The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 3 From the Ashes (64 page)

“You shouldn’t be able to move that much with
the dose I gave you,” the man scolded mildly as he dropped to a
crouch and plunged the dagger into the back of the Bendazzi’s
skull. Pain shot through her as the link with her familiar was
severed and Jala fell back on the bed, her chest heaving. The man
moved to stand over her, the dagger still in his hand. Leaning down
he casually wiped the blood on her nightgown and smiled coldly at
her.

It took Jala’s mind a long moment to
recognize him. It had been so long since she had actually seen the
man, that he was unfamiliar. It was Wesley, one of her own people,
the healer she had brought from Sanctuary. “Traitor” she gasped as
the unbearable loss of Marrow ripped through her.

“Everyone can be bought, Jala,” Jexon said
with a smile as he moved to stand over her as well. “Wesley wasn’t
that hard actually. He didn’t care much for the way you shunned him
and once I discovered his little secret, getting him to help me was
easy,” Jexon explained in the same polite tones he had used earlier
that day before the battle.

“Valor,” Jala breathed as memory of the fight
flashed back into her mind. She didn’t even know if the knight had
survived the battle.

Jexon’s face darkened at once and his smile
lost all warmth. “I’m sure you will find him in the Darklands. My
men are dealing with him now,” Jexon said, a savage smile lighting
his face.

“Valor will kill you,” Jala hissed through
clenched teeth. Words were getting more difficult as the muscles in
her body refused to respond to her commands.

“The poison is starting to kick in. She
should be fully paralyzed soon,” Wesley said as he dropped once
more onto the bed beside her. His finger traced a slow path down
her neck tugging lightly at the edge of her nightgown. “Can’t move
at all now, can you?” he whispered, his eyebrows rising as a smile
rose on his face. She recognized the expression of lust on the
man’s face and it chilled her more than the poison in her
blood.

“Wesley here has a penchant for dead things.
Did you know that?” Jexon said, his tone once more conversational.
“It took no more than the promise of his own lands and the use of
your body to get his help.”

“Valor will kill you,” Jala repeated, the
words barely audible. A crack of thunder broke the stillness of the
night outside and laughter welled in her chest. Her lips stretched
as much as they could into the parody of a smile.

“Kill her now while I deal with this,” Jexon
ordered as he turned to leave the tent.

“Bye, sweetheart,” Wesley whispered as his
dagger sank into her ribs.

A sob broke through Jala’s lips as the point
lodged against one of her ribs. “See you in hell, Jexon,” she
managed just before Wesley plunged the dagger once more and her
world dissolved from blinding pain too darkness.

The Darklands

Finn shifted on his throne, his heart
hammering in his chest. Leaning forward he stared hard at Seth.
“What do you mean she is dead?” he demanded. His mind was already
racing, searching through the overwhelming number of souls drifting
through his domain as he desperately tried to find Jala.

“I waited for her to call, Milord. I was
ready to move, but the call never came. I cannot intervene without
a direct call or by your command. As you well know, I have limited
free will,” Seth said softly. “She was betrayed, Milord, by one of
her healers,” Seth said, holding out a hand to show the image of
Wesley as the man hovered over Jala’s still form, his hands
caressing her dead flesh. Seth let the image fade and stepped back,
waiting just below the throne, his head bowed and his feathered
cloak thrown back over one shoulder. Seth had brought him the news
so swiftly that there was no doubt in Finn’s mind that the Assassin
had indeed been waiting for her to call. That didn’t silence the
anger building in him though.

“You knew I wanted her to live. I shouldn’t
have to give commands when you already know my will!” Finn raged as
his frustration grew. He was still too unskilled with his power to
find Jala amid the sea of dead. “You want to redeem yourself, Seth?
Find her soul and bring her too me now!” Finn bellowed as he rose
from his throne. In truth he was more angry with his own failing
than he was with Seth, but then Seth didn’t need to know that.

