Page 9 of Rose and Shadows
“Ryker,” I greeted as I reached him and Lucian. “We need to discuss Sylas Morgrave.” I gestured at the Guardians sweeping their magic over the deceased Dark Fae, the numerous ones Sylas had killed. Those murdered by Remnant had already been transported away. The Guardians had even completed a scent trace and been unable to register him in any way. Even when delivering death and in the utmost chaos, the Commander of The Shadowed had expertly covered his tracks. He’d also been concealed with a mask and an overhanging hood, so he hadn’t technically been identified by the likes of Kai and Ryker either. They hadn’t actually seen his face, so it was just conjecture, although Morien had called him by his codename in front of them, Morien was also a madman, so that could actually be used to Remnant’s advantage.
Sylas, on the other hand, carried with him a great deal of notoriety.
Yes, he operated within the underground, but unlike the specific vampiric underground of The Shadowed that Remnant existed within, Sylas’ world was on the periphery and he lived out in the open. He wasn’t a myth on the wind. He was a noticeable presence, an obvious part of the supernatural world in its above-board state.
Ryker’s gaze flicked from me to the Guardians not far from us. “There’s not a whole lot to discuss, Cassius. He took my authorization granted for the kill and performed as necessary.”
I started. “Your… what?”
He flashed his eyes at me, discreetly gesturing at the Guardians cleaning up.
“The threat was necromantic in nature. Sylas was the only one qualified to see to it. As regrettable as it was, death was not only necessary but vital. They had been infected with black magic, Morien’s tainted necromancy, and they were also wielding Celestial power. They were beyond reason, beyond wanting to be redeemed. Just like Morien was when I put him down years ago. There was no other way.”
“We’re done here, Ryker,” one of the robed Guardians called over.
“Return to the Compound. I’ll be along for a debriefing shortly.”
With that, the eleven members took off in bursts of teleportation, and I looked to see the forest now unmarked, no bodies, no blood, no signs at all of what had actually occurred.
They’d even taken care of the fifty piles of ashes belonging to the hybrids that Morien had decimated before we’d arrived earlier.
As soon as they were gone, Ryker blew out a breath and told me plainly, “I’m not gonna have Sylas arrested.”
“Because his actions, albeit it severe and devastating, spared your life and that of your daughter’s love in Kai?”
“Because Sylas is very close to how I used to be before I took on the role of Head of the Guardian Movement.”
Lucian rolled his eyes. “Yes, the recklessness and frustrating tendency to act unilaterally is most definitely there with him.”
“Both which can become dangerous,” Ryker said.
“As you well learned.”
Ryker grasped Lucian’s hand. “Yes, my love. In large part, thanks to those around me—you, Mia, and Jaxon. I was able to recognize the price, the danger, and to find a middle ground.” He slipped his hand from Lucian then folded his arms across the chest of his shimmering white shirt. “My power is unique and Sylas shares something much like that with his supreme necromantic abilities, the fact that no other necromancer can come close—aside from Morien. But Morien can only reach that level through unnatural means, namely, black magic usage and the perversion of Celestial magic he’s accessing through Corvin’s experiments.” He shifted his weight. “Having unique power like that makes you stand apart. Sylas also shares my gift for developing workarounds to the seemingly impossible. That adds another weight to it, one bearing down on his shoulders. And it makes it difficult to draw a line. A line between what he can do and what he should do, where he should stop and pull back. And also like me, Sylas doesn’t exactly have an affinity for authority. Another complication. Another danger with what he’s capable of.”
“This is why you had him arrested but never charged? Never sent toThe Void?I’m sure you killing his father was also a factor, yes?”
“Killing his father was a regrettable necessity.”
“That heretic took it there,” Lucian interjected. “Ryker doesn’t deal out death, but Morien forced his hand. He triedto take out a vampire clan that was located beside a human settlement, a large town. It would have resulted in a massacre and exposure. Ryker was on the scene first, then several Guardians arrived and Morien attempted to murder them. So Ryker took his life, just before Morien was able to invoke Risen Reckoning.”
Ryker smiled at Lucian and brushed his knuckles over his cheek, before focusing and telling me, “Sending Sylas toThe Voidwas never my intention. But it was important that he believed it could be a possibility.”
“To reel him in.”
He nodded. “To have him recognize the severity of his actions, to help him develop a line to walk so he didn’t push it too far. Sending him toThe Voidwould have been a great loss of somebody with his potential, an utter waste. He’s not like the others who are held there. He has a good heart. His actions come from a place of protection, not domination or megalomania. He’s a force for good. He just needed boundaries.”
“Which is what you sending him to Wraeven Academy actually managed to achieve,” I mused aloud. “Highly calculative and ingenious.”
Ryker lifted a shoulder.
“What about him performingAuctoritas Mortis?Where does your no-arrest stance come in where that’s concerned?”
“He has the means to mend what was broken when he performed that spell. And that’s what will be enforced—once this immediate Morien situation is dealt with. Something Remnant is currently assisting him with.”
I started. “Remnant?”
“Yes, his undisclosed presence to the Guardian Movement. His clear connection to Lazriel Thaine. He doesn’t allow emotion to drive his actions, yet he thrust himself in front of Velra to shield her. Velra remaining alive serves no strategic purpose tohim, and he risked his life to safeguard her. He’s clearly the Ancient who fathered Lazriel. That also means that Sylas is safe with him. More than that, it’s known to me that Remnant has connections to a specific black magic user in Ambrose Wisteryn. Ambrose is the same individual who once tried to help my dad when he was consumed by black magic many years ago. He is the one being who hasn’t been corrupted by it, who can think clearly, and who doesn’t do harm with it. He just… enjoys wielding it. Morien claimed he infected Sylas with black magic during that showdown, so Remnant has clearly taken him to Ambrose in order to siphon it from him before it gets its roots too deep. Sylas won’t be taken out of play like Morien had clearly intended as a last-ditch, desperate move to compromise his son.”
