Page 12 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 7

“You are speaking some more. I can barely hear it. Twittering and some words.” Elgar turned his head to the side as if listening. “Interesting.”

“Nothing gets past you,” Ryder said. “There are quite a few things that will be different in the future.”

“You truly come from the future?” Elgar asked.

“Yes,” Ryder said.

“I suppose that makes sense. The way you speak. The way you dress. The fact that you are… here,” Elgar said quietly. “You would have to come from the future.”

“Because we’re both dead? Or we are dead in this time,” Ryder clarified.

“And you aren’t mad or trying to kill us,” Elgar added. “So that is very different, Weryn.”

Ouch, Grayson winced.

But not untrue or unfair, Ryder said.

Ryder inclined his head. “I don’t remember everything, but I do know I was very… out of my head.”

“We all have been,” Elgar said. “The War poisoned us. Perhaps we were poisoned before to some extent, but all the blood, the killing, it has warped us. I do not like it. I would have it stop.”

That’s a very real understanding of the situation, Grayson said.

“Yes, and it will stop, Elgar. It is nearly done,” Ryder said carefully as he pulled on a shirt.

Elgar’s sharp, silver eyes were on Ryder’s face. “How does it end?”

Does he mean the War or himself? Or more like Eyros? Grayson asked.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be a bit more specific,” Ryder stalled for time.

“My Master has brought us all here to Destiny. He has closed all the gates. We are locked in and everyone else is locked out. Yet my Master speaks to you–looks into your minds–and you are from the future, which means that this plan to keep us safe doesn’t work,” Elgar deduced.

Ryder said nothing as he pulled his boots on.

“Is there a traitor in our midst?” Elgar pressed.

Grayson hopped to face Elgar as the Eyros Vampire drew closer. Elgar’s hands closed convulsively into fists and then released as he spoke of someone betraying them.

“I do not know,” Ryder answered honestly.

“How could you not know?” Elgar’s voice rose, but he pushed it down at the end with difficulty.

“Because I died before all of this happened. I have no memory of it,” Ryder answered, also honestly.

“But it’s clear that you know something about what happens next! Is Eyros not in this future with you? Has he not told you of our fate?” Elgar insisted.

Elgar was very close and he was clearly highly agitated. The strain of the War had him pulled taut as a bow strong. And Ryder was Weryn. Weryn was an enemy. Someone who had killed countless of his friends and family. But Ryder did not tense up. He showed no agitation himself nor aggression. He regarded Elgar with empathy, which had a shudder running through the younger Vampire.

“Will you not answer me? Why do you look at me with such–such pity?” Elgar’s voice was harsh, hard, filled with pain. Ryder reached for Elgar, but the Eyros Vampire twisted out of the way, crying out, “No! NO!”

Ryder held his hands up to show he meant no harm. “I’m sorry, Elgar. Of course, you would not want comfort from me. I’m sorry.”

“Why would you offer me comfort? You ripped through our ranks… you took many fledglings from me… you relished their blood.” Elgar was panting as he said these things.

Ryder lowered his head in shame. Grayson fluttered up to his shoulder and perched there. He leaned his small, feathery body against Ryder’s cheek.

It’s okay, Grayson soothed. It’s okay. It’s the past. Elgar forgives you. He already forgave you. If this was the Elgar in the future, he wouldn’t reject you–