Her smile rose once more and she clutched the stone tighter in her hand. “Thank you Seth,” she replied and bowed her head to him in gratitude. Rolling the stone around in her hand, she considered his words and looked up at him once more. “You said you would call me Undrae until you determined what my true name was, but lately you have taken to calling me Zoey. Does that mean you don’t think you can find out who I was?” She watched him closely as she spoke, not really sure what reaction she wanted. Her past was utterly lost to her, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted it back at all. Seth seemed to think it was important, but it had always been a gamble in her eyes.
“On the contrary, I think I’m very close to figuring out who you are. I have most of the clues now and I have a good suspicion. I want to be certain before we discuss it, though,” Seth replied softly and his eyes moved away from her as he walked to the small window. “I started calling you Zoey when I started considering you my friend,” he added in a quieter voice.
Zoelyn stared at his back and smiled faintly. “Fair’s, fair, I suppose. I stopped using the words Crow King or demon when I began to think of you as a friend.” She fell silent once more and returned to her focus on the stones. She sat the healing stone aside reverently where it wouldn’t get confused with the others and began lifting the remaining stones one by one to test them.
Seth remained by the window, gazing out into the eternal shadows of the Darklands for a very long time before turning to look at her once more. “Vengeance would have been my answer to that question had anyone else asked, but when you asked, I actually put thought into what my answer would truly be, and I’m not sure,” The sound of his voice drew her gaze and the hesitation in his voice held it. Seth was never truly hesitant, not like this. In his every action he radiated confidence. With his words, he sometimes seemed unsure, but nothing like this. Seth rubbed his face with a hand and shook his head again slowly before meeting her eyes. “I’ve lived so long focusing on nothing but revenge, that I’m not sure what I would focus on aside from it. I want to say it’s my answer now, but I’m not certain it is,” he admitted quietly and seemed almost ashamed of his answer.
“You know what I was hoping you would say?” Zoelyn asked, once it was obvious he wasn’t going to continue speaking. He gave her a questioning look and she held his eyes with her own. “Redemption. You may have sinned while you lived, but I didn’t know you then. From what I know of you now, I think you deserve a chance at happiness. You gave me a new life and happiness and that isn’t something a demon would do. Finn should realize that and release you from penance,” She wasn’t sure how he would take her words and the last thing she wanted to do was offend him, but it was the honest truth in her eyes.
Seth smirked and shook his head at her ruefully. “I could save a thousand lives and it still wouldn’t put a dent in the penance I’m due, and Finn knows it,” he sighed and turned back to the window. “Besides, Zoey, if I’m redeemed and move onto another life, I forget everything I know now. That’s how it works, you know. You move into the life stream and are reborn as a new soul with a fresh start. That means I wouldn’t remember you. It’s almost worth sinning more so I don’t forget. It’s been a while since I’ve had a friend that I could trust. I’d hate to forget her.”
“You might forget me, but I would never forget you. I’d find you again in your next life and you would have a friend again. Dominic says old souls carry an echo and even after rebirth you can still see hints of who they once were, even if they don’t remember it. I would see the hints and do everything I could to make sure your next life was better than your first one,” Zoelyn whispered as she returned to the stones once more.
* * *
Zoelyn paused at the entrance to the throne room and stared in wonder at the colored lights and bustling crowd inside. They were all spirits, but they were unlike any she had seen before. All of them wore bright colored clothes and a few even had painted faces done in whimsical designs. She had never seen the throne room this brightly lit, and the spirits that filled the room were usually somber creatures awaiting judgment. Half-turning, she gazed up at Seth who had paused behind her. “What is this?” she asked breathlessly as her eyes returned once more to the milling spirits.
“The surprise. Death occasionally has its benefits and this is one of them,” Seth answered with a smirk. “This is an acting troupe and Finn is taking full advantage of the fact that they are serving penance. In life they cheated, stole, raped, and kidnapped. In death they have several different punishments and one of them is entertaining the Lord of Death whenever he decides they should,” Seth explained. He stepped past her into the room and the spirits within shifted out of his way the moment they saw him. He ignored them as he motioned for her to follow and waved for her to take a place on the stairs by Legacy.
