Page 8 of The Vampire King's Victory

“So you think we should do this, Christian?” Julian asked.

“We’ve done crazier things. And I don’t see or sense any gate anywhere near,” Christian told him. “So we have some time to spare.”

“This is insane and both Balthazar and Daemon would kill us themselves for considering it,” Julian laughed.

“The two of you would age them if that were possible with your antics,” Caemorn said with a smirk. “That hasn’t changed either.”

“You feel the same to me now as you did back on Earth,” Christian said to Caemorn. “You aren’t like Kaly at all except…”

“Except Iam. All will be explained.” Caemorn offered his hand again.

With one final look between him and Christian, his best friend took Caemorn’s hand and then reached for Julian’s. The moment their fingers touched, there was a rushing sensation, similar to that of entering a gate. The world blurred. When it cleared again, they were no longer in the little building in the forest clearing. They were…

What is this place? Where is this place? The Ever Dark? Yes, but not Moonfall.

The sky looked scalded over. Storm clouds moved continuously across it, blocking out any chance of sun or moon or starlight. There was tall grass in patches on the wet earth. Julian looked down at his feet and saw the ground was soaked withbloodnot water. He took a few staggering steps back, rather like a cat that didn’t like the texture of the ground beneath its paws, but he was held in place. He still was grasping onto Christian’s hand.

“What is this? What the hell is this?” Julian gasped in horror.

The plain ran from horizon to horizon. He saw that in addition to the waving long grass there werelumpson the ground.

People,Julian thought and then amended,Bodies.

The wind blew past him. It was tainted by the overwhelming scent of copper. But Julian’s fangs did not come out. He wanted to vomit. He looked over at Caemorn. The Kaly Vampire was staring away from them towards threeotherpeople who stood in the bloody field.

He called out the one he recognized. “Seeyr!”

The Immortal was dressed in all white. Flowing white robes that pooled on the ground, somehow not soaking up blood. She didn’t have a bandage around her eyes either. They were yet to be plucked out. Her eyes were silver, like all Vampires except for him and Daemon’s. She did not turn to him at his call. He tried to move towards her, but again, he was frozen where he was. He frowned.

“This is a memory, Julian. She can’t hear you. None of them can. Only in Moonfall can the past, present and future meet, but it can’t be changed or interacted with,” Caemorn told him. “We can just watch.”

“Who are those two with Seeyr?” Julian asked.

Caemorn pointed to a handsome man with olive-toned skin, patrician features and dark hair sweeping down to his mid-back. There was something about his expression--wry, almost mirthful, like he knew a secret that no one else did--that had Julian guessing who he was before Caemorn confirmed it.

“Eyros,” Caemorn said with a nod and smile. “You know Seeyr, of course. And that… that isme. The real me. The core of me.”

The person pointed out as Kaly had the platinum hair and fine features that typified many Kaly Vampires. They looked to be in their thirties, but they could have been older or younger. Their eyes were ancient.

“Why have you summoned us here, Kaly?” Eyros snarled.

“This was early in the War,” Caemorn said as an aside. “Later, Eyros wouldnevermeet me. Fear and loathing will overcome him. But, for now, he still believes he can survive this.”

“But he doesn’t. We know he doesn’t,” Christian whispered.

“He will not die here, but he and I will die eventually. But death is not the end, Christian. Remember that,” Caemorn reminded them.

“So tell me why I shouldn’t rip your mind into shreds, Kaly? Do it quickly or I am leaving,” Eyros snarled.

“Kaly has asked us here, because they have finally admitted that they have lost control. As if that wasn’t evident from the death all around us,” Seeyr said quietly.

“They lost their damned mind when they killed Ashyr!” Eyros roared. “This is just the icing on a cake!”

“That wasn’t me,” Kaly said with a grimace. “Nor was this.”

“Who else could have been? You’re saying thatanotherKaly Vampire could have taken down Ashyr? Another Kaly Vampire can take onallof the Immortals? Surely, you jest!” Eyros laughed bitterly.

“Not another Kaly Vampire, but anotherKaly.Anotherme,” Kaly clarified. They lifted their arms to their sides and the almost diaphanous gown they wore was shown to be threaded through with diamonds. It glittered under the stormy sky. “I spread myself too thin.”

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