18. MOONFALL

MOONFALL

"P lease tell me that you didn't interrupt Julian and Daemon making love, Balthazar!" Christian said quietly as they waited in his best friend's suite while the two lovers bathed.

He, Balthazar and Caemorn were waiting in the living area while Daemon and Julian showered and made themselves presentable. Balthazar had just told him the circumstances in which he had found Christian's best friend and the Vampire King.

"Well, I…" Balthazar kissed Meffy's head, likely to avoid answering.

"You did! Oh, my God!" Christian pinched the top of his nose.

Christian had been so relieved that Balthazar had started to feel more himself that he'd started taking charge of the messaging with Rajani instead of yelling at the television and talking to Meffy-- loudly --about every reporter and arguments' shortcomings. And then when they had determined that the soul gems containing the Harrows signatures seemed to always coincide where Artemis-Kaly had been, he had been utterly thrilled to see Balthazar so fired up again.

But…

But then Balthazar had run off and evidently interrupted Julian and Daemon in a more intimate form of communing, Christian had wanted to groan.

"It wasn't that bad. I mean I did wait until they were finished. They just hadn't cleaned up yet." Balthazar shrugged even as he hid behind the kitten.

"Meffy is not going to save you!" Christian cried.

"I don't know, Daemon patted Meffy's head and mine before he teleported him and Julian away to the shower," Balthazar said as he lavished Meffy with kisses.

The other kittens were with Sophia now but whenever Balthazar was free he demanded Meffy be at his side. Not that Meffy seemed to mind. Christian couldn't even get jealous at the lavishing of attention Balthazar gave the kitten because he knew what joy it gave his Master.

"While I applaud your renewed activity," Caemorn said stiffly, "I think you could have waited to report it. We have merely determined that the soul gems' signatures were last with Artemis. We still need to question him. We could have done that and then gone to see King Daemon with more definitive information."

That was exactly what Christian thought.

"I'm his best friend! There are no boundaries here!" Balthazar flapped his hands in the air.

Meffy hissed at the wild movements. Head kisses, pats and chin scratches hardly calmed the irate ball of fur down.

"I want you to reverse the situation. Imagine that Daemon interrupted us while we were making love," Christian began patiently. "Would you be so sanguine about it?"

"He would have a very good reason to, like I did!" Balthazar was not backing down even though his cheeks were the color of a nuclear sunset.

Christian sighed, realizing that it was a bad comparison. Daemon never did things without good reason. He certainly didn't run off with half a plan to interrupt people making love.

"Alright, so he likely would. But Caemorn is right. We've only just established that the soul gems' location and Artemis' location overlapped and never did they come into the seeming possession of any other of Kaly's forms," Christian said. "But it's hardly definitive! We need more than just that before we tell Julian that we know where his parents are!"

Balthazar grasped Christian's shoulders gently. "I know it isn't definite proof. I know that there is a lot more information that both you and Caemorn would like to have before we come to Julian and Daemon about it so we don't raise false hopes."

That was exactly what Christian was afraid of. He had felt Julian's shock and joy the moment that Balthazar had announced what they had found. Christian hadn't been even in the garden and Julian's emotions had felt like a virtual explosion. To let Julian down… He couldn't bear the thought of it.

"Daemon has said in no uncertain terms that I am not to enter Artemis' mind… after what happened. And… and I admit I feel a little…" Balthazar's mouth flattened, " fragile . And while I respect and admire many of my fellow Eyros, I'm just not willing to put this into the hands of anyone else other than Daemon."

Christian's heart clenched. Ever since he had heard about what happened to Balthazar in the Ever Dark, he had been internally panicking about it. Of course, that meant outwardly he showed less emotion than usual. He'd assiduously hidden his feelings from Balthazar, because he knew that would only cause his Master to fall deeper into self-recriminations and regret. But Caemorn had immediately picked up on it.

"Christian, my experience with Masters--and being a Kaly Vampire--likely makes me the last person to advise you, but I know that Balthazar would wish to know if you are upset," Caemorn had said earlier when Balthazar had decided he was going to take charge of things and left the two of them alone. "Balthazar has the interesting character trait that when everyone else is panicking he is calmer. He rises to the challenge when things are a mess."