Zoelyn smiled widely at Legacy but let her gaze drift to where Seth had seated himself against the wall behind the throne. With a nod to Legacy she continued past the child to Seth’s side and sat down beside him.
“You will have a better view up there,” Seth informed her quietly as she adjusted her coat beneath her.
Nodding she smiled at him then leaned back against the wall beside him. “This makes more sense. If I don’t understand what they are singing or telling stories about I can ask you and you will know. Legacy would no doubt be just as confused as I am,” Zoelyn replied with a faint shrug. There was no easy way to say I’d rather be close to you without embarrassing herself so she left the rest unsaid. She wasn’t sure if Seth even realized how often she gravitated toward him.
“You would be surprised what Legacy knows. For his age he is very well educated, but I see your point,” Seth said with a nod then waved a hand toward a juggler that was twirling flaming batons near the back wall. “That in itself is so much more impressive when they are still alive. Kind of loses the danger and excitement when you know it’s a dead man braving fire. It’s not as if spirits are flammable.”
“I don’t even know how a spirit could juggle so it’s impressive to me regardless if it’s dangerous,” Zoelyn admitted with a smile.
“Powerful spirits can take on a physical form similar to my own. These are by no means powerful spirits, but Finn lends them power for the rare occasions he calls upon them. Today is meant as entertainment for Legacy so it should be especially good. By the looks of the room, he summoned every entertainer in the Darklands for this,” Seth explained quietly.
Silence fell over the throne room as the double doors opened and all eyes locked onto the Lord of Death as he entered. Finn regarded the crowd with a wide grin, and then looked to Legacy with eyes sparkling. “What will it be? A play? Music? Maybe the acrobats?” he asked cheerfully and Zoelyn couldn’t help but smile in response. Finn was quite possibly the last person she could imagine being the Lord of Death. He was always kind to her and seemed so vibrant. She didn’t know the full story of how he had attained his status, but she knew better than to ask him. It was obvious from her few conversations that it wasn’t a topic he favored, and she enjoyed his company too much to intentionally make him uncomfortable.
“A play and then the acrobats while they play music,” Legacy replied happily as he rose to hug his father.
Seth snorted in amusement and nodded his approval at the answer. “When Legacy is older the High Lords are doomed. The child has wit and he will have the knowledge and skills to support it. When he wants something, he will get it,” he whispered to her.
“You heard my son. A play and then Acrobats and music. It better be good entertainment too, or I’ll have you singing to Fiona for the rest of the week,” Finn called loudly as he dropped into his throne and lifted Legacy onto his lap. Leaning over the side he glanced back at Zoey and Seth and grinned. “Glad he brought you for the entertainment, Zoey. I hope you enjoy,” he said quietly.
“Who is Fiona? I’ve heard him threaten you with her before,” Zoelyn asked softly.
Seth snorted again and shook his head at her
. “Someone I hope you never meet, but if you do, I pray I’m there to buffer for you. She is Finn’s advisor and she is a very bitter creature.”
“Why would Finn choose someone like that as an Advisor,” Zoelyn glanced up at him in confusion.
“It’s Hell, Zoey. Not even the Lord of Death gets things exactly like he wants them. We all suffer here,” Seth replied wryly.
The lights in the throne room flickered and dimmed as several spirits moved forward. They bowed to Finn and the lights above them strengthened as their costumes shifted and the wall behind them took on the illusion of a sunlit meadow.
“A comedy, then, to lighten the heart of the young Lord,” a woman proclaimed as she curtsied to Legacy and smiled. “Listen, young Lord, and we will tell you the tale of how the first Shifter came to be.”
