Page 44 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 3
“Well, that’s true, which is why you won’t be,” Grayson said. “After this meeting, you’re all going to have to pretend not to know me or care about me any more than any other student.”
Silence fell.
“They love your plan!” Balthazar beamed, but it was a fake beam.
“You all hate my plan, don’t you?” Grayson asked. “If you have other ideas, I’d like to hear them, but so far, the squeezing is the only way to determine friend from foe.”
It sounded ridiculous as he said it, but it was true!
“I just can’t imagine that Dani or your Bloodline will go along with this,” Fiona said gently. “All of our Bloodlines were scarred by our deaths, but yours… yours really hurt the Ashyr. And now you want to put yourself in harm’s way again?”
“If I don’t, one of the students is going to die at the Mirryr event,” Grayson reminded her. “And that will set back human-Vampire relations hugely.”
“I have offered to resurrect whoever it is, but Balthazar seems to think that would not be wise,” Caemorn offered.
“If we could do it without the humans knowing, yeah, but I can’t imagine the Sect will let this death be anything, but spectacular,” Grayson said.
“And in front of cameras,” Balthazar sighed. “Which we cannot kick out. That’s another no-no. Though we could erase their footage and their minds–”
“If that is discovered then we’re on a war footing with humanity,” Ryder grunted.
“So we’ve got to stop this murder from happening,” Grayson said. “And this is the best plan we’ve got.”
Everyone looked glum, which meant they agreed with him.
Balthazar then gave him a fake, bright smile, and said, “Oh, Grayson, there is one other small little thing.”
“What?” Grayson asked suspicion tinting his tone.
“Yes, well, when Caemorn and I were being interviewed one of those rapscallion reporters apparently discovered some things about your past,” Balthazar said.
“My past?” Grayson’s brow furrowed, not understanding how his past as Ashyr would mean anything to a reporter and then it hit him. “You mean my past as Grayson?”
“Yes, they asked why we allowed a killer in our midst, and I was relieved at first as I thought she was speaking of Eiji–”
“Wait! Eiji is a killer? Our nice, kind, grandfatherly Eiji?” Grayson asked.
“Uhm…” Balthazar pursed his lips. “Yes. But they weren’t speaking of him. They were referring to you.”
Grayson blinked. “My… my stepfather. That means… that means…”
“They’ve contacted your mother,” Balthazar said. “And she’s been asking to come see you.”
Moderating Influence
Ryder felt Grayson tense as much as saw him do it. He wanted to draw Grayson into his arms and protect him from these words that clearly so upset him. But Grayson became very still and, somehow, untouchable.
Grayson didn’t blink, but just stared at Balthazar. His expression was unreadable, other than that the emotions running across it were not good ones, but Ryder couldn’t parse what they were. Shock? Undoubtedly. Anger for what he was accused of? Maybe. Rage at his mother looking for him? Perhaps. Betrayal? Had his mother accused Grayson of the murder to the press? Unclear.
“I can see you’re as thrilled about this as I thought you’d be, Grayson,” Balthazar said brightly, but his smile turned into a grimace.
Ryder wondered what thoughts Balthazar had read in Grayson’s mind. Not for the first time, he wished he had that ability, too.
“Should I be expecting the police to come interview me for the murder of my stepfather?” Grayson’s voice was curiously neutral.
Ryder’s heart hurt for him. Grayson had told him what happened, saying he was leaving it behind, forgetting that past, but now it was present again. He put his hands on Grayson’s shoulders. Grayson felt as rigid as he looked, but that lessened a little at Ryder’s touch. His right hand rose up and covered Ryder’s left. Their fingers linked together.
You so want to be done with this life, Grayson, I know it. But it is not done with you, Ryder thought.
