Charade (31 page)

She was lying and her aura told me so. I watched her as she went around the room, picking up clothes and it dawned on me that she wasn’t picking them up. She was searching for something.

“What are you doing?”

“Uh, hello? Some creepy man broke in here and trashed our stuff. I’m picking it up.”

My eyes narrowed. She was taking this awfully well. And she was lying. I didn’t stop that mist from surrounding us. It had to have been her. She made a small sound and I looked over in time to see her slipping a familiar box into her shower bag. It was that same box I saw sitting on her dresser in her bedroom. What was in there? Why was it so important?

Kimber caught me staring and turned around, hands on her hips. “What?” she demanded.

“Nothing,” I mumbled and began to pick up my stuff.

Something was going on with Kimber and I had a feeling that whatever it was wasn’t going to be good.

Chapter Sixteen

Heven

After days of sightseeing in Florence, Venice and Pisa (the leaning tower of Pisa was so cool), finally, we arrived in Rome. The places we had been to were stunning, and we had such a wonderful time, but the constant strain of looking over our shoulders was wearing on us. Thankfully, no more demons had attacked, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being followed
and
watched.

After breakfast at our hotel (even though we changed hotels we still had to stay with the same roommate), we were heading out for another day filled with sightseeing and activities. I was looking forward to the main attraction of the day: the Colosseum.

From the minute we pulled up on the bus, everyone was enraptured. The place was enormous, and even in ruins, it was amazing. I could only imagine what it had looked like when it was new and not crumbling. We spent the morning with a tour guide who filled our heads with stories of the history of the things that went on here. Executions, gladiatorial combats and classical mythology drama were just a few of the things that the walls of this place had seen. It was a great distraction, almost enough to make me forget about what we were to do while we were in Rome.

Sam, you brought the scroll, right?
After the demon attack and Kimber searching my things, I decided that the scroll would be safer with Sam and he’s been keeping it close since then.

It’s in my backpack.

I tried not to stare at the dark green pack slung over his shoulder too much, but it was hard. Lunch time came and we all gathered to get the bagged lunches that the teachers kept in big coolers and then spread back out to find places to eat. Having lunch at the Colosseum in Rome was not something one could do every day. Sam, Cole and I found a spot away from the others where we could talk.

“We have to get this scroll where it belongs,” I whispered, looking around at the crumbling travertine walls.

Cole pulled a copy of the itinerary out of his back pack and looked it over. “I’ve got it all figured out,” he said. “We’re supposed to go to the Via Appia Antica tomorrow. There’s an entrance to the catacomb of San Sebastiano on that road.”

I nodded. “We’ll have to figure out a way to slip away from the group.”

“I haven’t figured that out yet,” Cole said, taking a huge bite of his sandwich.

I closed my eyes and called up the information I read about the Via Appia Antica in the tourist book I had. “Via Appia Antica is a national park now. There’s a long road that runs through it. It is super popular with cyclists and runners. There are a bunch of cafés and shops along the road until you head out into the countryside. The catacomb entrance is south on the road.”

When I opened my eyes Cole and Sam were staring at me. “When did you memorize all that?”

I blushed. “I didn’t. It’s my newest ‘super power.’ I have a photographic memory.”

“Cool!” Cole replied.

Sam frowned. “How does it work?”
Why didn’t you tell me?

I was embarrassed.
“I just look at something once, and I can recall it exactly.”

Does it hurt?
Sam asked. He didn’t seem put off that I kept it from him.

Not at all. No more headaches either.

“This might come in handy,” Sam said aloud, covering the fact we were having a conversation of our own.

I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away.

“You’ll never flunk a test again!” Cole laughed.

I get it, but you don’t ever have to be embarrassed with me, okay?

I nodded and leaned into his side, feeling a little guilty. Sam reached out and snagged the itinerary from Cole.

“It says on the itinerary that we can rent some bicycles and ride along the path. Maybe we could do that and pretend to get separated from the group for a while,” Sam suggested.

