10. SHADOW AND LIGHT

SHADOW AND LIGHT

B althazar and Christian walked arm-in-arm to the Eyros Palace. His Master chatted gaily about everything they were seeing, admiring every single building, and remarking how pleasant the weather was. Everything about Nightvallen was perfect and charming and exactly as Balthazar had thought it would be. And could Christian believe that this was going to be their home? Yes, he could believe it. Yes, it was deserved.

It was clear that Balthazar was still amazed at what he perceived as his good luck rather than his good acts. Christian just held onto him a little tighter as he realized that. Balthazar kissed him, hardly stopping in his flow of compliments for the place.

Christian loved to hear Balthazar just talk without any sort of panic or displeasure. He truly was joyous and a joyous Balthazar was a thing to see. Christian could feel Balthazar's rising excitement though as they neared their ultimate destination: the Eyros Palace. Would he recognize it? Would it feel like home? Or would he long for his beloved Ravenscroft Manor? Christian thought that he would love both and he felt greedy that he would be the first person to see Balthazar's amazement.

His parents had remained behind with Elgar. They were eager to see the Eyros Palace, too, of course. His father was already starting to wander to get a closer look at that building or another fountain or was that a library over there? A courthouse? A temple?

His mother had to keep a firm hold on his arm to keep him from disappearing into the maze of streets in Nightvallen. There was so much to see. So much to learn. Christian could well imagine what the Harrows, natural adventurers, must have thought. Even his mother, who liked nothing more than reading history and about exotic destinations, had started to lose track of herself as she gazed between slats of several shuttered windows or ran a hand along a statue's smooth marble leg. The Eyros Palace would, undoubtedly, be more spectacular than these things they were seeing and it would, of course, have more meaning.

But both his parents understood that it was important for Balthazar and him to see the Eyros Palace alone first. Really it was important for Balthazar to experience it first, while Christian was just along for the ride. But what a ride it was.

"I cannot wait to see the expressions on some people's faces when they look at Nightvallen!" Balthazar enthused with a little bit of childish glee in his voice. "It makes the other Ever Dark cities look like pissant villages! And they thought they had the best! Bah!"

"You have a city of your own, too, don't you?" Christian realized as they strolled past a long, rectangular building with graceful lines and balconies with overflowing greenery. The sweet scent of night flowers perfumed the wind.

Balthazar blinked. "I suppose I do! I'll have to ask Daemon about that." He shook himself. "But I'll want to stay here most of the time, of course. This is where the action will be. Can you imagine the President of the United States staying in one of these homes? Members of the European Union will have a space, too! Every single nation on Earth will want to be here and speak to Daemon for just a moment."

"And he'll be relying on you to sort the wheat from the chaff." Christian smiled broadly.

"Yes! I'm going to be very busy." Balthazar's grin dried up for a moment. "Damn. I am going to be very busy."

Christian laughed as Balthazar did like his indolent time. "Yes, you are. With great power comes--"

"Don't say it! Don't you dare say that line! Because it just tires me thinking about it!" Balthazar dramatically threw back his head, but he was still smiling, as he thought about the work ahead.

"The fact that they sent military people after us in a violent action isn't a very good start, is it?" Christian mused, feeling grateful the attack had come at night instead of the day.

But Balthazar just shrugged. "I'd rather open hostilities than hidden ones. If Kaly hadn't forced Daemon's hand early, we could have planned for what the human responses would be. Attacks would have been at the top of my list. What humanity does not understand, it wants to control or destroy. Tonight's attack was a little of column A and column B mixed all together. As it is, we were lucky that there were no casualties on either side. Nothing like deaths to cause a breach. The cycle of revenge and all."

"Yes, both sides would somehow have to feel that they had avenged those that had died." Christian nodded slowly. "We could point to the fact that the humans attacked us first."

"Ah, but Kaly really struck first!" Balthazar lifted a finger into the air. "The humans just retaliated."

"But they are not on our side," Christian pointed out. "And Daemon--with some small help from all of us--saved as many people as possible."

"That's too much in the weeds right now. A Vampire is a Vampire is a Vampire. That's all the humans can see. Trust me. Tribalism is and will be strong," Balthazar told him. "And if there is a way for each side to misunderstand each other, it will be found. It is good that Daemon is not easily offended."

"I wonder how long he'll let the conflicts go on though," Christian said.

"That is a question. His ideas of time are strange compared to ours so we shall see."

