Page 7 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 3

Red-Gold

G rayson linked his fingers through Ryder’s as they walked down the moonlit streets of Nightvallen together.

The air was faintly warm and sweet. He heard laughter from Demos and Siban from behind them.

Dani had gone to gather the other Ashyr Vampires to wait for him until after the opening of the Weryn Palace so it was just the four of them.

Grayson tilted his head back and smiled up at the moons and the countless stars.

“It’s always a perfect night in the Ever Dark,” Grayson said. “Even when it rains. Have you experienced one of the really big storms that come in off the Gray Tides?”

“Gray Tides?” Ryder’s brows drew together

Of course, Nightvallen is new to him. He doesn’t remember this place.

“The ocean… which is right there.” Grayson pointed in the direction of the sea.

He could almost hear the waves if he concentrated hard enough.

If he had his vampiric hearing he would have been able to suss them out over the whistle of the wind, the excited exclamations of students, and the greetings of Vampires.

He stretched out his other hand to the side, allowing it to ride the air.

As Ashyr, he’d used his gift to fly. He could do it now.

But he was not supposed to use his powers, not just because someone could see, but because it would drain him. Another human problem.

“It hasn’t rained since I’ve been here,” Ryder confessed. He ran this thumb over the back of their linked hands. “What’s it like?”

Grayson’s smile grew as he explained, “The whole sky comes alive with layers of silver and black clouds. Lightning--blue, purple and gold--streaks across it in huge, interlocking trees of light. They paint the buildings with brilliant colors as the rain washes them clean. The rain itself is cold, but refreshing. It chills the skin almost immediately. And there’s a taste of freshness to it like the first spring on a desert planet.

I’ve sat out on the roof of the Ashyr Palace and just let it fall over me. ”

Ryder gazed down upon him with an almost fascination. “You remember all this?”

“I remember some of it. But far from everything. So far. But more is coming back every minute really,” Grayson admitted. He squeezed Ryder’s hand. “It will for you, too.”

Ryder grimaced. “I’m not so sure I want to remember. Maybe Caemorn and Balthazar have the right idea. Start fresh.”

“You think Caemorn doesn’t remember?” Grayson’s eyebrows lifted.

Caemorn’s face flashed before his mind’s eye. All the times that Caemorn had spoken of the past with such sadness and guilt. Shame was written into every tense line of the Kaly Vampire’s form whenever those times were spoken of. He was simply waiting for someone to call him out on it.

You are the cause it all happened.

You are the cause of the War.

You are the cause of all this death...

But Grayson had meant what he said to Dani.

Kaly had been sick. He had seen it, but his love for Weryn had taken priority.

Maybe it was vain to think he could have helped Kaly like Daemon would have and stopped all this before it had begun.

But he would never know now. That was the past. Some parts of it had to stay there.

Ryder blinked. “You think he does?”

“I don’t think Kaly would allow themself not to know.

Knowing was very important to them. Is very important to him.

That’s why they got into so much trouble,” Grayson explained, as his mind offered him visions of Kaly experimenting on themselves, wanting to go farther than anyone else, not being afraid of what could happen.

“They want to understand all the big questions. I think Daemon has many of the answers they seek, but he… he won’t tell. ”

“Why not?” Ryder asked as they walked around the fountain.

Grayson resisted the urge to use his gift to pick up some of the water and splash Ryder with it. He could imagine that leading to them both getting very wet as they began a water war in the fountain itself. He’d try it later.

“Because Daemon knows that the answers are never as satisfying as the questions,” Grayson answered with a grin. “And there might not be a way to truly express the truth. Words are so inadequate most of the time.”

“They are.” Ryder’s expression was tender. “I could never tell you how I…”

Ryder quickly looked away. Grayson could see his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. Grayson reached up and touched his cheek, turning Ryder’s face towards him.

“I need you to forget what I said yesterday about this all being casual. I said those things, because--”

“Because we didn’t know one another and you didn’t feel--”

“No, I did feel something. I felt something from the moment I saw you. But I was so scarred and scared that I pushed you away first so you couldn’t push me,” Grayson explained.

It was so painfully obvious what he had been doing then. But to Ryder it must have seemed as if Grayson wouldn’t have chosen him again but for the memories.

“So it wasn’t a one-time thing?” Ryder asked. “You liking me?”

