Revealed

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