Court of Nightfall (The Nightfall Chronicles #1)(47)

Choked by my own emotion, I said goodnight and walked quickly to my room, all thoughts of assassinating Ragathon gone. It wouldn't work now, anyways. Too public. Too dangerous. Unless I wanted a suicide mission, there had to be a better way. I'd think about it later.

As I made my way into the castle and through the corridors toward the Initiates Wing and my bedroom, I wondered at what my parents and Jax saw in this place. It oozed corruption and didn't seem to do anything it promised to do.

When I locked my door and checked for bugs—you could never be too careful—I walked to the window, pricked my finger, and drew the Nephilim symbol on the glass. It shimmered and disappeared and as I waited to hear from Zorin, I finally took the chip from the night my parents were killed and installed it into my e-Glass.

I dropped to my bed, clutching the Token of Strife in my hand and watched that night unravel in full color. Over and over I replayed the video. Seeing them fight. Seeing my mother shift. Seeing them both killed. Seeing the Angel come from the sky.

It was nearly morning when I looked up to see Zorin standing in my room, the window open behind him.

I raised an eyebrow at the odd vision of him in my room. "Isn't it a bit risky for you to be here?"

He grinned and sat at my desk chair. "I have ways of remaining incognito. What can I do for you, Miss Night?"

I sat up and took my e-Glass off. "It's what I can do for you, actually. Or rather, what we can do for each other. I'll help you discover why the Nephilim lost the war." I could see interest in his eyes and continued. "And then, I'll help you rebuild. Gather the rebels and prepare the Cathedral. It will be our base, where we start."

"Start?" he asked.

"A new Order," I said. "One that fights for both Zeniths and Normals. One that actually keeps its oaths."

"If we are to be an army, we shall need a name. A banner under which to fight."

I used the Token of Strife in my hand to prick my finger and used the drop of blood to draw on the floor between us. An infinity symbol with a double cross rising from it. "Not an army," I said looking up at him. "We shall be of the night, striking from the shadows, but we shall be more than soldiers. We shall be symbols of what is just. We shall be knights of the dark. We shall be the Dark Templars."

He traced the symbol with his finger. "The Leviathan Cross," he said.

I nodded. "An ancient Templar symbol that stands for balance in the masculine and feminine. It represents protection. We are that protection. We are that balance."

Zorin smiled. "Will you leave this castle and take residence at the Cathedral?"

"No," I said, still cradling the Token of Strife in my hand. "I'll rise up the ranks, and then I'll destroy them."

***

The next day I surprised my grandfather with news that I was ready to commit to the Orders. And he surprised me with a shoebox.

"I know you didn't get to the bank," he said as he handed it to me. "So I took the liberty of retrieving what they left you."

I opened it, my hands only shaking slightly, and found a checkbook.

My grandfather smiled. "You're a wealthy young lady, Scarlett. Your parents left you everything, and that's not insignificant. Before you take your vows, I wanted you to know you have choices. You are not dependent on me or this school for your survival. You can leave, if you must, though I hope you won't. I hope you'll stay."

When I looked at the balance in the account, my jaw dropped. Wealthy, indeed. I never imagined my parents had this kind of money. I closed the box and smiled at my grandfather. "Thank you. It means a lot to me that you showed me this before I committed. But I'm not going anywhere. I belong here."

He wasted no time in scheduling my acceptance ceremony, though just he, Jax and the Council were in attendance, Ragathon with his customary scowl.

I knelt before the Chancellor on one knee in his office while he held a sword over my head.

His voice sounded strong and powerful as he asked me the ritual questions.

"Do you swear—

To protect the weak and defenseless?

To fight for the welfare of all?

To eschew unfairness, meanness, and deceit?

To at all times speak the truth?

Do you swear?"

"I swear," I said.

He touched each of my shoulders with the sword, then draped a black cloak over my shoulder and handed me a silver and obsidian ring with a V on it. I slipped it onto my finger.

"Then rise, Scarlett Night, an Initiate of Castle Vianney."

And so I rose.

***

Back at the Cathedral, I stood with Zorin, Trix and T.R. and assessed our new space.

T.R. grinned. "This will do nicely for a base."

"The Nephilites built catacombs underground. The tunnels could prove useful." Zorin gestured to the door at the back. "Let me show you." He and T.R. walked off and disappeared into the bowels of the Cathedral.

I began to follow when Trix stopped me with her words.

"I know you work for the Orders."

I turned to her, my blood pulsing under my skin.

"Or that you used to work for them," she amended. "That's how you were able to track the Inquisition's movements when you helped me escape. How you witnessed Sir Lux defending himself against the Officers."