Shade nodded slowly as he heard the truth in his uncle’s words. That, too, was something Myth would do, strike first before the other was prepared. No wonder Temare had shown so little respect, the Sword Master must have known he was as good as dead. “Why don’t you stop him?” he asked his uncle. If Kiernan had been spying as often as Shade thought he had, it was likely he knew everything Myth planned to do. If anyone was in the perfect position to stop his father, his uncle was.
“Because I don’t even know if that is truly Myth. The first rule of Changeling survival is never be where they expect you to be. For all I know, that is one of his supposedly dead children playing at being him. I have to know for sure before I strike. With Myth, I won’t get a second chance,” Kiernan replied, his gaze moving back to the house. “You need to go, Shade, before he learns of this, and I need to be watching and listening.”
Shade gave a silent nod and looked to the prone body of Temare lying beside his spell hawk. His uncle followed his gaze and shook his head slightly motioning Shade on. “Thank you again, Uncle,” he whispered and gave one last glance at the house he had grown up in. It was possible he would never again see it. Setting his shoulders, he turned and jogged back to The Shade without further hesitation. He ignored the curious looks from his friends as he pulled the signet ring from his hand and quickly stored it in a gem. Wordlessly, he dropped it into his pocket and reached across to tear the locator crystal from his dash. Still silent, he gemmed it as well and dropped the stone into the pocket with the ring. It was illegal to fly without a locator crystal and he wouldn’t be able to land directly in Sanctuary without one, but he couldn’t risk being tracked by his father now. He had to go back to Sanctuary. He had to get Oma and Lex. Most importantly, he had to know what had happened with Jala or he would never sleep peacefully again. If Rivasa held her, he would find a way to get her back. It was his fault if they had her. If he had stood his ground then she would be fine.
“Shade?” Leah said, making his name a question. The concern was obvious on her face as she moved forward in the ship and sat down in the chair across from him.
“Nothing but Shade now, Leah. Christian Morcaillo is as good as dead,” he said, his voice quiet. As if the words themselves held magic. He felt years of strain fall from his shoulders. His mouth set in a grim smile as he turned the ship toward Sanctuary one last time. “Just a few things to tidy up and then who knows what from there. Maybe I’ll join the Fionaveir if they’ll have me. It would be nice to know that I was doing the right thing and have no doubts.”
She watched him silently, her eyes full of questions. She gave a slight nod and settled back into the seat with a thoughtful and distant expression.
Telling her brother through a link that I have lost my mind, no doubt, Shade mused silently, and the thought made him smile. Gaining one of my own is closer to the truth, he decided. It was best that she explain everything to Lex now, before he got to the city. He wouldn’t have to waste time explaining it himself, and he could focus on the important things. Like finding out if he had caused the only person to die he had ever met with an aura like snow. What shade of grey will I be then, if my obedience cost her life? It wasn’t a thought he cared to focus on, and pushed it aside to turn his attention instead to the minor detail of where he would land the spell hawk, if not at the sky port. It wasn’t so much the landing on rough terrain that was a problem. He could do that. I was the landing on rough terrain without being seen that presented the obstacle.
“Lex says if you were serious about the Fionaveir, he will take you to them himself,” Leah’s voice pulled him back from his thoughts and he repeated the words over in his mind. “He says they could use you now, things are difficult for them. To the point that he doesn’t think he will be staying in the city much longer, either,” Leah continued when he remained silent.
“Honestly, I’m not even sure what he was doing in the city. I didn’t know the Fionaveir attended the Academy. Is that normal? Are there others there?” Shade asked, voicing questions he had never quite found the right time to ask.
“You know I’m not one myself, so I don’t know everything they do. I know Lex was there to observe the High Lords children. Why he was sent to watch them, I don’t know. He thinks well of you, though, Shade. That much is obvious if he is willing to take you back home with us,” Leah explained with a shrug. Her dark eyes were still filled with concern. “Are you going to tell me what is going on? I know you are upset about leaving them. I am too. There wasn’t much we could do in that situation though. I can fight, but no one can survive those odds.”