"What happens when we are exposed to sunlight?" Christian realized he didn't know. He hadn't asked. He'd just assumed they would burn up.

"Yes, it's what you think," Balthazar said sheepishly. "In time, the burning becomes less severe, but any one of us in the sunlight for a long length of time… ashes, ashes, we all fall down."

Christian shivered. "Good to know."

"Somebody will create some kind of sunlight weapons in the future to work against us, I would imagine. It's odd really that we can withstand certain UV lights. I'm not a scientist, but I would have thought they would have burned us, too, but no," Balthazar remarked with another shrug, seemingly quite at peace with the idea that people would plot to burn them to their Second Deaths.

"You know too much about people's true natures to expect anything less out of them," Christian realized.

"Unfortunately, reading people's minds gives you an understanding of people that makes little surprising," Balthazar agreed with a faint nod of his head. "We're going to see a lot of ugliness in the near future, Christian. I want you to be prepared for that."

Christian considered this. "I suppose there will be. Religious people will have a hard time with this. Though some of what we know does support certain religions. Like reincarnation. The existence of a soul. The presence of another world after this one."

"Yes, but as much as we will be able to confirm that is good ," and here Balthazar made air quotes with his free hand, "it will also confirm, for some, the bad ."

"Such as demons?"

"Absolutely!" A firm nod.

"The Devil?"

"Yes, and Daemon will be seen as him in many eyes." Balthazar again nodded. "We'll be seen as tests from God. Will you take your pleasure here in this life or join the Almighty in the next? Are we lost souls? Are we fallen angels here to tempt people? Even the good things we confirm--that there's something more--may cause a spate of suicides. There will be those who simply realize that leaving this life isn't giving much up if they have an eternal one."

Christian was repelled at the idea, but it had merit. "If they are in pain or given a bad start and can't get out wouldn't suicide seem okay? Even a good thing?"

Balthazar's forehead furrowed. "I was born in a time when suicide was an ultimate sin. Even now, it churns my stomach and I wouldn't want anyone to do that to themselves. But yes, I suppose it changes the calculus, doesn't it?"

"I really have to talk to Caemorn more about spirits and the other side," Christian murmured as he bit his lower lip. "I hadn't really thought through how it's not just Vampires existing that's going to change things. The things we know will utterly change things, too. We have to be careful about what we reveal and when."

"And you, Speaker to the Dead, will be very important in all of that," Balthazar said with a rather wry expression. "You will have to be the go-between for the religious and the scientific and many in between."

Christian blinked rapidly. "My skill set is ill-suited for this!"

"What?" Balthazar gave him a small, confused smile.

"Balthazar, whoever explains this to people has to be able to read them. Have a good report with them. At the best of times, I wish to crawl out of my skin when there are too many people I do not know in a room," Christian struggled to explain. "I do not make people feel at ease."

He'd never had much trouble expressing himself with Balthazar, but the Eyros Vampire was so non-judgmental. And likely since Balthazar could read people incredibly well--not just their minds, but their body language, all of it--he'd always known just how far to push Christian and when not to. There was always the gentle touch on his back when Christian started to get tense. Or the warm embrace of his mind when Christian wanted to flee. Balthazar did things for him, without seeming thought, to make Christian be his best, at least in the realm of dealing with people.

"Hmmm, that is an interesting perception of yourself. One that is completely false by the way," Balthazar told him. "Oh, not about how you feel . What we feel is what we feel, and is legitimate. But you actually make people feel quite calm."

"I can't believe that." Christian shook his head. "Julian is always running interference for me. I accept that this is part of myself."

"Julian is a more outgoing person, yes. He's a natural in front of the camera," Balthazar agreed. "But you really experience everything that other people are feeling. It's because you feel it so deeply that it can become a burden to you at times. But you understand people and take on their emotions. That's how you were able to help Elgar. He is a basketcase and yet, with you, he is a kitten."

Speaking of kittens, Meffy mewed piteously at being jostled. Balthazar gave the kitten a head kiss.

"Elgar is so diffident." Christian shook his head and couldn't help the smile that crept across his lips as he spoke of his elder Blood Brother. "He tries not to take up any space in a room. He fades to a shadow. Helping him is like helping myself a decade ago."

"Exactly! You understand him and what he needs!" Balthazar slapped his thigh.

Another angry mew. Another head kiss. Christian began to wonder if Balthazar was being too loud to disturb the kitten on purpose only to sooth the little black furball.

"I would like a kiss too," Christian said.

