“Because she was in agony, you sorry bastard and I didn’t want to watch her suffer for your convenience,” Havoc snapped back, his anger rising to block out the grief.
“Havoc,” Victory warned again with a note of pleading to his voice.
“Watch your mouth, Havoc,” Kadan hissed, his hand dropping to his sword hilt. They were all tired from the fighting they had seen and it made tempers short. Too short perhaps. Kadan and he had never gotten along even on the best of days.
“Or what, Kadan? You are going to draw steel on me? Do you actually think you can win against me? I’ve seen more fighting in the last year than you have seen in your whole bloody life,” Havoc snarled as he began to stalk toward the High Lord of Delvay. “Personally, I wish you would draw, Kadan. I’d love to show you a fraction of the agony your sister felt and see how willing you are to live with it.”
“I am Delvay. Pain is nothing,” Kadan returned, his voice rising with his temper.
“This isn’t solving anything! Don’t we have enough enemies already without you two fighting? She did give a bloody report. She gave it to Havoc before she died. If you two would stop, we can track down the bastards that did this!” Victory’s voice rang through the clearing with more anger than Havoc had ever heard from him. Normally, Victory was the rational one, the even tempered diplomat, now he almost sounded Firym.
“Vic,” Havoc muttered stupidly as he stared at his friend in disbelief.
“I’m so god damned sick of your dick measuring. I’ve been watching it for weeks. Honestly, do you two have nothing better to do with your time than irritate each other? Kes is dead and you two care more about fighting with each other than stopping her killers or saving the rest of Delvay. You are both god damned morons. Firym are tough. Delvay are tough. You are both complete bad asses and I shudder at the thought of your power. Are you happy now? Will you shut up and do something productive now?” The Fae’s chest was heaving as he finished his tirade and he shook his head in disgust at both of them.
“Damn, Vic, a moron? That is a bit harsh,” Havoc muttered, his posture going back to relaxed as he exchanged looks with Kadan. He tried to keep his tone light despite the emotions raging inside him. He had never seen Victory this close to snapping before, not even when Veir fell.
“She gave the report?” Kadan asked cautiously, his eyes flicking to Victory as he spoke. Apparently the sight of the Fae unhinged was just as disturbing to the Delvay as it had been for him to witness.
“She said Nerathane had joined the fight and that they had Magebreakers,” Havoc said with barely a glance toward Kadan. His attention was fully focused on Victory who was leaning against a tree, his eyes locked on Kes’s burnt body.
“That could be Jala or Wisp if we don’t stop them Havoc,” Victory whispered softly. The anger had left his face now and he seemed pale and drained.
“We can’t stop them. You said it yourself that the Spellblades wouldn’t hold against Magebreakers, and Nerathane. We can’t fight the dragons and Rivana at the same time, Victory.” Havoc spoke in the calmest voice he could muster. It worried him to see Victory like this. Vic was the anchor that kept him from getting them both killed.
“Are you expecting me to surrender? I won’t back down. I don’t care how many dragons they have. Delvay will fight,” Kadan snapped.
“So he was right about one of us being a moron at least,” Havoc returned in a dry tone. With one simple sentence Kadan had managed to piss him off yet again. The Delvay lord was the best at setting his temper off though so it really shouldn’t be surprising.
“I’m not a damned craven. I will not hide from my enemies, but feel free to scurry off Firym,” Kadan shot back and spat on the ground in disgust.
“You are going to be responsible for the death of everyone in this army if you continue, Kadan. You have no choice but to retreat now,” Havoc said, his voice rising in pitch once more.
“For the love of the Divines,” Victory sighed and shook his head. “Fine, kill each other off,” he muttered throwing his hands up in defeat.
“It’s either kill him off or watch him sacrifice Delvay for his damned pride,” Havoc snarled. “You can’t hold against them Kadan! You were already outnumbered before the dragons joined the fight. You are going to die, you jackass,” Havoc said loudly, pronouncing each word slowly as though he were speaking with a doting elder.
