The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 2 Blood Honor and Dreams (29 page)

“Bloodless. I wanted this to be bloodless,”
Symphony said quietly as she propped her elbows on the table and
rested her chin on her hands.

“What you want and what you are going to get
appear to be two very different things, Symphony. I think it’s best
if we prepare for what is coming,” Faramir said gravely.

“How far do you think it will spread?”
Symphony asked.

“That depends on if Nerathane joins the
fight,” Caspian replied. “If Rivana has to fight alone it will be
the typical border skirmishes that we see every few years. If
Nerathane joins, Delvay will fall unless others rise to help them,
and at this point I don’t think there is anyone that will rise.
They are all too worried about the Blights to make a move toward
war.”

“So Delvay will fall if the dragons fly. What
I need to figure out is how to keep Nerathane out of the fight,”
Symphony said, her eyes glued to the map once more. “How do you
reason with dragons?” she murmured to herself and began to pore
over all knowledge of Nerathane that she had learned so far. It
seemed a hopeless endeavor, though. If anyone had ever known how to
reason with dragons they likely kept it as a trade secret.

“There is a slim chance …,” Caspian began,
his eyes still on the map.

“What? A slim chance is better than none,”
Symphony said, her hope rising a bit.

“Well, Lord Rivasa has a brother in the
northern territories who controls a third of the Rivana military.
They do not get along at all. If we could get an agent to the
brother we might be able to sabotage the war before it begins,”
Caspian said cautiously.

“Hexian?” Faramir asked in disbelief. “The
man is an arrogant ass and virtually impossible to deal with, from
what I’ve heard.”

“Then you’ve heard more than I have about
him,” Caspian said calmly and looked up to Symphony. “If you care
to gamble I’ll send someone to speak with him.”

“Given that Fortune himself is on his side
I’d say I’m willing to gamble,” Symphony replied with a smile. “Who
do you intend to send to negotiate?” she asked, though in her gut
she already knew the answer. This would take finesse and charm and
she could think of only one man who had ample supplies of that.

“Remedy. I hate risking a council member, but
with his mental skills as well as his charm he has the best chance
of success,” Caspian replied.

“I’ll let him know then,” Symphony said
quietly. “I had plans to go riding with him this afternoon. Better
that he heads to Rivana as soon as possible, I think, though, if we
are going to have any chance at all of stopping this.

Caspian nodded and watched her rise from her
chair. “If we get any new reports I’ll have you summoned. I expect
Lutheron will send me word by evening about the spell hawk.”

“Thank you Caspian,” she said with a smile
and turned to Faramir. “Sword practice later then, since my ride is
apparently getting cancelled?” she asked hoping Faramir would say
yes. With Vaze out of the compound Faramir was the only one with
close enough skill to spar with aside from Caspian himself. And
Caspian was always far too busy.

“I should be able to, unless something comes
up,” Faramir said, a bit distracted.

“Is everything OK, Faramir?” Symphony asked
with concern, pausing on her way to the door.

“Yes, of course. Well, as right as it can be,
given the situation. I was just concentrating on this mess and
trying to figure out how to set things right,” Faramir assured her,
and waved her toward the door. “Better get Remedy on his way. We
are short of time on stopping this war and with how dangerous
travel is right now, he will need all the extra time you can give
him to arrive safely.”

“It’s Remedy. I have no doubt he will arrive
there safely. I’m sure he will be able to talk them out of war as
well. I’ve never seen Remedy fail at persuasion,” Symphony replied
with a smile and gave them a final nod before leaving the room.

Sanctuary

Night had fully fallen by the time she walked
from the council room. Pausing on the steps, Jala glanced back at
the Hall of Justice and sighed. Her mind was churning with a
hundred thoughts as she made her way down the stairs and up to the
fountain of Caspian.

“I was beginning to think they had changed
their minds and decided to keep you.” Finn’s voice broke through
her thoughts and she spun around, her eyes finding him instantly as
he approached.

“I don’t know if I want to slap you or kiss
you,” she said quietly, her attention fixed on his chest where a
sword had been lodged the last time she had glimpsed him.

“Slap, then kiss,” he suggested. “If you kiss
and then slap, passersby will get the wrong impression about me,”
he added with a charming smile.

