With a flick of her hand the older woman altered the terrain to the Delvay Mountains and raised her eyes to Symphony. “Do you want Delvay or Rivana?” she asked quietly.
“I want Nerathane,” Symphony replied quietly and waved her hand over her side of the table. Small draconic forms began to take shape from the sand as she watched and she glanced up to find Faramir watching her closely.
“You think Nerathane will attack?” Faramir asked quietly.
“Nerathane and Seravae both refuse to speak with us, so I must assume they are on the other side. I don’t know if they will attack Delvay, but I want to have a rough idea of how it will go if they do,” Symphony explained.
“I don’t think either Nerathane or Seravae will get involved in this. They typically don’t,” Faramir said, but nodded toward the dragons. “Still, it’s better to be prepared,” she said with a sigh and formed her own army in the image of the Delvay forces. “So let’s see how this will play out with known tactics.” With a wave of the hand, she made her first move on the field and watched Symphony as she studied the attack. With a nod Symphony countered her attack with a known dragon tactic and focused her attention fully on the board, allowing the sand to steal her thoughts from every other concern.
With each move she made, it was becoming more and more obvious that Delvay would not fare well if Nerathane chose to move. By the frown on Faramir’s face, she could see her mentor was coming to the same conclusion. Round after round, through three games, the Delvay forces were crushed by the dragons. Looking up at Faramir once more, she shook her head slowly. “I think we should both pray Nerathane doesn’t move,” she said softly.
“It would seem so,” Faramir agreed and dismissed her sand army with a flick of a finger. “They hold up well against Rivana but their tactics are not suited to an aerial opponent. Of course, I’m sure Lord Delvayon is more inventive with his strategies than I am.”
Symphony raised an eyebrow doubtfully at her and shook her head slightly. “Stubborn, fierce, and enduring are all descriptions I have heard of the Delvay. Never once have I ever heard them described as inventive,” she said dryly and sighed. “I have sword practice soon with Vaze. I’m going to have to go, Faramir.”
Nodding, Faramir smiled. “Beat him bloody and don’t worry about leaving here early. It isn’t often Vaze is in residence and you should take advantage of the time that he is. Besides, I have a lot to work on with Oma,” she said, her voice encouraging.
“Thank you for understanding,” Symphony said and gave Faramir a hug. The woman was the closest thing she had to a mother since her own mother had died in Merrodin. “Good luck, Oma, I hope your lessons go well,” Symphony said with a smile and turned to leave.
“I’ll see you at dinner tonight, Symphony. We can discuss other ways to get Nerathane to talk. You have a very valid point about what would happen if they joined the fight, and if we are going to win we have to keep them on our side,” Faramir called as she opened the door.
“Sounds good,” Symphony agreed with a smile and stepped out into the hall, eager to be on the field. Matches against Vaze were always good ones.
* * *
“Do you really think you can keep Nerathane out of the fight?” Oma asked quietly as she moved to stand beside Faramir.
Faramir looked up from the sand table and shrugged, giving the girl a slight smile. It wasn’t often that Oma instigated conversations and she wanted to encourage her. “I’m not sure, the dragons can be prickly but we will certainly try,”
“I don’t think you can,” Oma said coldly as sharp pain spread through Faramir’s back. Dimly she became aware of the girl’s upraised hand and the bloody knife it held. “That was a lung shot,” the girl said calmly and plunged the knife in once more as Faramir staggered back. “That was not,” Oma said pulling the knife from her chest and looking down at Faramir with a smile. “And now I’m positive you can’t keep them out of it,” she whispered happily, her form already shifting to match that of Faramir’s. “Surprise, Faramir. You know where I am now,” the Changeling whispered to the dying woman and chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, I will give Symphony the best of advice,” she promised as she watched the last light fade from Faramir’s eyes and carefully stored the body in a storage stone. Dropping the stone into her pocket she glanced at the sand table and smiled. The magics they had used on the mock battles should cover any trace of the magic she used. With a wave of her hand Myth cleaned the blood from herself and the floor and moved over to the table. Staring down at the sand she waved a hand and created another mock battlefield. Though she had watched Symphony and Faramir do this daily for weeks, she herself had not used a sand table in ages. It would be best if she knew every maneuver before the practice session tomorrow. Clearing her throat, she smiled down at the table. “Do you want Delvay or Rivana?” she said quietly and repeated the phrase over and over until the pitch and tone was a perfect imitation of Faramir. Assured that the voice would not give her away she created army after army on the table to ensure she could do it on a whim and practiced changing the table’s terrain. Fortunately for her, she knew more about strategy than even Faramir herself had. You had to know such things in order to provoke wars. In order to manipulate, you had to know reactions, and she knew the reactions of every race on Sanctuary by heart.
