Page 49 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 3
Ryder jerked back from the words.
“He can be warm, generous and kind. Too kind to even ones like me,” Caemorn said. “But make no mistake that while you believe you think of people as pack or not pack, Ashyr truly sees it as us against them. As the General, he must.”
“But this is Grayson’s mother. He has feelings for her that he needs to–”
“Ashyr will not allow such feelings to get in the way of what he feels he must do to protect the king,” Caemorn again interrupted, but so gently.
“Say you’re right and he… he eliminates her… why are you telling me this? I’m Weryn and I killed… killed so many,” Ryder said.
“You’re Ryder. I’m Caemorn,” Caemorn corrected again. “We do not wish to be who we were, but Ashyr does. I merely want you to know and accept that fact.”
“Why?”
Caemorn’s expression was grim. “Because you may be the only moderating influence on our General. And I fear, with all that is coming, that he will reach for the ruthless side of himself and abandon all else.”
Sacred
Grayson looked at himself in the full-length mirror in his bedroom. He was dressed in tight black pants with boots with the laces were only half-done up. A silvery-white shirt skimmed his sides and rose at the neck into a high collar that framed his face. The shirt had no sleeves so it showcased the muscles in his arms. But he could always hide all that skin with the long, black velvet jacket that hugged his torso before flaring out down to his knees. Silver makeup dusted his cheeks, making his skin sparkle in the low light. The final piece of his outfit was a domino mask also in silver that covered his eyes.
This outfit had been waiting for him when he returned from the planning meeting at Balthazar’s. It had been sent in an elaborate silver and black box with a huge black bow and delicate tissue paper.
From the Mirryr, a card in thick stock stationary read in a neat envelope with his name drawn in looping cursive on the front.
I wonder what Ryder will think of me in this outfit?
Grayson turned this way and that, satisfied that he looked well.
I look more than well. The Mirryr really do know what fashion suits people.
But he’d have to wait to know if Ryder agreed. The Weryn Vampire had only been allowed to accompany him to the doors of the dorm. It had been decided that since the Weryn were entering the game in terms of choosing fledglings from among the students that the easiest cover story to explain everything odd surrounding Grayson so far was to tell people that Ryder was courting him to become his Childe and had been since before the school opened or had even been announced.
“It explains why we have been so close since I arrived,” Grayson had said to Ryder and the rest of the Immortals. “Ryder has been courting me on the sly for nearly a year. No one else knew about it other than Demos, because you didn’t want Lawson to find out about me.”
Ryder stroked his bearded chin and slowly nodded. “That sounds logical and something I would have done. People will likely believe it.”
“It also would explain your rejection of the school at first, too, Ryder,” Seeyr offered. “You had already chosen Grayson to be your fledgling, but the timing of Daemon revealing our existence to humans and requiring that all fledglings be picked from students put your choice of Grayson at risk. You feared he wouldn’t be allowed to come here as a student and you didn’t want any other Vampire to court him if and when he did come.”
“It will also explain why Grayson spends so much time with you and other Weryn,” Fiona said, nodding as well. “He’s not really here to compete for a Master. He already has one.”
She gestured to Ryder with one elegant hand.
If only it was so easy, Grayson thought with a heavy heart. If only I could just choose Ryder and be done with it. But I must do what is best for the king and our kind.
“You may want to reveal your secret affair to your roommates,” Balthazar suggested, beaming and clearly getting into the spirit of the thing. It was clear that he loved gossip and secret love stories. “That explanation will satisfy even the unquenchable Mairead!”
“And since no one expected the Weryn to participate, it won’t put people off me either,” Grayson realized, thinking on how Mairead had explained the number of students versus the number of Bloodlines and how the Vampires would react to one Bloodline having more fledglings than another and vice versa. “The competition is fierce after all as no one else can be chosen but for those in this class.”
“I can see the wheels of your mind turning in your eyes, Grayson, even without reading your thoughts!” Balthazar grinned. “We have thought of all of that. You must trust us a little.”
“Of course, I do,” Grayson said, and it wasn’t exactly a lie or the truth.
“I do believe he wants to, but isn’t quite sure,” Fiona laughed.
“I’m used to being the one in charge of all the plans,” Grayson reminded them all. “So this is good for me to step back and let others take a whack at it. Dealing with the Sect of Dawn will be more than enough.”
“So we’re all in agreement that this is the back story?” Fiona asked, glancing around the room.
Everyone assented and Grayson found himself relieved and excited. Ryder was going to court him openly. He had never been courted himself. He’d done the courting, but to reverse the script and for it to be his beloved Ryder?
