Page 63 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 7

“Where are you going?” Natasha cried.

“We need to…” Dani gulped as her eyes flickered everywhere. “We shouldn’t be here.”

“I can’t touch my power! What’s going on?” Xandria cried.

Karn started crawling away from the dragon on his hands and knees. “No way. Not staying. This is not… not good.”

“You cowards! What is happening here?” Lawson snarled.

He snapped at Karn as the Ashyr Vampire dragged himself past the Weryn Vampire. Karn didn’t even flinch. He was getting out of there.

“We need to leave,” Dani said as she still stared about her as if she expected a ghost.

Just go. Please go, he whispered.

Master?

Her voice reached him and it took all he had not to reach back. He loved her. Oh, how he loved her. But she hadn’t known about this in the future and he had no idea what letting her know now would do.

What if it makes her leave the Order? What if it makes her never do what she did here with the Mer? He wondered.

Without answering her directly, he softened his voice and sent, This is not a fight you should be a part of. They are not your allies.

Her gaze dropped to Legion who still hulked even over Ryder’s bear form. They had said nothing. They just stared at the dragon. Dani knew that they were bad news. Her skin crawled at their presence.

Think about the company you’re keeping, he added. This is not the way.

Her eyes widened slightly. I understand. But–

No buts. Go, Dani, he said quietly.

Her eyes shimmered with tears. But she nodded and suddenly broke into action. The Mer weapon dropped to the ground as she released it from her power. She helped Karn to his feet and put one of his arms over her shoulders. She reached back for Xandria who grabbed her hand and hauled her upright as well.

“Where are you going?” Natasha stepped in front of her.

Dani regarded her evenly. “We’re leaving. This is not our fight. You should leave too.”

“What? You were the one that said we needed to capture and question that Weryn Vampire!” Natasha pointed at Ryder.

“I was wrong,” Dani said. She glanced back at Legion and her shoulder blades twitched. “Maybe I was wrong about a lot of things.”

“Are you running away?” Lawson scoffed.

“No, we’re simply leaving,” Dani answered and tried to advance.

While Natasha made a move to step aside, Lawson grabbed her arm and kept her where she was.

“It’s just a bag of bones! It’s dead! Some Kaly Vampire is making fun of us and you’re going to give them a win?” Lawson snarled.

Dani, Grayson whispered.

Dani closed her eyes and a single tear tracked down her cheek. She then opened her eyelids and faced Lawson without any fear and all determination instead.

“You can stay. You can fight. But this is a mistake. Something is wrong here,” she got out.

“What does that even mean?” Natasha asked, lifting her hands up in the air. “It hasn’t attacked us!”

“Not yet,” Dani corrected. “It’s giving us a chance to leave. Take it. I am. My people are.”