Her words stung, and Shade winced at them. She was more than likely right, of course, but it had been Finn Sovaesh facing those odds. As much as he despised the man, Sovaesh was probably one of the few that could survive that situation. “There is a chance Finn pulled it off,” he said quietly.
“A very slender one. You know those soldiers would have been protected from range weapons. All armies are. Wisp would have been useless in that battle, and Jala just learned she had magic a month or two ago. She was far from a battle mage,” Leah returned, her voice gentle.
“I know they probably didn’t make it, Leah. I don’t need you to point out all of the reasons I should have stayed,” Shade sighed, the guilt bearing down on him with more weight than the name Morcaillo had ever held.
“I’m pointing out the reasons we had to go, Shade,” Leah corrected and leaned over to take his hand. “There was nothing we could have done there, other than die beside them.”
Shade looked at her, watching her expression and the look in her eyes. She thought he was helpless, as well. She had never even seen him with a sword, and like the rest of them in Sanctuary. She believed he couldn’t use one. After all, if he were a swordsman why would he need guards? He shook his head at her slowly and frowned. “It’s all in perspective, Leah. You see reasons I couldn’t have helped, and I see all of the ways I could have.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and mentally resolved that one day he would dispel all of the thoughts that had been formed about him.
Chapter 27
Sanctuary
“Jala, it’s time to wake up,” The sound of her mother echoed from downstairs. She snuggled back into her quilts, pretending she hadn’t heard the call. Cap snuggled in closer beside her, sharing his warmth. She ran her fingers through the thick fur and rested her cheek against his back, secure in the fortress of blankets she had built.
“Jala, it’s time to wake up,” the voice repeated, deeper now, and louder. Jala forced her eyes open a crack and realized it was Marrow she burrowed against. The Bendazzi, seeing her eyes move, nudged her with his nose, his yellow eyes watching her closely. She took a deep breath and worked her mouth open and closed. Her lips were cracked, her throat was dry, and her eyes were blurry. She sat up slowly, a bit lightheaded, and looked around the room, blinking. She was in her own bed in the Hall of Champions. A man was seated beside her in a chair pulled close to the bedside. She looked at him groggily, trying to remember if she knew who he was. He had dusky skin and dark almond-shaped eyes. She returned his stare, her mind still trapped partially in sleep. Stretching her muscles tentatively, she tried to remember why she felt so horrible. Her entire body felt like one large bruise, and she was far stiffer than she could ever remember being.
“Are you really awake? You don’t look it.” It was the same voice that had called her from the pleasant dream.
Jala watched the man speak. His mouth moved and then came the sounds, as if his voice were delayed. She raised a hand to the back of her head to check for a wound. That would certainly explain her disorientation. She gave a hesitant nod in answer. She was awake, or at least she thought she was. Everything seemed rather out of focus.
“My name is Jail. Well, it’s actually Jalon Han’shy, but you won’t hear anyone calling me that. I know this is an odd way to meet for the first time, but the others were concerned that you might have damaged your mind.” She nodded slowly,
still silent as she looked him over more closely. She remembered Finn telling her about Jail, but he hadn’t actually described the man accurately. Finn had said he was large. That simply wasn’t the proper word for Jail. He was, in fact, huge, far bigger than Finn or Valor with biceps the size of her thigh. He leaned forward in his chair and even in that position he would have been nearly as tall as her, standing. His head was shaved around the sides with the top part pulled back in a long braid. Tattoos ran around his skull in strange patterns that made her eyes hurt, just looking at them.
He raised a hand to her head and placed a finger on her temple, apparently concerned by her silence and staring. Jala fought back a chuckle as she imagined what she must look like to the man. Fine first impression indeed, her hair would be a wild tangle so soon after sleep, and her stare must have been positively vacant. “I’m alright. Really,” she murmured and gently pushed his hand back. Raising a hand, she rubbed her face and sought for the memory of what had brought her to this state. She could remember Anthae clearly and the ride back toward Rivana, but the memory faded from there. Absently, she tried to smooth her curls back into order and frowned at the fog in her mind.
