The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 3 From the Ashes (49 page)

“A man by the name of Seth brought him,” Jala
said when he turned his gaze toward her. Her eyebrow raised in
question as she watched the color drain from Valor’s face. “I take
it you know him?”

“Only through stories and few of them are
pleasant,” Valor murmured.

“It is likely that Valor only knows stories
from after Seth’s death. He became much more brutal after he died.
The part that is important here is what he did in life,” Vaze’s
voice echoed from the shadows and Jala whirled to face him.

“How long have you been in here?” Jala
demanded, her eyes narrowing. Seeing him in Kithvaryn’s rooms had
been a shock. Knowing he was spying on her was infuriating. Her
feelings were still mixed when it came to Vaze. Part of her hated
him for what he had done to Finn, and the other smaller side wanted
desperately to keep him close for the simple fact that he was her
Uncle.

The shadows faded a just enough for her to
make out the look of sadness on his face. “You truly hate me now
don’t you Jala?” Vaze sighed.

“How could I not after what you did to Finn.
Did you even check on him after you sent him back to hell?” Jala
demanded, her voice cracking a bit on the words. It wasn’t true.
She didn’t entirely hate him. She wasn’t even sure it was truly
hate instead of simple anger. Her emotions were guiding her words
now though rather than logic. “I can’t check on him you know. I’ve
tried. I managed to cut her strings on him, but I couldn’t get him
out of there again,” she admitted her voice thick.

“I did check on him, Jala. You did save him
from being a puppet. He is free of the Dark lady now, but he is
beyond either of our reach. I’m sorry, Jala. If I had seen any
other way I wouldn’t have done what I did,” Vaze said as the
shadows began to thicken around him again. “I’ll go, Jala. I had no
intention of upsetting you. I just wanted to make sure Seth was
here with peaceful intent. Given that he had Legacy, I assumed he
was, but I have a hard time trusting good intentions in
anyone.”

“Wait,” Valor broke in before Vaze could
leave. “What did you mean about it was important what Seth did in
life?”

“He was the first slave that Dashara freed in
her rebellion. He is quite possibly the biggest enemy the Avanti
have. The only reason he hasn’t destroyed them before now is
because he was on a very short leash. I do believe that has changed
now though, and he will have more freedom to act in the future.
Funny how history repeats itself, isn’t it?” Vaze’s voice grew
fainter as the shadows darkened around him until the last words
were barely a whisper.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jala asked,
but Vaze was already gone from the room. Or at least she thought he
was. The man was sneaky enough he could have been standing directly
behind her for all she knew. Sighing she looked to Valor who simply
shrugged in confusion.

“I have no idea. The sun is already coming
up, though, so I don’t think we have time to ponder it now. It
would be best to get what sleep we can before Kithvaryn summons
you,” Valor said in a weary voice. He crossed the room silently and
looked down at Legacy, a look of concern on his face. “He seems
fine, but what about Wisp and Jail?”

“Seth said they lived. Beyond that I don’t
know and I don’t think I can contact them from here. Not with the
amount of magic I have left anyway. I believe a mental link across
that distance would be quite draining,” Jala said with a frown of
her own. Carefully she lifted her son into her arms and rested her
chin gently on the top of his head. “I can’t believe how much I
missed him,” she sighed. Her worries and frustration seemed to fade
a bit just from the contact with the child. Legacy stirred in her
arms and her frown changed to a faint smile.

“I’d give just about anything to see that
look on your face all the time,” Valor said softly as he leaned
back against the bedpost watching her as she rocked her son in her
arms.

“I’d love to be able to tell you that I would
smile more often, Val, but Legacy is about the only thing I have to
smile about,” Jala sighed and felt the weariness of the past few
days wash over her once more. “I believe I will take your advice,
Val, and sleep while I can. Thank you for checking on me.”

“Always,” Valor said softly as he turned for
the door.

“Maybe one day I will find more to smile
about,” Jala said softly as he opened the door. She wasn’t sure
exactly why she had spoken the words. Maybe it was to reassure him,
or maybe it was simply wishful thinking. Life had to improve.
Surely it couldn’t always be filled with frustration and sorrow.
Wrapping her arms tighter around her son she exhaled softly, her
breath stirring the wispy strands of his red hair.

