The Crow King's Wife

by Melissa Myers

  Zoelyn nodded slowly. It wasn’t what she had been expecting from him, but it did explain his obsession with training. “I won’t say I like it, but I will say I understand.” She couldn’t think of better words to offer, but both men seemed to accept them. The idea of losing two friends, possibly even three if Shade didn’t return weighed heavily on her, but she knew better than to try to talk them out of it.

  Jala’s eyes rose to the storm darkened sky and then looked to Shade. “When do you think you will be able to leave out?” she asked with concern.

  “Now.” Shade replied with a smile. He glanced toward the lightening in the distance and his smile widened.

  “Shade you will have to fly directly through that to reach Delvay.” Jala protested.

  “I know, and it’s exactly what I need. If nature herself can’t stop me how could anything in Rivana possibly have a chance? My ego took a heavy blow, Jala. I need to get my confidence back fully.” he looked ready to say more, but fell silent at the sound of a bowstring twanging loudly behind him.

  All eyes shifted to Dray once more as the Blight calmly lowered his weapon and walked toward a crumpled black form in the grass. Kneeling slowly he picked up the crow’s body and drew his arrow from it. “They make good fletching.” He offered in feeble explanation as he noticed their attention. It was only after he had spoken that Zoelyn realized every arrow in his quiver bore black feathers.

  “We will get along just fine.” Grim said with a slow smile. He nodded his head slightly and looked to Shade. “We have an appointment in Rivana to keep. Let’s quit wasting time and get it over with.” Turning back he smiled at Dray once more. “I’ll tell you about your father on the flight.” He offered as the Blight moved to stand next to him.

  “Really not sure if you should have killed one of Death’s minions right before we fly through a massive storm on our way to an impossible mission, but ah well. What’s a bit more challenge?” Shade said with a sigh before turning back to Jala. “I’ll let you know the moment I head for Glis.” He promised her.

  “I will meet you there.” Jala agreed, but her eyes were still lingering on the dead crow.

  Zoelyn couldn’t blame her. The sight of the creature was holding her attention as well, and she only hoped Dray hadn’t noticed the look of horror that had crossed her face when he had picked it up. It was like seeing Seth dead, and a part of her was wailing like a child at the sight of it. She knew how Dray felt about Seth however, and she knew she should feel the same way after all of the charm magic the demon had used on her. That didn’t mean she did though.

  “It’s just a bird, Zoey. He doesn’t suffer when one of them dies he only loses his sight into our world for a time.” Shade whispered to her in a reassuring voice.

  “How do you know that?” She returned softly in a voice she hoped only he could hear.

  “It’s a guess based on the fact that Dray is still walking around with a quiver full of black arrows. If Seth suffered when a crow died I think he likely would have killed Dray with the first dead bird.” Shade replied with a faint smile.

  “Why can’t my friends just get along?” Zoelyn sighed heavily.

  “My sentiments exactly.” Shade grinned and draped an arm lightly across her shoulders. With a gentle tug he began leading her toward the Spellhawk. “It comes with power I think. The more powerful you are, the harder you are to reason with. It’s kind of funny when you think about it though. The higher up the evolutionary ladder we climb the more base and primal we become.”

  “Why aren’t you difficult to get along with then? Jala says you are more powerful than most you just don’t show it.” Zoelyn asked softly.

  Shade smiled widely and too her amazement gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. There was a faint tingle as her curse nipped at his life force and she mentally scolded herself for not controlling it in time. She hadn’t been expecting Shade to touch her on bare flesh though, but if Shade minded the fraction of lost power he didn’t show it at all.

  “Thank you for that. My ego can use all of the bolstering it can get today.” Shade said with genuine gratitude. With a faint chuckle he shrugged one shoulder and gazed toward his ship. The goblin was already milling by the steps and by its agitated stance it had been waiting there for a while. “I don’t follow any of the rules I suppose. I think that’s why I can’t seem to find my place in this world. I keep looking for others that think like me, and I’m slowly realizing I’m a broken mold. There aren’t any others like me. Jala is close, but I still find myself shaking my head at her. She is doing what she has to in order to be a High lady, and I understand that. It simply tells me that I could never be a High Lord.”

