better than we’d thought they would. Perhaps we’d underestimated them. Then again, we had yet to ask them for their blood, or even to run some tests to compare Derek’s DNA to an Aeternae’s. Maybe they’d be more reluctant.
Then again, if Derek was, as they’d just said, “one of them,” what were the odds that they’d refuse such a request, if it came from one of their own?
Glancing around the table, I could see that both Kalon and Valaine were out of the loop on this one. They’d had no idea—chances were that Danika and Acheron had kept Ta’Zan’s visit a secret from almost everyone. “You seem surprised,” I said to Valaine. “You didn’t know?”
She sighed. “No. But I would never question the Lord and Lady Supreme’s decision on the matter. Given that they had those awful killers removed from Visio by handing them over to this Marlowe or Ta’Zan character, it sounds like a good service done to our people.”
“What about you?” Esme asked Kalon.
He offered a faint shrug in return. “I’m with Valaine on this. It doesn’t really matter to me. Sure, I would’ve loved to meet someone from another world, but fate has been more than generous by bringing you all to us today. I’m satisfied.”
He and Valaine were definitely different from the other Aeternae. Maybe it had something to do with their younger age. The elders we’d met so far were much more relaxed, downright fearless, seemingly with nothing to hide, though they did not shy away from telling us we were digging too deep when they saw fit. They didn’t mind stinging one another, either.
By contrast, Valaine was much more reserved and cautious in her choice of words, while Kalon was loaded with double entendres and sly smirks to deflect from having to tell the truth—particularly an uncomfortable truth. I looked forward to being around them more, because my instinct told me that, if I wanted to get to the bottom of this whole Neraka similarity issue, these two would show me the right way.
Seeley
I’d been watching and listening from the moment Derek and Sofia’s crew set foot on Visio. I’d stayed close to them, paying attention to every single detail—the stolen glances, the whispers, the suspicion hanging loosely in the air. The Aeternae seemed genuine in their discourse, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that some things were missing from the bigger picture.
The Aeternae were fascinating creatures, but the absence of Reapers, from what I’d seen thus far, worried me. Of course, they were practically immortal, and therefore few of them died along the way. But the Rimians and the Naloreans had shorter lifespans. I should’ve seen at least one or two colleagues of mine by now. Maybe a deeper search of the city would yield better results, but I couldn’t leave Derek’s side just yet.
The dinner was bound to reveal more information. At the same time, I did wonder whether I should start using my omniscience more often. It had been a while since I’d last been in more than one place at once. The whole process wore me out, but these were special circumstances.
The Rimian and Nalorean servants were quiet, eyeing Derek and the others carefully, whenever they got the chance. They didn’t seem scared or worried, which did help ease some of my concerns regarding the Aeternae. The gold guards were not armed, but I’d already learned about their retractable fangs and claws. I figured they could tear other creatures apart quite easily, and therefore did not need any weapons.
Breathing deeply, I took my time analyzing Acheron and Danika, in particular. Either they were being earnest, or they were exceptional actors with plenty of skeletons in their closets. It was too soon to tell, but I knew I’d get to the true bottom of it, eventually. Their beauty and grace were almost otherworldly, and the society they’d helped build was interesting, to say the least.
Valaine was odd. I could lose myself in those black eyes of hers, and shivers ran down my spine whenever she spoke. There was something about her voice that made me soft on the inside. She seemed kind, though I was pretty sure she was holding back a lot. Maybe it had something to do with her environment, with being around foreigners like Derek and his crew. This wasn’t attraction I was feeling toward her, though. It was a different kind of pull, and rather difficult to fully define. I’d have to observe her more over