The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 3 From the Ashes (43 page)

“No sign of him yet?” Sovann asked as he
approached her quickly, his cloak pulled tight against the
wind.

Jala shook her head and chewed on her lower
lip as she continued to stare hopelessly at the beach. “I think
magic is my only hope here. I’m too damned blind in this murk and
rain,” Jala informed him and let out a long sigh.

“Let me. I doubt you have had a chance to
rebuild all your power from Goswin and you may need what little you
have for the negotiations with Kithvaryn,” Sovann offered with a
frown.

“Well, look for my staff as well as Valor, if
you would please. Valor first, though,” Jala agreed and rubbed her
face with both hands. This was not exactly how she had planned to
make an entrance to the isle of Kithvaryn. From what she had
learned of the man, Kithvaryn was a meticulous person with an eye
for details that made most seem blind.

“This way,” Sovann urged after a long pause
and she followed after him quickly as he moved toward the ship
wreckage. He stopped just short of the main body of the ship and
began frantically pushing the tattered remains of their sails from
his way. “He is under here somewhere,” Sovann called over his
shoulder.

“Is he living? Can you tell?” Jala asked
frantically as she dropped to her knees and began pulling the cloth
back as quickly as she could.

“He is pureblood Immortal, Jala. It will take
more than a simple ship wreck to kill him,” Sovann assured her, but
the expression on his face said otherwise. “Here, Jala I’ve found
his arm,” Sovann exclaimed and Jala moved quickly to his side.

Pushing past Sovann she forced the remainder
of the wreckage back and stared down at Valor’s pale face and the
streak of coppery blood that tracked down from his temple. “He is
alive, but he will need healing. Give me a bit of room please,”
Jala said, her words coming out in a rush as her eyes lingered on
the color of his blood. It was too dark to be sure, but it didn’t
quite seem red. It wasn’t gold she could tell that much, but it
still wasn’t quite the right color.

“Should I look for Marrow as well, or just
the staff?” Sovann asked as he stepped back away from her.

“Marrow is fine just the staff please,” Jala
replied softly her eyes never leaving Valor.

“I will find it then. If you need me, call. I
shouldn’t be far off,” Sovann said as he backed away farther.

“Valor can you hear me?” Jala whispered.
Carefully she placed a palm on either side of his face and gently
smoothed his hair back from the wound. Leaning back a bit she
daubed at the blood with the sleeve of her dress. It didn’t look
like a deep gash, but she could already see the lump rising beneath
it. Chewing on her lip once more she looked down at his pale face
and swallowed heavily. “I don’t ever want to see you like this
again, Valor Hai’dia. I’d rather you be fuming and cursing me then
bleeding on the ground before me,” she whispered hoarsely as she
began to form a healing spell in her mind.

“I’d rather you not give me a reason to fume
and curse,” Valor replied in a broken whisper, his eyes still
closed. “Gods be damned but it feels like my head is split in two,”
he mumbled.

“My father always said that it’s easiest to
fight with those you care for. And it’s not quite split in two but
it is a nasty bump. Give me a moment and I’ll have you fixed up,”
Jala returned softly. The glow of magic radiated off her hands and
highlighted his face making it seem even more ghostly. “I know I’ve
seen you wounded before, Valor, and I don’t recall you bleeding
like this.”

Valor’s eyes flashed open at her words and
then widened quickly. “Jala duck!” he bellowed weakly.

Ducking quickly, Jala snapped her head to
look behind her as she rolled to the sand beside Valor who was
trying desperately to free himself from her and rise. Lightning
flashed in the sky illuminating the edge of a sword blade as it
fell directly toward her. “No!” she screamed uselessly as she
frantically tried to form a spell.

“Yes,” came the mocking reply as the flat of
the blade connected solidly with her head. Spots danced before her
eyes and she struggled to remain conscious. “Tough little bitch,
aren’t you?” The voice was faint from the ringing in her ears, yet
she still tried to target where he must be standing now.

“You will die for that,” Valor snarled and
she felt the wind rise once more. This time however she knew it was
not the storm causing the violent gust.

“Tasty little peach isn’t she.” Hot breath
washed across her face with the words and Jala struggled to open
her eyes. Her head felt exactly as Valor had described his own
wound earlier. “And already waking up. Can you hear me, little
girl?” the voice called again, thick with mockery.

“Get away from her!” Valor snarled and Jala
felt relief wash over her at the sound of his voice.

“Just like an Arovan. Trussed up like a pig
and still trying to bellow orders,” another voice called and
judging by the laughter that followed there were quite a few others
with them as well.

Her eyes still closed, Jala let out a slow
breath and tried to force her mind to think clearly. They were
inside. Of that she was certain. She could hear the storm raging
still, but there was no sting of wind or rain. Her arms were bound
behind her and someone was holding her upright from behind.
Carefully she flexed her leg and felt her heart sink farther as she
felt the pull of bonds there as well. Apparently, Valor wasn’t the
only one trussed up like a pig. This definitely wasn’t how she had
planned to make her entrance.

“Shy one, aye?” The first man spoke again,
squeezing one of her breasts painfully as he did.

“I’m not shy, and if you do that again I will
remove that hand. I am here to speak with Kithvaryn, not his
lackeys,” Jala hissed with as much command as she could muster
given her current situation.
Where are you
? Jala worked the
link to Marrow as quickly as she could and took care to keep any
expression but outrage from her face.

Outside in this wretched storm. I wish you
would soothe him so this bloody rain will stop. They didn’t see me
when you were captured and I followed you here, but couldn’t get
inside without notice. It’s difficult to hide in a well lit room
even for a Bendazzi
, Marrow replied almost instantly and she
could hear the relief in his voice.