  “So what are you going to do after you deal with Rivana and rescue the prisoners in Sanctuary?” Zoelyn asked as they paused beside the ship.

  Shade grinned at her and dropped his arm from her shoulders. With a heavy breath he shrugged then opened the door and motioned them all inside. “Damn good question. I’m sure I’ll think of an answer when the time comes. I’m good at impromptu.” He spoke cheerfully, but Zoelyn didn’t miss the glint of sadness in his blue eyes as he turned away. His words were positive, but she could see clearly that Shade didn’t fully expect to survive to the end of it all and so he hadn’t bothered to consider what he would do after it. He dropped his arm from her shoulder before she could press the subject and she watched in silence as he opened the door to his ship and disappeared inside it. There was no hesitation or fear in him at all. Her eyes moved from the door and followed Grim and Dray as they moved toward the ship. Neither of them looked concerned either, only determination lit their faces and she wondered how many friends she would watch die before Sanctuary finally knew peace. “Even one would be too many.” Zoelyn whispered as she stepped into the ship.

  Chapter 9

  The Darklands

  The throne room was hollow silence aside from the steady tapping of Finn’s finger on the table top. Seth watched with growing impatience as the Lord of Death stared down at the game board between them. It had been Finn’s turn for nearly ten minutes and Seth was beginning to wonder if Finn was truly contemplating his next move. He leaned back in his chair ignoring the creaking of his leather armor and wondered if he should even bother trying to bring Finn’s attention back to the game pieces. It wasn’t that he truly had an interest in playing, Fiona had informed him that Finn needed to be occupied and so he was trying his best to occupy the man. Ever since his visit to Jala, Finn had been morose and barely spoke to anyone. Even his judgments over the dead had slackened and once more the spirits awaiting his time were lining the streets.

  With a heavy frown Seth kicked the table leg harshly sending the carved pieces scattering in all directions. Finn sat abruptly back in his chair and watched one of the pieces roll to the floor before turning his annoyed glare to Seth.

  “Why don’t you just tell me what is eating you and we can both drop the pretense of having any interest in this?” Seth grumbled as he waved a gloved hand over the table top.

  Finn’s eyes narrowed and his finger resumed its infuriating tapping. He remained silent for another long moment then met Seth’s eyes squarely once more. “Why didn’t they just put you in charge here if they needed to replace a corrupted Divine? Why did they steal my life for this duty?” he asked in a voice so low it was barely audible. “You have mastery of magic and know how the Darklands work. It just seems as though it would have been more practical than wasting so much time training me.”

  With a bitter chuckle Seth smiled at Finn and raised an eyebrow. “Do you want the blunt truth Milord or do you require sweet words today? You have been sulking like a little girl so I’m not sure how to respond here.”

  Finn’s glare intensified and sparks of anger rose in his eyes, but it was far better than the depression he had been wallowing in as far as Seth was concerned. “You are a fine one to speak of sulking. A few weeks ago you were talking suicide as I recall.”

  Seth shrugged
his smile still firmly in place, but remained silent.

  “The blunt truth you ass.” Finn snapped finally and Seth had to resist the urge to chuckle again. There were so few people left that were brave enough to insult him.

  “I would have devoured most of the souls and War knew it. I’m not sure how fully you understand our delicate little balance here so I will explain fully. Our Lifestream is a cheap facsimile of the one beyond the barrier. It cannot produce souls as the true Lifestream can. Beyond the barrier if a soul were destroyed it would be replaced in a manner of hours. In here it takes years for a new soul to form. We are dependent on the reincarnation of our dead, and with me in control, well…” Seth’s voice trailed off and he raised both hands in a helpless gesture. “Let’s just say I hate too many in the sunlit world to allow them to have what I cannot. Why should I give them a second chance when I won’t get one?”

