So not even the Council knew of this plan. I'd wondered why the Chancellor, my grandfather, didn't stop us from going to the city today.
"I acted under my own discretion. The rebels have spies—"
"Not within the Council." The Chancellor's voice sounded loud, fed up.
"Of course, Chancellor." He almost sounded contrite. Almost.
"Ragathon, you push my patience. You may go and attend to the other matter we discussed, and we shall discuss the consequences of your actions tomorrow."
Footsteps. Then the door opened, and I nearly fell through it. I backed away quickly, but Ragathon noticed me, his beady eyes staring at me in contempt, a black scarf wrapped around his neck, hiding the evidence of my feeding. "Listening in on council matters is an offense punishable by flaying, girl."
I straightened my spine and stared him down, relieved he didn't remember seeing my face. "Do you still use a whip, or is it a hammer these days?"
He frowned. "You insolent—"
"Ragathon," interrupted the Chancellor from inside. "I'm sorry, but Scarlett and I have a meeting."
"So you called her here?"
"Of course I did. Now, if that's all?"
"That's all, Chancellor." Ragathon scowled, and I was pretty sure if he could have challenged me to a duel then and there he would have. And likely poisoned his blade for extra measure.
"Good. Come along, Scarlett." The Chancellor guided me into his chambers as Ragathon walked away, probably still scowling and plotting my untimely demise. No love lost between the two of us, that was for sure.
The first thing I noticed when I walked into his office was a giant sculpture of two Knights on a horse, which stood on its hind legs as if in a fight. I studied the details carved into marble.
"Godfrey de Saint-Omer and Hugues de Payens, founders of the Knights Templar," the Chancellor said.
"Why are they on the same horse?"
"An old Templar symbol. It reminds us of our humble beginnings, when two knights could only afford one horse."
I followed him to two chairs positioned before a large, blazing fire. On a rug between us sat a fat white cat, content to slumber in front of the warmth. The entire chamber had a sense of the original castle, with paintings and banners hung on the walls, and sculptures and old leather books stored in bookcases along the walls.
The Chancellor turned in his chair to face me as he poured us each a cup of tea from a pot. "First, let me apologize for sending you into a war zone today. As I gather you surmised, Ragathon kept his plans secret from us all."
I accepted the cup of tea and blew on it. "And he's allowed to get away with that? No consequences despite mass innocent casualties and ultimate failure of his mission?"
The Chancellor's blue eyes reflected golden flames from the fire as he smiled at me intimately. "You're so like your mother, you know that?"
"I look like her, but take after my father."
He shook his head. "I see Marcus in you as well, of course, but your mother, she was always the fireball, ready to fight for the innocent and hold accountable anyone in power who failed to do the same."
"That doesn't answer my question," I reminded him.
"No, I suppose it doesn't. It's a simple question with a difficult answer. I do not have autonomous power in the Orders. I'm just one voice. The others have their own kind of power, Ragathon especially. He has the favor of the Pope right now, and that's not a small thing. I have to tread carefully to accomplish my goals. That's why I need you, Scarlett. That's why we need each other."
Pieces began to fit together. Why he needed me when he ruled the Orders. He had to play politics. I didn't. I wouldn't. I could indeed be his weapon.
"What did you want to see me about?" he asked.
"Has there been any news about my home?"
"The Inquisition has finished their investigation."
"And?"
"And they found nothing but blood, Scarlett."
My heart fell to my feet. "What about my parents?"
"Gone, I'm afraid." He looked back at the flames, his expression raw, lost in thought.
What did the Nephilim do with my parents' bodies? "That thing has them," I said, disgust lacing my voice. Disgust and anger.
"What once were your parents, yes. But they live in our memories now, and our hearts."
There had to be more at my house. Had to be.
"My parents…" I hadn't been able to talk about this before, to think about it, but… "My parents were Zeniths."
"Yes… and no," said the Chancellor, looking into my eyes. "Your mother was not always so."
My mother. He had her eyes. Or she had his. Eyes like mine. My mother was Lycan, but I'd heard only Inquisitors were turned into Lycans. Or was I wrong? There was so much I didn't know. Didn't understand. Too much.
I had to get home. Tonight. Had to find something that could lead me to the Nephilim. And when I find that bastard, I will be ready.
"Where did it come from? The Nephilim. I thought they were extinct?"
He raised his bushy white eyebrow at me. "You assume it was Nephilim you saw. How do you know?"
"What else could it have been?" It admittedly looked different, but I knew what I saw.
"Nephilim aren't the only beings born to the sky."
His words took a moment to sink in and my jaw dropped. "Are you talking about Angels?"