of apathy. It was like she didn't even care where, or when, she was anymore. She didn't care that she was witnessing the weirdest wedding of the time. She looked around her to find that everyone was paying attention, a few people were crying, and an old man in the back was sleeping, but she couldn't pinpoint where the emotion was coming from. She bumped elbows with Drake, who was sitting next to her, and received another jolt of boredom, followed by a feeling of fondness when he looked at Caila/Queen Lyra. Is he seriously so apathetic to this situation, he is combining the two greatest races. I didn't know that the devil could love.

Caila glanced up at the pair by the altar with the bishop. Moonlight flooded the room from the ceiling and surrounded only Nikolas and Isabella. They had a scarlet piece of silk loosely binding their left wrists, while the bishop cut their other wrists with an athame- it had runes running along the blade. The bishop held their bleeding wrists over a golden ornate goblet and let the blood drip as he spoke. "Let the blood of these two great creatures mix and cleanse their souls as they drink and bond them together for the rest of their endless lives." He said a few more words in what sounded like Latin and then he tipped back Isabella's head; she drank the first few drops and smiled at Nikolas.

It happened quickly after she drank; to Caila it was like a distant memory, something she had no control over. She could feel Lyra taking over again, letting her be only a spectator. Isabella's body started to convulse and the blood came back out in short throaty coughs, staining her dress. Isabella looked into Nikolas' eyes for one last time as her body slowly turned to dust. Caila, having no control over her own body ran to the altar, tears streaming down her face; she was screaming that it had all been a mistake.

The crowd was in an uproar, the lycans were yelling that it was a blood sacrifice, an omen of death to their culture. The vampyres yelled that it had been a trick, a lycan ruse. The two factions started to fight, in a flurry of fangs and claws the floor of the cathedral was stained with blood. Caila, still having no control over her actions, cried out in pain, miraculously the fighting stopped. Everyone looked up at her. "This has all been a mistake; we all knew that a vampyre can't take lycan blood. We tried and look what happened, my sister's a pile of ashes, Sir Nikolas is an emotional wreck, they loved each other and look what the gods did; they murdered her. The bonding of our kind is no longer allowed to happen, no one is allowed to step foot in this cathedral ever again, and no longer shall we worship the gods." She ran weeping out of the room as howls of pain ravaged the cathedral.

Caila woke gasping for air, as always. She looked around to find herself in her own bed, and in her own time. Synister was sitting on the end of her bed, Nikolas was rocking in the chair, and Jack was pacing the room. When she sat up all three of them ran toward her, she could feel the panic surrounding them.

"Guys give me some breathing room," she said pushing them away. The emotions floating through the room changed from panic to extreme happiness, annoyance, and sadness. Where the sadness came from Caila didn't know.

Jack didn't move an inch, he was smiling and his green eyes seemed to glow, "Where did you go this time?"

"Who was Isabella?" Caila asked quietly and calmly, out of the corner of her eye she could see Nikolas lower his head, a single tear fell down his cheek, she was overcome with extreme sorrow. What is going on with my emotions?

Nikolas looked at Caila, "I loved Isabella, she was my life, and my love. I didn't want to go through with the ceremony, but your people are so strict with your rules. I had already fought for her and that was all my people desired." Nikolas stood up and jumped out of the room without saying good bye.

"Caila, what did you go see?" Synister asked slowly. Caila told them everything that happened, and all the emotions with it, she also told them what she was feeling now.

"Your real mother was Queen Lyra; she died shortly after your birth from a broken heart. Your father told her that you were born still. That would make Lady Isabella your Aunt," Synister replied nonchalantly.

Even if Queen Lyra was my real mom, she could never take the place of the woman who raised me. Caila's eyes started to water but she pushed that away and focused on the problem. "Now can you tell me what is going on with my emotions," Caila said annoyed.

"You're an empath, you feel what people feel around feel," Jack answered. "There hasn't been an empath in over millennia."

"Am I going to burst into dust?"

"Probably not," Jack said fretfully, a wave of anxiousness hit Caila hard.

"What do you mean 'probably not', I'd rather not burst into dust. I'm not done living," Caila yelled, she got off her bed and went into the bathroom to cool off. She ran her hands under cold water and splashed her face; she had to make sure she was awake this time. She could hear Jack's soft steps as he walked into the bathroom. Caila took a deep breath and looked into the mirror, "I don't want to die Jack."

"No one does, plus Von Countaine told me he doesn't think you're going to burst into dust, or flames, or whatever."

"What will make this time different from the last?"

"He thinks your blood will hold because it is pure, Isabella was like the rest of us." Jack took Caila's hand and kissed it gently. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know Jack." Caila left the bathroom with a slight migraine, Jack was right behind her. Synister was on the other side of the room talking with Olivia. Even from across the room Caila could feel the struggle of power over Olivia's mind that she was hiding, the arguing voices, each with their own emotions. Caila was hit with fury, irritation, scorn, concern, and cheerfulness all at once, it was strong enough to knock her to her knees. Everyone ran to Caila's side but the flow of emotions was too much for her, "Olivia get out, it's too much!" She yelled. "The voices, they're too much!"

Olivia didn't know what to do so she ran out of the room, but even though she was out of the room Caila felt it, the pulsing migraine receded but it didn't fully go away.

"Are you okay Caila, what happened?" Olivia said through the door.