With a satisfied nod she let the sand collapse once more and, turned to find a seat in the corner. Soon enough she would have to go and tell Caspian that Oma was missing, but then the poor girl hadn’t seemed right in the head since she had arrived. Smothering a laugh Myth tapped her fingers idly on the table and began to work the finer details out in her mind. Becoming someone in truth required so many fine details and from now until something better arose, she was Faramir.
Chapter 10
Sanctuary
Warm lips brushed against her neck. “You are going to be late for classes,” Finn whispered in her ear. Burrowing further under the blankets, she pressed herself tightly against him. He chuckled lightly and wrapped his arms around her. “You are going to be really late for classes,” he corrected.
“I’m not going today,” she mumbled through a yawn. By the time Sovann had returned and she had explained everything to them it had been late. She had decided she wouldn’t be going to school when it had taken several hours past late to clean up the mess in his house. Given the hour, they had simply stayed at Sovann’s rather than return to the Academy.
“Hmm, neither am I. Imagine that,” Finn said with a grin. “I have several very good suggestions on what we should do with our day off,” he said and ran his hand down her back lightly.
“Mmm. I have to help them with the orphanage today,” she objected mildly and looked up at him with a smile. “If you had your way we would never get out of bed.”
He raised an eyebrow at her and shrugged. “And how is that a bad thing. I barely get to see you,” he said with a sigh. “I leave before you wake up and I usually don’t get to see you again until after you are done training with Neph. I never see you during the day unless it’s a free day and then we are both busy.”
“I know,” she said. resting her head on his shoulder. “But it won’t be like this forever,” she promised and hoped she was right.
“I have a duel against one of the most dangerous swordsmen alive today. I’m not letting you out of bed until I absolutely have to,” he said, his tone firm.
Groaning, she buried her face in his chest and smacked him lightly. “I don’t want you to fight him,” she complained in a pathetic voice, even to her ears.
“And I don’t want you to leave the bed,” he countered with a smirk.
She looked up sharply, causing a wave of curls to fall down over her face. Absently, she brushed them back and locked her violet eyes firmly on Finn. “I’ll stay in bed for the rest of the week if you cancel the duel,” she offered. One eyebrow rose. “I will only get up to use the privy and bathe. The rest of the time I’ll be right here beside you,” she added hope
fully.
Shaking his head slightly, he smiled faintly and brushed the rest of the curls from her face. With a gentleness he used with no other, he cupped her chin and kissed her lightly. “If I could back out now, I would. That offer alone would be enough to get me to go back on my word and take the dishonor. But I can’t, Jala. I’ve bet too much.”
“What have you possibly bet that you are being so stubborn about?” she asked dismally.
“Everything,” he answered, ignoring her look of annoyance at his vague response. “Jala, I know you don’t approve of all of my actions, but what I do, I have a reason for, I promise,” he said softly and her annoyance faded.
“I know. I don’t understand a lot but I’m learning faster than I care to,” she murmured.
