“This is not helping,” she said.
“He started it!” Stark shouted.
“He’s doing it on purpose because he knows he’ll get a reaction from you,” Zoey told him. Then she frowned at Kalona. “Stop it. Now. We need to talk to our school’s Warrior, not a smartass with wings.”
“Then first you should have muzzled your pet,” Kalona said placidly.
“No, first I should have told you there is a Tulsa news crew in the cafeteria filming fledglings being normal kids instead of bloodsucking demons, so we don’t have time to screw around with egos, which means I shouldn’t have to remind you that you are oath bound to protect our school as long as Death is our High Priestess—Thanatos is still our High Priestess; therefore you owe us your oath!” Zoey’s voice went from sounding like an irritated girl to being so filled with the power of spirit that the hairs on Kalona’s forearms lifted and his skin shivered in automatic response. “I’m here asking you a question that has to do with our safety. You will answer me and stop these stupid games.”
Kalona was careful to hide his smile. This was the Zoey he most enjoyed. This was a young, strong High Priestess who was truly fit to wield the power of Nyx.
Kalona fisted his hand over his heart and began to tilt his head in a formal bow, showing the proper respect of a Warrior to a High Priestess. He opened his mouth to speak when a sweet, achingly familiar voice whispered through his mind.
You would do well to remember she is not me…
Kalona’s body jolted as if he’d been touched by a burning brand. He shot to his feet. There he paused, heart pumping, not knowing whether to cry out for joy or fall to his knees and weep. Nyx had spoken to him!
“Kalona? What’s going on?”
The immortal blinked his vision clear to see the three young people staring at him. The males were watching him suspiciously, both having stepped before the Priestess. Zoey was studying him with an expression that almost appeared concerned.
He drew a deep breath. Fisted his hand and, again, bowed formally to her, and then forced his legs to relax and his body to sit. “Your words have shamed me, Priestess. I acknowledge my responsibility for the protection of this school. Please, sit.” His hand shook when he motioned to the chairs that faced the desk. “Ask what you will of me.”
“Okaaaay.” Zoey dragged the word out, clearly not believing his attempt to cover the feelings that raged through him, but she and the young men sat, though they continued to watch him warily. “Here’s the deal,” she said, sounding like an ordinary girl again. “We’re asking you about the basement of the school because we need to know if Neferet knows about it.”
Kalona focused his chaotic thoughts on her question. “Neferet never mentioned a basement to me.”
“Which doesn’t necessarily mean she didn’t know there was one,” Zoey said.
“Actually, it does mean that,” Kalona said. “As you are aware, I have an aversion to being under the earth.”
“So? You two were lovers. Why would she tell her claustrophobic lover about a basement?” Stark said.
“He’s more than claustrophobic,” Zoey said. “His powers are different if he’s under the earth. It’s like the ground drains him. That’s how Neferet forced him to go after me in the Otherworld. She kept him trapped underground. Right?” she asked Kalona.
“Correct. Darkness obeys Neferet. She used it to force my spirit to the Otherworld while I was too weak to fight her.”
“Hey, let’s be real clear here—Neferet might have trapped you and forced you to the Otherworld, but you didn’t have to attack Zoey or me when you got there. That was your choice.”
“You are correct as well. Though you should know that had I not done her bidding, Neferet would have kept my spirit from my body indefinitely.”
“You’re immortal. Unlike Zoey, that wouldn’t have killed you,” Stark said.
“No, it would not have killed me. It would have driven me mad.” Kalona met Zoey’s gaze. “I think you can imagine it. Your spirit has been shattered from your body. You know what was happening to your sanity.”
The young Priestess’s face paled. “Yeah, I know. It was bad. Really bad.”
“Which doesn’t make what he did any better,” Stark said.
“It does make it understandable,” Darius said. “Stark, I hear what you are saying. You want us to remember Kalona’s past, but he has taken an oath that has allied him with us. We also must remember that.”
“Darkness no longer does my bidding,” Kalona said. “If nothing else proves to you that my allegiance lies far from Darkness, that should.”
