Page 66 of Ever Dark Academy: Volume 6

“Less than out there,” she answered.

Charlie went ahead of them while Khos brought up the rear. Grayson had a momentary panic attack when he saw Charlie’s face. He looked like Artemis. Moved like Artemis. Spoke and intoned like Artemis, but it was Charlie. It was Mirryr. Charlie swept a hand back and Fiona and Ryder suddenly didn’t look like themselves either. Fiona was transformed into an older woman with flaxen hair and a pinched smile. Ryder became a powerful-looking Black man with white hair and steely eyes.

“Here’s the deal, you’re helping me take my new Childe to a safer place where we can… commune. Grayson, look appropriately loving at me,” Charlie told him.

“Ah…”

“Think of Charlie’s face instead of that one,” Ryder told him.

“I can do that,” Grayson laughed softly. He softened his gaze as he thought of Charlie and all his affection for the Mirryr Vampire who had stepped up and done so much for them. “How’s that?”

Charlie lifted an eyebrow. “Quite good! I almost believe you love me.”

“I do love you, Mirryr,” Grayson said. “I mean…”

But Charlie was nodding. “Yes, as I do you, Ashyr. I’m so glad you’re back with us. But now! Remember, I am Artemis. And all obey me.”

The three of them nodded almost in unison. Charlie had transformed so fully into the Kaly Vampire that Grayson could indeed see that note of command in him, different from Charlie’s own command.

Then they were striding through an arched doorway in the back of the room that led them to a long, narrow hallway. It was lit with more of those orange soul gems that cast an eerie, Halloween-like glow everywhere. Grayson frowned as they passed each by, he thought he saw something moving within those gems like larvae in a chrysalis.

Death is yours to control, Ashyr.

Almost immediately, they were met by a group of creeping Kaly Vampires and a dozen armed skeletons. But upon seeing Artemis, they stopped in their tracks, confusion written large on their faces. But suspicion was there, too.

“Artemis!” One of them, a middle-aged woman with a long plait, cried out.

Charlie, in a perfect imitation of the mad boy-Vampire sneered at her, “Gloriana, why are you here?”

“You… you were being attacked!” She cried.

How does Charlie know her name? Grayson thought.

Because I read her mind, Eyros’ voice flickered in and out of his own mind. It was like a badly tuned radio.

Eyros?

It… is… me… gods, it’s you, Ashyr.

Charlie let out a shrill laugh and shook his head. “Oh, that.”

“That?” Gloriana boggled.

Charlie held up two softly glowing soul gems. “You were worried about me. How… quaint.”

Gloriana’s expression soured. Charlie had definitely hit Artemis’ personality perfectly. Abrasive. Arrogant. Alienating. He wouldn’t have used the sickly sweet persona that he had with Grayson with her. He might have claimed to be changed for Grayson, but Charlie was choosing the right attitude now.

“So you took care of the intruders? One of them might have been a Mirryr. How do I know that you aren’t… ah, that you are you?” Gloriana’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

Charlie’s eyebrows lifted. “You think I’m a Mirryr Vampire? You believe that a party trickster could take me out and wear my form?”

“Well, I–”

She got no farther, because every single one of the skeletons in the party she and the others controlled suddenly had turned and pressed their blades against their throats. She went very still as the blade at her throat drew blood. It seemed to Grayson that the Kaly hardly blinked.

“Forgive me, Artemis,” she breathed, or barely breathed.

Holy shit, Grayson thought.