"I know, but I don't want to put anymore pressure on him," Christian had answered, his hands tightening over his thighs. "Balthazar has had to be responsible for everyone else's feelings and well-being for a long time. He's never really given himself a break. What happened with Kaly has thrown him."

"Part of me wishes to say that it is good for him to be humbled a little bit," Caemorn admitted.

"That's unkind and untrue. He has more self-doubt than you might think," Christian pointed out.

Caemorn's head lowered. "Yes, well, I suppose you might be right at that. He was angry with Kaly. Emotional. I understand that but it did not serve him well in facing off against our Master."

"No, but can you blame him? Think about what Roan Tithe or really Kaly did? To torture him and all of his Blood Brothers and Sisters! To make Balthazar feel unloved and unwanted… well, you of all people know what that was like," Christian pointed out. "Daemon returning has actually helped heal some of the wounds that Kaly inflicted. In addition to his best friend, Daemon is like a Master to him."

"Yes," Caemorn's voice was soft.

"You feel the same way," Christian said gently.

"I--I am not King Daemon's friend," Caemorn replied carefully and fussed with his robes.

"Are you sure about that?" Christian gazed keenly at Caemorn.

Caemorn's forehead furrowed. "I cannot see why he would be friendly with me other than to ensure I try and bring the Harrows back."

"It's not just about that, Caemorn," Christian said. "I know you've been taught to see everything as transactional, but people aren't really like that. Well, most people. Daemon isn't like that. He's giving you a second chance. If you didn't mean more to him than a way to get the Harrows back he wouldn't let you be free like this. He wouldn't have encouraged your friendship with Balthazar."

"Perhaps you are right. We see least of what is right in front of us." Caemorn tossed his patrician head back. "But back to the important bit. You shouldn't hide your feelings from Balthazar, in my opinion. He won't appreciate it and it isn't good for you."

"I will take it under advisement." Christian though knew he would not put more of a burden on Balthazar. He would keep it to himself.

And seeing Balthazar admit that he wasn't up to going head-to-head with Kaly at that moment confirmed his decision. This fragility had definitely made him announce their findings to Julian and Daemon prematurely. Balthazar wanted to act himself, but knew he could not so he had gone directly to the person who could act.

"Was he truly still inside of Julian when you started talking?" Caemorn asked.

Balthazar gave a little smile. "Ah, yes . They were still… Well, it was definitely the aftermath, but yes. I couldn't take the chance of them starting round two, you see."

"You could have contacted him telepathically," Christian pointed out.

"No, no, when he's deep in the moment with Julian, other than his broader senses, he's quite shut off. So barging in was the only way," Balthazar explained.

At that moment, there was a soft knock at the door. Christian sensed Fiona there. He opened it

"I've brought Artemis here from Solace. He's in the cells. Arcius and Elgar have made sure the lock you put on his mind is still intact, Balthazar," Fiona said.

"It is impressive that you still have control of him," Caemorn murmured. "You were very near your Second Death and were unconscious for part of the time."

"I'm using a lot of strength to keep it there." Balthazar shrugged as if to dilute the power of that comment.

Christian's concern skyrocketed for a moment. Could Balthazar fully recover if he was feeding most of his strength in keeping Artemis-Kaly under control? Balthazar cast a sharp look at him, having felt that spike. Christian practiced the lessons he'd learned from counselors to breathe, accept and release his emotions. He sought for that emptied out feeling when he had cleared himself of unwanted anxiety. Balthazar's eyes were narrowed at him. Caemorn noisily cleared his throat, letting Christian know, again, that he should share his feelings.

"Thank you, Fiona," Balthazar said. "I really appreciate all you've done."

She lifted an eyebrow. "You're welcome. And I… well, I appreciate what you've done too."

The door to Julian and Daemon's bedroom opened and the two Vampires came out with wet hair and looked, generally, refreshed. Julian immediately walked over to Christian with shining eyes. Christian's heart twisted a little at the hope he saw there.

"Do we know where they are? Do we really know where my parents are?" Julian sounded breathless.

"We know their last general location. We need Daemon to look into Artemis' mind and confirm where they are exactly," Christian answered carefully. He took Julian's hand. "I don't want you to get too excited. There's still so much we don't know."

