Page 80 of The Vampire King's War

INTO THE UNKNOWN

“How do we get to Moonfall?” Julian asked firmly.

His gaze went around the room, but no one would look at him except Christian. His best friend tilted his head meaningfully towards Daemon. Julian gritted his teeth. He was going. It didn’t matter what Daemon said. He loved Daemon. He was Daemon’s Childe. Daemon was his Master. Daemon was his king. But he was going. He had to go get his parents. He couldn’t sit back and wait.

But Daemon could not go with him. Moonfall was out of bounds for the Vampire King for some reason. He thought it likely a reason that Daemon could not--or would not--explain.

Julian lifted his eyes to the Vampire King’s, knowing that no one would be able to gain say Daemon, but him. Daemon’s expression was curiously blank. His mind was also smooth like the surface of a glassy sea where everything was happening under the surface.

I’m going,Julian said over their bond. Say something! Tell me you understand! Tell me you don’t!

Artemis-Kaly let out a cackling laugh.

“Of course, he would want to go, Daemon!” Artemis-Kaly sneered.

“And you knew that,” Daemon stated without looking over at Artemis-Kaly. “You knew he would wish to go so you put the soul gems in the depths of Moonfall.”

Artemis-Kaly sauntered up to the front of his cage. “Of course! Everything he’s done in his very short life told me he’d insist on going. Are you going to let him?”

I’m going, Julian repeated.

“Are you going to risk losing him after everything you’ve given up to have him?” Artemis-Kaly wheedled.

I’ll be careful. I’ll take with me whoever you want,Julian said. I faced Kaly’s dead on my own. I can do this.

Moonfall is… different, Daemon said. I ccould see what would happen on the museum grounds, but I cannot see there. I cannot see anything beyond you going there.

Julian’s eyes widened. So I do go and--

I do not see you return, Julian,Daemon’s mind voice was ragged.

Artemis-Kaly continued in a sing-song voice of a demented child, “Julian doesn’t even care about all that, does he? No, he just wants his parents and--”

“SHUT UP!” Julian’s voice rang out.

But he hadn’t just yelled. He had Artemis-Kaly by the throat, even though his hand was three-feet distant from the other vampire. It was the power of the Ashyr Bloodline. It had come to him as easily as breathing. But, a part of him, shrewd and cool, reminded him that anything accessed and used in anger often backfired. Anger gave strength, but it also led to many bad decisions. Yet Artemis-Kaly’s silver eyes bulged as he clawed at his throat and Julian couldn’t help but be glad. There was shock in those eyes as well. Artemis-Kaly hadn’t expected Julian to do this. Maybe he hadn’t thought that Julian could.

“I am not the little boy whose parents you stole,” Julian hissed at Artemis-Kaly. “I am not the young man who you sought to kill. I am the Vampire Prince and you will be silent!”

“One doesn’t mess with the Vampire Prince,” Balthazar laughed softly. “Go you, Julian.”

“We have all we need from them,” Daemon stated. “Let us be done here.”

Clearly, the Vampire King had looked into Artemis-Kaly’s mind and gotten what he wanted and needed about the location of his parents’ soul gems. Julian tossed Artemis-Kaly against the back of the back of the cell, not enough to break his back, but hard enough that he let out an oomph and a hiss as, like a cat, he landed on his feet.

Julian continued to stare at him. He knew that his eyes were burning red like Daemon’s as everything had a crimson tint. Artemis-Kaly looked back at him balefully, but was the first to drop his eyes and said nothing. Julian bared his fangs. Fine tremors were running through him. Rage and grief and, strangely, hope filled him and made him want to smash Artemis-Kaly into a fine paste.

Julian?Daemon’s mind-voice was soothing, like cool water on overheated skin.

They took my parents from me! I lived every day since then with the need for revenge, Julian told him, blinking back angry tears. And that is the LEAST of what they’ve done wrong! They cannot get away with this, Daemon! That smirk needs to be wiped off their face and--

You have,Daemon stated. They’re afraid of you. Despite what Kaly says about being fine about being here, being abandoned by their other selves, they aren’t. They are playing their last card. And you didn’t play back.

This isn’t enough! I want--I want--

Julian’s hands curled into fists. Daemon curled one of his hands over Julian’s right fist. Julian found himself releasing those fingers as Daemon rubbed his thumb in a circle over the back of his hand. He let out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding.

Letting Kaly live in your head is exactly what they want. It's all that they have left. We must be smarter than them,Daemon stated simply.

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