Page 69

Balthazar let out a bark of laughter. “Excellent!”

“You think they won’t obey me?” Caemorn let a brief frown flash on his face.

“Oh, they will. They absolutely will. But I think each of them had hoped to be top dog instead of you,” Balthazar explained. “You were the Preceptor. Now you’re an Immortal. That’s an upgrade!”

“Yes.”

“I love these one word answers! So elucidating!” Balthazar though still sounded unphased.

“But you love hearing yourself talk far more than me,” Caemorn murmured.

Christian let out a laugh. “Oh, he’s got you there, Balthazar!”

“True, true.” Balthazar was unrepentant. “I am so looking forward to seeing this showdown. Go out front, Caemorn. Meet your people!”

He pushed Caemorn ahead of them, while giggling evilly. Lisette stepped in front of Caemorn. She pointed to the Kaly Palace.

“It’s locked,” she said.

“Yes,” he answered, continuing on with his one word--though very clear--answers, which had Balthazar chuckling.

“Every other palace with the flames lit is open,” she pointed out.

“Yes.”

“The flame is burning above the Kaly Palace.” Lisette pointed to the eternal flame.

“Yes.”

“So, ergo, the Kaly Palace should be open. But it is not,” she said.

“Your point?” Caemorn lifted an eyebrow.

“You are close to King Daemon. You must get us an audience to speak with him. Kaly has, evidently, locked the palace somehow against us,” she said. “Perhaps for some nefarious purpose. Why are you grinning like a cat, Balthazar?” She snapped that last part at the Eyros Vampire.

“No reason. No reason at all.” Balthazar had crossed his arms behind his lower back and swayed like Sophia.

Lisette’s eyes narrowed at him. “I see.” She focused again on Caemorn. “My additional point was that you should not bother trying to get in--though I am surprised to see you here solate--because the palace is closed to us.”

“It is closed toyou,” Caemorn stated and brushed past her.

He left her blinking, but she started after him with Christian and Balthazar trailing behind. He walked up the steps until he was right before the doors of the Kaly Palace. He stared at them for a long moment.

“I told you, Caemorn, that it’slocked. It’s not going to open because of yourego,” Lisette hissed with a wave of her hand in dismissal.

It’s all right, Caemorn,Balthazar’s voice was clear in his mind.Do it. Tell them who you are. It’s time.

There was no amusement or looking for fun in this. It was like someone giving his shoulder a squeeze. Caemorn drew in a deep breath and turned to face his people. At the same moment, the flame on top of the Kaly Palace blazed twenty feet high and there was an audibleclunkas all the locks of the palace opened.

The group of Kaly Vampires in front of the palace had the flames reflected in their eyes as they let out audible gasps. Then those gazes fell to him as the door swung open. Some tried to crowd forward, but Caemorn lifted a hand and they stopped.Confusion furrowed brows and narrowed silver eyes. Pale heads turned to the people beside them to see if anyone else was experiencing what they were, which was them being unable to disobey him. Caemorn’s eyes slid to Balthazar who, with Christian, was standing a step below him. Was he giving a little help? Balthazar looked at him blandly. Perhaps too blandly.

“What’s going on here, Caemorn?” Lisette asked as she moved to the head of the Kalys. “You’re not the Preceptor any more.”

“I am not,” Caemorn agreed with her.

“Kaly is your Master and you served him closest of all! So you shouldhardlybe in charge of anything,” Lisette listed off all of the reasons why he was unworthy to be here.

“All correct,” Caemorn continued to agree with her even though there were caveats now that he had absorbed Artemis-Kaly and who knew if the soul of the real Artemis could be recovered and placed within that body again. But that wasn’t important to explain quite yet.