“How did you live?” she whispered, moving
forward to wrap her arms around him. “Was it the dragon blood?” she
asked looking up at him.

“Dragon blood?” he repeated in confusion and
met her eyes.

“You turned into a dragon in Rivana,
remember?” she prompted, unsure why he seemed so confused.

“Shit, Shade didn’t tell you anything did
he?” he asked, and shook his head in disgust. “Come on, I’ll
explain, but not here. Let’s get you home before Marrow paces a
hole in the carpet.” Wrapping his arm around her waist he began to
guide their steps back toward the Academy. “I suppose we can speak
of other things while we walk, though. I’m sure you are curious
about Isador.”

“She is awake then, and talking?” Jala asked
hopefully. It was by far the best news she had in the past twenty
four hours, aside from the knowledge that Finn had won his
duel.

Finn nodded slightly. “It turns out she was
waiting there to talk to Sovann. We aren’t really sure if the
creature followed her or it was waiting for Sovann ,as well,” Finn
explained.

“What did she want to see Sovann about?” Jala
asked curiously.

“To leave a message for you, actually, but it
isn’t a good one,” he warned and let out a long sigh. “The temple
you grew up at in Bliss is gone. We aren’t entirely sure who did it
but everyone there is gone …” His voice trailed off and he glanced
at her again.

“Gone, as in dead?” she asked, though she
wasn’t sure why she bothered. In her heart she already knew the
answer.

“Yes, they are dead. Isador came to warn you
because she believed they had been killed in an attempt to gain
your true identity. Not that it matters now.” His hand squeezed a
bit tighter around her waist and he kissed her on the top of the
head. “I’m sorry,
Vezradesh
. I do have brighter news for
you, though. The boy you kept me from killing is safe and staying
with Sovann now. He has agreed to help as much as he is able and is
rather impatient to see you.”

“Joseph. His name is Joseph Walker. He
couldn’t have been much older than I when Merro fell. Did he happen
to explain how he survived?” Mentally she could see him as he once
was - a tousle-headed boy with hair the color of straw and bright
brown eyes. He had been one of the only Walker children she had
enjoyed playing with. He had never teased her or called her
names.

“He apparently went with an older brother and
sister to Brannaford. By the sounds of it his family had more
children than the Merro district has gutter rats,” Finn replied and
pushed open the gates to the Academy for her.

Smiling she stepped through and nodded her
agreement. “I’m not sure if there were quite that many but it was
close. Ten boys, I think it was, and seven girls. Mrs. Walker
always acted like Mother was an invalid because she only had two
children. As if it were a crime to keep a small family.”

Wrapping one hand around a gate post he
partially swung his way through the gate and kicked it shut behind
them. “And what about you, Lady Merrodin? Large family or small?”
he asked with a raised eyebrow as he fell into step beside her once
more.

Pursing her lips, she looked upwards as she
walked, eyes flicking from star to star and then shrugged, looking
over at him. “I really don’t think I would want seventeen children
like Mrs. Walker had. I can remember several occasions when Mr.
Walker couldn’t remember his children’s names. I think a small
family is better. My Father never once forgot my name.”

“I really don’t think I would want to provide
for seventeen children,” Finn said with an amused snort. “Let alone
try to think up seventeen names,” he added with a shake of his
head.

“In all honesty I doubt the high lords intend
to allow me any family,” Jala said quietly and looped her arm
through his.

“I hadn’t intended on asking their
permission,” Finn said with a smirk. “And considering how much
Marrow and I ran our asses off to help certain high lords today I
believe we will have support from at least a few of them.”

“What do you mean?” Jala asked puzzled.

“Well, Val received word early this morning
that Devony was missing, so we headed to that district. After
Troyelle explained what was going on, I made a bargain with him
that if he would go to the council, your charming Bendazzi and I
would find Devony,” he explained.

“And did you?” she asked, hoping the answer
was yes.

