Guess they’ve figured out we’re here.
Take the scroll with you tonight. As soon as we get to Rome, we have got to get it to the catacombs.
He nodded and turned to meet Cole’s stare. Something seemed to pass between them. When had they started working together? Did they actually like one another? Cole looked at me and smiled. “Want some help picking up?”
He knew that we didn’t do all this; he was just playing along for Kimber’s benefit.
Kimber huffed beside me.
“No, thanks. You guys better go back to your room before you get caught in here,” I said.
“Wouldn’t want you to get in trouble for breaking the rules,” Kimber snapped.
I wouldn’t put it past her to call our chaperones herself.
If you need me… Sam said, pulling me close once more.
I’ll be fine. They won’t come back tonight. At least I hoped they wouldn’t.
When the boys were gone, I looked at Kimber. “How did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Stop that mist from surrounding us.”
Her arm froze, just briefly as she bent to pick up her clothes, but then she said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
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.