Chapter 2 #2
The smell of wet stone and old earth surrounded them with the sweetest hint of decay of corpses.
Ryder swallowed. Death was here. It was all around them.
He could scent Balthazar, Dani, Fiona and…
he smiled. Demos and Siban were here as well.
They must have finished their tasks regarding the other Weryn Vampires for now at least.
There was an extra spring in his step even as Caemorn led them from vaulted-ceiling crypt to narrow passage to vaulted-ceiling crypt.
Each one was separated from the other by creaky gates at either end of the passages.
But Ryder’s senses told them that there was far more here keeping people from out or in than simple metal and stone.
“The things you're able to do with souls are like magic, aren’t they, Caemorn?” Grayson asked.
“Souls are an energy source with unique and often individual properties,” Caemorn answered without turning around to face them.
“Some allow us to scry. Others allow us to conjure and control the elements. Others may give us the power of flight. And some have even allowed us to change shape like the Weyrn.”
“Could someone not a Kaly–but with a Kaly’s help–be able to have access to those abilities?” Grayson asked.
“Yes, but you know this,” Caemorn said. This time he did glance back. “In the wars we fought long ago, I fashioned such energy possibilities for you.”
“I don’t remember everything,” Grayson admitted. “Sometimes, I’ll have as clear as crystal memory of something. But most of it is shrouded in shadows. The fact that you remember is interesting.”
“The slices of myself that I recombined did not deny their past or their deeds,” Caemorn answered.
“Don’t they remember Legion?” Ryder asked, annoyed that he had not thought of this and that Caemorn had not volunteered it.
“No. By the time that Legion was made, my interest in the War had shifted,” Caemorn answered.
“But surely I sicced Legion on you and your forces,” Ryder insisted.
“No, you didn’t. You were too busy fighting everyone else,” Caemorn answered. “If I ever knew Legion’s face, I do not recall it. I did not see them as a threat.”
Ryder frowned. “Legion hates all Immortals and you were one of the ones that started the War so I cannot believe they posed no threat.”
“My main body–this soul–had already been killed by the Kaly slices by the time that Legion was made. The slices never had stayed in any one body for long. They moved from Bloodline to Bloodline. House to House.” Caemorn shrugged.
“Absent Christian’s ability to recognize my soul and Eyros’ ability to control me…
Well, Legion, no matter how ferocious a fighter could never have hurt me.
Kill me once and I simply arise again in another form. ”
“No wonder it took so long to stop you,” Grayson breathed.
Caemorn paused before a final, larger gate before he turned to face Grayson. “You believe if you had but seen my distress and come to me about it earlier that you could have stopped what was to come. My madness. The War. All of it.”
Grayson lowered his head. Guilt was written large on his beautiful face. Ryder put a hand on his shoulder. No matter what he said, Grayson would not believe him that it wasn’t his fault. That he hadn’t let down Daemon.
“You were struggling. I could see that. But I was distracted,” Grayson said.
“Yes, and your love affair with Weryn made the others leery of going to you when they saw such two strong Bloodlines so closely working together,” Caemorn pointed out.
“We were changing the power dynamic, right?” Grayson asked with a wry smile.
Caemorn nodded. “Regardless, it was too late by then. I had been experimenting with slicing my soul into pieces long before Daemon went to sleep. Things just got far more out of hand.”
“You’re just saying that,” Grayson shook his head.
“No, your desire for control is blinding you to the limits of that control,” Caemorn answered.
Ryder snapped, “Grayson is not some control freak, Caemorn. He’s–”
“I am not criticizing,” Caemorn said. “His control has kept us safe for a very long time. Hence why I eliminated him first. And now, why I advise him.” Caemorn turned his gaze upon Grayson again. “I would not bother saying anything if I did not think you worthy of support.”
“Your idea of support is grating, Caemorn.” Ryder frowned at him.
“No, it isn’t. It’s refreshing. I like it,” Grayson said with a wan smile. “I want you to keep speaking the truth as you see it, Caemorn.”
“Even if it is grating and unwelcome?” Caemorn asked.
“Especially if it is,” Grayson told him.
Caemon inclined his head and turned away. Ryder looked down upon Grayson.
“We need to hear the things he has to say. I’m glad. Seriously. And I want you to speak up too.” Grayson caressed his cheek. “I do listen to you. I do.”
“Then I think we deal with your mother sooner rather than later,” Ryder said.
Grayson closed his eyes, but after a long breath, nodded. “Okay.”
They followed after Caemorn. He had not gone far, but was standing inside a larger room than the ones that they had gone through so far. It was filled with plain, white sarcophagi with no statues adorning the tops. But on top of them were the Sect members.
The Mirryr Vampire still wore Ryder’s face and form, which had his teeth on edge. Looking at him, Ryder couldn’t see the resemblance really. It was a meat sack that didn’t move like he moved. Didn’t interact with the world with his deliberateness or soul. It was not him.
No wonder Grayson knew it wasn’t me. Or maybe it just seems obvious to me because I know it isn’t me now. Would I say the same of someone else?
The Siryn Vampire was a slip of a girl. She looked no more than fourteen.
Ryder frowned when he saw her. In the past, turning children into Vampires had been accepted.
Truly who had been considered a child had changed vastly in even the few hundred years he’d lived.
Fourteen meant marriage and even children back then.
But his eyes now saw her differently. She was an adult inside.
