Page 2 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 3
You’ve encouraged him, Caemorn stated, pursing his lips.
How have I encouraged Bone Bear to leave droppings of old flesh, bones and other unmentionable things in my bed? I demand to know! Balthazar scowled at him.
You are very still around him--out of fear, of course--but he thinks you are just shy. So he’s taken to you, Caemorn answered.
It’s because you’ve told him to do it, haven’t you? Balthazar shook his head as the camera operators adjusted lights and stared strangely at the fact that nothing needed to be plugged in yet their battery packs weren’t draining. He went back to the real reason they were there, But, in any case, we’re not here to convince these reptiles. We’re here to convince the public.
The naive public? Caemorn sniffed.
They’re not naive. They’re just much more open to Vampires than these creatures are, Balthazar answered as he continued to smile, nod and greet each reptile--reporter--by name. These people want to think they are in on the magic. They think they create the magic. They make and break people with their reporting. Now, here we are, and they want to establish that we’re not above their power too.
Are we? A lifted eyebrow from Caemorn.
Of course, we are. But reality doesn’t matter. It’s what people believe, Balthazar said.
“Are you ready to answer some tough questions, Balthazar and Lord Losus?” Jane asked.
She didn’t ask to call you Caemorn! Balthazar chuckled.
No one would dare, Caemorn answered, somehow managing to both sink back into his chair as if he wasn’t interested, but loom over Jane all the same.
I really must figure out how you do that, Balthazar told him even as he smiled warmly at Jane.
And I wonder how you can fake a smile that reaches your eyes, Caemorn remarked dryly.
I think of Christian, Balthazar answered, and he reached out to touch his fledgling’s mind.
Christian touched him back. A happy hum filled his head and he nearly shut his eyelids to simply listen to his brilliant Childe’s thoughts running like a river beside his own. Unsurprisingly, Julian and Christian were together. They, along with their respective parents, were giving interviews to other reporters who would ask tough, but friendlier questions than he expected here. They were capturing the Harrows’ continued journey to choose a Bloodline then a House and then a Master or Masters.
Ah, I shall try that then, Caemorn said, a faint smile appearing on his lips, but somehow it wasn’t welcoming at all but a little unnerving.
A deadly angel smiling, Balthazar thought and it was his turn to sigh.
“We’re more than ready, Jane.” Balthazar tented his fingertips together under his chin. “Ask away!”
“I think that most viewers are very curious as to the selection process that was undertaken to get this year’s 100 students,” Jane said briskly, her one leg bobbing slightly over the other. “The advantages of being a Vampire are well known now. Your Immortality. Your greater strength, speed and healing. And then, of course, your extra special gifts such as mind control or even raising the dead.” She tipped her head first at Balthazar and then at Caemorn as she listed those extra special gifts. “Obviously, we have no control over who you already have given these powers to. That is said and done.”
Does she know about the War Children? Caemorn suddenly asked.
Yes, but she won’t spring that on us just yet. Balthazar sighed again.
“But, now, knowing that you exist and wanting to keep relations between our two species, it behooves humanity to know who you’re going to turn,” Jane premised.
“Is there a question in there somewhere, Jane?” Balthazar dazzled the viewers with one of his smiles.
Even Jane blinked a little at the force of it. To the audience, he would appear almost as angelic as Caemorn, but in a more earthy kind of way.
“I just noticed--and how remiss of me--that we don’t have the third Immortal that runs the academy. Seeyr. She’s never given an interview,” Jane said, pivoting as she sought to surprise him with her questions.
“No, she’s not one for giving interviews,” Balthazar said simply.
“But why not? Does she fear that we’d all be asking her what our futures are?” Jane laughed as if Seeyr were no more than a fortune-teller at a carnival.
“Fear? No. She knows you would,” Balthazar answered. “Maybe not on air.” He gestured broadly to the cameras. “And maybe not with words.” He gave her a sad smile. “But you would ask. Everyone does.”
Jane shifted slightly on the edge of her seat. Her posture was so ramrod straight that it made his back hurt just looking at her.
“Well, I suppose one would like to know,” Jane recovered nicely. “But I’m more interested in her role in choosing the students that have come here. Because, as I said, I think people are rightly concerned that the gift of Vampirism is not given to people undeserving or who might be dangerous to humanity.”