“If you want to run, feel free, Havoc. We didn’t ask for your help in this fight to begin with,” Kadan hissed.
“I’m leaving, Havoc,” Victory said in a voice so soft Havoc barely heard him.
“I’ll be back at camp shortly. Once I knock some sense into this dipshit,” Havoc called, his hand already going for the hilt of his sword.
“I won’t be at the camp, Havoc. I’m leaving Delvay,” Victory added in a slightly louder voice.
“Run with your friend, Havoc. Spare me the trouble of burying your corpse later,” Kadan said in a mocking tone.
Havoc glanced over his shoulder toward Victory and then back at Kadan. Anger coursed through him, but if he wasted more time fighting with Kadan, Victory would be gone. Clenching his fist tightly he locked eyes with Kadan. “You should have cried for your sister,” he hissed as his fist connected solidly with the Delvay Lord’s nose. Bones crunched under his hand, but he didn’t stay long enough to see the damage.
Turning, he followed quickly after Victory, catching up with the Fae just as he was mounting Avalanche. “Vic, wait!” Havoc called before his partner could manage the first of the transport spell.
“What?” Victory asked in a voice that seemed too tired.
Havoc gave a light whistle and waited patiently as Razor trotted over to him. Looking up at Victory he smiled faintly. “So, where are we going?” he asked as he swung into his saddle.
“I’m going home, Havoc. That’s where I should have gone in the first place. If you were smart you would go home too. Our own people need us, and maybe they will actually listen when we try to save their lives,” Victory said sadly, his eyes flicking to the child that still didn’t seem to realize his mother was dead.
“Well, give me a lift to Faydwar at least, Vic. Don’t leave me stranded with the Delvay after I broke their lord’s nose,” Havoc said quietly. He still couldn’t believe what he had just heard. In the ten years they had been traveling together, Victory had joked about leaving him behind, but he had never been serious before. There was no laughter in his eyes now. This time he was serious.
Victory nodded slowly and began the spell silently, his gaze never leaving the child.
“Can I ask why, now, Vic? We’ve been through a lot of shit together. Why are you cutting ties now?” Havoc asked, amazed at the pang in his chest at just the thought of going separate ways. They had been friends since the Academy, only Zach had been with them back then. Then the fall of Veir, and it was just the two of them after that. Now it looked like it wouldn’t even be that much.
“Because I don’t want to watch you die, Havoc, and I think for the first time since I’ve known you that it might actually happen. You’ve always been invincible in my eyes, but you never know when to back down, Havoc. After what I’ve seen in the past few weeks…” Victory’s voice trailed off as his magic washed over them. The rest didn’t need to be spoken aloud, though. Havoc knew all too well what he meant.
Chapter 26
Seravae Isles
Cold wet drizzle washed over them in a steady fall that had lasted all day. Jala glanced toward Valor who sat alone at the prow of the ship. She couldn’t prove he was causing the weather but she had a good suspicion that he was. He had been silent since they had left Kithvaryn and hadn’t said so much as a word to her the entire ship ride. With a sigh she glanced over to where Ash stood by the rail, staring out over the ocean. He had been quiet too, but then from what she had seen of the man so far, Ash was always quiet. He would speak if you spoke first, but he rarely initiated the conversation himself.
You should ha
ve brought Sovann with you if you wanted social company, Marrow said as he moved forward to sit beside her.
“I needed him to go with Kithvaryn,” Jala sighed as she pulled the blankets closer around Legacy. With the weather, she should take the child below, but the holds of the ship were stifling and held the overwhelming odor of rotting fish. “I wish we could have gone home first,” Jala added in a wistful voice.
I wish we had just gone home. I don’t understand why you must marry Ash. He isn’t right for you, Marrow grumbled.
“We’ve talked about this. I’m not getting married for love. I’m getting married for power. I need the armies he will bring to Merro,” Jala said in an exasperated voice. No matter how many times she tried to explain the concept of political marriage to Marrow he simply didn’t understand.
He cowered from the Divine, Marrow pointed out in a disgusted voice.