She had been an adult when turned. But society now viewed her as a child and she was limited in many, many ways big and small.
She would have reason to not like this world and the order in it, Ryder thought. Someone who could be turned by the Sect of Dawn to their side of things.
Her mouth was filled with a rag and tied shut. She wouldn’t be able to sing her way out of this. Her eyes looked huge in her heart-shaped face. Short dark hair framed an almost elfen appearance.
She might look innocent but she commanded people to watch Grayson’s death. So I have no pity for her, Ryder thought.
Both were strapped to the sarcophagi by metal chains that glowed with the same strange glow as some of the soul gems. Ryder wondered if souls were bonded to that metal and what effect that had on them.
“Ryder,” Demos said as he came over shadowed by Siban.
Ryder grasped Demos’ proffered hand and gripped it firmly while he squeezed Siban’s shoulder with the other. “Glad you’re both here.”
“Only had a glimpse of the party from the outside. Looked like fun,” Demos chuckled.
“You would have enjoyed it. Especially the end,” Ryder told him.
“I bet. Hey, Grayson,” Demos said with a nod of his head.
Grayson smiled at him, but he looked nervous, small, young. Demos frowned, but then he suddenly changed his behavior. Becoming gentler as if he were dealing with a small kitten rather than Ashyr reborn.
“You don’t have to worry, Grayson. They can’t hurt you. We’ve got them,” Demos said. “Weryn won’t let them do anything.”
“I–I know,” Grayson said and swallowed, drawing nearer to Ryder’s body as if sheltering against it.
He’s playing a role. Innocent, helpless human.
That’s exactly what he’s doing. He’s decided to surprise them, Balthazar said in his head. He was standing between the prisoners, glancing at one then the other. Christian stood with him. You need to give him an excuse to stay in the room. I have a suggestion if you want to hear it.
What?
You’re big, bad Weryn. You want him to know he’s safe. Even in a roomful of enemies with you by his side, Balthazar said.
You make it sound ridiculous.
Let them think we are ridiculous. Caricatures of the ancient Greek Gods. Not who we truly are, Balthazar said. I, personally, like to be underestimated.
Yes, I bet you do. All right. So Grayson is an innocent, potential fledgling and I am big, bad Weryn. What about everyone else?
Whatever our enemies think we are sounds best, don’t you think? Balthazar chuckled.
Ryder put an arm around his shoulders. “I wanted you to see them like this so you wouldn’t have any bad dreams.”
“Why did they want to hurt me?” Grayson cringed.
It was so inapposite to his character that Ryder almost laughed.
“Send him away, Weryn,” Fiona said with a bored wave. “I could teleport him back to your Palace or the dorms. But don’t let him see all of this.”
“Wyvern, I decide what my Childe sees.” Ryder looked at her archly.
He was really trying not to grin at this play they were acting in for the Sect members. It was quite the thing.
“Prince Julian, does not King Daemon wish to see these two intruders that we caught?” Caemorn asked, all precision and coldness.
“The king does not bother himself with these creatures,” Julian said with a bored yawn. He leaned against the wall near a series of niches.
Dani stood beside him. Her arms were crossed over her chest. She looked implacable. She hadn’t glanced at Grayson even once though Ryder knew she wanted to so desperately.
“They are both War Children,” Dani said. “I recognize them both from the War. This one,” she tipped her head towards the Siryn Vampire, “had an ability to sing a song that would shatter skulls.”
“How do you recognize the Mirryr Vampire?” Christian asked. “They’ve kept Weryn’s shape.”
“The Mirryrs pride themselves on hiding themselves in plain sight, but certain injuries seem to resist their power. We discovered this in the War. In this case it would be hard to see unless you dealt with this particular Vampire before given Ryder’s tattoos.
But look here.” She tapped the top of the lion’s head that peaked out on the Mirryr’s left shoulder. “There’s a scar.”
Indeed, in the lion’s man, one could see a twist of white flesh that was not mirrored on Ryder’s shoulder.
“You recognize this Vampire by a scar?” Balthazar blinked.
“Yes, because I gave it to them,” Dani answered. “He pretended to be Nero to get close to me. He tried to gut me like a fish. But that’s not what happened.”
Grayson really didn’t like that, Balthazar said. Good thing he was looking sheep-like at your chest. I really think he might have crushed their skulls for that.
“Needless to say, I remember them,” Dani answered softly. “Very well.”
“I will finish what I started,” the Mirryr Vampire growled at her.
“You aren’t exactly in a position to follow through with that threat,” Balthazar pointed out.
“You will see! You will know our strength!” the Mirryr Vampire growled.
Grayson wants you to interrogate them, Ryder, Balthazar said. He will use his powers on them, but we must pretend that Dani is doing it. This was reveal much as they will think–
That our powers will trigger whatever trap has been set in those structures in their minds, Ryder said. And when that doesn’t happen…
They will begin to sweat, I think, Balthazar chuckled.
“It is appropriate that these are War Children,” Ryder said softly as swaggered over to them. He met both of the Sect members’ gazes. “You were made to die. And you were sent here to die.”
The Sect members glared at him.
“Dani, would you care to have some of your revenge against them?” Ryder asked her.
She nodded and stepped up, even as Grayson pretended to cringe in the corner by Julian, all wide-eyes and uncertainty.
She said, “It would give me great pleasure.”