Christian was suddenly nodding.“I found the others.I can find this slice, too.Caemorn can absorb him and–”
“Something must be different about him if some part of him is still out there and you didn’t sense him, Christian,” Balthazar protested.“Not that I would let you anywhere near Tithe even in spirit form!”
“I think the structures are the key,” Grayson said.He looked up at Caemorn.“They must block at least some thoughts.Otherwise, Balthazar would have heard Tithe’s evil intentions long ago.”
Caemorn nodded.“Tithe could have devised some way with his Kaly and Eyros gift to concoct something like that.”
“And he knows me!All my weaknesses!”Balthazar spat out.
“But he underestimates you, Balthazar,” Caemorn said with quiet conviction.“He sees the surface of you only.”
“He sees enough.”Balthazar hung his head.“I was able to defeat him before because he wasn’t expecting me to have the balls to do it, but now… now he will be more careful.”
“Maybe,” Grayson said.“But I bet he’s angry.And I bet he still thinks of himself as theMasterand you as theChilde.But you aren’t his Childe.”
Balthazar lifted his head uncertainly.“But I am–”
“No, you heard Caemorn tonight.You areKaly’sChilde.And he is standing right there, desperately wanting to hold you and make it all better.”Grayson gestured to Caemorn who held himself so stiffly.
Balthazar blinked.“Good grief, Caemorn, if you were any more rigid, you might shatter.Why are you standing over there like that while I’m a messhere?I need you with me!I don’t want to have to call Bone Bear to get a little of your affection.I already have enough bone dust on my clothes.”
For a moment, Ryder saw Caemorn’s face stripped of all of its masks.Caemorn loved Balthazar as only Kaly could with full and utter devotion.He had saved that purely for Daemon before.But now, he clearly felt it for Balthazar.No matter that he and Balthazar played the odd couple.The mask was firmly back in place though before Caemorn went over and awkwardly sat on the other side of Balthazar from Christian on the couch, one hand gently patting his back.
“Eyros and Kaly together.Not a slice of one and a stolen bit of another,” Grayson said as he gazed upon both of them.“ButbothBloodlines’ Immortals.Strong and true.I know that between the two of you, you can figure out the Sect’s game plan and undo any of Tithe’s tricks.”
Weryn’s voice drifted through Ryder’s mind then,This Tithe is but a shadow of the true Kaly.And Kaly and Eyros working together?He does not stand a chance.No one does.
Shift
Next Day (or Night)...
Julian was waiting for him at the Duskvault Gate, which led out of Nightvallen to the north.The young man had been seated on the lip of one of the burbling fountains that framed the gate, but quickly jumped off and headed towards Ryder with a big grin on his face.
“Hey, Ryder!”Julian was beaming. “I’m so glad you came.Thank you for doing this.”
Ryder had agreed to assist the young man in shifting.Julian was having a hard time with it, which made sense as even pure Weryn could take years before they shifted for the first time.Julian also had all those other gifts from the various Bloodlines that were coming online all the time for him.Shifting, though, was one of the hardest because it required the Vampire to let go of their corporeal form altogether.Not even the Mirryr did that.He hoped that Julian wasn’t disappointed if by simply working with Ryder that he didn’t shift tonight.
“There is no need to thank me.You are pack, Julian, and my prince.It is my honor to do so,” Ryder assured him.
Julian ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck.“Still, with everything going on, it’s not exactly important to help me learn to shift.”
“On the contrary, teaching you to use all of your gifts well enhances your safety so it is very important,” Ryder contradicted.
“I thought Grayson might be joining us.Where is he?”Julian asked.
“He is playing student.”
He had left his beloved back in their bed.Grayson had bemoaned the loss of his “fuzzy” but was eager for him to go and help Julian.While Julian was, of course, Daemon’s fledgling, he was all of their prince.They were all responsible for him.
“He is very good at pretending to be innocent and helpless,” Julian admitted.
“He is at that.”
“But I’m glad he’s not.If he truly was what he seemed, the Sect going after him would be…” Julian didn’t complete the sentence but just shook his head as if the barbarity of it could not be put into words.
“It would be.”
“And I’m sure it stillis,” Julian amended.“Grayson is just so capable and level-headed.Daemon speaks of him–of you both–with such respect for your abilities to retain control in a crisis.”
