Page 42 of Ever Dark Academy: Volume 6

“How big are these forms?” she asked.

“Massive,” he admitted with a smile. “Think dinosaur-type massive. We will need to get out of this forest for me to shift otherwise my new body alone won’t fit, not to mention my wingspan.”

Fiona blinked at him. “Wow.” Then she grinned. “I admit I’m sort of looking forward to seeing this. And you’ll be big enough for us to ride on your back?”

“I’ll carry Khos in my claws, but yes, you two will have to ride on my back,” he said.

“You don’t think that will be a little obvious?” Charlie asked. “Two Vampires riding on a magnificent winged beast? Sounds like a fantasy movie or some such!”

“Well… it won’t be exactly subtle,” Ryder admitted. “Kaly might think that I’ve taken Khos for food, but you two…”

“But two Vampires riding you? I suppose if you flew high enough maybe no one would notice.” Fiona tapped her chin.

“I was thinking it might be better to stay low so that we’re less noticeable to anyone in the city. Kaly might assume that this dead army is enough to keep most out,” he admitted.

“Low is better,” Charlie agreed, looking a little anxiously up at the sky.

“You aren’t afraid of heights, are you, Charlie?” Fiona teased.

“Me? Ha! Never! I just like the ground more,” he muttered.

“If we hunker down on your back, maybe no one will notice us, Ryder,” Fiona sounded unconvinced even as she said it.

“I was thinking of calling a flock to fly with us perhaps to obscure you,” Ryder suggested.

“A giant bird accompanied by a giant flock, that won’t draw attention at all!” Charlie said dryly.

“True, but we have to work with what we’ve got,” Ryder reminded him.

“I am quite aware! But you are forgetting my talents, meager as they may be in comparison to traveling through space and time and turning into a dinosaur,” Charlie sniffed. “I can disguise both Fifi and I. No problem!”

“What?” Fiona stared. “Disguise us both? But how–”

“Fifi, while nothing can compare to your loveliness, I can make you like anyone or anything!” Charlie chorted happily. “So long as you are within my eyesight, no one will notice a thing! I can even do it for short periods when you’re away from me. Give you your own glamour.”

“Not just anyone, but anything?” This time Ryder lifted an eyebrow.

“I assume your massive bird has feathers?” When Ryder nodded, Charlie continued, “We will look like nothing more than additional plumage. Kaly won’t notice a thing!”

“Really?” Fiona gasped.

“I didn’t know the Mirryr could do that.” Ryder admitted with a raised eyebrow.

Charlie coughed into his hand. “Well, not all Mirryr can, but I am quite good with the gift.”

“You must be the best at the gift to do that.” Ryder stared hard at Charlie who colored and began to whistle silently. “Are you trying to tell us something, Charlie?”

“What? No, no, why would you think that?” Charlie feigned all innocence.

“Are you the best at the Mirryr gift?” Ryder pushed.

“Well, I’m the best that I know of! I don’t know everyone even though I do try,” Charlie said.

“Right.”

Ryder let out a breath through his teeth. Was Charlie telling them he was the Immortal Mirryr without telling them he was? But, if so, why was he being so coy yet so obvious at the same time?

I did not kill Mirryr and I do not believe that Kaly did either. They just disappeared sometime during the War. The thought was that someone had taken them out, but what if no one did? What if they just changed their face and walked away only to reappear as a very normal Mirryr named Charlie?