The air before him exploded into motion as
Seth’s form dissolved into Ravens, the air filling with the dark
forms as they flew from the hall in all directions. Finn watched
them as he dropped lightly down the stairs and began to pace the
Audience hall, his arms folded behind him as he continued to search
with his magic. There were so many hazards for the dead in his
domain. From the demons themselves to the Forgotten, there were
many souls that simply did not last long enough to reach his
hall.

“It is hardly Seth’s fault that she died,
though I cannot believe I’m defending Seth,” Fiona said from her
post behind his throne. The woman stood still and somber in her
bloodstained armor watching him with impassive eyes. Fiona had
existed for so long in the Darklands that something as trivial as
the arrival of a new soul no longer held any interest for her,
whether she had known the soul personally or not.

“I know it’s not his fault,” Finn admitted
sourly and continued to pace. “Why wouldn’t she call on him? If she
knew she was going to die why couldn’t she say one name to save her
life?”

“She did say a name. It was the wrong one.
She called out to Valor,” Hemlock’s voice was as unwelcome as the
news Seth had brought.

Slowing in his steps, Finn turned to face his
newest guest with a questioning look. As always, Hemlock wore the
grey cloak preventing Finn from getting even a hint of the man’s
face. He knew Hemlock well enough to know the man was smiling
though. “Why are you here?” Finn asked coldly. He hadn’t seen the
Assassin since the day the man had plunged the dagger into his back
in Sanctuary.

“Is that anyway to greet an old friend?”
Hemlock asked as he dropped down into Finn’s throne, propping one
leg up on the side.

“I wouldn’t exactly say we are friends. You
killed me, after all,” Finn said as he stared up at the man amazed
at his boldness.

“And look where it got you. You should be
thanking me, Finn. You are truly a god now rather than just
thinking you’re one,” Hemlock returned, waving a hand in Finn’s
direction.

“You know, I find it amusing that you only
appeared after Seth left the room. Did I finally manage to stumble
across something that you fear Hemlock?” Finn asked, cocking his
head to one side.

“Ha! Seth? No, I fear many things. Salvation,
peace on Sanctuary, Kali when she is pissed off, and those little
squiggly things they serve in the Seravae quarter at all of the
cafes. You know the little green things with those tentacles that
they eat while the things are still squirming.” Hemlock waved his
fingers about for a moment mimicking his description and then
shrugged with a sigh. “Although I don’t suppose you care about
that,” he said letting his hand fall limply back to rest on his
leg. Shaking his head slowly, Hemlock let the cloak fall back
enough for Finn to see his smile. “Seth, however, I do not fear at
all,” he finished with a shrug.

“Why are you here?” Finn repeated, not the
least bit amused by Hemlock’s antics or the distraction from his
search for Jala.

“To ensure you don’t keep Jala here with
you,” Hemlock said bluntly as he rose from the throne.

“What interest do you have in it?” Finn
snapped, the mere suggestion that Hemlock had an interest in Jala
infuriated him. He couldn’t stomach the thought of Hemlock anywhere
near her. He knew quite well what sort of man the Assassin was.

“Because our world is going to shit swiftly
and I don’t want to be alone with Myth when the rest die off. Jala
is still needed, or so Kali says, and I tend to listen to Kali. As
I said she is scary when she is pissed,” Hemlock returned in a
cheerful voice. “Besides, Finn, as I said, she called out for Valor
in her moment of need. Not Seth, not Neph, not You,” he emphasized
the last word as he stepped down the stairs closer to Finn.

“Why would she call out to me? She thinks I’m
dead,” Finn snapped, his gaze following Hemlock as the rogue walked
a tight circle around him.

“I like the new look, Finn. The black armor
is very…deathly,” Hemlock said, waving a finger at Finn’s chain
armor.

“You know it isn’t wise to taunt your
master,” Fiona said, finally stirring herself to speak. “You serve
Death remember?”

“I served the Dark lady. I have no contract
with Finn,” Hemlock replied calmly, pausing in front of Finn once
more. “She has forgotten about you, Finn. Do the sunlit world a
favor and forget about her,” Hemlock whispered.