“We’ve talked of that too. The Soulreavers have a superstitious fear of Death. They believe her to be the only god and not a very nice one,” Jala repeated the words for what felt like the hundredth time.
Just saying, if you don’t cower you should have a mate that doesn’t cower, Marrow grumbled.
“I did, and his lack of cowering got him killed!” Jala snapped and instantly regretted raising her voice as Legacy began to squirm in her arms. He was always fussy when he woke early from a nap. “Shh. I’m sorry, love,” she cooed, rocking the child in her arms.
Perhaps you should try for one that is brave and thoughtful rather than rash and fearless, Marrow suggested. The Bendazzi had been harassing her with this line of conversation since they had set sail. No matter how carefully she explained her plans to him he ignored her.
“Know any of them that have a very large army on standby?” Jala asked with sarcasm lacing her voice.
Do you even know you will need a very large army? You are Divine with the blood of War in your veins. Maybe you are a one-woman army and simply don’t realize it, Marrow said with an indignant sniff.
“Please stop, Marrow,” Jala pleaded as she continued to rock Legacy who was at the verge of tears. Slowly she stood up and began to pace the deck, hoping the movement would help soothe him. He was growing so fast due to her magic it was possible he was beginning to teethe. That would only make his fussiness worse. She had considered removing the magic and allowing him to age at a normal pace, but in light of what was coming, it seemed a better plan to let him grow enough to be less dependent on her. It was a morbid path to follow, but she didn’t like the thought of her son suffering if something happened to her.
Ash stepped up beside her as she turned back to the rail once more. The Soulreaver smiled faintly at her and nodded his head toward the ocean. “You can make out the edges of Seravae now. The smaller shapes are uninhabited islands but if you look past them you can just make out the coast of the Sword Isle.” His voice was soothing and even Legacy stopped fussing as he spoke.
Jala moved closer to the rail and peered out across the rain covered distance in the direction he indicated. She could barely make out the rocky coast through the murk of the day, but what she saw wasn’t impressive to her. Glancing over at Ash she nodded and tried to force a faint smile onto her face. To her amazement Ash laughed at her expression.
“It isn’t much to look at, is it? It really doesn’t get any better inland either,” Ash said with the amusement still clear on his face.
“I’ve never seen you laugh before. Or even really smile for that matter,” Jala stammered, still staring at the Soulreaver in amazement.
Ash looked down at her and raised a pale eyebrow. “Did you think I was serene all of the time?”
“Well yes, actually,” Jala admitted, still staring at him.
Ash laughed again and shook his head at her. “I have a lighter side, Jala. I just try to be professional when I am working. Till this point, in every contact we have had, I have been working.”
“You considered it working? I’ve never once paid you for any help you have given me,” Jala replied, shaking her head at him slightly. It was a relief to see this side of him. She had pictured a marriage with him as being dull and lifeless. To see him actually laughing gave her hope, though. There was a possibility that their agreement could become friendship or possibly even more with enough time.
“Money isn’t everything, Jala. I often work for free if the task is a worthy one,” Ash replied with a smile. He leaned forward on the rail, his eyes locked on the distant rocks. “I won’t miss this place at all, after we have gone. I can’t think of a single pleasant memory from the islands,” he mused.
Have you left Kithvaryn yet? Neph’s voice broke through her thoughts like thunder and all thoughts of conversation with Ash vanished.
I have and you don’t have to bellow at me Neph. I can hear you just fine, Jala replied wincing a bit from the link.
Go home. Do not come to Seravae, Neph ordered in a voice that brooked no argument.
I can scarcely do that, Neph. I can see the shores of Seravae right now. What has happened? I thought everything was settled, Jala sighed, wondering if every plan she made in her life would become a mess in her hands. It seemed things could never simply go as she hoped. Everything had to be complicated.
Everything was worked out perfectly until last night. Now everything is a bloody mess. Do not come here, Jala, Neph said with frustration thick in his voice.
What happened last night? Jala asked wearily.