Zoelyn grinned and settled back against the wall as the actors began their penance. She had never seen an acting troupe before, and even if these were spirits, it was still impressive to behold. She glanced up at Seth and leaned her head against his arm as she returned her attention to the actors. He tensed for a breath then settled back once more and she could feel his eyes on her. A faint smile touched her lips as she kept her gaze firmly on the play. She didn’t need to see the look on his face. She knew it would be a faint smile to match her own.
Chapter 18
Merro
“I can’t believe you released him from his cell,” Neph grumbled as he dropped heavily into a corner chair and watched Jala. She looked exhausted, and from the state of her armor the trip hadn’t been nearly as easy as she had implied it would be. Her bright shining chain mail was battered and torn and the leather pieces of her armor still bore scorch marks.
Jala sighed and unbuckled her bracers, dropping them onto the table with a loud clatter. “Valor is devising punishment for him and I’m sure Noble will suffer from it,” Jala replied quietly. She rubbed her wrists for a moment and glanced over at him. “If it’s any consolation, Vaze agreed with you and was voting we hang him.” She smiled faintly and shook her head sadly. “Noble is a good man and I don’t think the thought of treason ever crossed his mind. He has poor judgment, as he clearly displayed with this incident, but he isn’t a traitor.”
“The Assassin spoke of killing your son and rather than act on that, his mind was occupied with sex,” Neph growled.
“That was arrogance, not compliance. If Noble truly believed Legacy was in danger, he would have sacrificed his own life to save my son,” Jala replied as she lowered herself slowly to a chair across from him. “He thought he had her and could have his cake and eat it too. We are all guilty of arrogance from time to time, Neph.”
“You are too soft,” Neph grumbled shaking his head at her.
“And you are too hard so we are both at fault,” Jala countered with a faint smile. With a sigh she crossed her arms on the table and laid her head down gently, still watching him. “I hate dragons,” she murmured, her eyes half-closing.
“Nigel and Dresharn will be very displeased to hear that,” Neph responded dryly.
“I hate their dragons. I love mine,” Jala amended softly. “What did Jail say when you visited him?”
“I didn’t actually get a chance to speak with Jail, but Dresharn said he would investigate the matter. It was a wise choice sending Dresharn to assist in Sanctuary. He seems to know a great deal about politics and subterfuge,” Neph replied calmly. She looked ready to fall asleep at the table and he wondered if he should leave her be. He hated the thought of her being alone when she was obviously so weak, though. Even if Hemlock wasn’t planning to move against her, there were plenty of others that would, and the incident with the spy had proved clearly how the security in Merro was lacking.
“He should know politics. He was Lady Nerathane’s advisor for decades,” Jala said through a yawn. Blinking several times, she sat up slowly and rubbed her face. “I can’t remember the last time I was this tired,” she admitted with a faint smile.
“As soon as Valor returns, I will leave you to rest,” Neph assured her.
“As soon as I’ve rested, we move on Delvay, so make sure you get sleep as well. Vaze said he gathered enough information for an attack,” Jala informed him and glanced at the door. “I know Valor has to be as tired as I am. He must really be laying into Noble to be gone this long,” she sighed.
“Good. I hope he beats the little shit senseless,” Neph grumbled.
“And I hope he finds a bit of understanding and realizes at one point of his life he would have likely done the same thing,” Jala countered with a smile.
“Finn, maybe, but not Valor,” Neph objected with a frown. “Valor would have beaten the living shit out of anyone that even suggested harming Legacy,” he added without a trace of doubt in his voice. He had seen too much of Valor’s loyalty and honor to believe anything else about the knight. In Sanctuary, Valor had been Finn’s drunken shadow, but with Jala he was a completely different man. He still had his faults, but they did not even begin to compare with his strengths. Out of everyone Neph knew, he couldn’t think of another person he would rather leave to protect and care for Jala.
“You are probably right,” Jala agreed with a nod. She turned her gaze toward him and Neph could see the sadness written in her violet eyes.
“I’m sorry I mentioned Finn,” Neph said softly and wished he had considered his words more carefully before he spoke them.
