Page 38 of The Vampire King's War

“Does it make any sense that something clearly…” He gestured to the stone well, “constructed by someone would be needed to help in the process of life and death?”

“No,” it was Fiona who answered. “No, not at all. In fact.” She bit her lower lip as her gaze grew distant. “In fact, this is completely artificial. I can feel… yes, I can feel… but how is that possible?”

“You’re keeping us in suspense! What do you feel?” Balthazar asked her, windmilling his arms.

“When I teleport, I’ve always felt that I was opening a gateway, sort of like the gates to the Ever Dark and…” She stopped as she looked at Daemon. Her eyes widened. “I made the gates.”

He nodded.

“I made the gates!” Fiona cried and nearly jumped up and down.

Daemon smiled.

She spun back towards the well. “Oh, my… I helped make this. I did this for Kaly…”

“Speaking of them, shouldn’t we be going after… oh…” Christian’s words were cut off as a creature seemingly made of vines and blood came slithering towards them. And in its mass were Artemis and Kaly, completely caught.

Daemon stepped over to the two of them. The others followed. Artemis’ silver eyes were filled with only hate and fear now. Moira looked resigned. Kaly knew that this was the end of the road for these two forms.

Or so they thought.

“So no ghosts to use against us anymore,” Balthazar said and kicked Artemis’ shin. “You’re useless without them!”

“Balthazar,” Fiona chided.

“What?”

“He’s incapacitated. We should behave that way towards one who cannot defend himself,” she said mildly.

“You don’t know all that Kaly has done!” Balthazar growled, but he didn’t kick Artemis again.

“That trick with the well wasn’t your only lesson learned, was it?” Christian asked.

Daemon shook his head as he got down on his haunches and stared down at Kaly. “Hunting Kaly down will not be the hard part.”

“I can locate the bodies they are using. I was saying that before,” Caemorn said.

“Yes, and we will have you do that. But it is those that they have convinced of the rightness of their cause that are the problem,” Daemon said as he thought of Kara. “We must change their minds.”

He turned his head slightly towards Balthazar who was frowning.

“You mean… change their minds, right?” Balthazar finally asked. “Like me changing--”

“Yes. It must be done in such a way that their minds accept it and do not break,” Daemon said. “Somewhat like you did to those Kaly Vampires before. But these are… zealots.”

“Zealots are really hard to convince.” Balthazar rubbed his chin though and looked more like he was challenged rather than determined it wouldn’t work.

“They are.” Daemon stood up and gestured to Kaly and Moira. “That’s why you’re going to practice on Kaly first. Change their mind and I don’t think you can fail with anyone else.”

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