Page 31 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 7

“Seeing you help Grayson earlier reminded me just how strong the bond is between Mistress and Childe,” she said. “You were able to restore a fellow Immortal to himself. I could do the same to my own Childe. My first fledgling.”

She said this as she stared at the graceful sweep of Tanis’ back. She walked ahead of them rather like the prow of a ship. They followed her across the square, not towards the Spire, unfortunately, though Fiona had a chance to glance at the entrance to it.

Heavily guarded. Good gods. Those are Eyros Vampires, Fiona realized as she saw over a dozen people who framed the door.

She felt the buzz of their minds trying to touch hers. She allowed them to hear some very pious thoughts about how awe-inspiring the Spire was now that it was in the hands of the Order and not that filthy Immortal Seeyr. She practically saw the Eyros Vampire nod in agreement.

And it wasn’t just Eyros there, but Horys Vampires as well. Lightning danced between the fingers of several of them. They sent balls of it to one another in a bizarre game of catch. But she imagined that if any of those balls hit her or her companions the effect would be quite different. The lightning would immobilize and burn.

Ashyr Vampires, too, were guarding the entrance. Sharp, jagged pieces of metal encircled their forms. If anyone attacked them, they would simply send those levitating weapons directly at their foes. They would cut through even Vampire skin like a knife through butter on a hot day. She caught sight of Grayson’s eyes on them. One of his hands was clenched.

“Remember, Grayson,” she whispered, “they don’t know the truth. They think that this is the best way forward.”

Grayson’s keen hearing caught her whispered words and his head turned towards her. He muttered back, “You would never catch Dani, Kaito or Nero here.”

And perhaps they wouldn’t be Confessors, but anyone who had remained a part of the Vampire World had been a member of the Faith. At least, they had to pretend to be and not speak out against it. But for Grayson this must have seemed like a particularly painful betrayal. It wasn’t as if the Order had ever positioned Ashyr as a fallen saint like Daemon. He had been lumped in with the other “evil” Immortals despite having no role in the War.

Tanis took them around the corner of the Spire and into one of the elaborate maze gardens that surrounded its east side. She led them unerringly to a secluded central portion before she stopped walking and flung herself around to stare at all of them. Her right hand flew up and she pointed at the center of Fiona’s chest.

“You! You will explain yourself!” Tanis hissed. “Are you an Eyros? Do you think to mimic my Mistress’ voice and command me?”

“If you really thought that, you wouldn’t have brought us here,” Grayson said as he loosely crossed his arms over his chest. “You know the truth, Tanis. Though I’m sure you’re wondering how it could be true.”

Tanis’ eyes flickered to Grayson and her brow furrowed. “You sound like… I don’t understand any of this! Tell me who you are!”

That last was asked of Fiona, but she meant all of them. Fiona allowed a smile to cross her lips. She let the emotions she had held back upon seeing Tanis openly fall across her face. She stepped towards her first fledgling even as Tanis took a step back. Fiona stopped.

“You know who I am, Childe,” Fiona said. “No matter what I look like or sound like or even if I’ve been taken from you by death, you know it’s me.”

Tanis shook her head violently. “No, no, it can’t be you! That monster Weryn ripped you into pieces!”

Ryder’s head lowered. Fiona reached over and touched his shoulder. Tanis saw both actions and more alarm filled her features as she realized that maybe Fiona wasn’t the only person here that wasn’t who they appeared to be. And Fiona realized then, too, that if they didn’t tell Tanis the full truth that she would likely run off and report all of them. She needed to know all of it. She had to be convinced to take their side. She’d been loyal before Fiona had died so… so it had to work.

“What is going on?” Tanis breathed.

“I would drop the glamours,” Charlie offered, evidently having figured out that the truth needed to be out there, “but I’m afraid you wouldn’t recognize them anyways. They have different bodies in the future. Because, well, as you did say, Wyvern’s was ripped apart.”

“Mine is rotting in a field outside of Lasting,” Grayson added.

“Ashyr?!” Tanis gasped.

“My body is… unused as my soul is stuck in a soul gem in Legion’s pocket,” Ryder added.

“Weryn?!” Tanis recoiled.

“And I, well, I’m still me, but hiding. You know, as one does when there are crazy fanatics running the Vampire World saying that all Immortals are the Devil.” Charlie shrugged apologetically.

“Mirryr?! And you… you…” She pointed that finger at Fiona again, but this time it shook. “You’re…”

“It’s me, Tanis. It’s Wyvern though I go by Fiona now,” Fiona explained.

Tanis covered her face with both hands and her whole body shook. Fiona desperately wanted to go over and take Tanis into her arms, but even the slightest movement had her first fledgling cringing from her. Those hands dropped down to her sides as she clearly thought she needed to keep a close eye on all of them.

“You–you all are–but that’s–you’re together! But you’re enemies! You’re–” Tanis swallowed the rest of her words and put a hand to her forehead.

She began to pace like a caged tigress. Muttering words of disbelief in her ancient tongue. Yet despite all she said and did, Fiona knew that she believed.

Fiona softened her tone some more as she explained, “We come from the future, Tanis. A future where Daemon is awake and things are so much better.”