He nodded in reply and plucked a strand of
grass from the side of the path. “Fortunately, those that had taken
her knew better than to harm her so other than being rather
terrified she was fine.” He rolled the grass stem between his
fingers as he spoke and began slowly tearing it into smaller
strands. “So after we found Devony, I began to wonder what exactly
was keeping the other lords away so we went to the Han’shy district
in time to see him execute several of his officials, a few that I
recognized. I, of course told him where I had seen them before and
he gave thanks before rushing off to give you a much needed vote. I
didn’t see any sign of Micah. I think he has already left for
Arovan.” He frowned at the thought and tossed one of the grass
strands aside. “The worst part of the day was dealing with Neph. He
was livid when his brother arrived this morning and has been in a
foul mood since. Just out of curiosity, did Kadan cast his vote for
you?”

“It wasn’t needed. When Lord Han’shy arrived
there were too many in favor of me and they didn’t even bother
calling a formal vote,” she replied and rested her head on his arm.
“No one is around Finn,” she pointed out.

“Well I suppose we could stop for a tumble in
the trees but our room isn’t far and I’d rather not risk a rash
from poisonous plants,” Finn replied with a smile.

Pinching his arm she glared up at him. “Not
what I was getting at, and you know it,” she grumbled and let out a
heavy sigh. “Tell me how you survived. I was … I was so sure I had
lost you. I just wanted to collapse at the sight of that. It was
horrible Finn. I never want to see you do anything like that
again,” she said in a hoarse whisper, the image of Finn staggering
and blood streaming from his mouth flooded her mind. Closing her
eyes tightly she shook her head and felt her eyes go glassy once
more. “Never, Finn,” she repeated, adding more emphasis on the
words.

“Do you remember at the Pits when I was
breathing so heavy and you thought I was wounded?” he asked
quietly.

“I do, and I still don’t understand it,” Jala
replied.

“It was part of my plan, the part I had to
test. I can’t believe Shade didn’t tell you any of this,” he
sighed.

“What does Shade have to do with your stamina
being off?” she asked completely confused.

“Well the talent comes from his side of the
family and he is much better at it than I am. It’s not dragon’s
blood Jala. It’s Changeling blood,” he explained.

“You mean like the creature from
The
Wicked Child
?” she asked, her eyebrows rising. The story had
been one of her favorites by the fire. No matter how many times
Father had recited the story she had always curled up under her
blankets afterwards, convinced a changeling was going to come and
steal her place.

Finn regarded her dryly for a moment and
nodded slowly. “Yes, I suppose, but I feel inclined to point out
that I didn’t steal this life to get into mischief. I am truly Finn
Sovaesh.”

“So you don’t scare cows to spoil their
milk?” she asked in a teasing voice.

“Well, of course, but that has nothing at all
to do with being a changeling,” Finn replied with a bit of a
twinkle in his green eyes. “Seriously though, the Changeling blood
comes from the Morcaillo line. I’m weak in that Bloodline so I’m
weak in the power. Taking a dragon form is incredibly difficult for
me.”

“But you switched so fast in Rivana that I
didn’t even realize you were the dragon until Wisp explained,” Jala
broke in.

“Incredibly difficult, not incredibly slow.
There is a difference. It’s very draining for me to do and
sometimes when I attempt it, it doesn’t work,” he clarified.
“Changing my body however is easier. Increasing my hearing for
example, or honing my reflexes, or in the case of the duel,
rearranging how everything fits inside,” he winked at her and
shrugged a shoulder. “I studied all of the duels fought in the
Arena. Every last one of them including all of Kithkanon’s. He had
fought a total of thirty-two duels before he faced me. In
thirty-one of them he killed his opponent the same way he tried to
kill me, with a sword driven up through the chest and into the
heart. So I moved things around a bit internally, which is what
messed up my stamina. My lungs couldn’t draw as much air and my
heart was having difficulty as well.”

Remaining silent, Jala considered his words
and nodded slowly. “What did you put in your mouth before you went
to fight?” she asked.

“You caught that?” he asked with a grin and
chuckled lightly. “It was a prop I had Sovann make for me,
basically a liquid filled ball that would resemble blood when I
broke it between my teeth,” he explained. “It was cherry flavored
and tasted good enough that I really didn’t want to spit it at him.
Showmanship though,” he shrugged and grinned again. “If you ever
find the need to fake your own death I highly recommend using one.
They are like candy.”