A lifted eyebrow and he got one on the mouth that was long and sweet.

Take that, Meffy!

"You are not jealous of the kitten that you insisted I get, are you, Christian?" There was a mischievous twinkle in Balthazar's eyes.

"That would be absurd and illogical," Christian said quietly even as he gave the kitten a narrow-eyed glance. "Just make sure he doesn't hog the bed tonight. His little feet dig into me and--what?"

"He weighs like two pounds, if that, and he's able to push you around?" Balthazar looked ready to burst out laughing.

"Cats take up quite a bit more room than it would seem physically possible, but they do," Christian told him, knowing it was nonsense and yet was true. "But enough about your shadow! Let's go back to humanity."

"If we must." But Balthazar looked happy enough to discuss anything and everything.

"It won't be just religious people, but scientists that will be affected," Christian pointed out.

"Oh, yes! They are going to flip their lids at the possibilities of Vampire blood, aliens, after all, Immortals really are aliens, aren't they? And so much more. The Ever Dark and the gates will throw them for loops. Not that we'll let them look too closely at that," Balthazar said.

"Moonfall is out of time. That will completely rock them," Christian said.

"It rocks me," Balthazar confessed.

At that moment, they rounded a corner and the Eyros Palace was before them. They both stopped dead in their tracks. It was a crescent-moon shaped structure with the palace curling around a spectacular half-enclosed courtyard. A central path led to a grand staircase that reached glass and silver doors, which were open as if waiting for them to walk inside.

The palace was five stories tall with each floor slightly reduced in scale from the one below it. There were french-style doors everywhere leading out to wide beautiful terraces with places to sit or even lay down.

Like with Ravenscroft Manor there were flowers everywhere. Most of them appeared similar to roses, but the colors were deeper. They flooded planters and hung off of the edges of the terraces. They fell in luxuriant waves across some of the doorways. The Eyros Palace seemed to be made of as much stone and glass as flowers.

Dark purple and crimson blooms lined that central path to those front doors. Delicate lamps, which looked to be made out of spun glass, were hung on silver poles at even intervals, casting a clear light, to illuminate their way to that entrance. Christian went near one to see if there was a bulb inside, but instead he saw something that flitted and glowed inside a crystal prison. No electricity here.

"Do you see this? What do you suppose is inside? Something alive?" Christian asked as he turned towards Balthazar.

Balthazar had stuffed his face into one of the rose-like flowers and was breathing in deeply. Meffy was practically yowling as he was going to lose his perch. His sharp kitten claws, however, were keeping him from tumbling onto the path. Christian bit his inner cheek as, for at least a moment, Meffy was ignored for a rose.

Balthazar rose up though and easily adjusted the kitten. His eye lids were at half mast. He looked almost dreamy, perhaps even drunk, on the scent of these flowers. Considering the amount of them, Christian had thought that their scent would be overwhelming, but they merely released a slight sweetness into the air that was incredibly pleasant.

"I remember planting these," Balthazar drawled. "I'd found them out in the Ever Dark, on a rare little hillock, and I brought some back with me. They were so lovely. Their scent was so pleasing that I had to have them near me at all times."

"I think you accomplished that." Christian gestured to the palace. "Your home is, essentially, a planter."

Balthazar tipped his head back and laughed. "Yes, I see what you mean. Seeyr did tell me I was taking it to an extreme. That I would have to manage my obsession."

"They might need a little cutting back, but really they give some privacy. The Eyros Palace looks to be mostly glass," Christian remarked as he realized that there were floor to ceiling windows in almost every single, outer room of the palace.

Balthazar slung an arm around his shoulders. "It was to represent how nothing is hidden from the Eyros. I might have gone a little overboard there, too. But there's plenty of curtains."

"Well, there--oh! Caemorn! What are you… oh…" Christian stopped in mid-sentence.

The Kaly Vampire skidded to a halt. He wasn't out of breath, but it was clear he had been running full speed to get to them. The lumbering skeleton bear was racing after Caemorn's lean form. Caemorn's silver eyes were wild. It took an effort for him to compose himself and then he was all deadly serious. He strode up to Balthazar and extended his hands as if to be placed in handcuffs.

"You must imprison me," Caemorn said to Balthazar.

"What? I--we were just--what?!" Balthazar's eyebrows rose for a moment but then he realized what the matter was and looked sheepishly at Christian. "He figured it out. That's he's Kaly."

