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You were afraid to tell me that you let them go. Our boys. Our Children, Balthazar’s voice caught.

Yes.

Caemorn told them where to go. He didn’t want to leave that choice to us. He thought it cruel, Balthazar paused then added,I attacked him without knowing that.

You were upset.

I shouldn’t have done that in any case.

I appreciate… his actions in this. I would never have been able to do it,Daemon admitted.

But you did.

Only because Julian and Christian had the determination and knowledge to go ahead with it,Daemon admitted.I cannot go on without Julian.

You won’t have to. They will come back. They will, Balthazar tried to put force and belief in his voice.

I will remain here for them. As soon as they return, I will bring them to the house,Daemon stated.Forgive me for this, Balthazar.

There’s nothing to forgive,Balthazar assured him.

Balthazar opened his eyes and said to the others, “Daemon’s waiting. Waiting for the boys to come back through. He… he let them go. He could have stopped them, but… this had to happen. I don’t know if he’ll survive this if Julian and Christian don’t return.”

“If they had not gone, the whole of the world would fall,” Seeyr said as Sophia patted her, recognizing the heavy weight her mistress carried in her truth telling.

It comes down to our two fledglings… good God...

“They have to come back. Tell me that they will come back, Seeyr,” Balthazar demanded.

“I can’t.” She lowered her head. “It’s a turning point and I cannot see beyond it until there is a choice made. Moonfall being out of time makes thismoredifficult.”

“So we justwait?” Balthazar asked. “What is this choice? Who is making it? Can we convince them somehow from here to come down in our favor?”

Seeyr opened her mouth. He could almost see her lips forming the word “no” but then she stopped. Her head lifted, and though her eyes were still missing or regenerating beneath a bandage, appeared to be seeing all of them. Then the faintest smile appeared on her lips. She murmured, “Actually… we already have.”

“How can that be?” Caemorn frowned. “Unless time… ah, but...”

The Kaly Vampire went silent, stroking his chin, his mind was a whir, but Balthazar was simply too tired to go through the twists and turns of Caemorn’s consciousness to find out what he was thinking.

“My head hurts, Seeyr. Can you not just speak plainly?” Balthazar practically begged.

“I’m sorry, Balthazar, but I cannot say more. Just know that you’ve done everything you can to make the decision coming in our favor,” Seeyr answered.

Balthazar’s right knee started to jump up and down. He couldn’t sit still. But he was too exhausted to get up. The whine in his mind was back. He kissed Meffy’s fuzzy head to self-soothe.

“I suppose there’s no chance of you actually resting, though you really need it,” Fiona said quietly as she stood and stretched.

“No, I can’t. Not until they’re back,” Balthazar said.

There was a sudden knock on the door. It was Ridley. Her mind was awash in anxiety and excitement. A flood of her thoughts came to Balthazar. Men and women with guns. Black helicopters. Grenades. UV flash bangs. Even garlic, crosses and stakes. Balthazar laughed at the last.

The FBI were going to be outside House Ravenscroft in minutes, and, evidently, they believed in Vampires after all.

CHANGE

Julian blinked at his best friend as he said, “Caemorn is…”

“Kaly. Yes, I am, Julian. Won’t you two come down?” Caemorn gestured for him and Christian to jump down from the cliff. “That wall is going to shake apart soon. It’s not safe. Not that you’ll be hurt, but… still. It’ll be easier to talk as well if you’re down here.”