  “Maybe if you showed one shred of redemption you would get a second chance.” Finn muttered sourly. He leaned forward on the table and to Seth’s vast relief finally stopped the constant tapping of his finger. With an idle flick of his finger he set one of the game pieces to spinning and stared at it dismally.

  “With you, yes that is possible, but we were speaking of me coming to power without you in the equation.” Seth said quietly. “After dealing with the Lady bitch for as long as I did I promise you fair judgment would have been the last thing on my mind.”

  “Even if I gave it to you now I have nothing to go back to.” Finn whispered and there was a glint to his eyes that almost looked like unshed tears. “I had so much and I never truly realized how precious it was until it was gone.”

  Seth stared hard at him and shook his head slowly. “What happened to your belief in destiny? Haven’t you been spouting that crap at me for months?” he demanded. He had thought the harshness of his tone would snap Finn back to anger, but the Lord of Death showed no reaction at all beyond a faint smile.

  “I held that which I most desire for a few breaths and pushed it away from me again.” Finn whispered. “If this is destiny I’m going to kill the Aspect of Fate.”

  Despair hung about Finn like a shroud and Seth fell silent once more as he considered his lord. He wasn’t the right man for this sort of situation. Finn needed someone with a gift of words, and without his charm magic Seth knew words were woefully inadequate. “I suppose I could kill Valor for you.” He offered at last, when no other suggestion came to mind.

  “I fail to see how your offer to kill my best friend is supposed to lighten my spirits.” Finn grumbled. He flicked the game piece once more and sent it spinning from the table before collapsing back into his chair to glare at Seth once more.

  “Well on one hand it would free Jala for you, and if that fails well then it will piss you off and pull you from your mewling depression.” Seth explained with a weak shrug.

  “Mewling depression.” Finn repeated dully and seemed to contemplate the words. After a long moment he gave a grudging nod. “I suppose that is the best description for me at the present.”

  “Summon the entertainers. Listen to some music. Devise some new torture for one of the condemned souls. Visit a temple and fuck an acolyte. Just do something, Finn. Find some way to get your mind off of what you can’t have. You are a Divine. You will never have Jala again. You will never lead a normal life again.” He leaned forward as he spoke forcing Finn to hold his gaze and willing him to listen to every word he spoke. He knew it was harsh, but he couldn’t think of a kind way to speak the words. They needed to be said and Finn had told him to speak bluntly. “You had accepted it before. Why are you backtracking now?” Seth added with irritation thick in his voice.

  “I don’t know.” Finn admitted sadly. He let out a heavy sigh and placed both hands over his face rubbing at his eyes.

  “At least some part of that was supposed to piss you off.” Seth informed him dryly.

  Finn’s hands fell away from his face and he smiled bitterly at Seth. “I know, and it should have, but even when I kindle the faintest spark of anger it fades too quickly to seize. Even Fiona isn’t getting under my skin and she normally has me ready to slit her throat by the time I finish my first cup of tea in the morning.”

  “You are Firym.” Seth reminded him through gritted teeth.

  “I was. Now I’m Death.” Finn corrected quietly.

  “Bloody buggering hell.” Seth muttered darkly and simply stared at Finn in disbelief. He found himself at an utter loss on how to stir the man from his mood. “Lutheron, Madren, Rivasa, Avanti, non-alcoholic beverages.” Seth chanted the words and watched Finn closely.

  Finn gave a weak snort of amusement and raised an eyebrow at Seth. “Non-alcoholic beverages?” he asked.

  Seth shrugged one shoulder. “I ran out of people you hate so I tossed in a random thing you hate.” He explained with a sigh. “I’m trying here, Finn. What’s it going to take?”

  “Legacy, maybe. That might give purpose. I still have my son at least.” Finn muttered then looked at Seth hopefully. “Have you spoken with Jala? Did you make amends?”

  Seth stared at him for a long moment wondering how far Finn had let his attention go in his depression. He should have known the answer to that. “Finn, you know I haven’t. You should know I haven’t left the Darklands at all. When you returned from Merro Fiona was frantic over your mood. She pleaded with me to stay close. The crazy bitch seems to believe I have some sort of mystical power over you.” Seth snorted with disgust and waved a hand lazily toward Finn. “As we can both see I obviously do not.”

