Page 14 of Ever Dark Academy: Volume 6

“No, I realize that.” She swiped a hand through the air. “I am going to burn some of his old things. Just to let it all go. Do I have your permission to do that?”

“Yes,” he said.

The old Weryn would have told her absolutely not. But Lawson had never actually been a threat. He’d just been a poisoned fool. It was hard to remember Lawson as the one that had sired him. But he was actually glad of that.

“I’ll take my leave then and go speak with Demos,” she said.

“Later then,” he answered.

He was not long alone after she walked out the door. He was turning over his feelings about Lawson when he realized that Jack Harrow and Julian were outside his door. The smell of the father–a sort of woodsy, clean scent–flowed into him as there was a knock.

“Weryn?” Julian asked.

“Please come in.”

Ryder stood up. Julian was his prince. Julian came in followed by Jack. The father and son were very alike in many ways. They were both handsome men with trim, athletic builds. They moved with similar economies of motion though Julian had the Vampiric grace. Jace was more rugged than his son, clearly having spent many more years exposed to the sun and wind. Jack Harrow looked exactly like what he was: an adventurer.

“I hope you’re not too busy,” Julian said as they walked inside. “I wanted to introduce you and my dad. Dad, this is Weryn. Weryn, this is my dad, Jack.”

Jack stuck out his hand to shake. It was a firm, confident grip. Jack’s smile was genuine and Ryder immediately liked the man.

“Won’t you both sit?” Ryder offered.

Jack and Julian exchanged a glance. Julian gripped the back of one chair, but then he released his hold. “Ah, I actually have to go. But I know my dad wanted to talk with you if you have time. About the Weryn Bloodline.”

He said his father was considering Weryn.

“Of course, even if I wasn’t free, I’d make the time,” Ryder said genuinely.

Julian beamed. “That’s great. I’m so glad. So, Dad,” here Julian looked anxious and was nibbling at his lower lip, “you’ll be okay without me? You’re sure?”

“Yes, son, like I said, I’ll be fine,” Jack assured Julian with a squeeze on the upper right arm.

“You just call me mentally if you need me,” Julian said.

“I will.” Jack smiled indulgently. “But I’m sure I'll be perfectly safe and have everything I need here.”

“Oh, I know, Ryder will take care of everything, it’s just…” Julian ducked his head and cleared his throat. “When you’re done, just call and I’ll come get you.”

“All right, Julian. I will,” Jack promised.

Julian reached for the door handle, but then grimaced. “Daemon wants me to practice teleporting. Do I have your permission, Ryder?”

“You do.”

Julian’s purple eyes closed and within a moment, the young man was gone. Both of them looked at the empty space.

“I cannot get used to that,” Jack admitted.

“To be honest, neither can I,” Ryder agreed.

The two of them then smiled at each other and sat down.

“By the way, would you prefer to be called Ryder or Weryn? Everyone seems to use them interchangeably and so–”

“You can call me either. But Ryder is fine. Weryn feels formal,” Ryder told him.

Jack nodded and he could almost see the man filing that away for later. “I know Julian told you about my interest in the Weryn Bloodline.”