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CHAPTER 21

Schuyler

"It’s this way," Jack said "When I was a kid, the cooks used to chase me out of here"

He showed Schuyler the secret passageways that twisted through the building’s vast storerooms underneath the castle Historically, the home had been built to accommodate an entire court of nobles There was a full servants’ wing, and the kitchens and pantries went down three levels When the count was still alive, the royal couple had hosted lavish es

The castle was ly outdated, not to mention incredibly expensive, lifestyle No wonder the developers planned to chop it up into apart with a staff of sixty had beco to her villa in Saint-Tropez with a much more moderate household

But while the property boasted dozens of hidden rooeways, in the end there was only one way out of the H’tel La nobleh the central courtyard and out the ates Jack and Schuyler found they didn’t have a choice: they would have to walk through the vipers’ nest to freedom

The staircase froht into the main hall, where Jack and Schuyler could hear the sounds of hysterical laughter and uncontrollable gaiety, which sounded ained speed and volu?" Schuyler whispered as they huddled behind one of the fluted columns "Why do I feel like like I want to to hurt someone?"

"It’s what the Silver Bloods do, they "push", they use the glom like we do, except they push in the opposite direction They bring out the worst in people"

"Shouldn’t arn everyone?" she asked

"This isn’t Rio There are too many of us to overpower; the Silver Bloods will not risk anything erous than co to blunt the difficulty of their situation with another reassuring smile

Schuyler did not want to be sed up by her fear, and steadied herself by concentrating on fighting the rising overwhel sickness she felt from the Silver Bloods’ spell

They had to find Oliver, and then they had to get out of here as quietly as possible She hadaway from Jack, but the over-the-top antics of the Bollywood uests had figured she was part of the show, especially given the way she was dressed In her sari she had blended right in

"Here," Jack said, handing her a small silver crucifix on a chain "It should help" He pulled out a similar one from underneath his shirt "Part of the Venator uniforarden and found Oliver standing by hi a drink If he was surprised to see Schuyler with Jack, he didn’t show it except for a slight raise of his eyebrows, although it pained Schuyler to notice that a little light went out in his eyes when he saw theether

It’s not what you think, she wanted to tell hiardless, when Oliver turned to Jack, he was genial and gave him an overly hearty handshake

"Good to see you,time"

For his part, Jack shook Oliver’s hand with a fir as if they had bu Just a bunch of Upper East Side preppies catching up on news and gossip

"So what brings you here, Force? Not the Co a wary undercurrent

"Not at all," Jack said, as Schuyler quickly brought Oliver up to speed Once apprised, Oliver ier they were in

"So, what do you guys have into be able to get out of here quietly"

"So far they haven’t noticed that Schuyler is not in that roo around "I think we can make it to Lu?" But before Jack could finish his sentence, he stopped, looking up with a startled expression on his face

Schuyler glanced over his shoulder The Baron de Coubertin had reappeared on the other side of the courtyard But there was soed Even from afar, Schuyler could see that his eyes were rimmed in crimson fire Silver pupils

Leviathan

He stood i the room with those dreadful silver eyes Schuyler turned to Oliver and saw that he had noticed hio off with hi When I spoke to him at the boat he was different, jolly even I should have known soht"

"I didn’t see it either, Ollie There’s no way you would have known," she said Silver Bloods were agile shape shifters, Schuyler re her Leviathan had locked her in that roo to dispose of her later She shuddered to think of what they were planning to do with her

"Listen, I’ll only slow you down, butoff his turban and throwing it on the ground

"No!" Schuyler said "We’re getting out of this together or we’re not getting out at all! Oliver! Listen tohorror as she realized what he was planning to do

"Too late," Oliver said as he picked up a nearby torch and ran toward the entrance guarded by the elephants

"Co it back and forth in a crazedoff the King and Queen of Sia Oliver The uests ran in every direction, trying to get away fro beasts

"Quick?" Jack said "Before they close the gates" He held out his hand

"But Oliver?" Schuyler lurched around "Oliver, no! Oliver?"

"He’s huet you out of here! Please!" Jack said, holding out his hand