Chapter 21-Secret Plans

It was finally the Christmas holidays, and I was on my skiing trip with Tegan and Jade. It was supposed to be fun; I’d been looking forward to it since the beginning of December. The only thing that was stopping me from enjoying myself was Sylvie’s words pounding in my head. Game on. What was that supposed to mean? I had told Alec about it, and he got all concerned and protective, and wouldn’t let me go anywhere without him for two weeks. Can you imagine showering knowing that there’s a guy outside the door if anything goes wrong? I mean, what goes wrong in the fricking shower? I slip and fall, crack my head open, it heals, but then some dude who works for Damien takes me away while I’m still wet and naked? Who would do that? It’s sick and twisted. I mean, I don’t even like the thought of a rubber duck looking at me while I’m bathing, let alone a twisted weirdo who works for Damien. On the bright side, at least Alec was on the outside of the bathroom…

Anyways, we had been skiing for two hours and were taking a break in “The Lodge” when my phone rang. It was Alec.

“Hey.”

“Hi, um, is there any chance you could get to the foreclosure on Young Street in 30 minutes?”

“Alec…” I groaned.

“It’s really important.”

“Fine then.” I got off the phone.

“Who was that?” Jade asked.

“Alec. Listen, I have to go meet him back in Carleton Place. Apparently, it’s important. Can you tell Tegan that I had to go?”

“Say no more. I’ll cover for you.”

Since I didn’t exactly know what a foreclosure was, I looked up “Carleton Place Foreclosures” on the internet and found the nicest one-hopefully that was the place we were meeting at. It was a nice house; tall and white with a Victorian-style wooden door and flower beds with roses surrounding the concrete front steps. I slowly turned the doorknob. The door was unlocked, so I just walked in.

“Hello?” No answer. I started walking down the hallway, looking around.

“Is anyone here? Alec?” Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Nope.” Katherine smiled as she circled around me.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Alec?”

“Here.” He came out from another room.

“What is she doing here?” I snapped.

“I can explain-”

“I’m here to help.” Katherine danced around a coffee table in the next room.

“Okay, so what’s the real reason?”

“I am honestly here to help. Is that so hard to believe?”

“Yes, yes it is.” She rolled her eyes and started walking upstairs. Alec and I followed her into a room with a couch and a bunch of bookshelves; probably the owner’s private library.

“So, what was so important that I had to leave a well-deserved ski trip with my best friends?”

“We’re discussing what’s going to happen when Damien decides to come get his doppelganger for the sacrifice. It’s supposed to happen on the summer solstice, so he’ll probably come to get you a few weeks before then.”

“Well, if you wanted-”

“Uh-uh. No. You’re not allowed to talk. Not after all the trouble your words have caused.” Katherine rolled her eyes, picked up a book off of the shelf, lied down on the couch, and began to read.

“Okay, so I’ve talked to few friends of mine, who have agreed to keep you in safe houses around the continent. They don’t know who you are, so I’ll bring some disguises so they don’t figure out that you’re the one Damien wants. First I’ll take you to Cecile, in New York State. Then Aimee in Pennsylvania, Nathaniel in Virginia, Thomas in North Carolina, Meghan in South Carolina, and William in Georgia. Got that?”

“I think so. Cecile, Aimee, Nathaniel, Thomas, Meghan, William. Is that right?”

“Yes. Okay, after William takes you to the safe house, his cousin Calvin will take you to the final safe house in Florida. Can you remember all that?”

“I’m pretty sure. Cecile in New York State will take me to Aimee in Pennsylvania, who’ll take me to Nathaniel in Virginia, who’s going to bring me to Thomas in North Carolina, then Meghan in South Carolina, and William in Georgia, who’s cousin Calvin is going to take me to the final safe house in Florida.”

“Great. Now, we’ll need more than just you and me going, so it won’t look weird.”

“Yes, because a bunch of kids running around America totally isn’t weird at all.” I said sarcastically. Alec rolled his eyes.

“I mean so that it’ll look like a school field trip or something.”

“Oh. Right. I guess Tegan might want to come, and maybe Jade… But you might want to find a few guys so you don’t look…you know... creepy.”

“Of course. I’ve been getting to know a couple guys in your class, Ryan and Sam. They think I’m a little weird, so I might need to use compulsion, but they both know how to drive, which could be an asset. And Katherine…Well, you wanted to help. What can you do?” Katherine looked up from her book slightly.

“Sorry, I’ve been silenced.” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Well, whatever she had to say doesn’t matter.” I said.

“Anyways, we’ll need a vehicle. Any suggestions?”

“My dad has a van, and I’m seeing him later this week. I could get a copy of the key.”

“Perfect. Well, I guess this meeting’s pretty much over.” I followed Alec downstairs.

“I have to go meet Cecile and talk about our plan for the summer. Do you need a ride back to the ski hill?”

“No, actually I think I’ll stick around and talk to Katherine.” Alec laughed.

“Good luck with that.” With that, he left. I dashed upstairs and took Katherine’s book away from her.

“That was a bold move, kiddo.” She joked.

“What is it?” I asked.

“What’s what?”

“The thing you’ve been wanting to say to me. What is it?” Katherine got up, snatched the book back from my hands, and put it back on the shelf.

“I don’t exactly agree with Alec’s plan.”

“How so?” I asked.

“Cecile-and most of Alec’s other “friends”- is working for Damien, which means she’s working to bring you to Damien, not safety.”

“Great.” I said sarcastically.

“You make it seem like you have another plan.”

“Well, I do.” Katherine chuckled.

“And that would be…”

“Okay, well, when Alec takes you to Cecile, you’re going to go off with me instead.”

“How’s that supposed to work?”

“Learn how to drive. Then, when Alec goes to get you to bring you to Cecile, you stab him with vervain dart and take the van to where I am.”

“Where will you be?”

“I’ll text you with the address when we actually get to that point. Right now, just focus on not telling Alec about our plans.”

“How am I supposed to do that when he can read minds?”

“Do what I did. Create a mind shield.”

“A mind-what?”

“Mind shield. I got Isobel to put a spell on my mind so that no one can get into it. I bet one of Isobel’s kids could help you with that, but until then try to avoid Alec.”

“How do I know I can trust you?”

“Because, if you get sacrificed, I get sacrificed. Why would I want you to get hurt?”

“Um, I don’t know, because you’re a sadistic witch with a capital B.” I smirked.

“Ha ha, very funny. Your eighth grade humor doesn’t faze me.” She rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, well…okay, I’ve got nothing. But still, how is this plan supposed to work?”

“Trust me, it will. But you can’t tell anyone, not even your friends. Don’t even say anything to your cat.”

“Why can’t I talk to my cat?”

“Because someone might overhear you. Don’t even write it in your diary.”

“What makes you think I have a diary?”

“Forget about the diary! Just don’t write it, don’t say it, and don’t think about it if you can help it!”

“Okay. Can I go now?” Katherine rolled her eyes and shook her head. I knocked a bunch of books off of the shelf with my mind.

“Well, I guess I can go, but it looks like you have a bit of cleaning to do.” I smirked and skipped out the door.