“I’ll wait patiently for that day then, Jala.
Goodnight,” Valor replied as he stepped into the hall.

“Goodnight, Val,” Jala replied despite the
fact that he was already gone. Carefully she set her son back down
on the bed and moved to close the window. “Good morning rather,”
she sighed as she stared at the lightening sky. “One day, no one
will be trying to kill us. War will not be looming. The entire
world will not be in chaos and we will get a full night’s sleep
every night,” Jala whispered to her son as she climbed into the bed
beside him. “I promise,” she added through a yawn and pulled him
close to her side.

Merro

Pain lanced through her body as her eyes
slowly flickered open. Morning sunlight shone brightly through the
window, blinding her momentarily. Blinking slowly, Emily tried to
sit up, but only managed to flop over on the floor as her body
refused to respond to the commands she gave it. The coppery tang of
blood was still thick in her mouth and no matter how hard she tried
to summon the memories of the night before, they eluded her. Aside
from Seth. That, she could remember with painful clarity.

“What the hell are we going to tell Jala?”
Wisp demanded from somewhere nearby. Emily tried to speak but her
mouth refused to form the words and all she managed was a guttural
mumble that not even she could understand.

“She’s awake,” Jail hissed. The Mind mage
moved with exaggerated slowness as he crossed the room toward her.
Emily watched him with growing concern, trying desperately to
remember what she had done. Jail never showed this much caution
around her. He had respect for her, that was true, but this seemed
more like fear.

“Can you understand me, Emily?” Jail asked in
a soft soothing voice. He held both hands out before him as if he
were trying to calm a spooked horse.

“Jail, don’t get too close,” Wisp pleaded as
she moved swiftly behind Jail and clutched his massive arm in her
delicate hands. “She didn’t know us last night. There is a good
chance she won’t today,” the Fae added, her voice shaky. Both of
them wore clothes that were bloody and torn and Emily could see
bandages covering a good portion of Jail.

“She is calmer today and badly wounded,” Jail
assured Wisp as he carefully pried the Fae’s hands from him. “It
will be OK, Wisp,” he promised.

What are you both babbling about
?
Emily demanded in Jail’s mind. Her mouth still refused to form
words to speak aloud.

“Emily, look at yourself,” Jail said
firmly.

Struggling to sit once more, Emily gazed down
at herself and gaped in complete shock at the dark fur that covered
her skin. Eyes wide, she ceased her struggles to rise and stared in
growing wonder at the thick limb ending in razor sharp talons that
should have been her arm. It wasn’t even remotely human in
shape.

“Congratulations, Emily. You are the first of
the shifter blood to find an affinity with the Bendazzi,” Jail said
cautiously, his eyes still watching her every move.

Bendazzi
. The word filled Emily’s mind
and her heartbeat increased.
I’m a Bendazzi
. The thought
brought such elation to her mind that she felt dizzy for a moment.
Her eyes poured over her new form from the thick black fur to the
tuft on the end of her tail.
A tail
! The idea was so
unbelievable that she would have laughed had she the energy for it.
Simply moving as much as she had was sending small waves of agony
through her.

“Careful how much you move right now, Emily.
The Assassins had Tevrae coating their blades. That’s a poison that
halts regeneration. You aren’t healing as you should and you are
badly wounded,” Jail warned her as he began to approach again.

“Jail, don’t get too close,” Wisp hissed, her
bright green eyes as wide as saucers.

“She is fine now, Wisp,” Jail assured her
once more.

“She wasn’t fine last night,” Wisp snapped as
she took a step away.

Did I hurt her
? Emily asked with
growing concern. Wisp had never been afraid of her before, and it
had never bothered the Fae that she was a Blight. Wisp had always
been just as trusting as Sovann and it hurt to see her back away
now. There was a time when Wisp and the others should have feared
her, but Jail had helped her work past that. With his and Madren’s
help, she was becoming one of them. Until now. If she had destroyed
that trust last night she might never earn it again.

