Page 32 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 3
“Before I say more, I must do something,” Grayson said.
He felt a trickle of unease doing this so near his palace, but it should be all right. He had cut off its connection to him. And this would be quick. He just needed to check if there were any constructs in their minds like he had seen in Jill’s.
“Don’t be alarmed. I won’t hurt you,” Grayson told them before he took a hold of each and every one of them.
There were gasps and then amused laughs as he enveloped them in his power.
“I saw you do this in the Ring, but it’s amazing! You have the power now! And so strong!” Nero laughed.
Of course, he was laughing. That had been his defining trait for ages. Ever since he had been freed of illness and got to see his family flourish for generations. To Nero, Vampirism had been and was the greatest of gifts.
But there are only three of my Children here. Three left entirely? Or more out there, ignoring Daemon’s call? I’ll have to get that information from Dani, he realized.
He felt for the constructs sharp edges in any of them, but he found none. Letting out a breath, he released them all. Dani’s hand was at his back as he nearly wobbled again. She gave him a look that asked if he was all right while telling him to not use his gift anymore than he had to. He nodded at her.
“Thank you for indulging me,” he said to them with a smile.
“Did you just want to show us you still have your gift?” Nero asked.
“Master does not show off, Nero,” Kaito said slightly repressively.
The other man laughed again, holding his stomach that was flat as a board, and answered, “We should be happy if he would show-off for us! That means he’s strong and well!”
But Kaito just gave Nero a raised eyebrow and shook his head. These two, evidently, liked to poke at one another. Grayson smiled.
“Kaito is correct, though I don’t mind showing off either,” he added with a flash of a grin. “But what I did was look for constructs in your mind that the Sect of Dawn is using to hide their members’ true intent from Balthazar and his Eyros.”
“Sect of Dawn?” Kaito’s brow furrowed. “That is a children’s story about Vampire hunters.”
“Not a story. Not Vampire hunters. Some of them are Vampires…” Grayson grimaced.
Losing Jill was really going to cause problems. They had no idea what the Sect was offering. And the information--
“Nero? What is that look?” Dani asked.
Grayson looked up at the man with the big smile who was not exactly smiling at the moment. He looked, not sheepish, but concerned.
“Nero?” Grayson’s voice was a little sharper than he intended. “Do you know anything about the Sect of Dawn?”
Nero straightened. “Yes, yes, Master, I am sorry. I did not want to say, at first, because I’m not sure if it is the same thing.”
“What is the same thing?” Grayson pressed, struggling to keep his voice calm.
“I was drinking with some Weryn,” Nero confessed with a slightly guilty look at Kaito.
“You were feeding with those animals?” Kaito’s voice had dropped several octaves.
“Yes, Kaito, and if you look at our Master’s face you will see he is upset with you for calling them animals and not at me for drinking with them!” Nero pointed out.
Kaito’s eyes flashed to him. His fangs were out and his shoulders were seemingly puffed up as if to make himself look bigger for a fight. “I--I am sorry, Master, but you were not… you do not know…”
“Weryn’s returned,” Grayson said firmly. “He’s back and we’re back. Him and I. Just as we left off. Do you understand, Kaito?”
His fledgling gave a stiff nod, more of a half bow.
“I want to know what happened to all of you.” Grayson gestured to the other figures around them. “Every single one of you. I would know everything. I still love him. I will always love him. But I will hear and accept what your experience has been.”
Kaito nodded again, but with less stiffness. Grayson turned back to Nero who didn’t look as happy about his “win” over Kaito.