Marrow looked up at her with his yellow eyes locking onto her violet ones with a vice-like stare. His mind linked with hers, filling her with the scenes of battle, and lifting the fog from her mind. She wasn’t sure if she had blocked them away or if she had, in fact, damaged her mind with the magic. It was all clear to her now, though, vivid and terrible. “You healed him, he is fine. The Fionaveir returned us to the city and left,” Marrow assured her, sensing her rising panic.
“Ahh, there is recognition. So you remember everything now?” Jail asked, the concerned look fading from his face.
She gave a quick nod and looked around the room as if she might have missed seeing Finn the first time. It didn’t seem right that Jail was here and Finn was not. If he was truly OK, she was sure he would be here. “Where is Finn?” she asked, pushing the blankets back and moving to stand.
“Easy. Finn is resting. First, you and I need to have a talk and then I’ll take you to him. Okay?” Jail calmly pushed her back toward the pillows.
“Talk about what? Did I damage my mind?” she stopped all attempts at getting from bed and stared at him waiting for an answer.
He shook his head slightly and frowned at her. “No, your mind is fine, but there is the matter of my checking it, though. I am one of the best Mind Mages there are, with the exception of my father and brother. I am certainly the best among the High Houses. I had to look into your mind to see that nothing had been damaged,” he paused, holding her gaze with his own. “I see no damage at all, Lady Merrodin,” he said, once he was sure he had her full attention. Her eyes widened at the name and she stared at him, her mouth parted slightly. “So you see the problem. You don’t know me at all, and yet I know a very big secret about you. So we need to decide what we will do. It was not my intention to discover your secrets, but that one was fresh in your mind and rested very near the surface,” he finished and leaned back waiting for her to speak.
It took her a moment to gather her composure. With a slight nod, she looked to Jail and gave another nod, her decision made. “There is nothing to debate here. I will trust you with my secret. Finn trusts you and that is enough for me. He says you are honorable and he has never lied to me. Not even when it would have been in his best interest to do so,” she said her voice steady.
Jail stared at her in disbelief. “Just like that? You just meet me and decide to trust as if it’s the simplest thing in the world?” he asked, with what she thought was amusement thick in his voice.
“It’s a circle, I suppose,” she said and shrugged. “Finn trusts you. I trust him. So I, in turn, trust you. All goes around, I suppose. By that own measure, I suppose I trust Valor, Wisp, and Neph, as well. Though I must say, you seem much nicer than Neph.”
“Not many would think like that. It’s putting a lot of faith in Finn’s judgment,” Jail pointed out mildly. “And yes, Neph is an ass but we tolerate him anyway,” he added with a slight chuckle.
“I owe my life to Finn, and he has never given me reason to doubt him,” she replied and swung her legs off the bed. She stood too rapidly, and Jail quickly raised a hand to steady her as she waited for her head to stop spinning. “You said you would take me to Finn,” she reminded him, once she was steady.
“Sovann had to drug him to get him to rest. He sat by your bed for the first three days and wouldn’t sleep or eat,” Jail explained, offering his arm to her.
Her eyes widened at his words and she looked back to her bed and then to him. “First three days, how bloody long have I been out?” she asked.
“Five days total, this being the fifth. I don’t think you quite realized how hard you pushed yourself. When your magic reserves run out and you continue a spell, it draws from your actual body. Look at yourself,” he said as he stopped her in front of her mirror and motioned to her reflection.
The image looking back at her was pale and worn looking. Her hair hung in limp tangles and her cheeks seemed sunken. Her shoulders and ribs jutted from beneath the nightgown making her look more skeletal than human. She raised a hand to her mouth at the sight and cringed at how bony her hand looked. Sitting in the bed, she hadn’t even paid attention to herself. She had been far more intent on the stranger seated beside her. “No wonder I’m so shaky,” she mumbled, still trying to adjust to the idea that the waif in the mirror was her.
