You were the one that said we should listen. Now you are shouting over them. How can we know their plans when you are so upset?Weryn pointed out.
Damn you,Ryder hissed.Fine! But you will tell me! I will know!
Shaela–a female Wyvern Vampire–with almond shaped eyes and a sweep of black hair scowled at Legion. “I could only take us to wherever was in your head, Legion!” Her gaze snapped to Roan. “Because you won’t let me in yours, Roan!”
“Excuses, excuses!” Roan mocked. “You don’t deserve the freedom from Daemon I’ve given you! We were nearly caught half a dozen times and then you brought ushere!” Roan stretched out his arms to the side to encompass the Hunter’s Path. “It’s a shrine to Weryn’s ego!”
Weryn’s upper lip writhed back from his teeth. Kaly had gotten plenty of dead creatures from Weryn’s hunts. They’d used the bones, sinew, blood and organs in spells. They’d revived them to act as sentinels. He remembered Kaly trying to wheedle him into giving over the Gyre’s corpse as they were so rare and valuable. Something about the eye fluid being especially useful for Seeyrs. Now he mocked the very hall that showed a fraction of Weryn’s hunts.
“It was where Master would tell us stories,” Legion muttered. “About the times before. About what we would do after the War.”
“Afterthe War?” Roan laughed darkly. “Surely you can’t believe he was going to let you live after the War, Legion? I’ve shared with you his real thoughts about you! You listened to his disgust yourself! But here you still prattle on about stories!”
“You promised to make me the Childe of his Heart,” Legion said in a low hiss. “But the human is. The frail useless thing.”
Roan tapped his own chin. “Yes, odd that he wasn’t taken out.”
“Wyvern teleported him away from your monster,” Shaela reminded them.
“Oh, you think she could teleport away from mind control?” An ugly light appeared in Roan’s eyes.
Shaela said nothing in response, but her shoulders were tense.
“Teleportation is useful, Shaela, but it is aweakgift,” Roan said with a wave of his hand.
“I move you between Ever Dark cities without a gate,” her voice was crisp. “Mind control cannot do that. Nor can turning into creatures. I can get us anywhere.”
“Then take us away fromhere!” Roan snapped.
Shaela’s lips flattened. “I cannot. Not yet. Moving between cities like you’ve had me do is tiring. If I make a mistake even your soul might be severed in two.”
She’s exhausted so they aren’t going anywhere,Ryder said.I need to tell Sana what she looks like. Maybe she’ll recognize her.
I will be the one telling her!Weryn snapped.
Fine. But make sure it happens. Remember all of this,Ryder retorted.
“So now our last move for some time took us to Weryn’s fuckingcradle.” Roan tossed his head back and stared up at the sky. “Unbelievable.”
“You were rushing me! And Master was near! I could only think of him!” Legion whined and rocked back and forth on their clawed feet.
They sound like a child,Ryder whispered.Like a child wanting its father.
Do not be fooled,Weryn grunted.Legion killed their parents and their siblings. Slaughtered them.
What?! Did they tell you… No… No, you knew this before you–you turned them?
I found them the night they’d done it. Their family weren’t their first victims,Weryn explained.In fact, their family had to die because they’d found out what Legion was up to at night. And they tried to stop Legion. Mistake.
A serial killer? Legion is a serial killer. That’s what you’re telling me,Ryder sounded utterly shocked.And you turned them. You just turned them on purpose, knowing what they were–
I needed killers,Weryn reminded him.
Soldiers! You needed soldiers–
No, I needed killers,Weryn cut Ryder off.We were well past needing soldiers.
There was a long silence as Ryder understood why he was saying that.
