“You were going to break free in a moment anyways,” he said.
“It wouldn’t have been enough if you hadn’t brought the tidal wave.”She looked over at the beach and forest and shook her head.“A tidal wave!”
“I had to do something they wouldn’t think was me,” Grayson admitted.
“No one would think a human could do that,” she admitted.“But you really do look–”
She didn’t get a chance to finish that sentence.The earth in front of the disk erupted as the Marrowstalker flew out of the earth.
Found you,it hissed.
Before Fiona could do anything, Christian was suddenly on the Marrowstalker’s back.He had two curved daggers in his hands.There were wicked-looking crystals at the end of the hilts that started to glow the moment that Christian thrust them into the Marrowstalker’s chest like twin fangs.
The Marrowstalker’s head arched back as it let out a scream.But that scream was cut short as the creature disappeared like smoke.Christian lightly landed on the ground.The daggers’ hilt stonesburned.
“Christian!”Fiona gasped.“Hope’s End?”
It took Grayson a moment to remember the name of the magical daggers.They were a strange mix of Eyros and Kaly traits, which no one had believed anyone could truly wield.
Kaly knew.They knew because they were the creators of Vampires like Christian over the years.Speakers to the Dead.
“Christian, very well done!”Balthazar’s voice came from behind him.
“My brother did very well, very well,” Elgar spoke to the skull in his hands though he clearly meant Christian.“You were perfect.”
“Only because Sabine made sure to teleport me to just the right spot,” Christian said to a Wyvern Vampire Grayson hadn’t noticed who had landed lightly behind Christian.
“Sabine, Aurela, Sana!”Fiona cried, smiling broadly.“My sisters, you have done so well!”
The three Wyvern Vampires surrounded Fiona who hugged and kissed them all.Each of them must have brought the others.
“Grayson, are you all right?”Balthazar was kneeling down in front of him.
Though Grayson had wanted to get up, he couldn’t.He grimaced.“I sort of brought a–”
“Tidal wave,” Elgar said to the skull in his arms.“Ashyr is great.Ashyr is wise.”
“Ashyr is exhausted.Beyond exhausted,” Balthazar said gently as he touched Grayson’s knees.
“Yeah, but there are still some Kaly slices around that need to be dealt with if they haven’t already taken off,” Grayson said.“They were going to kill me in order to satisfy Legion.They’re–”
“Legion,” Elgar’s voice was soft, but it stopped Grayson from speaking.
Both of them looked over at the Eyros Vampire.He was not gazing down lovingly at the skull in his arms.Instead, he was staring back towards Nightvallen.
“What is it, Elgar?”Balthazar slowly rose to his feet.
Elgar looked at Balthazar straight on.“We must get to Daemon’s tomb.Death is waiting.”
Return
The present but earlier…
Ryder swayed as he was returned to the present moment.One shaking hand lifted to his forehead.Cold sweat coated his brow.Tremors ran through his entire form.The memory had felt soreal.He could have sworn he was there with Legion and Roan.He could almost feel his soul being pulled from his body and then… Then, thankfully, it was all darkness for him.He fisted a hand over the center of his chest as if to confirm his soul was still where it ought to be.
“Ryder?”Caemorn’s voice held a note of alarm.
How long had he been lost in the memory?Seconds, minutes, longer?If it had been too long, Caemorn would have gotten down from Neboa.As it was, the Kaly Vampire looked about ready to dismount to check on him, but Ryder held up a hand and Caemorn reluctantly remained where he was.His silver eyes flashed up and down Ryder’s form as if looking for a reason for his earlier distress?Stillness?