“Don’t learn too many of Sanctuary’s lessons, Vezradesh. I don’t ever want to see that gentle side of you die. You are what makes me try to be better. You are my conscience, I think. I didn’t have one before I met you. No one else could make me pull a sword blow, only you,”
“Neph says I need to learn to kill or I will be killed,” she said quietly.
“I hope I am always there to do it for you. I don’t want to see you become as callous as the rest of us,” Finn replied, running his fingers through her hair. “It doesn’t even faze us anymore, but then, I’m sure you noticed that last night. To see you care so much for everyone …,” he trailed off as if searching for words and then smiled. “It makes me want to see the Merrodin you rebuild. I don’t think there will be another land like it. It will be as beautiful as you are, I think,”
Jala gave a soft laugh and brushed at her eyes gently with the back of her hand. She had no explanation for why her eyes had gone glassy with his words. Sniffling slightly, she shook her head at him. “That [b]we[b] build. You are going to win today and be right beside me when we build it,” she corrected gently and kissed him.
“I always win,” he agreed with a smile and leaned back against his pillow, looking at her with a cautious expression. “You know we could always build strength quietly and let the worst of this blow over for now,” he offered with obvious hesitation.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“We could spend a year or two in Firym and build resources and then rebuild Merrodin. It would be safer. Things are in too much turmoil right now,” he explained. “With the Blights and what the Fionaveir have planned, I mean. We made no promises to them,” he added.
Leaning back to rest on her elbow, she considered his words. The thought was tempting, in truth, but by doing so she would be abandoning the people in this district for even longer. There was the matter of the oaths sworn to her as well. Would her friends understand if she simply changed her mind? “I can’t, Finn. Too many people are depending on us to move soon,” she said finally and felt her chest tighten at the wave of sadness that echoed through their link.
“It was worth a try,” he said with a smile that she knew was fake. “In for a copper, in for a gold then. To hell with safety,” he added and shook his head at her frown. “Vezradesh, you worship Fortune. How can I honestly ask you not to gamble and take risks?” he said, trying to lighten her mood.
“Why did I get so much sadness from you when I said no, Finn? Do you not think we can do it?” she asked quietly.
“I know we can do it, Jala. I just think that the faster we move the more painful the road is going to be,” he replied and pulled her close again. “I’ve had enough depressing talk I think,” he said with a grin. “I love you, Jala, and whatever you decide, you have my support. Let’s just leave it at that.” He spoke quietly but the sincerity of the words rang loudly.
Smiling faintly, she kissed him again. “I’m depressed and worried sick and stressed beyond all reason about everything, Finn. Think you could possibly distract me from the world for a while?” she asked quietly.
“I’m positive I can,” Finn replied with a smirk and winked at her. “Give me an hour and you won’t even remember your own name,” he promised and gave her another kiss.
Jala focused her full attention on him and tried to ignore the nagging voice in the back of her mind that warned that this might be the last time she ever kissed him. Feeling her eyes going glassy again with the thought, she kissed him harder and pushed all thoughts from her mind savagely. For now she was content to simply rely on instinct and desire.
* * *
“I’ll see you at the Arena in a couple of hours,” Jala promised as she watched Finn and Valor head for the door.
Neph rose slowly from his chair and sighed. “I’ll go keep an eye on the idiots,” he offered and followed after them.
Finn paused at the doorway and looked back to her. “The fight won’t be until this evening so do what you have to do and don’t worry. I’m just going to get gear in order and take care of a few minor details.” He pulled the door open and glanced back again. “Keep Marrow and Emily close by you all day, though,” he added.
“I will, I promise,” she agreed and watched the door close behind the three of them. “I think I’m going to be sick,” she whispered to Sovann and Wisp.
“He will be fine,” Wisp assured her with a smile.
“He is going to get his ass handed to him in several small pieces. It’s Kithkanon he is fighting, and the man is a damned legend,” Sovann said, earning a sharp elbow from Wisp.