Stay close, but don’t risk yourself. This
doesn’t look good at the present, but I don’t think my life is in
danger yet
, Jala said quickly and dropped the link between
them. There was a chance that this room held mages other than
herself and Sovann, and she had been told many times how loud her
mental links with Marrow were by others sensitive to such things.
She may have just given away the fact that Marrow was on the
island, but they didn’t know exactly where he was. If any of them
were stupid enough to go hunting a Bendazzi at night in this kind
of weather she would lay all of her gold on Marrow for the
fight.

Laughter echoed through the room once more.
“She must be Arovan as well,” the second man called loudly through
the noise of the room.

“I am High Lady Jala Merrodin and I demand
you release me at once,” Jala bellowed over the amusement. The room
fell deathly silent at her words and she slowly lifted her head and
opened her eyes. There were perhaps thirty in the room all dressed
in assorted armor. From the looks of it they were in a sort of mess
hall and had interrupted dinner with their arrival. Benches and
tables filled the area surrounding them and she could see several
more men still seated. Apparently the entertainment hadn’t appealed
enough to them to leave their supper. Turning her head slowly, she
let her eyes travel over each and every face. There was no longer
any amusement written in their expressions, it was anger now. Valor
was perhaps ten feet away from her, bound as she was at hand and
foot. Sovann hung limply between two of the mercenaries, his face
still lax.

The hands supporting her tightened on her
arms. “I can’t believe you were stupid enough to show your face
here. Where is the cowardly bastard you call husband? I hear he
faked his own death to avoid paying his dues for killing
Kanon.”

“Finn was never a coward. He was rash and
bold, but never a coward,” A man called from one of the tables. His
voice was cultured and low as he spoke and didn’t quite hold the
same accent as her captors.

Jala turned her head at the words trying to
locate the newest speaker. She hadn’t expected to find any allies
here and wasn’t sure who it was. The sound of boot heels behind her
gave her pause and she waited as the man slowly circled around her
to stand directly before her. He was average height with long brown
hair that was pulled back neatly in a braid. The expression on his
face was one of interest, but not one of sympathy. His amber eyes
trailed across her face and then slowly down her ragged dress to
her feet. Leaning back on his heels he straightened his coat
carefully and met her eyes. “Do you know who I am?” he asked
softly.

Jala remained silent for a long breath, her
eyes lingering on the black coat he wore. It was cut just below the
waist and made of material that was far beyond the means of a
common soldier. It was the embroidery that captured her eyes
though. The careful stitching of flames in yellow and orange that
lined the bottom of the coat as well as the cuffs. “You personally,
no, I’m afraid I don’t. I recognize the colors of Rivana though,”
Jala replied coldly.

His eyebrow rose slightly and a faint smile
creased the corners of his mouth. “Bound and trussed and still
defiant,” he said softly and nodded his head with what might have
been approval. “My name is Hexian Rivana. I am the General of the
Northern armies in Rivana. It was my nephew that your husband
killed in the arena.”

“Devron earned that death,” Jala cut in her
eyes narrowing.

“You didn’t let me finish,” Hexian chided
with a smirk. “I was about to say I owe you my thanks for that.
Pity he didn’t stay dead. Devron is a righteous little shit and in
my opinion a waste of the air he breathes.” His smile grew at the
look of shock on her face. “Just because we share the name doesn’t
mean there is love among us. Release her, Keller. Lady Merrodin and
her companions will keep me company at my table until Kithvaryn
chooses to speak with one of us.” There was a snap of command in
Hexian’s voice and Jala felt the hands on her arms loosen their
grip at once, though not entirely.

“She is a prisoner, Lord Hexian. Her Arovan
knight killed one of our scouts. I can’t just let her go,” Keller
objected, though his voice was wavering.

Hexian’s eyes narrowed and he looked past her
to stare directly at her captor. “Are you suggesting that I am not
capable of preventing the escape of a half-drowned girl and her two
wounded companions?” His voice was low and dangerous as if daring
the man to offend him further.

“We don’t take our orders from you, Hex, and
I still have a few things I’d like to ask the half-drowned girl.”
It was a woman’s voice this time, and from the back of the room.
The crowd parted as the woman crossed the room toward them. Her
long dark hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and the
expression on her pale face was murderous.

“Who is she?” Jala whispered to Hexian as she
watched the woman approach. It was obvious from her armor that she
wasn’t simply a common mercenary. The quality of work on her
breastplate rivaled the detail on Valor’s.

“Commander Kithkara, I’m surprised such a
trivial prisoner has attracted your esteemed interest,” Hexian said
as he half turned to face the woman.

“Trivial? Half of the High Lords are
screaming for her blood. I scarcely think she is trivial,” Kithkara
returned dryly, her eyes moving past Hexian to fix solidly on
Jala’s face. “Where is Finn Sovaesh?” she snarled her eyes
narrowing.

“Dead and trapped in the Darklands. I failed
to raise him,” Jala answered bluntly, the truth of her words
tightening her throat painfully.

“Look at her expression Kara. You cannot fake
that suffering. She speaks the truth to you. I attended the
services in Avanti myself. It was a small affair that was kept
quiet for the most part, but I felt obliged to show my respect for
the month of peace he gave me from my nephew,” Hexian said with a
sigh.

“I never trust words given so freely. I’ve
found that the truth is only revealed by the blade of a sharp
knife,” Kithkara replied, a wicked grin curving the corners of her
mouth.

A gasping sob erupted from somewhere in the
crowd and thunder rumbled loud enough to shake the very stones of
the keep. Kithkara and Hexian both whirled toward the sound as the
crowd parted once more to reveal both of Valor’s captors writhing
on the ground. Valor himself was standing free of bonds, though he
seemed a bit shaky.