Her blade was out and at the other woman’s throat before she could blink.
“Peace.” Alda’s voice sounded nothing like it had before, instead it was husky. “I am Grandmother Black. I simply chose this vessel as my next.”
Silver looked back at the old woman’s body and saw it crumpled on the floor, no longer held up by souls. Looking back at what had been Alda, she saw the features of her face begin to change; her skin turned from pale grey to honey bronze, while her eyes became narrower and took on a slight slant. Her nose grew longer and prouder in her face and her lips became fuller as her hair turned black and proud cheekbones made themselves known.
“The stupid child stole my powers to the point where she began draining my life force.” The new Grandmother Black explained. Wiping war paint from her face and taking the cloak from the tiny soulless corpse she had left behind. “Do not look so shocked child. Who do you think introduced the elven magicians to the concept of soul swapping?” With that she twirled the cloak onto her shoulders, sighed as she looked down at Alda’s revealing fur garments and teleported away.
A quick head count and Silver was pleased to realise she hadn’t lost anyone in the battle, while Alda’s forces had been completely eradicated. She opened a portal to Dalmorin and offered a hand to help Keenan onto his feet. He took it warily, but kept their hands joined as he followed her through the portal.
This was going to take some getting used to.
Chapter Thirty-Six
ICE COLD
Kate looked down from her seat at the Council meeting with terror in her heart.
On the dais stood Silver, her head high as she challenged every Council member in the room with her gaze. Her skin was still covered in scratches and grime from the battle with Alda which had only finished a few hours ago, and her eyes glittered with determination as she waited for their response. Her proposal was so brazen and disrespectful, that it was a wonder the Council hadn’t already issued orders for Romana and Silver to be killed instantly.
“I do not understand.” Ellamae voiced over the shocked silence. “You are aware that your being alive at all is by the grace of the Council?”
“No, I’m alive because you won’t kill me now. You wouldn’t kill Alda, you certainly won’t kill me.” Silver stood firm. “You’ve heard my conditions for working for you. I will not be watched by you every second of the way, you’ll give me all the time I want and all of those associated with me will have immunity from your ‘justice’.” Silver made it clear with her voice how little she thought of the Ancients’ laws. “My father will know if you are watching me since he is the eldest among you and I will hunt and kill everyone he tells me has done so. Even Ancients fear hellhounds, isn’t that right?”
“We feel nothing, therefore we fear nothing.” Ellamae’s response was automatic.
“For goodness sake! Stop lying to yourselves.” Silver retorted. “You’re all cowards hiding behind that mask you’ve all got on right now! If you truly care about your family so much that you won’t stop these insane murderers, then how does that care not extend to treating me better than a flea bitten mongrel? And if you’re emotionless, by definition you should not care about any of us at all, in which case you’d have killed us a long time ago!”
There was silence in the room as they digested her words.
“All in favour of accepting the Silver Eyed Wytch’s terms for hunting those of our offspring who have become radicalised by power,” Marcus’s voice rang out in the silence.
Before anyone could react, Darren, who almost never voted, put his hand into the air.
Gaillean was next, followed by Harmony, Isaac, and Marta. Almost all of the Council members raised their hands, and Kate could see how Silver was memorising those who didn’t, an action mirrored by Gaillean. The two were so similar, she found herself thinking as Marcus concluded the vote and Silver was granted the things she had asked. Kate had to wonder how much Silver had been talking from experience when she’d made that speech.
The only other Ancient who knew about Silver’s promise to Keenan was Gaillean, and Kate said a prayer to the unnamed being who had created them for the halfling’s safety. Loving a wytch was hard enough; loving Silver – not to mention trying to teach her to love back – was going to be a battle on its own.
“It is settled then, niece.” Marcus looked down at her. “Has your father told you the next target you have been assigned?”
“Issart’e,” Silver’s tone was ice cold.
Silver's Redemption (Soul Merge Saga Book 3) Page 32