“It’s not that,” Jala said with a shake of her head. She sighed heavily and smiled sadly. “Tomorrow I am going to do everything I can to give you back your home, and it’s moments like this that make me wish I wasn’t going to,” she held up a hand before he could interrupt and her smile faded a bit. “It’s selfish, I know, but I want you here, Neph. Tomorrow you will have Delvay back and I will lose you again, and I am ashamed to admit how much I’m going to hate it. I treasure every moment we have to talk, and even if we fight, I know you are just trying to protect me. I am surrounded by people that love me, Neph, and I shouldn’t be so selfish, considering what I have, but you are the only one that will get in my face and tell me how stupid I’m behaving.”
“Once I have Delvay back, I can try to awaken the heroes. I think Zoelyn might be the key to breaking the magic on them. The moment they draw breath again, I will be back here, Jala, have no doubt of that. Merro is my home now, but Delvay is a responsibility that I have to face before I can find my place here,” Neph replied and smiled ruefully. “I just have to come up with a way to get Zoelyn to help me. She doesn’t like me much.”
“Try asking her for help, Neph. That is usually the best approach on such things. You can ask her after we take the city. She will be with us during the fight,” Jala suggested with a look of amusement on her face.
“Why in the hell will she be there? I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard her say violence begets violence. I can’t imagine her suddenly having a change of heart and wanting to fight.” Neph’s voice was filled with confusion as he tried to digest this newest information. He hadn’t even known they were going to attack Delvay tomorrow and it seemed as though Jala had already decided who all they were taking. That in itself wasn’t too surprising, but the fact that Zoelyn was going dumbfounded him.
“She wants to help me, Neph, and she won’t be fighting. Apparently Seth has helped her master a few of her talents, but the one she shows the most competence with is healing. She asked if she could come along in case any of us were injured, and her confidence in herself is so fragile right now that I didn’t dare deny her request. I plan to have her tucked well behind us and out of harm’s way the entire time,” Jala explained and turned as the door opened.
Valor let out a long breath as he entered the room and nodded briefly to the two of them. “I’m not sure which I am angrier about - Noble being a complete moron or being kept from my bed longer to punish him. I am so tired right now I think I could sleep in my armor.” He closed the door behind him and unbuckled his sword belt tossing it c
arelessly to the floor beside the bed.
“You might be able to sleep in your armor, but you aren’t going to,” Jala informed him with a smirk. “I am not cuddling steel tonight.” “And I wouldn’t ask you to,” Valor agreed with a smile.
“And I’m not going to listen to any more of this,” Neph declared as he rose from his chair and nodded to them. “Goodnight to you both; may you get the rest you deserve.”
Valor paused in unbuckling his armor and watched Neph with suspicion as he approached the door. “Are you sure that is Neph? That sounded way too nice to be Neph,” he muttered.
Neph paused before opening the door and looked back at Valor. Sighing heavily he leaned against the wall and rubbed his face. “Valor, I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but I realized as I talked to Jala that I actually do respect you and it’s possible that I even like you as much as I do Jala. That isn’t something that is easy for me to admit and I hate the words I’m spewing right now, so when I offer you the courtesy I usually reserve only for Jala, don’t comment on it please. Just accept that I consider you a friend and don’t make me regret it.” He pushed off the wall once more and nodded curtly as he stepped out into the hall.
Normally he would have responded with profanity or rudeness, but he couldn’t find it in himself to do it today. Tomorrow he would be back in Delvay, and he would lose them both again. He swallowed heavily at the thought and wondered if Jala realized how closely she had echoed his own thoughts on the matter. He hid his sadness better than she did, but it was still there, and there was no way he would part ways with his friends without their knowing how he truly felt. The world was filled with chaos right now, and he had no way of knowing if he would ever see them again after they left Delvay. Things were too uncertain to know if any of them would survive that long.
The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 4 The Blessed Curse Page 34