  “I should have known that.” Finn mumbled and for a moment the grief was gone from his eyes replaced by concern. His gaze moved to the massive double doors and Seth knew he was contemplating the creatures that dwelled beyond them.

  “They will be gathering power. You are showing them weakness and they will be preparing to go for your throat.” Seth said quietly.

  Finn turned back to him and nodded slowly. “I wish them luck of it.” He spoke the words softly but they hit Seth like a blow to the face.

  “If they kill you the sunlit world is damned.” Seth promised him coldly. He rose from his chair and paced back from the table as his irritation crested to anger. “Your life is what you make of it Finn Sovaesh. This dismal hole you live in is your predecessor’s creation. Take it and make it your own. Change it to suit you, rebuild the Darklands to fit your needs. Don’t just give up, because I promise you if you fall I will seize your power and I will destroy them all.”

  “Why?” Finn asked and Seth simply stared at him in response. He wasn’t sure if Finn was asking why he should rebuild or why he would destroy them all, but the man didn’t look inclined to elaborate.

  “Let’s take the most noble of them for starters. Elijah Arovan. He was a warlord beyond the barrier and he has more blood on his hands than I do. He destroyed entire worlds in his conquests without a glimmer of regret. Yet here he acts as if he is some sort of Paladin or righteous hero. He is a hypocrite of the highest extreme. Then there is Jin Han’shy. He was a member of the Dark Brotherhood. He has made most forget that of course and now pretends to be some pacifist, but I know his true nature. He is a murderer and a rapist with a penchant for cruelty that makes most of the demons you control seem like misbehaving children. They are all like that. Each and every one of them has a dark past that they pretend doesn’t exist and yet they have the audacity to call me monster?” Seth’s voice rose as his anger grew and he glowered upwards as if he could somehow see those he spoke of.

  “Isn’t it possible that they have changed?” Finn asked calmly.

  Seth turned to look back at him in disbelief. “No.” he answered coldly. He didn’t even like the suggestion that they might have redeemed themselves. Finn didn’t know them as well as he did. He was too young to understand that men simply didn’t change their natures.

  “Perhaps they served their penance in the sunlit world. Maybe they recognized why they were locked in the prison
and sought redemption.” Finn pressed.

  “No.” Seth repeated in a louder voice and paced further from the table. He couldn’t explain why the words angered him so much, but just the suggestion made him want to kill something. Slowly he turned back to face Finn and let all of the anger bleed from his face. He knew how to rouse Finn. The answer had finally shown itself and he knew without a shadow of doubt that it would work. “You aren’t giving up your own power with this folly. You are damning your son. If you fail here he dies, either by the hands of his enemies or alone when I have leveled everything else. At your insistence I walk a brighter path, but without your nagging I will continue down the same dark trail I have always traveled. I wouldn’t be alone either. Myth would see the opportunity and seek me out. Between the two of us we could end it all.”

  “What about Zoelyn? Would you kill her too?” Finn asked coldly.

  Seth smiled bitterly at Finn and shook his head slowly. He could see the depression fading from Finn completely. It was working. He just had to press a bit harder. “I wouldn’t have to. She is Undrae, Finn. There is so much about her kind that you don’t understand. With a few gentle nudges I wouldn’t have to destroy her. She would be at my side helping me. I could turn her so easily. You’ve seen what she thinks of the outside world. She is already so close to hating them.”

  “And you don’t think that would be destroying her?” Finn snarled as he rose from his seat.

  Seth folded his arms across his chest and watched in calm satisfaction as the Lord of Death stalked toward him with fury written clearly on his features. “No, I don’t think it would be destroying her. I think it would be liberating her and removing the blinders from her. There is nothing worth saving in the world above, Finn. It is all a cheap facsimile. A make-believe world they invented to keep us from seeking our true home beyond the barrier.”