“Sounds good,” Cole said.

I nodded. “Now we just have to keep the scroll safe until then.”

“What’s the deal with Kimber?” Cole murmured, his gaze going past us.

I didn’t have to look to know he was watching her, just as she was probably watching us. “I’m not sure yet, but it might be good to stay clear of her. She’s acting weird.”

She stopped that mist from wrapping around us.

How?

“Nuh-uh, no brain talking without me,” Cole said, realizing what Sam and I were doing.

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I get the impression that she knows more than we think.”

“Like about the Map?” Sam asked.

“Yeah,” I said, slowly. But how could she know anything? Suddenly a sense of anger filled me. Why did everything have to be so confusing all the time? We were here in this beautiful place and I wasn’t able to enjoy it completely because I was so preoccupied with everything else. I probably wouldn’t get the chance to come here again and I wanted to look back with good memories. I reached into my bag and pulled out the travel diary Gran gave me. It was filling up with notes and drawings. I couldn’t wait to add the pictures that I had been able to take.

As we finished our bagged lunches, I pulled out my camera and began snapping pictures. I smiled to myself because I knew that my brain was now kind of like a camera and these sights wouldn’t be forgotten. Still, having a photograph for my book was special.

There were a lot of missing stones and marble from the structure creating holes and crumbling windows. It was in one of these crumbling spaces that something caught my eye. A movement. Someone was sitting in what I assumed was once a window. When he caught me looking, he leaped off the other side and disappeared from sight. I gasped and looked at Sam and Cole to see if they had seen him too.

“What is it?” Sam asked, his hand moving to my back.

I blinked and looked back up to where the person had been. He was gone.

“Heven?” Cole asked, worried.

I shook my head and forced a smile. “Sorry, guess my eyes are playing tricks on me.”

Sam frowned. “What did you see?”

I laughed lightly. “Thought I saw someone sitting up there.” I pointed to the empty space.

Cole laughed, but it was a little strained. “Maybe you’ve had too much sun.”

“You’re probably right.” Except now all three of us were wondering if something was actually there. We all knew that it wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities.

I sighed. Isn’t this what I was trying to avoid? Now, instead of just me not enjoying the trip, it was all of us. “I’m sure it was nothing. Let’s try and have a good time.”

Students were moving around, exploring for the little bit of time we had left until we had to board the bus. By unspoken agreement, our conversation ended. I looked out over the Colosseum, entranced by its beauty.

In the center of the arena, the floor was missing and you could see down to the underground passages where the gladiators once awaited their fates. It looked like a complex stone maze with walls running in every direction. Across the center of the arena was a modern walkway.

“Let’s go get a closer look at those passages,” I said, tugging Sam along with me.

The walkway was long and went directly from one side to the other. We walked across, pointing out the hidden passages and tumbling travertine walls. I tried to imagine what it had been like for a gladiator, waiting down in the narrow stone rooms, hearing the roaring crowd and the clanking of armor and weapons. Had he been scared? Terrified that he wouldn’t live to see another day or had he been anxious to get above and show everyone what he could do?

I thought I heard a sound from the shadows below and peered down, but saw nothing.

“Hev, come on. We have to be back at the bus soon,” Sam called from a few feet away, pulling me away from whatever I thought I heard.

Most of the students were heading back toward the entrance already and I rushed to catch up with Sam and Cole, who were walking back toward the exit. I stumbled a bit as I moved forward because my pant leg had gotten caught on something. I looked down to see where I was caught and I saw that I wasn’t caught at all. Something was holding me.

“Sam,” I whispered fiercely. He spun and I pointed at the gnarled hand grabbing my ankle.

I did my best to yank my leg free, but the demon was strong and yanked back, causing me to pitch forward. I caught hold of the railing, trying to stop myself from falling, but it was no use. I tumbled right over, down into the dark stone passageways below.

