Page 36 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 3
“We all noticed a new flame,” the reporter said and she’d gestured quite clearly at the Weryn Palace.
Ryder slid behind a bush as the cameras were all of the sudden moving and lifting towards his palace and him. Neither Julian nor Christian even turned around to look.
“Yes, we are very excited to welcome the Immortal Weryn back to Nightvallen,” Christian said calmly.
“Weryn? Weryn? Which one are they?” He heard one of the reporters say as he checked his list. “Ah, the shapeshifters!”
The shapeshifters? Weryn growled, but with a touch of amused disgust. They make shifting sound like a party trick.
Another hand was waving frantically. “Will we be able to speak to Weryn? We’ve had sit downs with all the Immortals, except Seeyr, of course.” There was a slight bitter note at that. “At least not yet.”
And not ever if Seeyr has anything to say about it.
The questions were now sprouting up from every reporter.
“Is Weryn at their palace now?”
He was near enough that they could spot him.
“Can we go see them?”
He imagined a group of reporters rather than the Weryn Vampires sitting at the edge of his property and he wasn’t sure which he was more leery of.
“Will they give an interview?”
About what? Do they know about the War or would it be some general questions?
“What animals can he shift into? More than one kind?”
Fluffy bunny rabbits and cuddly kittens on demand!
“Can we see them shift and record?”
Oh, by the gods, no…
Though, again, neither Christian nor Julian turned towards him, he knew they were aware he was nearby. So they could bring the horde of reporters right to him and he would have to answer those questions for real this time.
Not now, he thought very distinctly, hoping that Christian would pick up his thoughts. Later. When I am in a better mood.
He had not meant to add that last part. He had a meeting to go to, but the truth was that he was feeling strange and territorial at the moment. Speaking to those of his old Blood and opening the palace had stirred things within him and, unfortunately, they were not all good. Yet he knew that he needed to be more than pleasant in front of the cameras. He would shame Daemon otherwise and he’d already accomplished enough of that already.
It was Julian who spoke with that winsome smile back in place, “Weryn is very busy, but he may agree to meet and speak at a later time. We will inform you of when that will be. So please do not attempt to wander off and find him yourselves.”
Good show! And better advice! He must have heard me. Julian has all the gifts, of course, Ryder realized.
I’m getting slightly better at this, Julian sent back with a laugh. But you were practically shouting your request not to speak to them. The reporters aren’t that bad.
I am not so sociable as you, Prince Julian, or as patient as Christian, Ryder admitted.
Please, just Julian. I’m used to dealing with the press because of Mom and Dad’s early work then Christian and my show, and now, of course, as ambassadors of Vampire-dom to humanity, Julian answered modestly.
You’re doing quite well. Back in the day, Children such as yourselves would not be without their Masters, Ryder said.
Daemon reminds me of this whenever I have a wild hair about taking off into the Ever Dark wilderness with camera and Christian to check things out, Julian laughed again. I use that as leverage to make wandering around the city and dealing with reporters seem mild in comparison.
It’s dangerous outside these walls, Julian, Ryder found himself advising. Please do not go out alone. If you really must and Daemon cannot come, I will accompany you.
He felt Julian’s surprise and pleasure at that. Was it so surprising that he would offer his protection to the Vampire Prince? But then he considered how insular he had behaved since arriving here. So maybe he’d earned that reaction.