“See, you say your allegiance lies far from Darkness instead of saying that your allegiance lies with us, or even with Nyx. I gotta be honest—that bothers me,” Stark said.
“Stark’s right. That bothers me, too,” Zoey said. “I’m not sure any fledgling at the House of Night could get Darkness to do his or her bidding, but that doesn’t mean they’re all on our side. Actually, we know a bunch of the red fledglings aren’t.”
Kalona inhaled deeply, and then, surprising himself as much as he did them, told Zoey and Stark and Darius the truth. “I have chosen the Goddess, but Nyx still turns from me. I cannot even enter her temple. She has not forgiven me.” He shook his head, staring at her image etched in the crystal vase. “I do not blame her. I do not deserve her forgiveness. But that does not alter the choice I have made. I have decided to serve the Goddess again, even if it is at a distance, though it is difficult for me to speak of it.” He looked up from the vase and met Stark’s gaze. “You are Zoey’s Warrior. Imagine losing her. Then imagine that loss lasting eons. Then you might begin to know the burden I carry.”
Zoey’s voice broke the silence. “So, you really believe Neferet doesn’t know about the basement?”
“Had Neferet known there was a basement here, she would have used it to make me more malleable, especially after I refused to call myself Erebus Incarnate.”
“Since you mentioned it, why did you refuse to do that? I saw the stained glass windows in the temple on San Clemente Island, and the guy with the wings definitely looked like you. Some of the High Council were already on Neferet’s side that day, most of them would’ve probably believed you if you’d claimed to be him,” Stark said.
Kalona’s snort of laughter was filled with contempt. “Because, young Warrior, Erebus is my brother and I loathe him too much to pretend to be him.”
Zoey
“Your brother? Erebus? The Consort of Nyx is your brother?” He seriously couldn’t have really meant that.
“We are twins. Not identical, but close enough. Born on the same day. I am the elder.” Kalona seemed to be trying to sound nonchalant, but his fingers drumming against the desktop and his gaze looking everywhere but at me said something else besides “whatever.”
“Why didn’t you tell us you’re Erebus’s brother?” I asked.
He did look at me then. “Do you have a brother?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Yet I have never heard you speak of him.”
“Her brother isn’t our Goddess’s lover,” Stark said.
“Wait, if you’re Erebus’s brother, why don’t we know about you? I mean, I’m not super studious, especially about creation myths and whatnot, but I should have heard something about Erebus having a brother.” I looked to Darius and Stark for help. “Do you guys know anything about this?”
Both shook their heads and looked suspiciously at Kalona. The immortal sighed.
“Erebus is not overly fond of me, either. And, as I have already said, Nyx has turned from me. The ballads in which I was mentioned have long ago stopped being sung. Ask your studious friend Damien. He may have read rumors of me. I would have been called the Guardian of Night. Or ask Thanatos. She must know the old myths.” Kalona shrugged and his raven-colored wings rustled. “That matters little today. So, what is it you want with the school’s basement?”
I wanted to know more about Kalona and Erebus being brothers (OMG!), but the immortal was definitely done talking about it, so I let it go—for now. “Well, it looks like we might have to stay on campus for a few days or so, and the red fledglings rest better underground,” I said. “Darius showed us where the basement is, and we’re thinking about moving the kids down there.”
“But we would all feel safer about the fledglings being together in one room if we knew whether Neferet knows about the basement or not,” Darius said. “That is why we came to you.”
“Neferet doesn’t know, or she didn’t when I was her Consort. I understand how dangerous she is, and why you want a safe haven for the fledglings, but I am more concerned about the dangerous factions developing within the House of Night today than Neferet’s reappearance. Dallas reeks of treachery. He already hates Stevie Rae and my son. He must have encouraged Erin to break with your group. Now Erin is dead after circling with you. Dallas will conspire against you, which means he will be open to allying with Neferet, if he hasn’t already done so. Your basement will not long remain a secret, especially if there are local reporters roaming the school grounds.”