"Yes, I suppose that was to be expected. Going back to the Kaly Palace and--oh, you left yourself a note!" Christian read from Caemorn's mind. "But the note didn't really explain things. But it did clue you in and you don't remember much yet."

"You are not surprised that I am Kaly." A frown and furrowed brow adorned Caemorn's face.

"Uhm, no, you… we met you in Moonfall. You explained a little of what was to come. Julian and I wanted to tell you right away, but so much was going on," Christian said with a lame shrug. "Daemon and Julian were going to talk to you about it tomorrow. But I guess you figured it out. Some of it anyways."

The skeleton bear let out a mournful sound when Caemorn pushed its head away from his leg. It had been snuffling his pockets as if looking for treats of some sort.

"I do not understand. If you know who I truly am, why did Daemon not imprison me himself like Artemis?" The frown on Caemorn's face had deepend. "You need to lock me up--"

"Why do we need to lock you up exactly? Your thoughts are not clear on this, and I'm not seeing any reason to," Balthazar said.

"Caemorn, you're not like the other Kalys. I mean they aren't like you ," Christian strove to explain. "You're the original. You're the main one. The core ."

"That is hardly comforting, Christian. I would expect the moment I recall myself to become as mad as all the others. Perhaps more so," Caemorn remarked and his pale hands shook for a moment. "While I still have control of myself, you need to imprison me and--"

"You're not crazy!" Christian cried. "All of this, everything that's happened, has been a plan between you, Seeyr and Eyros."

Caemorn was staring, unblinking, at him and his mind was completely unreadable in that moment. His silver eyes flickered to Eyros.

"Christian would not lie to me, but he might misunderstand. He would wish to think well of me. You, however, would not be so kind, Balthazar," Caemorn stated. "What is the truth of it?"

Balthazar plucked one of the loveliest purple flowers and came over to Caemorn. He put the flower in the top buttonhole of Caemorn's jacket. He tilted his head to the side, adjusted the flower, straightened Caemorn's jacket, and then stepped back.

"The truth of it is that you, Seeyr and I put together an insane plan, but it seems to have worked to stop the other Kalys and bring Daemon back," Balthazar told him. "You aren't going to go crazy, because you weren't crazy when you had all your memories. You made a mistake. You needed help fixing it. And we're doing that."

"But the others--"

"I would imagine that they are unstable because they are not wholly you," Balthazar said. "I can feel an innate difference between you, say, and Artemis."

"Artemis," Caemorn hissed.

His head had shot back towards one of the avenues that they had come down. Artemis, chained and otherwise restrained, was between Elena, William and Ridley. The pale, blond Vampire froze as he saw Caemorn.

"Caemorn, don't do anything rash," Balthazar counseled as he, too, looked at Artemis.

But Christian felt something deep and dark in Caemorn--the Immortal in him--rise up like a phoenix. Rage at being oppressed. Rage at being at the whims of this creature that was but a shadow of him. Rage at this monster for going against his king.

Artemis, who had turned Caemorn and who had seemingly had no idea who Caemorn was, at least until now , actually cowered. He shifted in the chains that were around his wrists, ankles and throat. He tried to stand up and appear unconcerned, but those silver eyes were filled with fear. Elena, Ridley and William exchanged a look between them. Balthazar made a gesture for the three of them to move away from Artemis.

" You ," Caemorn growled.

Artemis tried to give a confident smile, but it withered on the vine. "Me… I… Caemorn…"

"What's my name?" Caemorn asked.

Caemorn seemed to grow in stature all of the sudden. He was tall but he seemed bigger than before. His shadow stretched longer. His coat began to flutter around him in an unseen wind as he took one step towards Artemis.

"I am your Master. Your name is whatever I give you," Artemis tried to sound commanding, but his voice was reedy and thin.

"What is my name?" Caemorn repeated.

He advanced another few steps. Now, not only his shadow, but all shadows grew longer. The light retreated between him and Artemis to a thin line that illuminated a path between them. Christian thought he saw one of those silvery strings that connect souls. Christian reached for Balthazar's nearest hand and clutched it. Balthazar held his hand just as tightly.

"You are behaving foolishly, Caemorn!" Artemis' voice was now shrill. "I wouldn't come near me, if I were you!"

Caemorn, of course, did not listen to a word Artemis said, but was now just two feet from the other Kaly Vampire. He loomed over Artemis who was striving not to cower, but failing miserably at it.

"I'll tell you my name," Caemorn stated in that cold, dreadful voice. His silver eyes glittered and the silver cord between him and Artemis quivered.

