“Jala, wait, don’t!,” she heard Finn call as the magic washed over her and Marrow. She caught the faintest glimpse of his form in the hall as he rushed toward her. The expression on his face was agonized.
* * *
She looked around in mild shock at her surroundings. She hadn’t focused well when she cast the transport spell, and she was lucky it had worked properly at all. All she had wanted was to be alone where no one would bother her and now she clearly was alone. She was standing in the center of her old room in the Morcaillo hall. Dead flowers covered every surface in the room. Apparently no one had thought to throw out Madren’s gifts after she had left. Marrow tested the air beside her and then looked up at her with a questioning look in his yellow eyes. She ignored him and looked around the room, studying the locked door and the barred windows. She doubted anyone had been in this hall since Shade had left the city.
She swallowed heavily and finally met the Bendazzi’s gaze and shook her head slowly. “I don’t want to admit how much that hurt, even to you,” she said quietly, feeling her eyes go glassy again. “I love you, Marrow, but right now I can’t talk. So just please let me think for a while. I have to sort this out before I go back,” she finished quietly, her voice breaking a bit on the words. The Bendazzi bowed his head in acceptance and moved to the wall to lie down.
She brushed a hand gently across her stomach and tried to imagine what it would be like to raise a child in the world as it was now. Shuddering at the thought, she shook her head and moved to the bed. It was covered with a thin film of dust and the blankets were still rumpled. It was as if the room hadn’t been touched at all since her last night here. Waving a hand she cast a quick cleaning spell and crawled onto the down filled mattress. She curled on her side staring at the wall and tried to put her thoughts in order. Perhaps Finn was right. Maybe she should leave the city for safety. Images of the children in Merro’s district came to her mind as she considered the thought. When she had first started rebuilding the city, they had been so filled with despair, but now she could glimpse hope on a few of them. They knew she wanted to help them so they could see a brighter future. What would they see if she ran now and abandoned them to the mercy of the Justicars.
She lost track of time as she lay there in contemplation until the sound of the door opening brought her sharply back to her surroundings. A tall figure in a dark grey cloak moved into the room. The shadows seemed to envelop him as he closed the door silently. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the familiar garb.
“What do you want? I had thought our business was concluded,” she snarled. Hemlock was the last person she wanted to see right now.
The figure turned back toward her and slowly pulled the hood down. With a start she realized it was Valor regarding her with a slightly raised eyebrow. His hair was clean once more and held back in its usual thong and other than a large bruise forming on his cheekbone, he looked his normal immaculate self. He smoothed the front of his fine black tunic and flicked a glance to his grey cloak. It was obvious he wanted to say something, but hesitated.
“Valor,” she gasped, and felt the color drain from her face. What must he be thinking right now, knowing that I’ve had dealings with Hemlock she wondered with panic. “What are you doing here? What happened to your face?” The questions poured out of her as the knight calmly surveyed the room and then looked back to her. His expression was not the lazy smile she was so used to seeing on his handsome face. He seemed more somber and thoughtful.
His gloved hand rose to his face and gently traced the bruise and he shrugged slightly. “I had a discussion with Finn about which of us would come find you,” he explained calmly. Looking around the room once more, his eyes settled on a heavy cushioned chair. He crossed the room silently and dragged the chair back to the side of the bed with little effort. Removing the grey cloak he draped it over the dusty cushions and sat down lightly.
“Finn hit you?” she asked quietly, leaning forward for a better look at the injury in the faint light. It didn’t seem to be more than a bruise and a faint scrape, hardly worth summoning a healing spell for, and yet she was tempted to do so.
“I hit him harder,” Valor said with another shrug. “Neph is watching over him now and will stop him from leaving when he wakes.”
“You knocked him out?” she gasped, looking at him in amazement. Valor was Finn’s staunchest supporter and the thought of him striking Finn was unbelievable to her.
“It was better than allowing him to tear through the city trying to find you while he is hunted,” Valor reasoned.
