Page 60 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 7

“No, Elgar, that is unnecessary. I just need to be by myself for a time,” Eyros answered as he swept back into the room and tried to appear less ragged than he felt.

His incisive Childe though was staring at him through shadowed eyes. Elgar knew everything. He didn’t need to read Eyros’ mind. He simply knew. When Eyros was angry, sad, happy, which was damned rare these days, or any emotion. He simply knew.

“I’m assuming that you are not up here simply to check on me. You have something to report?” Eyros asked.

Elgar routinely brushed the minds of every single one of their Bloodline here in Destiny and throughout the Vampire World. There weren’t that many outside these walls but there were still a few that resisted the lure of the Order and all of Kaly’s insidious snares. He wasn’t surprised that Kaly slices were behind that ridiculous religion. He’d known from the get go. Making Vampires hate all Immortals, including Kaly themself, but not Daemon was such a Kaly move. It was as if they had hung a brightly colored sign around the Order’s neck that read: KALY CREATED THIS!

“Not exactly, no,” Elgar answered as he drifted into the room.

Both of them were standing at the foot of the bed, a mattress-length apart. But Eyros found he could not read Elgar’s mind at that moment. He didn’t wish to.

“Then why–”

“They are all wondering what’s next,” Elgar suddenly said.

“What…what’s next? I’m not following,” Eyros answered as his forehead furrowed with confusion.

“They do not believe that we can remain in Destiny forever. While fear of what could happen to them if they leave is high–and the desire to stay near you is even higher–some are beginning to wonder how the future will turn out,” Elgar continued. “We have many Acolytes. Do you intend to breed them? But, even so, in time that will cause problems. So we will have to go to Earth and then we will be open to attacks by others.”

Eyros swallowed. “Well, we will be strategic–”

“And going to Earth will open up new desires, too. While Destiny is beautiful, it is but one place. One unchanging place. While Earth changes constantly,” Elgar said as if he hadn’t spoken at all. “It will be a lure.”

“Will be?” Eyros frowned. “Elgar, are you telling me what people are thinking now or in the future?”

“These are thoughts that are on the cusps of their minds,” Elgar told him simply. “Now that the immediate threat of one’s Second Death is gone, minds are starting to open to other problems. Minds will find that staying like this for the long term will become intolerable.”

“Elgar, I cannot believe you are saying that! This is Destiny! This is our home! How could anyone find it confining or boring or–”

“You do, Master,” Elgar interrupted softly.

“I…”

“While these thoughts are only on the cusp of the others’ minds, they are deep in yours. Already, you know–you’ve always known–that this cannot stand,” Elgar answered.

He gritted his teeth. “So what would you have me do, Elgar? What exactly am I supposed to do?”

Elgar plucked at the sleeves of his robe. “I do not know, Master.”

“Oh, but you must have an opinion! You always have one. Or better yet, you tell me what I’m thinking! What is my opinion, Elgar? Go ahead, and just–”

“They are found!” Elgar’s head, which had been lowered, suddenly jerked upright. His silver eyes blazed. His fangs were out. “They’re surrounded! They’re more than surrounded! They’ve–”

And then Eyros was back in Charlie and Fiona’s minds just like Elgar had evidently been. Dozens of hands clawed at them. Fangs were everywhere. They were crushed by the crowd of Vampires. Fiona was trying to teleport them. Charlie was desperately changing his and her faces and forms. Tanis’ body had been dropped at some point as the sea of Vampires took them on. But there were too many enemies around them, holding them there, enemy minds and powers keeping them in place. He felt fingernails scratch their skin. Someone bit Fiona’s neck. She screamed before headbutting the offender, but the scent of blood just caused a greater frenzy in the crowd.

“Master!” Elgar’s voice rose up in anguish. “Master, they are going to die!”

“No, they’re not!” Eyros growled.

He reached and touched all the minds there. He had them stop their screaming, their braying for blood, their grasping and clawing and biting and–

“You can’t stop us, Eyros,” Artemis said. “Roan, do cut off his control.”

Eyros gritted his teeth. He tasted blood as he held on for dear life while Roan Tithe worked to take control back from him.

“Master, my strength… take it! Use it!” Elgar gasped.

“It won’t be enough,” Eyros got out. “It won’t… Not with the gates closed and…”