Page 18 of The Vampire King's Victory

Though those who knew they were coming tonight will know that something is wrong. We’ll find more out from the leaders, I suppose.

He was just about to continue his way to the manor when Christian saw Elgar coming through the back gate. Elgar had been leading a group of Eyros Vampires around to the neighbors’ homes to make sure that if anyone had seen anything they quickly forgot it. Balthazar had placed blocks in most of the neighbors’ minds not to notice anything that happened around Ravenscroft Manor, but still, Elgar had gone out with a dozen of their Blood Brothers and Sisters to ensure that these blocks held. A raid was relatively memorable.

Christian waved at his Blood Brother. Elgar had, of course, Eyros’ skull tucked protectively against his chest, but he smiled and made eye contact briefly with Christian as he came to Christian’s side. The soldiers who caught sight of him in his ill-fitting sweatpants and sweatshirt with the skull in his arms leaned away as he walked past them as if touching him might give them a disease.

“How goes it? Neighbors practicing the hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil routine?” Christian asked.

This was the first time he’d had a chance to speak to Elgar since his and Julian’s return from Moonfall. Of course, Elgar had known of his absence. But Christian was still shocked when Elgar curled his free arm around Christian’s shoulders and embraced him for a brief moment at least. Elgar almost immediately let him go and stared down at the skull, and not Christian.

“You returned. I am glad. Master was… was very upset,” Elgar stated as he stroked the smooth dome of Eyros’ skull. “As was I. I have already grown fond of you and Julian so even if it were not my duty to keep you both safe I would have worried.”

Christian felt a stab of guilt at this. Being a part of thisfamilymeant that there were more people than ever to worry about him and to consider. But going to Moonfall was not a choice. Not really. And it ended up with the best possible results. He was still boggling over the fact that Caemorn was thetrueKaly. He was so relieved by it actually.

The Kaly slices that they had met had seemed like a half-mad child and to have such power in the hands of people like that… Well, it didn’t bear thinking about. What these Kaly slices had already done was likely the least of what they would do. But Caemorn was not mad. Not now and not in the future that they’d seen him in.

And we’re friends. All three of us. Julian, me and Kaly. How strange!

But Christian then focused on the friend in front of him. Elgar was swaying slightly from side to side. The damage done to this amazing Vampire by the loss of Eyros and that time in the ground was incalculable. Would Elgar be happy or feel betrayed knowing that Eyros had understood and accepted his own death in order to undo the damage that Kaly had done? He might have taken that knowledge from himself, but he’d known.

“I know it was hard, Elgar. And I am so sorry for the hurt I caused you, Balthazar and others. But I had to do it. It was for the good of us all.” Christian tentatively reached over and touched the skull in Elgar’s hands. “I also know how hard it was to lose Eyros in the past, but what happened… ithadto happen in order for us to get here.”

Elgar’s eyes lifted to his. He felt his Blood Brother’s desire to touch his mind and know everything, but Elgar held back.

“You have not yet told our Master everything that occurred in Moonfall?” Elgar asked.

Christian shook his head. “No, not yet. Haven’t had a chance.”

“Then I will not look. I will not know before our Master,” Elgar stated.

Balthazar could have just looked through his mind--and Christian thought he would later--but there was so much going on in this present moment that Balthazar wanted to wait. When he found out everything, Christian thought Balthazar might have to sit down for a full week to absorb it. He would also somehow find a way to make this knowledge into something he could tease Caemorn about endlessly, but also as a weapon at other times. He would have to caution his Master about that.

This will be a huge shock to Caemorn. He seemed glad to know who he truly was in Moonfall. He seemed wiser, older, but a little sad too, though that may have been simply because he was seeing us go,Christian thought.

He saw Caemorn now standing near the rose garden. He was patting the head of a skeletal bear that pawed at his leg like a pet might wanting attention. The glowing blue eyes in the bear’s skull though made the skeletal animal far more scary instead of cute. Caemorn’s head lifted and he turned towards Christian, keenly aware of being watched even without the Eyros gift. Christian waved at him. He inclined his head.

How did I not see that he is Kaly before this. He even has the mannerisms of the Immortals.

One of Caemorn’s skeletal animals padded past Christian. It was a wolf. It lifted its head and appeared to pant. Christian gingerly touched its skull which caused it to give a happy shake before it went on patrolling the soldiers. Caemorn had ceded control of some of them to various other Kaly Vampires, including Lisette, who gazed upon the soldiers withdisinterested silver eyes while the soldiers cringed away from her. Lisette also smiled and inclined her head when she saw his attention was upon her. He gave a brief wave.

“You have great power in their eyes,” Elgar said suddenly.

“In whose?” Christian frowned

“Everyone’s. You are the best friend of the prince. The king adores you. And you are the Childe of Eyros, though they are less inclined to love you for that,” Elgar said softly.

“I’m not really interested in politics, Elgar,” Christian stated with a touch of discomfort.

“I know. But you have the ear of many powerful people and the world is changing around us faster and faster.” Elgar gestured to the human soldiers.

They both watched as Sophia, carrying a tray full of cups of water, was offering them to the bewildered and frightened soldiers. Christian didn’t have to read the soldier’s minds to know that the last thing they had expected was for the Vampires to be offering them drinks. Unless, of course, it was blood.

One of the soldiers--a guy who looked not much older than Christian--took a cup from her and then did a double take as he clearly saw how “young” she appeared.

“W-what’s a kid doing here? What are you doing here?” the soldier asked her. He attempted to grab her arm, but Sophia deftly stepped out of reach. “You’re a little kid! There are--these people are… ah… they’re…”

“Vampires!” Sophia filled in for him helpfully and then smiled, showing her fangs. “We’re all Vampires! Well, Dr. Stone and the other Acolytes aren’t, but still!”

“K-kid vampires?” The soldier looked ready to faint.

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