“But the Justicars are hunting you too,” she pointed out, her eyes flicking to the grey cloak.
Valor smiled bitterly. “As much as I loathe Hemlock, being mistaken for him does have its advantages. If the rumors are to be believed, he appreciates that particular fashion statement. It supposedly keeps people guessing as to where the real Hemlock is,” he explained, the look of distaste plain on his face.
She nodded faintly and looked away from his gaze. There were too many questions in those dark blue eyes. “How did you know where to find me?” she asked quietly in an effort to turn the subject from the Assassin.
“There weren’t many places you could be. So I picked the one Finn was least likely to look in, and lo and behold here you are,” Valor said with a sigh. He reached a hand up gently and turned her chin forcing her to meet his eyes once more. “What did he do?” he asked gently. She shook her head silently in response and he sighed once more. “Well, I know he hasn’t cheated on you so that’s not it,” he began, and leaned back in the chair folding his hands on his lap. “A year ago, I would have thought Finn would be single forever and then he met you. Before we actually met, I would have sworn you had laid an enchantment on him to get him to fall so quickly for you. Now that I know you, though, I know it isn’t true. He loves you too much to show any attention to another woman, so what did he do?” he pressed. By the set of his jaw she didn’t think he would let the topic drop.
She shook her head again and felt the first tear form a path down her cheek. “I don’t want to talk now Valor,” she whispered. His expression was calm as he watched her and she realized this was the first time she had actually been alone with Valor. He seemed a different person away from Finn. She was used to seeing him as the gallant filled with smiles and usually a bit drunk. This man however was calm and thoughtful with a knowing look in his eyes.
He nodded slowly at her answer and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. With another faint nod as if he understood completely, he lowered his hands and smiled gently at her. “I used to despise him for the way he manipulated people. I couldn’t stand to be around him at all and tried to kill him on at least three occasions. It wasn’t until Jail worked on my mind that I accepted Finn as a friend,” he said quietly. Her jaw dropped slightly at his words but he smiled bitterly again. “Yes, I knew Jail created my friendship with Finn. I spend one night in a cell with a bitter rival and a Mind mage and walk out the next day friends. I may act like an idiot most of the time, but I’m not one, Jala,” he said with a light chuckle.
“And that doesn’t bother you?” she asked quietly.
He shook his head slightly. “No, if Jail hadn’t done what he did, one of us would have been dead by now. Honestly I can’t say if it would have been Finn or me,” he answered quietly. “It wasn’t until I had been friends with him for a while that I understood him. He may try with every ounce of his soul to be Firym, Jala, but he was raised Avanti. There are some things that cannot be unlearned. To the Avanti, everything exists for manipulation. There is nothing sacred to those people. You have to look at Finn’s purpose, though.” He paused and watched her for a moment as if seeking confirmation that she was following his words.
“What do you mean, his purpose?” she asked quietly.
“Finn manipulates me all the time. I don’t always notice when he does, but there are times when I catch it. He can be quite smooth about it when he wants to b
e. Never once has he manipulated me for selfish reasons, though. It is always done in my best interest. So, consider what I’ve said, Jala, and you don’t have to tell me what he did or what he used against you, but ask yourself this. ‘Did he do it for his best interest, or yours?’” He watched her face and waited silently.
“He wants me to flee the city and abandon my district,” she said at last. While she would have never thought of seeking him out for this talk, perhaps Valor was the best one to understand. He was Finn’s closest friend and knew him better than anyone else, other than perhaps Sovann.
“I can understand why he wants that. He wants to protect you. I see your side of it as well, though. You are responsible for those people now,” Valor said quietly and smiled at her. “I support you in this. I won’t abandon the city either. My sister is here, as well as my niece and our honor demands that we do what we can to protect our people.” He smiled again and chuckled lightly. “Humor me, Jala. List five words to describe Finn. The first five that come to your mind.”
Jala considered the question for the briefest of moments. “Strong, charming, passionate, honest, brutal,” she said and cringed at the last word. It was the truth. though, and she knew it.