Julian nodded, but that broad, hopeful smile was still on his best friend's face so he doubted that Julian was really discounting anything. "I understand. But I know how careful you and Caemorn are. You wouldn't have said so much as you have if you weren't pretty sure."

Christian's eyes slid to Balthazar who had the sense to look a little ashamed.

"I really just didn't want to waste any time in confirming or denying what Christian and Caemorn discovered," Balthazar said. "If this is anything other than a success, the blame is mine. Completely. Utterly. No one else's."

"You take too much upon yourself, Balthazar," Daemon said as he came over and tickled Meffy under the chin.

The battle cat purred so loudly that it likely could be heard in the hallway. Balthazar gave a wan smile.

"I need there to be some good that comes from this," Balthazar admitted. "Kaly has truly made things… well, they have messed things up."

"Kaly is all about change. But they have given us opportunities we might not have had until much later, my friend." Daemon put a hand on Balthazar's left shoulder and squeezed. Christian thought he might scratch his Master under the chin, too as it had such a calming effect on Meffy. "You must not lose confidence in yourself. You faced off against two Immortals at once. And they were the ones that know you best of all."

Balthazar straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin. "Thank you, Daemon."

"So where is this general place that you know to look for my parents?" Julian asked eagerly.

Daemon stiffened before the name of the place was mentioned. Everyone looked at him in concern.

"Moonfall?" Daemon murmured, his eyes burned hotly. "Of course, Kaly brought them there."

"I didn't know the place had a name," Balthazar said. "It's a beautiful name for a terrible place."

"What do you mean?" Julian's eyes narrowed.

"As you know, the gates we enter lead us to cities in the Ever Dark, but the Moonfall gate does not," Caemorn explained as Daemon's gaze was turned inwards.

"So where does it lead?"

"Just wilderness. And, as you know already, Ever Dark wilderness is deadly," Caemorn explained.

"I don't understand. Why can't you sense my parents' soul gems there? You found the general location so--"

"Because they went dark," Christian said. When he saw the alarm fill Julian's face he quickly added, "They weren't destroyed. We're just being blocked from finding them. Kaly hid them somewhere in Moonfall. We need them to tell us where otherwise we could be looking for… well, for a very long time."

"Okay, so we go and make Kaly tell us where he stowed them," Julian said with a nod.

"That's the plan," Christian agreed, but it worried him how Daemon wasn't saying anything. The Vampire King looked downright grim.

"Come, let us go to see what Kaly has to say for themselves," Daemon said softly. "Fiona, would you do the honors and teleport us?"

"Of course, King Daemon," she said.

They gathered around her and she took them deep into the bowels beneath House Ravenscroft. Christian had never been there before and he wasn't sure what he had expected. Modern homes did not have dungeons. He didn't think that before Daemon's return that House Ravenscroft exactly had much cause to keep prisoners of war. But they had managed to put a dungeon together.

They were in a simple concrete room with a drain in the very center of the floor. There were two cells in the room with thick, two inch steel rods that were cemented into the floor and ceiling. Heavy padlocks were affixed to each door. There was also a heavy metal door that likely led into the rest of this lower basement.

In one cell were the Vampires that Caemorn had sent to take out Julian. They came to attention when they saw their erstwhile Preceptor. They hadn't decided what to do with them. It would seem hypocritical to allow Caemorn free while these two remained caged. But while their motivations remained anti-Daemon they weren't safe to let go.

In the second cell sat Artemis-Kaly. His clothes were dirty and there were multiple bruises and cuts on his fair skin. He must have been terribly injured if those still remained after healing for a day. He was seated cross legged in the center of the cell. And though he looked rather beat-up, there was a certain dignity about him. Christian had a moment of deja vu as he realized how similar this was to how Caemorn had acted in the cell in the Spire.

He truly took on all of Kaly's mannerisms. I suppose Caemorn admired Kaly's poise and aped it.

Elgar and Arcius stood at either end of the cage. Christian could feel the power of their minds blocking the area around Artemis-Kaly. Elgar was staring down his skull, running his fingers over the smooth, white dome, while Arcius was staring at Artemis-Kaly, massive arms crossed over his more massive chest..