The Lord Reaver’s wife died. They are saying it was suicide and from the few times I spoke with the woman it might very well have been. Jexon has spent the last day arguing against Ash, however. It would seem the Seravae mourning period lasts approximately the amount of time it takes to roll a body into the grave. I wasn’t too concerned at first, but Jala, I think he is swaying the council. If you do marry Ash with the way things stand, you will be lucky to get a guard, let alone an army. Neph spoke quickly as if simply knowing she was near Seravae was reason for panic.
With a heavy sigh, Jala leaned back against the rail and closed her eyes. Swallowing heavily, she tried to govern her thoughts and decide the best approach. She needed Seravae, and she needed their shamans more than anything else. For what she had planned in the spring she would need all of the Spirit mages she could get.
“May I ask what is wrong? Your emotions went from hopeful to despair in a matter of moments,” Ash said softly.
“Neph just contacted me. The High Lady of Seravae has committed suicide apparently, and your father has been using every moment since then to sway the council against you,” Jala explained in a voice utterly devoid of emotion. It seemed this was going to be one of the moments that Vaze and War had been trying to prepare her for. As they had said, sometimes you don’t have any good options; you simply had to take the one you could live with.
Ash was standing silently beside her, his own expression thoughtful. Glancing down at her he shook his head slowly. “We should go to Merro. I doubt I can win against Jexon with the council,” he said finally in a voice that was already filled with defeat.
“I didn’t even know the Soulreavers had a bloody council,” Jala muttered as she raised her free hand to wipe rain from her face and returned to rocking Legacy on her hip.
“It is comprised of a master of each circle of training. However the High Lord himself has a voice there as well and his word is worth two votes. In order to win against Jexon cleanly, I would need all three of the Masters on my side and that won’t happen. The Master of Blades will side with Jexon. There is no doubt of that, and depending on who is control of the shamans right now he might have that vote as well,” Ash explained sourly.
“Could you explain to me why, exactly, Jexon would do this, please?” Jala asked. She had only met the man once at the council in Sanctuary and he hadn’t seemed too fond of her then. She couldn’t imagine why he would want her as a wife after that meeting.
“Politics,” Valor said from his seat at the prow of the ship. She hadn’t ev
en been aware that he could hear them speaking until now. Standing slowly, Valor stretched and walked over to join them. “If he marries you and places a lackey of his in control of the isles, he effectively has control of both. From what Ash is saying, whoever is the master of blades, is his lackey,” Valor said with a look of misery on his face. He stared down at her with a look that held both resignation and accusation in it.
“Scythe is in charge of Blades right now. He has always been a staunch supporter of my father and Valor is likely right about their goals,” Ash agreed and leaned heavily back on the rail.
“But you aren’t going to listen to us when we tell you to go home are you?” Valor asked, though his expression showed clearly that he already knew the answer to his question.
“I’m not going to go home without speaking with them first,” Jala answered carefully. It seemed as though vengeance was going to have a very high cost. Possibly her friendship with Valor, if she wasn’t careful. “You don’t understand, Valor. Every plan I have is contingent on Spirit mages. I have to have Seravae in this,” Jala sighed.
“Make new plans,” Valor suggested. “I’ve never met Jexon personally but I’ve heard enough of him to hate the man,” he added in a lower voice.
“Rumors, Valor. We both know how viscous rumors can be,” Jala returned in a voice that was sharper than she had intended.
“In my Father’s case, they may not all be rumors,” Ash offered hesitantly.
“Maybe you should listen to the son that had to exile himself to keep his father from killing him?” Valor added, his voice gaining volume with his anger.
The cold drizzling rain began to fall in heavier sheets and Jala sighed. Pulling her cloak tighter she looked up at the sky and then to Valor. “Really, Val, as if the day wasn’t bad enough,” she grumbled.
“Like I’m bloody well doing it on purpose!” Valor snapped back as he pulled the hood up on his cloak. “Maybe you shouldn’t have done whatever you did to my magic. Or maybe, just maybe you should stop pissing me off.”
The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 3 From the Ashes Page 39
