Page 52 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 3
“Do you? Because I’m not sure.”
“You’re worried about me. All of you are. But, though you cannot remember it, I have always been able to separate my emotions from the task at hand. That’s what I’m doing now. All things being equal, I would deal with my–my mother, but as they are not…” He just shrugged.
“I didn’t win the War, Grayson, when I went against my nature and stuck to logic,” Ryder said with a press of lips. “Instead, I created so much pain. Perhaps if I had listened more to my heart, it would have been different.”
Grayson kept his head down and didn’t answer. Ryder had a point, but this was different! He needed a clear head to see what was in front of them.
“I’ll consider talking to my mother at some point. But not now.” Grayson shook himself. “There’s too much to do and consider.”
Ryder smiled broadly and squeezed his hands. “Good. I’m glad. Now, please keep a set of eyes in the back of your head tonight.”
Grayson nodded. “I promise. We’ll stop the Sect of Dawn.”
But Grayson knew–as he stared at his reflection in the mirror in his bedroom–that even if they caused the Sect of Dawn’s plans to fall through tonight, that only stalled them. It didn’t actually stop them. And they wouldn’t have Jill to warn them of what was going to happen as a back-up plan.
I need to find another Sect member. There will have to be someone there tonight. That’s my secondary goal. Save the students. Secure another Sect member.
With a final brush of his hands down the front of his outfit, Grayson left his bedroom and joined his room mates in the common area of their dorm.
“My, my, Grayson, don’t you shine up nicely!” Mairead called from where she was leaning against her beloved pool table.
“You clean up pretty good yourself,” he told her genuinely.
She was wearing a black and silver babydoll style dress. Her bright red hair was tamed into artful waves. Her domino mask was black.
“We all look very nice. Check out the doc’s outfit! And, of course, Eiji-sama is handsome as a peach!” Mairead complimented all of them.
Amara had on black dress pants and an elegant silver shirt with scarf. Her nails and lips were done in a deep, almost blood red. Her dark hair shone with health as it brushed her shoulders. Eiji, for his part, wore a formal yukata that was almost all silvery white with a black sash and black embroidery at the collar and cuffs. He smiled and bowed slightly to Grayson.
“You are making me blush, Mairead,” Eiji said with a chuckle.
“You look so sweet blushing!” Mairead continued to tease.
Grayson thought of the fact that Eiji had killed someone. There was more than one murderer in this room. He quickly wiped any sign of his knowledge from his face. But he wondered if any of them were in the Sect. Gregory was supposed to room with them. Wouldn’t it have been easier for him to be with others in the Sect? But, then again, Gregory was taking the place of someone. He wouldn’t want to be with more Sect members as they would know he didn’t belong there and would be in danger from them.
How many Sect members could really be among the students? I can’t believe that too many could get past Balthazar, Caemorn and Seeyr.
“Earth to Grayson!” Mairead waved a glass of champagne in front of him. “Where’s your head gone? Oh, wait, I bet we can guess!”
He took the glass of champagne from her. Already cold perspiration had formed on the outside of the flute and he took a deep sip. He needed to keep himself clear and sober tonight, but one glass wouldn’t hurt. He needed to loosen up a little. He wasn’t sure if he’d felt this same way as Ashyr, but Grayson had always shied away from crowds, let alone parties! And now, he was willingly going to one.
“Mairead, stop picking on him,” Amara said with a shake of her head. “Just because he is not answering all of your questions–”
“Actually, I do owe you guys an explanation.” Grayson grimaced and lowered his head, looking a little bit like he was ashamed as he told them their oh-so-plausible cover story. He felt all eyes upon him. Even Amara’s. “So… as you probably already guessed, I knew about Vampires before they outed themselves to humanity. You see, before the academy was even a twinkle in Daemon’s eyes, Ryder was courting me,” Grayson admitted with a shy smile and duck of his head. “He was going to turn me, but then the Blood Pact was entered and only students accepted to the academy were to be turned so… the Weryn objected because of this.”
“Oh, my, I wondered what would happen to those people the Vampires wanted to turn, but who they hadn’t before the academy opened,” Amara said with a touch of sadness. “I’d hoped that they would just be grandfathered in.”
Grayson shook his head, but then shrugged. “Maybe others were, but not me. It’s caused massive issues.”
“That is why you were meeting with everyone!” Mairead again anticipated what he was going to say. She so wanted to be in the know that she was anticipating his lie.
Another nod. “Things have been worked out for Ryder and me. I’m in the class. The Weryn Vampires now are looking for fledglings among the students. Ryder and I… well, things can move forward.”
“So you’re going to do everything with us even though Ryder and you are already together?” Mairead blinked.
He nodded. “Part of the requirements for going forward. So! Now you guys are not going to get rid of me.”
Mairead squealed happily and bounced over to him before she gave him a hug. Her cheeks were flushed with champagne. Eiji smiled in a grandfatherly way at him, but Grayson wondered if he bought the story at all. Amara gave him an embrace as well.
