Page 54 of Grayson’s Challenge

And right now, he appreciated that the rest of the palace employees and clan members didn’t know where the tunnels were located. It made it possible for them to enter the palace without anybody knowing.

Zoltan sidled up to him, while Virginia, Cooper, and Enya walked behind them. “Once we’re inside, what are we gonna do about the fact that the vampires can still smell us even though we’re all invisible?”

“We’ll have to wing it and hope we’re not getting too close to anybody, while we scope out the situation,” Zach said with a shrug. “At least we’ll have the advantage that we’ll be invisible.”

“We’ve got a little more than that,” John announced and pulled out a small bottle with a spray nozzle. “Wesley brewed this up for us.”

“What is it?” David asked curiously.

“A little potion that will temporarily cloak our odor and make it virtually impossible for any vampire to smell us.”

“Cool,” David said.

“How long will it last?”

John shrugged. “Not sure. Wesley hasn’t actually had any time yet to test it out in a long-term trial.”

Zoltan grunted. “So, what you’re saying is that it might only give us a few minutes.”

“Even a few minutes is an advantage,” Zach said. “How is it administered? Do we drink it?”

“No, we spray it on us,” John explained.

“Better than nothing,” David said.

They continued to walk in silence, until they reached an area where the rough earthen tunnel turned into a wood-framed corridor. There were two doors. One led into the King’s chamber, the other into the Queen’s, though the room had been converted, because his parents always slept in the same room. Now the Queen’s bedroom served as a private library and sitting room for the couple. Zach and his siblings rarely intruded on their parents here, because they knew how much they enjoyed their time alone with each other. Like newlyweds.

That thought made his heart ache. If they couldn’t save Cain, it would break Faye’s heart, and Zach knew that she would never recover from it.

Arriving at the door to the Queen’s chamber, they all stopped. Zach looked through the spy hole into the room. It was empty. He turned around and addressed the group.

“Once we’re inside, we’ll split up into three groups. Virginia, you’ll go with John, he knows the palace as well as David and I. Enya, you’ll be going with David and Cooper, Zoltan, you’re with me.”

Everybody nodded.

“Let me check if the coast is clear beyond this room,” Virginia said. “Back in a sec.”

“Hold it,” John said and lifted the spray bottle.

Virginia waited, while John sprayed her with the fine mist from the bottle which looked more like a fog.

“Thanks.” Virginia approached the door then went through it with the left leg first.

Zach watched in fascination as she disappeared completely. He stepped to the spy hole to look into the room and watched Virginia as she gazed around the room, then walked to the door leading into the hallway. Two yards from the door, she vanished before his eyes, having turned invisible, and he had to assume that she was walking through the door to scout out the hallway.

He waited, but didn’t see her come back. Had she run into trouble already?

Suddenly, he was pushed back, and almost fell on his ass had his brother not caught him. Virginia was stepping through the door, and bumped into him, suddenly visible again.

Virginia gasped. “Whoa.”

“Sorry, didn’t see you there,” Zach said. This little mishap made him think of something. “Guys, once we’re all invisible, does that mean we’re gonna be bumping into each other?”

“That’s a problem,” David added.

“It’s not,” Enya claimed. “We have different levels of making others invisible, and allowing select people to still see us and each other. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure everybody in this group can see everybody else.”

That was a relief. “All right then.” Zach nodded at John. “Hit me with it.”