Page 1 of The Vampire King's War

THE WELL OF ALL SOULS

Caemorn drew in a deep breath. Ghosts had a smell. Or rather, the energy they emitted did. Ozone. That sharp scent given off during a rainstorm after a crack of lightning hit the ground. He breathed in the scent deeply, relishing it. For it was the smell of power.

“How many are there?” Balthazar asked. “They’re like a--a sea of ghosts. I can’t tell one from another!”

Caemorn glanced over at the Eyros Vampire and felt a faint stab of amusement. Balthazar was unnerved. To a Kaly Vampire the Well of All Souls was a gold mine. No, more than that. The possibilities with so many ghosts here were limitless. All these souls could power his spells forever even if he spent them with abandon. To all other Vampires, the well and the spirits it drew were just a reminder of what they wanted to avoid: a Second Death.

“Countless,” Caemorn answered with a shrug. “It is said that every being comes through here at least once.”

“Why? What purpose does this place have?” It was Christian who asked that.

Christian’s silver eyes reflected the blue-white glow of the spirits. He was fascinated, not afraid. That was good. While it was clear that Christian was cautious, he did not have the atavistic fear most others did being this close to true death. He wondered how an Eyros could have the soul of a Kaly.

“None can say,” Caemorn answered. “There are theories, of course. But theories are not true. The Well of All Souls is beyond comprehension.”

Fiona made a sound like a cat sneezing. “You don’t believe that! You believe you can know everything! So what is your theory, Caemorn? Or do you want to hoard it to yourself like dragon treasure?”

Her gaze was on the well, too, but she showed none of Christian’s fascination for it, but she didn’t look as unnerved as Balthazar either. Strangely, she appeared as if she recognized this place and didn’t like it. Both she and Balthazar supposedly had been reincarnated. They must have come here. Did she faintly remember it?

“If you’re going to be Christian’s teacher, lying isn’t a good start.” Balthazar’s keen gaze was back on him. “And, you should remember, that there are no secrets from me. I can just pluck them out of your head.”

Caemorn grimaced. “That is why no one likes Eyros Vampires.”

“My heart bleeds,” Balthazar sneered. “Now, start being honest.”

Another grimace. Kaly Vampires liked their secrets. It was what gave them an advantage over one another. But not here. At least. He would have to see how much he could hide from Balthazar.

“Nothing, Caemorn. You can hide nothing,” the Eyros Vampire said with a significantly lifted eyebrow.

Caemorn grimaced again. But then he shook off this detriment. He was never one to wallow in what he could not change. He went with whatever obstacle presented itself. He tented his fingers. Perhaps telling someone his theory would be useful. Pressure-checking his own ideas. Though Balthazar was a fool--this earned him a sharp glance--Fiona and Christian might have some insight.

“I believe that this is the Choosing Point,” Caemorn said, his voice making clear that the words should be capitalized.

“What are the choices?” Christian took a step forward as he asked this, but Balthazar clamped a hand down on his right shoulder.

Caemorn did smile this time. Balthazar was going to have his hands full with Christian, as if that wasn’t already completely obvious. When they’d spoken back by the ruined cottage, though Caemorn had known it was not in Balthazar’s nature to be violent, he had still expected blows and for Christian to be put in his place. For a wild moment, Caemorn had considered stepping in if that happened to protect Christian.

But nothing bad had happened.

In fact, it had been a good conversation between Master and fledgling. Cleared the air. And it was nothing that Caemorn had ever had with his Master. He’d felt… strange. Almost happy for Christian yet sad for himself.

“Choices, Caemorn?” Balthazar demanded, but there was something in his gaze that said, “You don’t need to… to think about that. I’m not Roan Tithe and you aren’t Kaly. So let it go.”

“Whether to go beyond or stay and live again,” Caemorn answered.

“Reincarnation?” Fiona clarified.

“Why sound so skeptical? After all both you and Balthazar are reincarnated Immortals,” Caemorn reminded her tersely.

“Yes,” she agreed, though her gaze skittered away from him. “But maybe Immortals are the antithesis of death. Maybe they can’t go beyond. So they are forced into life again. Life eternal. That doesn’t mean that everyone has the choice of coming back.”

“You make it sound like no one would,” Christian said.

“Would you? There might be great wonders beyond.” She gestured towards the well. “That is a wonder in and of itself. How strange that this should be in the Ever Dark and not on Earth. Are these human souls?”

“They are. There is a symbiosis of some sort between Earth and the Ever Dark. A ying and a yang perhaps.” Caemorn shrugged.

It was yet another mystery that drew him. Once this war against Kaly ended, he would no longer be burdened as he was before being Preceptor. He could investigate the Ever Dark to his content.

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