“I think that the entrance to the Kaly Palace is within the tomb itself.That was where the other tunnel opened up from,” Ryder explained.“There was a large ruby–the size of a pigeon’s egg–that Legion used to open the passageway.”
“There will be something similar to get into the passage to my palace.I am certain as well it will be inside the tomb.I designed it,” Caemorn added that last bit after a moment.
“Oh… well, that makes sense,” Ryder said.
The two of them padded towards the tomb.The glass doors were open as they had been when Julian and Daemon had stepped out of them just a few months ago.The walls were also glass.It gave the impression of lightness with the golden dome seeming to float above it all.But it was the marble slab within that drew the attention.
“He’s there!”Ryder gasped and staggered forward.The memory threatened to overcome him again.Daemon, so close.Daemon, his king.Daemon, the one he had abandoned.Daemon who would make it all right again. “Daemon–”
“No!”Caemorn hissed and put an arm over his chest.“Daemon is not there.He is safe in his palace!”
And the figure was not stone as Daemon had been when he was in stasis.The wind caused the cloak to flutter.Ryder surged forward again, but Caemorn’s arm kept him in place.
“Who is that?Whoisit?”Ryder growled.
The fact that someone was inside Daemon’s tomb had him wanting to break them.How dare they violate that sacred space?How dare they think of going inside?
“Legion?”Caemorn asked.
Ryder gave a mirthless laugh.“No, they are much bigger and never turn to their human form in the Ever Dark.”
“Could they not have done so just this one time?”Caemorn persisted.
Ryder drew in a deep breath.His nostrils flared.Cold stone.The metallic bite of blood.The faint reek of rot.Legionwasnearby or had been.But it was not the figure on the altar.The figure smelled strangely leafy.It reminded him of vegetation that was revealed after the winter snows had left.Matted and half gone, brown and slimy, but still there.
“They’re dead, Caemorn,” Ryder said.“No heartbeat.No breathing.Not a Vampire.Just dead, but… I don’t recognize the scent.”
He thought of the human he and Julian had found by the stream.Was it merely another Blood Slave that the Sect had brought with them to the Ever Dark and left their corpse behind?Leaving it like this on Daemon’s resting place was an insult to them.It likely meant that Legion and maybe even Roanhadbeen here, but had fled.
But what tipped them off that we would come here.
“Being a corpse does not mean it isn’t dangerous,” Caemorn reminded him.
Realizing that a corpse in a Kaly Vampire’s hands could do a lot of damage, Ryder stopped pressing against Caemorn’s restrictive arm.
“Let me handle this,” Caemorn said.
The Kaly Vampire drew out one of the soul gems from an inner pocket.It was a green one that glittered under the twin moons.Caemorn held it out to the corpse at full arm’s length.There was a breath or perhaps a word spoken, but so low that not even Ryder could hear what Caemorn said.That breath went past the gem, across the plaza, up the few steps and through the door into the tomb.
Nothing happened.
Ryder looked at Caemorn.Perhaps that was the point.Nothing happened, because it wasn’t dangerous.But the frown lines on Caemorn’s face told him that wasn’t true.Ryder opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when he heard the excited voices coming from one of the nearby streets.The sounds of dozens of heartbeats and the smell of fresh blood had Ryder’s teeth aching.
Students.Lots of them.Cominghere.
What the hell is going on?
“It’s there!Look!Look!Just like he said!”A woman gasped.
“Oh, wow!It’s so cool!The treasure’s inside?”Another woman asked.
“Of course, it is!Look at all that gold on the dome!”A man chortled.
“Let’s go!”
“We have to go!”
“Yes!We’re going to win!”