"She's an empath; your voices were too much for her at this stage in her development, she isn't completely in control yet." Jack replied for her.

"I'm sorry," Olivia stated Caila could feel the sorrow radiating through the door.

"It's not your fault, entirely Livy," Caila replied, returning to Olivia's old nickname. Jack helped Caila off the floor and onto her bed.

"Syn, can you will a bubbled of energy around Olivia that will keep her emotions to herself?" Jack asked he took a seat between Synister and Caila on the bed.

"I could try," he replied in a sombre tone, "Olivia can you come into the room slowly." The door opened and she came in one step at a time. "Stay next to the door I don't think this will work." Synister closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. He hummed a simple tune and then opened his eyes; a thin flexible shield could be seen around Olivia. Caila's migraine dissipated almost entirely.

"It worked, I can't feel her."

"I can't hear any of your thoughts; the voices are really quiet right now," Olivia exclaimed, "What did you do?"

"Hmmm, I really don't know. I just wanted Caila to stop feeling what you were feeling; I don't know if it will last long." Synister smirked; he walked around Olivia, examining his work and poking at the bubble, Olivia smacked his hands away.

"What is it that you do Synister, Jack has his fire thing, Olivia has her reading and commanding people's minds thing and I have my emotion sensor," Caila asked.

"I will things, if I want something it usually happens," he replied melodramatically.

Caila tapped her chin, "So if I wanted a mango you could just make one appear out of thin air?" Synister laughed. "My gift is more complicated than that but yes, you have the right idea."

"Could you will my father to tell you about the feud?" Caila smiled, I'm going to get my answers one way or another.

"Lord Countaine is stronger than I; I've already tried to get him to tell me. It won't work."

"Can you get someone that works for him to give you anything in writing about it?"

"That could work Caila," Olivia said, she nodded to herself and looked off toward the left.

"If you get someone to tell you the code to the restricted section in the library and where they are in the section then this could work," Jack included. "We could get you out of this betrothal if we know the facts." Caila smiled, and then her smile turned into a yawn.

"Guys it's getting kind of late." Caila looked out the window at the sunrise and yawned again. "Do you think we can talk about this later? I need some sleep."

Jack nodded, "She's right, we all need some sleep." Jack stood up and ushered the other two out of the room but before he shut the door he smiled and said, "I'll get you out of this mess, Good night." Caila went to bed and she didn't dream, for which she was grateful.

Synister slammed the door behind him, and shoved Jack backwards onto his bed. "Do you really believe we can do this? You can't think that there is a way behind his back. He knows everything."

"Syn, take a deep breath and calm down." Olivia stood between him and Jack, her hands on her hips. "There has to be away. We can't let him be in charge any longer. The lycans are ready to fight and all he wants to do is sacrifice another lot of them."

"We know this already." Jack stood up and walked over to the mini fridge, kicking things out of his way as he went; he pushed away a pile of dirty clothes and opened it. Jack grabbed two bottles of crimson liquid and turned around, "Do either of you want one?"

Olivia glared at him, "As long as they haven't been in there for months. You know I hate it stale." Jack laughed and threw a bottle at Olivia she caught it swiftly and drank half the bottle in one gulp. She grimaced and shot Jack a dirty look.

"I'll take one mate, I need something to calm my nerves and by the way Livy glared at you I bet the drink has been in there for quite some time. That's exactly how I like it." Jack took another bottle out and tossed it to Synister before closing the fridge.

"I don't see how the maids can't stock the fridge with new blood." Olivia turned in a circle, "But then again, I don't see how they could get to the fridge," she joked.

"It's not time for laughed, we need to come up with a plan," Synister said angrily.

"Why don't you do what the Princess suggested?" Katy said annoyance laced her voice.

Olivia ran her fingers across her forehead and massaged her right temple. Her perpetual headache began to come back and she could feel the power surge back into her. She whined, "Synister the shield is wearing off."

"Sorry Livy, I told you that it wouldn't last long. It did the job though."

"No problem Syn, it's just," Olivia took a deep breath, "I liked the quiet. They weren't silent; they were just not as loud." She sat next to Synister; he put his arm around her.

"What are we to do, could you will yourself invisible and get into the restricted section?" Jack asked.

"We need the codes, and then we need to know exactly where in the section the information would be. The place is at least three miles long." Synister replied.

"Olivia can you get into the heads of the guards, they know the codes." Jack said.

"As long as Smitty isn't patrolling, his sonic pulse is hell to my head. Plus they don't know which section," she replied.

"Jarvis!" Jack exclaimed.

"Jarvis," Synister agreed, smiling manically.

"Jarvis?" Olivia replied, "Are you kidding, that lowly con...that rebel...that street rat...that—"

"Olivia calm down, we know what he did to you—" She shook her head and stood up, she walked over to Jack and stabbed him in the chest with her finger.

"Jack, you have no idea what he did to me," she eyed Synister. "Don't mock me."

Synister laughed, "Liv, all parents are terrible. Can't you remember that my father fed my mother to me before I was old enough to acknowledge my hunger?

She tapped her foot impatiently, "That's completely different."

"Well I really don't care if you're coming or not, let's go Syn," Jack left the room with Synister on his tail and jumped before the door shut behind them.

"Argh." Olivia growled, but she followed them anyway. She hated her father but this was too important