Valor nodded his head in agreement. “Close to the words I would have chosen. I noticed a distinct lack of the words compassionate, thoughtful, and honorable. I’ve asked you to define his nature. Jala. and you have done it better than most would have. Knowing his nature, how can you expect him to act outside of it? It isn’t in his nature to care about strangers. His strength is yours, as is his charm and his passion. To anyone that threatens that, he offers honest brutality.”
“I’ve never seen this side of you before, Valor,” she said, watching him with respect. In just a few short minutes he had taken her anger at Finn and replaced it with understanding. She felt her temper cool completely and the sick feeling fade from her stomach. While she still didn’t know what she should do, she was in a better mind set to decide.
“Thank Jail for that. I rarely show this side anymore,” he said with a resigned sigh. He looked at her for a long moment and she shifted slightly under his gaze. “Compassionate, honest, sweet, beautiful, and naïve,” he said quietly and rose from his chair. “Milady, if I don’t get you back soon Finn will tear Neph apart and then the city,” he said as he pulled his cloak back on.
She nodded silently and rose from the bed. On impulse she caught his arm before he turned for the door. He looked down at her with a questioning look. “Thank you, Valor. I thought I needed to be alone to sort this out, but I was wrong,” she said quietly and released his arm.
“Whenever you have issues with him, find me, Jala. There is a very good chance I’ll support you in it. I love Finn like a brother, but he has a horrible habit of only being able to see his own view on things.” He started to turn toward the door again and then paused. Looking back at her he pulled the cloak hood down once more and met her gaze. “I don’t know what you have dealt with Hemlock for in the past, Jala, and I won’t ask for details. However, in the future come to me for that as well. If Finn won’t resolve whatever grievance you have that tempts you to seek an Assassin, I will. There is no need to sully yourself with the likes of that bastard. I will resolve the problem honorably.” He pulled the hood back up as he finished speaking and moved to the door before she could answer.
She started to follow and then paused as she saw Valor’s back stiffen as he stepped from the door. “Wait, stay back,” he warned, holding a hand up to stop her. With his other hand he threw back his cloak to free his sword.
“What is it?” she asked, expecting to see Justicars filling the hall beyond him.
“I closed the door when I came into the hall, it is standing open now. I’m afraid we are not alone here and I’m not sure who has stopped by for a visit,” he said quietly. He drew his sword and moved his other hand out in front of him. Jala watched in silence as his hair began to move as if in a gentle breeze. In moments the wind in the hall was whipping at his face and pulling his long silver hair free of its throng. As graceful as a dancer Valor stepped into the hall, his sword sweeping left and then right, faster than she had ever seen him move against Finn. Blood sprayed from the shining silver blade and she stared in awe as the bodies of two Blights fell to the thick carpet of the hall. Each had been felled by a single blow to the neck and the heads were nearly severed. The creatures were naked with smears of dried blood on their talons, one had been male, the other female. They were rangy in build with an emaciated look to them.
“How did you know where they were?” she asked as she approached the door. The Blight Finn and Valor had killed at Sovann’s had nearly been butchered. Both of these were clean precise kills. Her eyes lingered on the delicate features of the creatures, if not for the tangled hair and filth they could have passed as half-bloods easily.
He took her quickly by the hand and pulled her down the hall after him. She allowed herself to be pulled along, only glancing back once to make sure Marrow followed. The Bendazzi nodded for her to hurry and kept his yellow gaze on their surroundings. She knew how much Marrow hated not being able to sense the creatures and guessed he was furious right now.
“I’m sorry, Jala, but I don’t know if there are more than two and that trick won’t work outside.” Sword still held at the ready, he ushered her quickly toward his horse. It was a tall elegant mare rather than Vanguard, she noticed, as she climbed onto the saddle. Valor mounted quickly behind her and turned the sleek chestnut toward the paths. With a light kick to her sides he urged the mare into a run. Marrow paced alongside them easily, his attention shifting from side to side as they left the garden paths.