“Yes I’m going to be sick,” Jala said with a slight nod and rose quickly from her chair. Her stomach roiled and she took a deep breath and paced trying to calm it back down. She really had no desire to see her breakfast for a second time.
“Just calm down. It will be okay,” Wisp said, standing quickly to take Jala’s elbow and steady her. “Finn is the best with swords. There is no one better, not even Kithkanon,” Wisp continued, her voice soothing. Sovann gave a snort of amusement and Wisp glared at him fiercely.
Clearing his throat, Sovann nodded at Jala. “He will be fine. Finn is oh, so talented,” he said, managing to keep most of the doubt from his voice.
Jala nodded and paced across the room again. “How is Isador? Is she awake yet?” she asked in an effort to get her mind off the duel.
“She was awake for a bit this morning but seemed a bit out of it. I suppose she got a rather good knock on the head in the fight. Your healing likely saved her life,” Wisp explained. “I think she will be fine. It will just take some time.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her and make sure she stays safe,” Sovann assured her. “Are you going by the Copper Penny to check on the boy from Merrodin you mentioned?” he asked as she began to pace again.
Jala nodded absently. “We are going there first, actually. I want to know how he survived and if he is willing to help,” she replied.
“We should probably go soon, actually, if we are going to get anything done on the orphanage today,” Wisp said.
“As soon as Emily and Marrow are done eating we will go,” Jala agreed, glancing toward the kitchen where her two guardians were dining. She had tried to get Emily to eat breakfast with the rest of them but the Blight’s attention had been riveted on Marrow’s food instead. In the end she had relented and given the child her own portion of raw meat. It seemed simpler to agree than risk the hungry Blight mauling Marrow for a beef bone.
“Did they find the hive last night?” Sovann asked, his gaze still following her progress back and forth across the floor.
Jala shook her head slowly. “They ended up killing it before it could feed,” she replied with a shrug. “Apparently it showed no hints of returning home and seemed intent on killing someone. Both Marrow and Emily decided I would be happier if they didn’t let it.”
“I’m sure that corpse has the guards confused,” Wisp said with a shake of her head. “I can only imagine what condition it was in when they were finished with it.”
“I, uhh, I don’t really think they left a body,” Jala said quietly and repressed another roil of her stomach. “I don’t think either Marrow or Emily would waste mea
t,” she finished and gave a slight shudder.
“Oh,” Wisp murmured, her expression holding a trace of disgust.
“Well they are both predators. It’s instinct for them to eat what they kill,” Sovann added with a shrug.
“Just out of curiosity, what happened to the one that Finn killed?” Wisp asked, her expression showing yet more disgust.
“Neph stored it for later. He said he wanted a chance to examine it,” Jala explained and smiled faintly at the Fae’s obvious relief. “No, Wisp, we didn’t feed it to them,” she assured her with a faint chuckle.
“Oh well of course not,” Wisp added quickly, though her expression showed that was clearly what she had been thinking.
I don’t think I would have eaten a second one, not only was I already full from the first I greatly prefer the taste of beef, Marrow said as he stalked from the kitchen. You are going to have to buy her more food. She is growing and she is greedy. She tried to take mine again.
“I’m sorry. I will make sure she gets more next time,” Jala said with a frown and ran a hand down Marrow’s neck lightly.
“He bit me,” Emily’s voice came from the doorway and she became visible long enough to show Jala a set of teeth marks along one arm.
“Marrow, don’t bite her,” Jala scolded lightly.
I did say she tried to take my food, Marrow repeated emphasizing the word “tried.”
She heard Sovann repress a snort of laughter and turned to see the mage busying himself with cleaning off the table. “You girls have fun today,” he said as he glanced up to see her watching him.
“Oh I’m sure we will have loads of fun,” Jala replied dryly and glanced to Wisp. “You ready?” she asked with a shake of her head.
The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 2 Blood Honor and Dreams Page 15
