Page 36 of The Vampire King's Gift

Balthazar narrowed his eyes at Daemon. “I really should say it was like standing on the edge of a cliff until youpushedme off.”

“Yes, that is probably more accurate. I wonder when her time will come.” Daemon tilted his head towards Fiona, who was standing in Arcius’ shadow by the fireplace, staring with unease at all the excited, breathless and shocked Eyros Vampires celebrating thattheirlord was the strongest, and thereby, the best of thebestEyros.

Balthazar snorted. “Probably never. She had no contact with her old House after she joined the Order. She actively avoided other Wyvern during her time as a Confessor so no one would ever follow her even if they knew.”

“And your opinion is not based on your active dislike for her?” Christian tilted his head.

Balthazar grinned. “Maybe a little, but it is an accurate assessment.”

“Are you pleased with the reaction so far to who you really are?” Julian asked.

The room did seem jubilant. The Vampires were all talking at once. Their silver eyes were shining. They were texting and conversing on phones and to one another at the same time.

Balthazar’s gaze swept across the room and there was a smile on his face. “I think so.” He frowned slightly. “Some people are not surprised.”

“Eyros Reborn really being Eyros Reborn isnota surprise,” Isabel pointed out.

“Yes, well, I suppose,” Balthazar said, but still seemed annoyed. “I was surprised.”

“You had no idea who you were before?” William asked.

Balthazar shook his head. “I wasn’t even sure that the Immortals had ever actually existed, let alone that I was one of them.”

“I thought that perhaps that was a front.” Isabel was frowning.

Balthazar blinked. “Really?”

“Not at the time!” she assured him. “But later! I meannowwhen it comes out that you’re really one of the Immortals. I was thinking how clever that was to pretend you didn’t believe in them at all. An excellent cover story.”

“Oh,” Balthazar paused, clearly wanting to be seen as clever, too. But he shook his head slowly. “Alas, I had no clue. I believed I was special because… well, I don’t know why, other than beingme. But that I was actually a reincarnated Immortal even though people teased that I was? Never truly entered my thinking.”

“What does it mean about the Order?” Isabel asked suddenly, her expression taut. “We were taught that the Immortals were our oppressors. King Daemon was always our protector. That clearly isn’t true. I mean the first part. So is the Order completely a lie?”

There were a few glances between Balthazar and Daemon. Balthazar drew in a breath, about to answer her, but then Arcius joined them and he eagerly turned to the Confessor, slapping him on the back.

“Arcius! Brilliant timing. Isabel has some religious questions that are completely in your bailiwick!” Balthazar grinned at Arcius. The grin was a littlestiffthough.

Arcius nodded sagely, not surprised that a religious person like Isabel was having issues with this revelation and that Balthazar was bucking answering them. Arcius put his hands on Isabel’s shoulders.

“I, too, am reeling from the revelations, Isabel,” Arcius told her. His deep voice was soothing, even to Julian who had no connection to the faith. “I do not have answers other than these. We need to trust what we know about Balthazar and Daemon from ourownexperiences. They are our leaders. They are the ones we can trust. As to our past, we need to wait to find out the truth. The Order isnota history for us. Evidently.”

As Arcius continued to talk and assure not just Isabel and William about the Order’s future but others who clustered around him, Julian felt a deep well of sadness for them, especially Arcius, who was a good man and seemed to have truly believed in the best parts of the Order. Daemon’s arm around him tightened.

You are right. He is a good man, and he will find a much better faith than the Order ever was or could be,Daemon said, reading his thoughts.

A new religion? With you as… uhm, well…

God? No, I think not. I am king. But the Immortals are their creators and I am the greatest among them. If they wish to worship me I would have them do so knowing me truly and not this fairytale the Order created,Daemon mused.

Yeah, I guess. It’s just weird that Arcius is going to create a whole new faith with you and Balthazar and the other Immortals at the center of it. Julian shook his head in amazement.

And you, too. The reason I went to sleep and the reason I woke up is you, Julian.Daemon was gazing down upon him with burning, reverent eyes.

Oh, no, I’m not important like that! I mean… I mean… seriously?Julian couldn’t quite contemplate that.

Yes, Julian. The story of your life, your parents’ lives, and how we met will be crucial to the new faith,Daemon told him gently.Your parents will be remembered as the people who discovered my city when no one else could. And they will be remembered as the parents of the king’s fledgling.

Julian swallowed. He ducked his head.So they won’t be forgotten by the Vampires?

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