Weryn blinked rapidly and shook his head. “I don’t remember that. I don’t…”
“Even if you don’t remember,” Demos said quietly, “don’t you sense what I am to you?”
Weryn’s silver eyes lifted to Demos. He grunted and gave one brief nod. “You may come. But do not get in the way.”
A wave of relief went through Demos and he gave Elgar a bright smile. It had been right to reach out to him. They had spoken mind to mind a few times since their original meeting. Elgar found him… soothing and beautiful with his dark skin and easy going personality. He was strong without the need to prove himself. He was loyal without the need to have it trumpeted. He was quietly competent in every way. A born leader, he could also follow. He was rare indeed. Weryn read all of this in him, too.
“But you other two, I don’t need,” Weryn growled at him and Sana.
Sana crossed her arms over her chest. “You believe Legion and Roan are hiding out in Forsworn.”
After a moment, Weryn gritted out, “Yes.”
“And how do you expect to get to them? Sneak up to them? Think they won’t hear you coming?” Sana asked. “I know they have a Wyvern with them. Think you can keep running after them while the Wyvern teleports them around you?”
“And finding exactly where they are in Forsworn won’t exactly be easy. But with Elgar here, I bet he can locate them pretty darn quickly or, at least, narrow down the area for us,” Demos pointed out.
“More than that, I can shield your minds from him for a time,” Elgar explained.
Weryn grimaced. He looked to his palace and then back at him. “Fine! You can come though I do not either of you!”
Sana lifted that scarred eyebrow. “It doesn’t matter if you do, because youcantrust us. My Immortal Fiona and Ryder–you–are good friends. She wants nothing bad to happen to you.”
“Ah, yes, I met her and…” Weryn’s expression darkened and he lowered his head.
“Grayson is Ashyr,” Elgar said softly. “You know this.”
“Get out of my head, Eyros! Do that again and I shall leave you where none will find you!” Weryn pointed a finger at his chest.
Elgar looked at the finger. He was not afraid. Weryn was a wounded bear. He was running from Grayson as much as he was hunting Legion and Roan. His mind was a mess. He knew that things were different than they had been when he had last been “awake” and yet he was not seeking to find out how. He was steadfastly avoiding such knowledge.
“I understand. We should go,” Elgar stated.
He did understand. He had made no promise he wouldn’t look into Weryn’s shattered mind. He just wouldn’t mentionwhat he found out loud. His Master often got into trouble not for looking, but for speaking of what he found and drawing conclusions that were true. Such conclusions were things that the person who they were about often was not ready to face. And there was much Weryn was not
“This way,” Weryn grunted and strode ahead of him.
He was a powerful, big Vampire, twice Elgar’s size, yet he moved with a panther’s grace. There was nothing bulky or slow about his movements. He was truly a born predator. Weryn might not be able to read minds or teleport, but he was more in touch with every living thing than any other Vampire.
The trees they walked past creaked in greeting to him. Their leaves rustled as he passed a hand over their trunks in a mark of affection. Small creatures that usually avoided them, appeared to line the walkway up to the palace. Creatures with big eyes, huge ears and even bigger fangs. But they all stood there, quite tame, as Weryn nodded to them.
“Animals! I’ve never seen these before,” Sana enthused. One of the bunny-esque creatures had allowed her to pet its head. It did let out a dangerous rattle afterwards, but it was merely a sound of pleasure. “I always thought that Nightvallen was pretty bereft of creatures except us.”
“Wyvern do not stay still long enough to notice what is right under their noses,” Weryn intoned.
Sana did not take offense. Instead, she laughed. “You’re probably right at that! I’m never happier though than when I’m moving. Staying still is dreadful. Besides, when there is always a new and more interesting sight to see, why remain still where one is?”
“I admit that sounds a little tiring,” Demos remarked.
“I could never stay still even when I was human. Always tapping and twitching.” Sana gave him a big grin.
She found Demos handsome too. Elgar was tempted to request that Demos get some clothes on as they were walking into the Weryn Palace and his rooms were now here. However, Demos’ attractive qualities were not limited to his naked person.
As they walked up the steps to the palace, Demos said quietly, “I notice you don’t have the skull, Elgar. Is everything okay with… with it?”
“Yes,” Elgar answered quietly. “I gave it to my Master for safekeeping.”
“You gave Balthazar his own skull… for safekeeping?” Demos’ eyebrows rose. “Okay, well, that’s likely the safest place for it.”