"No," Artemis whispered and clutched the center of his chest where the cord was connected. "No, you can't. You can't!"

"My name is Kaly and I rule you!" Caemorn proclaimed.

He reached forward and touched Artemis' forehead. There was a wail that shook the ground. A shockwave exploded out from the slender, child-like figure. There was a burst of silver light. Caemorn absorbed the light.

Artemis still stood there for a moment.

And then toppled over in a lifeless heap.

The shadows returned to normal. Christian felt he could breathe again. He took a step towards Caemorn's back.

"Caemorn?" Christian called.

The Kaly Vampire's mind was curiously smooth and blank. It was a shield, Christian realized, that was keeping him out. He felt like making a mournful sound like the bear made now as it once more nudged Caemorn's thigh.

"Caemorn?" Christian called again.

Balthazar tugged him back as he'd taken another step towards the still, silent figure.

"No! We can't let him feel alone now, Balthazar! He has to know that he's still our friend!" Christian cried.

Instead of trying to break free of Balthazar's grip, he dragged the Eyros Vampire towards Caemorn. Just as they were a few feet away, Caemorn swung around. His expression was mild, but blank. He was hiding all of his feelings.

"You said you didn't think I was crazy, Balthazar," Caemorn said. "But you look a little concerned."

"Well, I didn't expect you to suck the crazy in." Balthazar tilted his head towards the body. "Are you… are you all right?"

Caemorn lifted an eyebrow. "I am quite fine."

"Caemorn! Don't!" Christian reached for him.

Caemorn tried to withdraw, but Christian was too quick for him and caught his right forearm. He felt a flash of warmth and warning from the Kaly Vampire.

"Christian, I think--"

"Don't," Christian said with a violent shake of his head. "Don't leave us like this. Don't retreat. Don't pretend you don't need us too."

"You need me? I don't think--"

"We do," it was Balthazar who spoke. "Caemorn… or do you want to be called Kaly now?"

"I…" Caemorn swallowed and, for a moment, his mask slipped. "You can call me whatever you like."

"Christian, you told me that you didn't know how to reach people. But here's another of your lost lambs that needs you," Balthazar said with a small smile.

"Lost lambs?" Caemorn's eyes flared a little.

"Ignore him about that!" Christian searched Caemorn's face. "Open your mind."

"Christian--"

"Open. Your. Mind. I want to show you something. I want to share something with you. I think I can do it," Christian said.

"I'd do as he asks, Caemorn," Balthazar chuckled. "He'll never leave you alone until you do."

Christian felt Caemorn's mind open just a little, ready to receive, but not give information. Christian closed his eyes and shared the memory of meeting Caemorn in Moonfall. He shared the clear friendship between him, Julian and Caemorn. He shared Caemorn's evident love and trust. He shared his power and the knowledge that Caemorn was Kaly and was content.

Christian gasped as he felt a wave of dizziness hit him as the memory ended and he disengaged from Caemorn's mind. Balthazar caught him and held him upright. He opened his eyes. Caemorn's expression was no longer blank. The cold, still expression was gone from his face. Confusion and longing were there.

"Is that true? Yes, it is, but I…" Caemorn shook himself. "I have to be open to it."

"That is the future," Christian told him. "You're Kaly and everything is fine. You're not a monster."

"I wouldn't go that far, Christian," Caemorn said with a faint, yet sad smile. "But I use what I am to keep you and Julian safe."

The bear nudged Caemorn again, but this time, he patted its head. He straightened and shook himself. He looked a bit lost.

"Come on, we need to check out the Eyros Palace," Balthazar said to him. "And I'm betting that you won't be satisfied with the rooms I pick." Caemorn glanced back at the body that had once housed a piece of him. Balthazar said to the other three, "Pick that up and… well, put it somewhere for now. We'll deal with it later."

"I should go back to the Kaly Palace," Caemorn said, but he didn't sound like his heart was in it. "I--"

"Need to be among friends," Balthazar said and clapped his shoulder. "That can wait."

Caemorn lifted an eyebrow, but then his gaze went to the Eyros Palace. He looked at it critically. "You are right. I need to pick my room. You'd pick something too exposed."

"Eh, what's hidden from an Eyros? Nothing." With one glance back at Artemis, Balthazar added, "Remind me not to make you angry, Caemorn."

Caemorn smiled at him. "You do all the time, Balthazar."

"Well, not that angry then," Balthazar huffed.

That smile grew. "Never, my friend, never."