“Weryn!” Grayson was sitting up again, despite the effort it cost him. “Don’t go. Please! Stay here. We need to talk. I swear it’s all right. You just need to–”
But he wouldn’t let the pretty boy lure him to remain even as his animal forms yearned to go back to Grayson’s side. He knew that if he stayed in a single form, Fiona could stop him. But what about one hundred forms?
He shifted into his murder of crows form and smashed through the glass window. He was out in the air of the Ever Dark, above the city of Nightvallen that was surprisingly alive. But he knew his quarry would not have remained in the city. No, they wouldn’t have even remained in this portion of the Ever Dark.
But he might have an idea where they would go. And that was where he was headed.
SOMETHING LOST AND GAINED
Elgar watched as Caemorn and Balthazar minutely examined the opening in the floor wheresomethinghad been kept.Somethingso powerful or necessary that Legion and Roan had risked being caught for.
“Perhaps if you let me look into your mind I can find parts of Roan’s memories,” Balthazar suggested. “He clearly knows what was hidden here. Maybe I can see that. I know you’re notfondof such an invasion–”
“It’s not an invasion if it is you doing it. Not exactly in any case. It is just…” Caemorn flattened his lips. “I do not want to expose you to him again.”
Elgar loved that his Grandsire was so solicitous of Balthazar. This was not something that he would have ever believed of Kaly and Eyros before, but it was the truth now. Balthazar didn’t brush off Caemorn’s concerns either. He nibbled at his lower lip.
“I admit that I am not exactly eager to experience Roan’s memories either, but I’m certain that there is something in your mind that will tell us what this is. He might have sliced and diced himself to pieces, but some of those pieces had to know,” Balthazar said.
“Not necessarily if he never reassembled himself. But, perhaps, whatever he secreted here he did so before completely severing himself.” Caemorn frowned as he ran his hands over the empty space as if by touch alone he could determine what had been there.
“I could do it,” Elgar offered. “So that Master does not have to. I am nearly his equal in skill with such things. If my Grandsire would allow such contact.”
“Elgar,” Balthazar’s voice was full of affection, “that isn’t necessary. I don’t want you exposed to him either.”
“I am strong, Master,” Elgar said even as his hands slid over the skull he always carried. He was looking at Balthazar squarely. Well,almost. He looked up and down and up again.
His Master was worried about him. He knew that Balthazar blamed himself for Elgar’s brittleness when it came to people. But while it was difficult for him to handle interactions with real people, memories were different. In the realm of the mind, he was supreme. Memories could not hurt one. They were past. It was the present and future that were vexatious to him.
“I know you are strong, Elgar, but you don’t need…” Here Balthazar frowned and flattened his lips. “You don’t need to be exposed to any more cruelty. I know how deeply you care for me. I believe being exposed to Roan’s memories would be hugely upsetting to you.”
“Will it not be more upsetting for both you and Grandsire?” Elgar asked softly.
“Oh, well, that’s not quite… I mean… okay, yes! It will be upsetting for anyone. But I refuse to put you in harm’s way so that I can try and outrun my past again,” Balthazar explained.
“Master is not doing it for bad reasons,” Elgar insisted.
“Does it matter?” Caemorn asked softly. “Ignoring the past has brought us here and put everyone in danger.”
“You deserve happiness,” Elgar answered. “If not dwelling in the past allows that, then so be it.”
The two Vampires looked up at him, surprised at his words.
“Elgar, we don’t deserve to live down what we did in the War,” Balthazar said.
“Pretending it didn’t happen has allowed our enemies to gather strength,” Caemorn added.
“I know what you both did in the War. I was there for most of it. And even after I went into the earth, I listened to the minds of those who did not,” Elgar reminded them. “So Iknowand I wish you happiness.”
Balthazar blanched. Even Caemorn looked a little queasy.
“I thought you just went to sleep!” Balthazar bleated. “Now you tell me that you–you wereawakeburied alive?”
“Yes,” Elgar answered simply.
Balthazar buried his face in his hands for a moment. “Good god, you are most certainlynotdelving into Caemorn’s mind. I need to protect you from yourself especially!”
“I am strong, Master,” Elgar repeated. He stared down at the skull though.