*   *   *

It was darker down here than it seemed from above. It was also narrower and it was cold. The walls were rough and the floor was packed dirt. I didn’t hurt myself when I fell because the demon caught me. I screeched and jerked my elbow, connecting with its face. It dropped me with a hiss and I scrambled to my feet and took off running. When I came to the end of a passage, I slowed to turn, but another demon jumped out in front of me. I looked over my shoulder to see the other one advancing. I was caught between them with stone walls boxing me in.

Sam and Cole appeared behind the demon and Cole used the dagger that Gemma must have given him to take off its head. I didn’t even bat an eye at the head rolling across the floor. In fact, it was a welcome sight as it meant there was one less demon to fight. The demon in front of me grabbed my arms and I kicked out, connecting, but it wasn’t a strong enough kick to make it free me. So I kicked again, harder this time. The demon shrieked and released its hold and I took advantage of my freedom to kick it in the shoulder as it doubled over. It fell backward on its bottom and its hollow eyes flared with menace as it jumped to its feet and cracked its neck, no doubt considering how to make me pay.

“I’ve got what you want,” Sam taunted it. I turned to see him holding up the scroll.

The demon shoved me aside and ran at Sam, who threw the scroll behind him to Cole. The demon screeched and dove, but not before Sam caught it in the chest with his fist. It disintegrated before our eyes.

“Come on. Let’s get back,” Sam said, motioning for me to join him and Cole. We walked forward to where the walkway was, but we were stopped from climbing back up because two more demons jumped in front of us. Sam and Cole started fighting and Cole tossed me the scroll. Before I knew it, a large demon grabbed me from behind and began dragging me away.

I grunted, struggling against its grip, causing Sam to look my way and take a hard punch to the side of his head. He went down just as I was dragged around the corner and out of sight.

*   *   *

I was
totally
right when I thought that these passageways looked like a giant maze. It is exactly what they were, and I was lost. They all looked the same: dark, cold and winding.

Or maybe, I couldn’t find my way out because I was busy being chased by demons. Just another typical day for me. After that demon dragged me away, I managed to fight my way free and tried to find my way back to Sam, but I couldn’t. These passageways were filled with demons, and everywhere I went, there was another. So, I figured the safest thing for me to do was to take the scroll and run away from Sam and Cole to give them a chance to get out. I had no idea if Sam was hurt, if Cole was hurt.

But I kept running.

Glancing over my shoulder for the hundredth time, I confirmed what I already knew; demons were hot on my heels. I picked up the pace and turned to my left, praying it wasn’t a dead end. It wasn’t and there was a small crumbled section in the wall off to my right so I jumped through and started running in the opposite direction. I heard a great thump and a crumbling sound and knew that one of them saw where I had gone, and they were destroying the wall so they could follow. It made me mad that this ancient place would be damaged for something like this. I took a right and ran smack into the rough stone wall.

“Dammit,” I swore and turned to go back the way I came. I had no idea how deep in this place was or how big it actually was. It couldn’t be that big… could it?

There was a small alcove in the wall. I squeezed myself in and doubled over to catch my breath. Maybe I should start carrying a weapon like Gemma. I heard a scuffling sound and peered out to see a demon run by. I waited a few minutes and left my hiding place and ran in the opposite direction. There was a light up ahead and I ran toward it, hoping it wasn’t a trap.

It was an old door that was open and led to stairs that went up to the ground floor. I could hear the traffic go by on the street.

Sam! There’s a door to the outside.
It was close now. I was almost there.

No, Heven! It’s a trap! Turn around!

Too late. A demon rushed me from the side and sent me crashing to the floor. The scroll fell out of my hands and rolled away into a shadowed corner.

The demon that sent me to the floor landed on top of me and was scrambling off me to get to the scroll. I dug my nails into its arms, trying to keep it from getting away. It looked down, annoyed, and I brought up my knee between its legs. I had no clue if that was even a good defense against creatures like this, but it was worth a try. It hissed and rolled to the side.