Page 69 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 3
Why do you think that? Oh, never mind, I trust your instincts, but that makes things more dire. They’re supposed to be–
Crazy. Yes, this one is on edge. He’s prepared for violence already with me. I think he fully expects to go out in a hail of glory, Grayson said. So he’s contemplating right now whether he needs to hold himself back.
Zealot. Wonderful, Balthazar said with a sour sound.
He’s looking around, waiting to see if there’s a big enough audience. The people are starting to surround the dance floor, Grayson realized, seeing the crowd start forming a circle around the flashing, sudsy dance floor.
I don’t think you should wait any longer. Get him out there now, Grayson. Everyone’s in place, Balthazar said.
Plan is on, Grayson said.
He grasped not-Ryder’s hands in his and pulled the Sect Vampire out onto the dance floor. “I think it’s time we got this party started, don’t you?”
Ryder had gotten to listen to only half a conversation. Half a conversation that had him wanting to charge down the stairs and damn the consequences. Grayson was in danger. Grayson was in the hands of the enemy. An enemy he had created.
Legion, you bastard. I will make you pay for this. I will take everything I gave you away, Ryder thought.
He searched his mind, his memories, for Legion’s face, but nothing came. It was a big, black blot. He expected Weryn to be offering up those memories eagerly, but no. Nothing.
“Get me down to that dance floor, Fiona,” Ryder growled.
“On it,” she agreed.
Fiona touched his shoulder and the world shifted. They went from the top of the crowded staircase to a secluded corner of the basement. The place was packed. Sweat, blood, cum and Legion. He could still smell Legion all over this place even though he knew it was illusory. It was just his knowledge that his fledgling was behind this that caused the scent to linger. Legion was not here. They were hiding elsewhere, ordering others to do their dirty work and die for it.
Isn’t that what the Immortals did with the War Children? Made them, wound them up, and sent them to kill each other while we stayed back in our Ever Dark cities, thinking we were safe?
Perhaps Legion did have a bone to pick with him. Maybe all War Children did. Between him and Kaly, it was likely hard to know who was the bigger villain. Kaly had started the War, but Weryn had taken it to a before unseen level of bloodshed and death.
Grayson and Ashyr are innocent in all of this. Legion just wants to kill him to hurt me. This is cowardice. If they want a fight, they should come get it.
He started towards the dance floor, but Fiona’s hand on his arm stopped him. He spun around, ready to snarl. She didn’t look impressed. Instead, she appeared empathetic, but firm.
“There’s a plan,” she said.
“I need no plan,” his voice was low, almost guttural. He recognized it. This was Weryn’s voice.
Yet he didn’t hear his old self in his head. He expected to the moment he’d scented Legion, but Weryn was not there. Except maybe he was. Maybe instead of being deep inside of Ryder’s skull he was right underneath the surface of his skin.
“Do you want to put Grayson at risk?” Fiona lifted an eyebrow. When he opened his mouth to object, she continued, “Grayson is in that Mirryr Vampire’s hands. He could break Grayson’s neck before you could take a step. Slash his throat before you can breathe. Gut Grayson before you can snarl. This is not the way.”
“But we cannot leave Grayson in his clutches! Grayson is the victim!” Ryder cried.
She nodded. “But we also cannot let on that we’ve discovered their plan either.”
“So what is your plan? You have one. I can tell, Scout,” Ryder said in Weryn’s voice.
Fiona’s forehead crinkled in confusion for a moment at his words, but then the confusion cleared and she nodded. “Yes, I do, Soldier. Except it’s our General’s plan.”
“So what is it? And tell me it involves blood,” Ryder growled.
She grinned. “Not quite yet. The General wishes to question him, remember? This Mirryr sought to replace you. That was his first mistake, because we can switch him out with you without anyone noticing.”
“You mean to teleport us over to them and–”
“Teleport him out. Leaving you there,” she said. “It will be so quick and smooth that no one will notice the difference.”
“You can really do that?” Ryder’s eyebrows rose.