"It seems that your fledgling, Eyros, has a taste for the dead!" Artemis-Kaly laughed

Balthazar patted Elgar's shoulder. His expression was tender. "He still suffers from what happened in the War."

"I am getting better, Master." Elgar pushed up into Balthazar's hand much like Meffy did.

"Yes, you are," Balthazar said with another pat. He then turned to Artemis-Kaly. "I bet no one mourned you when they thought you died. No one cradled your skull unless they hoped it would give them some power. And if obtaining that power hurt you, I doubt anyone cared."

Artemis-Kaly nodded. That child's beauty was so cold. "I would expect nothing less. Sentimentalism is abhorrent to me."

"Really? When all of this is about how Daemon didn't love you enough?" Balthazar hissed. His temper snapped like a live electrical wire. "We're all here because of your damned tantrum. Daddy didn't love you the way you wanted him to so you're going to smash things. That's what you're doing, Kaly! This isn't some noble quest you're on. This is you simply acting out."

Christian thought that Balthazar really did understand Kaly, but Kaly did not care to see himself that way. Just like Caemorn had said. One did not see what was in front of one's face. Confirming Balthazar's words, Artemis-Kaly steadfastly refused to look at or acknowledge Daemon in any way. For his part, Daemon remained in the background with one arm curled around Julian's shoulders, still appearing grim. Julian was rocking back and forth on his heels. He was trying to hide his anxiety but couldn't.

Balthazar took a deep breath and put his hands on his hips as he regarded Kaly. "You can end this right now. I am betting that--despite everything--Daemon will forgive you. Tell us where the soul gems are. We know you had them last. We even know where you were."

"Yet you still need my help?" Artemis-Kaly's eyes glittered.

"You know why we do," Caemorn's voice was soft, but dangerous. "You've hidden the soul gems somehow from our sight."

"And Moonfall is a little dangerous to go traipsing around. It's huge, you know?" Artemis-Kaly mused. "And there's this terrible gash right down the center of it. The farther you go down, the stranger things you find."

"Where did you put my parents?" Julian asked, his voice tight.

"They're safe," Artemis-Kaly answered. "For now anyways."

"Until one of your other selves picks them up?" Julian quivered with rage.

Christian was the one that heard, or more like felt , something in Artemis-Kaly that alerted him. "No… no, the other selves don't know what he's done. He's kept it secret even from them. In fact, they're angry at all of the secrets you've kept, aren't they, Kaly?"

Artemis-Kaly smiled thinly.

"You're actually competing with yourself ," Balthazar said with a disbelieving laugh. "You can't even work together for the same goals!"

"I am not a very trustworthy person," Artemis-Kaly admitted with no shame. "You see, the others are quite willing to cast me out of the whole, leave me here to whatever kindnesses you're willing to offer. So I must look after myself."

"How lonely that must be," Fiona said with a shake of her head.

"You should know. You've only ever trusted Arcius and he betrayed you," Artemis-Kaly said.

"No, actually I betrayed him," she answered even as Arcius sent a gentle look her way. "You see, I knew what Arcius stood for and I claimed to stand for the same things. But the moment when what I believed counted, I didn't stand beside him, because I was jealous."

"Of good Eyros here? Yes, he is so unworthy but makes friends so easily," Artemis-Kaly mused.

"He is loyal to his friends to a fault," Fiona objected. "Yes, he can be a charming rogue, but I can see now that there's so much more to him. It pains me to think that you and I, Kaly, have anything in common."

"Your gift allows you to fly away, Wyvern. You don't have to stick with anyone," Artemis-Kaly said.

"I've decided to stay ," Fiona answered. "It's the best decision I've made in a long time."

"It's clear that Kaly won't be won over with words," Balthazar said with a disgusted shake of his head.

"Oh, on the contrary, I will tell you exactly where I put the soul gems," Artemis-Kaly said with an almost happy laugh.

"Where?" Julian stepped towards the cell.

Daemon's hand landed on Julian's shoulder to keep him near. "Where are they, Kaly?"

Kaly's smile broadened. "Does it matter, Daemon? Because we both know that Moonfall is the one place you cannot go."