“How did you find them with the wind?” she asked again, unsure if he could hear her words at the speed they were moving.
“I am the Stormlord’s son,” he replied, his words barely more than a whisper in her ear.
Chapter 23
Avanti
Truce paced the room, pausing at times to watch the children at play near the windows. His son turned eight this year and his young sister-in-law was barely ten. Glass blocks lay scattered between them on the carpet with the beginnings of what looked to be the walls of Avenesh near his son’s leg. Lucias was reaching for more blocks, his dark red hair falling down over his face.
“No you get the red ones,” Dahlla corrected, setting the red blocks out in front of Truce’s son with the superior air of an elder. Her light brown hair was pulled up neatly and she sat cross-legged in a fashion that spread her wide green skirts around her. It wouldn’t be long before Dahlla no longer had time for such games, Truce mused, as he watched the girl hastily smooth her skirts once more.
“But I want the blue one,” Lucias protested pointing meaningfully at a shining blue block. Truce paused and regarded his son for a long moment, noting how the boy’s jaw was set. It seemed it was never a good idea to tell an Avanti, “no,”’ regardless of how old they were. His eyes lingered on the glass blocks the children had scattered. He had spent countless hours playing with those toys as a child. They were mage created of course, and each block had a different purpose. The red ones were best for building walls and castles while the blue ones were more pliable and better for shaping. His son’s green eyes had narrowed as he regarded the blue blocks and Truce cleared his throat.
“Mind your manners, Lucias,” he warned, and continued his pacing. His words drew the attention of Nallia, who rose from the small table to approach the children. Truce smiled at his wife and shook his head slightly. “The blue ones are the most fun. Who can blame him,” he said quietly, earning a beautiful smile in response.
“And he can share with his Aunt today. It’s not often we get such visits,” Nallia replied and winked at her younger sister who was watching them now.
Nodding silently, Truce looked back to the table where Nallia had been sitting and gazed at the delicate form of his mother-in-law. She was staring out the window, her face drawn with worry. It
was true, visits such as this were very rare. He was curious about why his father had summoned them all to this room, but was wise enough to know he would get no answers until Lord Avanti himself arrived.
“Would you like some more wine, Lady Davahni?” he asked quietly and paused once more in his steps as he awaited the woman’s reply.
She shook her head slowly in response and then forced a faint smile onto her face. Normally, the woman had a healthy glow about her bronze skin. Today she seemed pale. “No, but I thank you for the offer, Truce,” she said, her voice soft. Her gaze once again went to the window and he assumed she was seeking Sovaesh. Truce could understand her worry, he was rather curious himself as to where his Father-in-law was.
“She is so worried, Truce, can’t you reassure her?” Nallia whispered quietly as she came up beside him. She looped an arm through his and stared up at him with pleading clear in her dark green eyes.
“I wish I could, love, but I’m as clueless as the rest of you as to why we are here,” he replied softly. “I would hate to offer her false condolences. From what I’ve seen this morning, Father is in a temper and I do not know why.”
“I hate the fact that Daddy isn’t here? He isn’t in trouble is he?” Nallia pressed, desperate for any answers he could give.
“I have not heard of Sovaesh at all today, I’m sorry,” Truce said, feeling his heart sink at the look of disappointment on Nallia’s beautiful face.
The sound of the door opening loudly drew all attention and Truce watched his father stroll through with a dark expression. As always Lord Avanti was dressed in the most costly of fashions. Rings winked from every finger as he crossed the room, his gaze refusing to meet anyone. Truce watched his younger brother Nate following closely behind and noted the bruises and cuts that lined his face. Sovaesh trailed them both silently. Though the lower half of his face was covered, the look in his eyes was stormy. His gaze flicked to Nallia in question and then back to his brother. While Truce couldn’t think of any reason why Sovaesh would attack Nate that was certainly what it looked like.
The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 2 Blood Honor and Dreams Page 33
