Saints of Evil | Trepidation Trilogy | The Empty World Sequence

Twenty-Five

Shade had not been to The Palace Shade in many years.  Athen had been living there himself, with various and random humans and Darkling occasionally staying on for short periods of time, ever since Joy moved out.  She had been the last of the family to leave.  Faye had not lived there since being banished long ago, nor her sister Miranda who would never return because she had since walked into a pyre.  Angel and Ardor had left as soon as Angel had been awakened from her sleep in the glass coffin; Angel had never even had her own room there.  Orchid had left for Karachi to avoid the awkward situation of living with his new lover in the house his ex-husband had built and still resided in.  Dolores had left to move back to Paris several centuries ago.  Ganymede spent more and more time in New York until finally he lived there.  Shade had left after turning Anne, to accompany his young fledgling on a romantic trip to Egypt, and he had not returned until this moment.

     Shade knew Athen still kept rooms for them all.  And the Great Hall was still hung with at least a hundred portrait paintings depicting all the family and their loved ones.  Shade stood looking up at one wall, and then the other.  The old paintings were still there, and there were newer ones added among them.  Shade had never seen Athen's portrait of Anne as a Vampyre. 

     There was a painting leaning against the wall near an abandoned ladder.  Shade walked further into the Great Hall toward the Grande Staircase that led to the overlooking  second floor gallery and then to the third floor.  He could see the painting at a better angle then and knew this figure had to be Bathsheba though he had never met her in person.  She was there with Athen, Shade knew.  She had not so much wanted to come to the palace, and Athen had not asked.  But Morpheus had delivered her there. 

     She was already a Vampyre in the painting, almost sad, or perhaps haughty, standing in a window that seemed it must be part of a building in New Orleans for the flora crawling up its frame.  Actually Shade had been surprised when he knew Athen had turned the woman into a Vampyre.  He had been sure Athen would not do it again after Faye and Orchid.   Strange that it had not even the semblance of love, this recent rash act.

     Athen had always been passionate and impulsive, but he had usually been cautious...when he wasn't playing the fool for love or curiosity. 

     He came down the stairs now and Bathsheba was with him.  She made a beautiful Vampyre despite the fact Shade thought her a horrible hateful person.  Like Angel she was completely white now, with silvery hair and eyes.  She looked ghostly, and this resemblance was reinforced with every graceful move she made.  "Hello, Pa," Athen greeted Shade, as he typically did.  "I thought you'd stay longer with Steven."

     Shade nodded.  "I plan to return to his house, but I have business with you."

     "About the kids?" Athen asked as he reached Shade's side.  Bathsheba remained several steps behind him, silent.  "What did they all decide?"

     "Shall we sit?"

     Athen looked as if he might laugh, but he controlled himself.  He invited Shade into the living room.  As Shade remembered, it had not been often used, so much time had been spent socializing in the sitting rooms within the many bedroom suites upstairs.  But the living room was comfortable, pleasantly neutral toned and sparsely decorated with black and silver furniture made with clean lines.  Shade took a seat in an armed chair as Athen lay himself across a sofa.  Bathsheba followed, sat on the arm of the sofa, betraying a slight annoyance with Athen.

     "So, what's up?" Athen asked.   

     "Trip's not doing well," Shade said, "Mara tells us that she thinks it would be best for his health if we found a place for him to go where they might live away from everything.  It isn't enough anymore for them to live in a remote area.  It just doesn't make enough of a difference for them.  I personally feel they should live where they please.  We can take care of them.  People will become accustomed to them."