“You clawed her a bit, but nothing life
threatening. You mostly just scared her. I will admit you scared me
too. You were in some kind of frenzy when we found you and you had
no enemies left to vent your rage on. I regret that some of the
damage you have is from me, but I had to stop you before you left
the house,” Jail explained in a calmer voice. The fear was slowly
fading from him, but she could still see hints of caution in his
movements as he knelt beside her. “Obviously, we can’t get a healer
to see to you, Emily. None of them even realize you exist and we
can’t let word of a Blight living in the city spread through the
commons. It would raise panic. We will have to tend your wounds
ourselves.”

“I’m not tending anything on her until she
explains where Legacy is. If she hurt him, Jail, I will kill her
myself,” Wisp broke in, her voice cracking as she spoke and tears
quickly filling her eyes. “There was so much blood in there Jail,
what if she…” her voice trailed off into choked sobs.

I didn’t, Jail. I didn’t hurt him. I swear
it. I was trying to protect him, but I failed
. Emily fairly
screamed the words in his mind. Desperately she looked between the
two of them shaking her head.
I didn’t, Jail. I swear it by all
of the Divine and my mother’s soul. I wouldn’t have hurt
Legacy
.”

“Then where is he, Emily? We found no trace
of him in the room, but it is as Wisp says. The entire room is
destroyed and drenched in blood. You were eating someone when we
found you. I’m inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt, but
I’m afraid Wisp is not.” Jail kept his tone calm as he leaned back
on his heels and met her eyes. She could see his doubt clearly now,
too. Part of him was wondering exactly how much of a monster she
truly was.

I don’t think you will believe me
,
Emily spoke the words softly in his mind, her hopes falling as she
recounted her meeting with Seth. How could she possibly expect
either of them to believe that a damned bird had abducted the
child? Swallowing heavily she lowered her head back down to rest on
her paws. The elation of her new form was completely gone now,
replaced by sorrow.

“Try me Emily. You would be amazed at the
things I believe,” Jail pressed, his dark eyes searching her. “Your
mind is a jumble right now. I’ve been trying to scan it all
morning. Just tell me please.”

Do you remember all of the damned birds
outside yesterday, Jail
? Emily asked softly, and when he
nodded, she continued.
I was on the roof watching them when I
heard Legacy cry. It was early evening and the birds should have
been shutting up by then, but they weren’t. I went into his room to
check on him and grew worried when Wisp didn’t answer his cries.
One of the birds landed in the windowsill not long after me and
when my back was turned
…”

“It turned into a man. Seth,” Jail broke in,
his tone going cold. Slowly he rose to his feet and turned to look
at Wisp. “Seth took him. This has to be revenge from Death. He is
her lackey.”

He said he was taking Legacy to Jala
,
Emily added quickly as she watched fear turning to anger on her
friend’s faces.

“What?” Jail exclaimed, turning to look back
at her in complete shock. “Wisp, tend to her wounds. I have to
contact Jala. Apparently Seth might have done a good deed.”

Wait, Jail. What about Devony. Is she all
right
?” Emily called before the Mind mage had a chance to make
it more than two steps toward the door. The child had been annoying
to her at first, especially when the Blight instincts were at their
height. Recently, however, she had begun to notice the qualities
about Valor’s niece that endeared her to every person in Merro.
Devony was quick witted and beautiful, even as a child. If the
Nightblades had killed the girl, both Jala and Valor would be
devastated.

“Devony was with the Knights all day
yesterday, which is quite fortunate for us. The Nightblades only
attacked here, and lucky for us all they managed to kill no one.
Though I’m sure they thought they had finished Wisp and me. Silly
bastards should know better than to believe anything when they are
fighting a Mind mage,” Jail explained and then smiled. “I’m glad
you asked about her, though, Emily. It shows you are truly one of
us,” he added before turning once more toward the door.

“I’m sorry, Emily. I shouldn’t have thought
that you, that you, well…” Wisp’s voice trailed off once more as
she knelt beside Emily. Her small hands began to prod at the wounds
checking each one.

“
It’s OK, Wisp. Given the circumstances,
what else would you think
,” Emily assured her and nearly
laughed at the shocked look on the Fae’s face. It wasn’t often that
she spoke to anyone other than Jail or Jala through the mind links.
Now did not seem the time to be picky about such things, though.
She needed to reassure Wisp. Especially if she wanted to be
healed.