There was a grin on his handsome face.

“No, evidently not.” Grayson grinned.

“Just yesterday you didn’t know who you were. But today…” Ryder shook his head. “Not only do you know, but you welcome it. No angst. No apprehension. You’re just so certain that being Ashyr is good.”

“My life this time around was very small, Ryder,” Grayson told him.

“I got to know what it was like to be…” He flattened his lips as he thought of what it had been like to see his father die, to see his mother suffer, to watch his stepfather ruin everything, and all the terrible things that had happened on the streets.

He swallowed and his saliva tasted of bitter bile.

“Weak. One of the villagers instead of a soldier passing through, let alone a general.”

The Weryn Palace was now in sight. The graceful trees that bordered the avenue that led up to it were not dark. There were lamps softly glowing on either side of the white, stone walkway.

“Looks like we’re expected,” Demos called.

“It looks like it,” Ryder agreed, but though there was excitement in his voice, Grayson also heard uncertainty.

Grayson squeezed his hand and started faster towards the avenue. “The palaces change, you know? Each time, they’re a little different. They reflect what we need them to be. Eyros Palace is nothing like it once was.”

“Really? I knew that the rooms in the dorms changed based upon the occupier’s personality, but I didn’t realize how much change there could be,” Ryder answered.

“I wondered why the room was so welcoming and comfortable when it was supposed to be Gregory’s.

Well, I suppose it was never supposed to be Gregory’s.

Seeyr must have known I would come and it was for me all along,” Grayson said, realizing that meeting with her that first night had been more than just chance and a cat in a tree.

He shook his head. He couldn’t wait to see her again.

“Do you think the Ashyr Palace will look like your room then?” Demos asked.

“I don’t know. I sort of…” His eyes darted to Ryder, who was staring at the Weryn Palace. “I don’t know.”

What he had been going to say was that he thought the room might look like what the Weryn Palace resembled: a rustic, but luxurious cabin with plenty of fireplaces, fur blankets and piles of pillows to lounge upon.

But he didn’t want to influence Ryder. He wanted the Weryn Palace to be whatever Ryder wanted it to be this time. Not a place simply to please him.

“I heard others say that when the palace opens that there is a colored flame that appears in the large dish on the roof,” Siban said.

“I’ve heard that too. I wonder what color ours will be.” Demos beamed. “People will see it. They’ll see those flames and know that Weryn is in the house.”

“Yes, they will know,” Ryder whispered.

“Let’s get closer,” Grayson said.

He tugged Ryder after him until they were standing at the top of the avenue. The trees were large and graceful. Their boughs arched over the walkway. Even if there was a downpour of rain, Grayson thought that the trees would keep off most of the rain from anyone beneath their protective branches.

“You’ve been inside, right, Siban?” Demos asked.

But they shook their head. “No, Nightvallen was shut, remember? After King Daemon went to sleep. I was born far after that.”

“Of course.” Demos grimaced. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Until Julian’s parents located Nightvallen just over a decade ago, Nightvallen was lost to us,” Ryder said.

“I guess that’s good. No bad memories here then.” Demos patted Ryder’s shoulder.

“Shouldn’t be,” Ryder agreed, but he wasn’t setting foot on the walkway.

“Grayson, you were inside, weren’t you? As Ashyr?” Siban asked.

Grayson nodded. “But I don’t remember it. It’s strange, if I don’t concentrate on what I want to remember it comes to me. But if I try to reach for it, it slips away from me.”

“It is amazing to me how well you are dealing with this,” Siban said tentatively. “You’ve gone through so much in such a short time.”

“I’ve been saying much the same thing,” Ryder said, refocusing himself on the moment, rather than whatever dark thoughts were occupying him.

Ryder caressed Grayson’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“It’s all right not to remember everything at once.

Not to accept it all. If you don’t… don’t wish to. ”

Grayson nodded. “Thank you, but like I said the other night, I’d rather just let Grayson go and be Ashyr.”

Demos and Siban exchanged worried glances.

“This life was that bad?” Demos asked.

“Yes,” Grayson finally said.

“Badness and failure teach us much,” Siban told him. “My beginnings were not… ideal .” Ryder flinched when they said that, but didn’t contradict or apologize. The past was the past and Siban wasn’t asking for apologies. “But it makes this time--this moment right now--so much sweeter.”