Page 51 of Ever Dark Academy: Volume 6

As long as I inhabit that form! Charlie enthused, but then brought his fingers together as if he were telling the itsy-bitsy spider tail to a child. Now the thing is that if one hasn’t studied how to use the gift, it’s not exactly flawless or anything. I’ve loved using Ashyr’s gift. Even got to float myself once! Oh, and I had a Weryn form for a time. I turned into the absolutely most adorable fox. Such a fluffy tail!

Wait, Charlie, if you can touch a Vampire and get their skills, why don’t you just copy me and use my gift to teleport us in and out to rescue Grayson? Fiona asked.

It doesn’t really work very well when I touch a fellow Immortal and I have a feeling with your gift on the fritz, mine would be too. I’m mirroring you, dear girl, Charlie explained with a shrug.

Ah, yes, then not a plan then. Fiona lifted her head. So we go with our original one. Ryder, you fly us over. We find a Kaly, club them over the head, drag them to Charlie, he glamourizes all of us then we find Grayson, overcoming whatever Kaly are guarding him and then… oh, yes, get to the Destiny gate which Eyros unlocks that and then we go to Destiny, leaving our enemies behind! Once we get there, we’ll need to figure out time travel… hmmm, did I leave anything out?

When she listed it off like that, it didn’t seem exactly an easy plan to pull off.

I know it sounds complicated and messy, Charlie said, and it will be. But don’t overthink it. I find that if you just go with the flow, people ignore you. Act confidently and they’ll believe you belong. Don’t hunch or creep or anything like that. Just stride along all bold-like.

You’re going to have to be exceedingly bold to pull this off, Eyros sounded amused. Then he sobered as he added, Grayson believed in Seeyr.

What do you mean? Fiona asked.

That whatever’s happening is meant to happen, Eyros answered. So all of this isn’t an accident or a trick of fate. You’re supposed to all be here. I’m supposed to help you. And somehow, someway, it will all work out.

Death Everywhere

“No,” Grayson whispered at Artemis’ words about turning him, too shocked to yell.

“This is happening, Ashyr. You and I will be connected forever,” Artemis said, his hands lightly stroking over Grayson’s thighs.

“No!”Grayson growled and tried to shove Artemis back from him, but it was as if he were trying to move a mountain with a feather. Artemis didn’t budge an inch.

Artemis nodded. “I know you are distressed right now. You think that you’d be better off if that psychopath Weryn turns you–”

“He’s not a psychopath!” Grayson shouted.

A one-shouldered shrug. “Perhaps not this time around. But one wonders what will happen if he has another emotionally catastrophic moment if he won’t flip right back to what he was at the height of the War.”

“It’s your fault that he became that way,” Grayson said through gritted teeth.

“You don’t really believe that.” Artemis shook his head. “Stop acting like a lover and be the General we both know you are! The cold-eyed, hard-hearted Ashyr! The Immortal who isn’t afraid to see us all clearly. You know that there is a weakness in the Soldier. Without you holding his leash, that weakness will overcome him–”

“It won’t. But even if it does–even if you are overcome by your own weakness–I will be there to help you,” Grayson said, meaning it.

“How good of you even as you now refuse to even consider a union with me!” Artemis tossed his pale blond head as if truly hurt by this.

“Artemis, I have chosen another. I–”

“But not one of your own Bloodline. You wouldn’t even consider your beloved Dani. Broke her heart.”

Considering his discussion with Dani had been in the Weryn Palace that worried him that Artemis knew about it. “How do you know that? Did one of your Eyros forms tell you?”

Perhaps Dani had spoken to another about it.

“No, please. I know, because I’m everywhere the dead are, Ashyr. I listen through every rotted ear. I see through every dead cataract-clouded eye. I am death. I am eternal. I am always and forever even in Nightvallen,” Artemis explained.

“You have truly stretched the limits of your power then, haven’t you?” Grayson shook his head. “I should not be surprised. You have always been a seeker, a delver, never satisfied.”

“And you’re not? You were the one to create the Blood Armors and imbued them so that they would wrap around each of us.” Artemis moved his hands over his slender shoulders. “Ah, I see that you are truly disturbed by the youth of this form. I am too small for your tastes. But you must not worry! I can change my forms the way other people change clothes! We’ll find a form you especially like and I’ll take it. Just for you.”

Grayson had a hideous moment of imagining him and Artemis strolling through a street on Earth at night. Maybe Paris, London or Rome. A beautiful man–who looked suspiciously like Ryder–would be at a table, laughing with friends, drinking wine or a beer. His eyes would slide to Grayson as Grayson allowed himself to be noticed and there would be desire there. He’d feel Artemis’ light hand on his arm and would look down. There would be a knowing smile there.

“Him?” Artemis would ask.

“Yes, him.”