Jail gave a slight nod. “There is another matter about that. We can speak of it later after you have seen Finn, but I would like Neph to be there as well.” She opened her mouth to object, but he silenced her with a motion of his hand. “I promise Neph will be on best behavior, and he is an expert in these matters.”
Jala gave a reluctant nod of acceptance. “I don’t think he likes me. It isn’t that I have a problem with him,” she explained.
Fighting back laughter, Jail shook his head at her and began to lead her from the room. “You just don’t understand Neph yet, my dear. Neph doesn’t like anyone. It’s not just you.”
The lights in Finn’s room were out and the shades drawn close, leaving the room nearly pitch black. Marrow crossed first, his pale form guiding her around furniture. Jail closed the door behind them silently and motioned for her to be quiet. Though Finn was drugged, there was still a chance he might wake, and if disoriented he would be dangerous. Despite that, she had insisted on seeing him to ease the image of him burned from her mind, though she didn’t think that image would ever go away entirely.
Marrow led her to the side of the bed, and she stopped a few feet away. It was hard to make out his features in the gloom, but his face was unmarred. The skin on the right side seemed a bit paler to her, but there was no sign of scarring. She resisted the urge to reach down and touch him and folded her hands behind her back instead. His eyelids flickered a bit and he shifted restlessly. She wanted to brush the hair back from his face, to touch his cheek to let him know she was here. Forcing herself back, she moved silently back to Jail and nodded to him. He opened the door and waited for her and Marrow to leave before exiting himself.
“For saying you trust me, you certainly didn’t take my word that he was all right,” Jail said with a smile as the door clicked shut behind them.
“I just wanted to see him,” she replied with her eyes still on the closed door.
“Well, he is much better company than the one I’m taking you to next.” Jail gave her a wink and led her across the hall to Neph’s door. He didn’t even so much as knock before pushing the door open and walking in. Jala’s eyes lingered on the cursed mark carved into Neph’s door and wondered which of his friends had put it there. With a resigned sigh, she followed Jail into the gloom of Neph’s eternally dark rooms. He sat at his chair much as he had the first time she had met him. He didn’t bother to look up from the book on his lap. He simply turned a page and continued to read as if they hadn’t barged in.
Jail closed the door behind them and motioned Jala to sit on the edge of the bed. She glanced at the bed then back to Jail and frowned, but did as he wanted. Neph continued to ignore them in favor of his book and Jala wondered how he could even read in this poor light.
“Shut it or eat it, your choice Neph,” Jail said in a harsher voice than she had yet heard from him.
Neph clicked his tongue against his teeth and flipped another page. “What do you want, you overgrown shaved ape?” he asked, his voice sounding disgusted.
“You to put down the bloody book for starters,” Jail replied, crossing his arms over his massive chest. He was looking down on Neph as if he might actually make the mage eat his book if he didn’t comply soon. Jala folded her hands in her lap and watched calmly. It might prove rather entertaining to see Neph eat a book. He certainly hadn’t given her any reason to stop Jail from force feeding him.
Neph closed the book with a slam that sent motes of dust flying through the dimly lit air and stood stretching. He dropped the book with a heavy thud onto the desk and took a step closer to Jail. Though Neph was tall, slightly over six feet, Jail still towered over him by several inches, his sheer mass of muscle making him seem even bigger.
“What?” Neph demanded of the larger man. If he was intimidated by Jail’s size, he gave no indication. “I’ve put the bloody book down and you have my full attention, so what in the hell do you want?” He glanced over at Jala, seeming to notice her for the first time, and gave a snort of disgust. “I’ve already told her I don’t give magic lessons. If you want her to learn how not to kill herself when casting, get Sovann.”
The Elder Blood Chronicles Bk 1 In Shades of Grey Page 39
