Page 78 of Fallen Heirs

Ore grinned. “Like I told Alena, not everything was what it seemed that night.”

“So you didn’t really want me to shut down the hunting because you were worried she couldn’t handle it, that she was too revenge-bound and on edge, and would be putting herself in danger?”

“Those were factors, of course, and I know you realized that for yourself when you did actually stop, even though you didn’t agree with me. It was the wakeup call she needed to tone it down.”

“Yeah, she could’ve easily tortured or even killed those sorcerers, but she didn’t,” I said. “She could’ve also wiped them out with her angel magic, but it would have hurt everyone andeverything around her, so she made a different choice, the right and rational choice, even under extreme pressure.”

“Exactly,” Ore agreed.

“I thought you were beyond the manipulation with her,” X questioned.

“She wasn’t listening to my warnings and she was on the track to ramping up to something big, dark, and beyond dangerous. I did what needed to be done to help her.”

X shoved his hand through his hair. “Fine.”

“Really?” Ore asked, as surprised as I was that he was letting it go so easily.

“Yes, you asshole. When I was in charge, going hunting with her, I felt a little of the weight you usually bear in that respect. And I understand now. I see your point. And it worked. She’s better for it. I also believe you’ve changed and unlike how things were before, the manipulation and puppeteering is behind you, and that was just a one-off, emergency situation sort of thing. Now get back to the issue with the vamps.”

“The main reason I warned you off and wanted you to shut down your hunting and trying to track Constantine was because I already had this operation in progress. The approach you and Alena were using was in direct contrast to mine, what I was trying to build here. I didn’t send the vampires toExemplarthat night.”

We reached the bottom of the staircase and found ourselves looking out at a row of cells sealed with his purple ward. “I sent them here.”

“That’s them,” X murmured to himself, eyeing the vampires behind the bars sitting in their generously spacious cells.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring in the sorcerers as well who attacked Alena and the Academy as Elliot arrived on the scene and had them taken to the compound. He was obviouslyalerted to the mass expulsion of dark magic that was technically Constantine’s. He thought it was him.”

“How the hell did you get these vampires to tell you anything?” X asked. “Did you… break them, torture them?”

“I didn’t need to. Also, you know I don’t care for that being the go-to, after the way I grew up in the DFR with my father pulling things like that far too often.” He led us back up the steps and away from the cells, then told us, “I’m the only reason they’re not in Valmont.”

“But they’re in another prison here,” I pointed out.

“Temporarily. I’d already determined from my own research—some of that being my induction atExemplarand seeing how they did things, along with the deficiencies there, and the many uprisings that were occurring all over the supernatural world—that these new acolytes couldn’t be tortured or simply talked down to give us the leads we needed. They’ve agreed to do Constantine’s bidding because they’re afraid of the alternative and they don’t believeExemplarcan protect them. The only way to counter that, to turn them, was to offer them an alternative.Obsidian.Constantine promised them a new day, a new world order, but his involved mass destruction and wiping out half the supernatural world to achieve said goal. Because he’s borne from chaos, it’s what he does. He’s violence and darkness personified.Myway of bringing about a new world order is through co-existence and change not built on razing the entire current world order to the ground in the process,whilealso offering the protection so many beings feel like they’re without at the moment, so much so that they’ve turned to Constantine for it.”

“Wow, that’s ingenuous,” I uttered.

“Offering a viable alternative to him,” Xavier mused.

Ore nodded. “They’ll remain here until they prove themselves. Once I can confirm that their intel is viable and also not a trap. They’ll also be safe here from reprisals fromConstantine once we hit the locations of the other acolytes they’ve given us and that intel points right back to them. Once their intel is proven viable, they’ll be free of the cells and assimilate intoObsidian.The same will go for the other units of acolytes that Constantine has amassed in the weeks since Abigail’s death. I’ve learned that he only gives bits and pieces of information to each of these units, so the vampires in there only know of the existence and location of a couple of other units, those that their missions require they must work with. But if we follow that path, the proverbial trail of breadcrumbs from one to another, we’ll eventually be able to determine most of his network, possibly even Constantine’s location too. We also have another lead in that my research has also determined that many of theuprisingsthatExemplarhas identified via theirEye of Intuitumwere incited and even orchestrated by Constantine’s acolytes to drawExemplar’sattention away from the actual misguided beings following him. I have members ofObsidianout there now investigating those uprisings and working to make connections to yet more enemy units.”

“Holy shit, this operation is insane,” I cried, unable to contain myself over it.

Ore laid his hand on my shoulder. “And now I need you here with me. To pull this off and make a definitive show of force that the supernatural world will respect and have them believing thatObsidiancan be trusted to protect them, that it’s the answer toExemplar’sfailings in that area, we’re going to need the power of a phoenix.” He smiled. “Especially one who’s now proven his ability to control all that power. I received your report of the message that Roland slipped you and I also need you to help me reach out to the student body of Electi Academy, those determined to join our crusade. With Electi Academy shut down again, this is the perfect opportunity to recruit them.”

I nodded fervently. “I’d be honored. Shit, I’m with you all the way, Ore.”

He hugged me to him. “I knew you would be.”

“What about X?” I asked, eager to hear what his role would be.

Ore’s expression turned grave as he looked at X. “I know what that vampire unit offered you. I also know they wanted your magic and that the sorcerers have since obtained a sliver of it, which is now in Constantine’s possession.”

“I didn’t tell you about the offer because it wasn’t of consequence. I don’t want it. And it’s likely a load of bullshit too, just a ruse because Constantine is feeling our sire connection now all that black magic is out of his system.”

“Is it because you believe it’s bullshit that you’ve convinced yourself you don’t want it?”

“No. I’m finally comfortable being what I am. I’m in tune with my vampire side more than I’ve ever been.”

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