Another nod.“We all run after Grayson and the city is exposed.There are plenty of Vampires and Immortals near Grayson to protect him.But it is only you and your people out here.”
Ryder gritted his teeth and nodded.“There must be something else planned.”
The urge to race to Grayson was still there.He was fighting every instinct inside of him.His mate was in danger!But Caemorn was right.There were many Vampires and Immortals near his lover.They would not let anything happen to Grayson.Not to mention Grayson could defend himself.But if he raced into the city, his Bloodline would follow and Nightvallen’s walls would be exposed.He had to stay.He had tothink.
“And you can find out what it is.You know Legion.You might not wish to remember him, but you must, Ryder.Tell me what Legion intends to do,” Caemorn mirrored his own thoughts.
Caemorn’s silver eyes burned into his.Ryder felt himself helpless against the Kaly Vampire even though Caemorn was doing nothing, but asking him toremember.
What is Legion planning?
The current time fell away.He saw the flickering flames of a fire.Still in the Ever Dark.Twin moons.One blue.The other red.But he took no joy in it as he usually did.Camping in the Ever Dark was his favorite thing, but now nothing brought him pleasure.Ashyr was gone.
He must come back to me!I will make Kaly return him!
“Master?”A voice called from behind him.
He did not turn.Was it male?Female?Both?Neither?The thing was that he didn’t care.Not about this voice–tentative, loving, insistent–or any other than Ashyr’s.And that voice was silenced.
Forever?No, not forever!Kaly will be made to undo their wickedness!They will pay for everything!
“Master?”The voice was nearer, still tentative, loving and more insistent.
“What?”he snarled.
There were soft noises.The person was shifting from foot to foot.There was a sigh.A long standing sigh, but still affectionate.His Childe loved him.Of course, they did.They always did.It was nothing special.None of these new ones were.They were meant to simply be arrows in his quiver.He sent them soaring out to his enemies.They hit true.If they could be recovered, fair enough.If not… also, fair enough.It mattered little either way.This Childe had been shot and recovered often.
Like a bad penny.
“I know where Kaly has gone,” the voice said.
Weryn found himself unimpressed.He didn’t believe it.“Oh?”
“You don’t believe me.”Petulant.They were moving closer.Their steps were strange.Their voice, too.It sounded like it was coming out of a mouth not meant to create human words.
Ah, yes, Legion rarely shifts back to human form in the Ever Dark.For here is the only place they can be what they truly are: a monster.
“No, I don’t.How many times have I heard this and foundnothing?”His voice dropped a register.He was growling more than speaking himself.
“But not from me,” his Childe retorted.
“You think your silence is wise.Something that sets you apart from the others.But it just means you haven’t the courage to speak,” Weryn scoffed.
More shifting of huge feet and a long sinuous tail that disturbed the dead leaves under the trees.“No, I only speak when I have something to say.Finding Kaly is not easy.Not if you truly have found them and are not just boasting you have.”
Weryn stared into the flames as his Childe settled down beside him.Scales mixed with fur.Bone and flesh.The smell of rot and carrion.His Childe truly was hideous, but they choose to remain like this though they must know that it repelled the pack from them.No sleek panther or powerful wolf or fleet raven.No.This was a creation of the Ever Dark.Something dead and alive all at the same time.Something created after Daemon went to sleep and madness had seemingly settled upon the land as much as it had upon them.
Kaly, how could you do it?How could you kill Ashyr?You forced me to go to war.You forced me to do all of this!
“So where are they if you truly know?”Weryn asked, disturbed by the monster at his side, and maybe also, the one in his head.Himself.
“They have gone to their palace in Nightvallen,” Legion told him.
“What?”The word exploded from his lips.“No, they wouldn’t–”
“They have,” his Childe insisted.
How long had it been since he had been to Nightvallen?Since any of them had been?They were supposed to have continued to feed Daemon in his endless sleep, but somehow the years had slipped by and the longer they were gone, the guiltier they all felt, the less inclined they were to return.