The flutter of wings drew Finn’s attention
for a moment and when he turned back Hemlock was gone. With a heavy
sigh, Finn watched as Seth settled once more on the floor of the
hall and shifted back to his human form. Bowing to Finn he held
both hands outstretched a faint glow emanating from each.

Carefully Finn took the soul stones and
retreated back to his throne examining them as he walked. “You
brought the Bendazzi too,” Finn murmured as he sat once more.
“Stay, Seth. Allow me to deal with this and then I have more work
for you,” Finn said.

Carefully Finn cracked the soulstone
containing Jala and watched as her spirit coalesced in front of
him. She had a confused look on her face as she gazed slowly around
the hall. He watched her in silence, drinking in her beauty and it
took all his willpower to not approach her. Her eyes found him
finally and they widened, her lips parting slightly in shock.

“Finn!” Jala whispered his name and her
expression shifted to a look of pure agony. “I thought you were
dead.” The words were spoken so softly he almost missed them
entirely.

“Jala,” Finn said in greeting, fighting to
keep his voice calm. His heart thundered in his chest as he tried
his best to look unperturbed. “Do you remember how Sovann always
said I would get myself into something I couldn’t get out of,” Finn
said, holding both arms out his palms up. Slowly he gazed around
the Audience hall then looked back to her. “It turns out he was
right. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be, though. There is
the godly power to consider.” He kept his words casual and forced
back everything he desperately wanted to say to her. With a sigh he
let his arms fall back to the throne and leaned forward to look at
her.

“I thought you were dead,” Jala repeated, her
voice louder and the pain in her voice was heartbreaking. “I never
would have married him, had I known. I did what I thought I had to
in order to save Merro,” she added in a rush, the words tumbling
out of her as the tears would have had she still been alive.

“I know…Jala,” Finn said, the words faltering
slightly as he caught himself at the last moment. He had almost
said
Vezradesh
. The word had been on the tip of his tongue.
That wouldn’t help though. Not with what he was about to do. “You
aren’t finished in the sunlit world, Jala,” Finn said as he leaned
back in his throne once more.

“I died, Finn. I failed,” Jala said sadly,
her head dropping forward as if she could no longer meet his
gaze.

“I’m sending you back, Jala. You haven’t
failed yet,” Finn said calmly. “Heal yourself the moment you
arrive. I will hold your soul in place for as long as I can, but it
won’t be long. I am the god of Death, after all, not life.”

“Finn,” Jala began, her eyes lifting once
more to meet his own. “They said it was enchantment that bonded us.
They said your love for me wasn’t real…” Her words failed her and
she tilted her head back, swallowing heavily, the actions of life
still echoing in her spirit. “It wasn’t that for me Finn. I loved
you more than anything else I had ever known,” she finished softly,
her voice pleading for him to confess the same.

Finn sat in silence a long moment preparing
to speak. “I care for you, Jala, as I would a friend. I fear there
is nothing more to it though. What I felt before…” His voice
trailed off as he nearly choked on the lie, but from the expression
on, Jala’s face he didn’t need to say more. “May I never see you in
my halls again, Jala. I wish you a long life,” Finn said quietly as
he summoned his magic and sent her soul back to the sunlit world.
He let out a long breath, fighting back the tears he felt stinging
his eyes. Bowing his head he waved Seth forward.

“How may I serve?” Seth asked quietly as he
bent to one knee before the throne.

“Take this to Jala and make sure she survives
long enough to heal herself fully,” Finn said as he dropped the
stone containing Marrow’s soul into Seth’s hand. “And Seth,” Finn
added as the Assassin rose to his feet.

“Yes, Milord?” Seth asked, his dark eyes
fixed on Finn.

“Bring me the traitor that killed her. Keep
him alive, Seth. Apparently he has a fondness for the dead and I
have a few to introduce him to,” Finn said, his tone low and
dangerous.

Seth bowed his head and stepped back from the
throne before taking to his Raven form once more. Finn sat in
silence as the Assassin left, his gaze locked on the floor where
Jala had stood moments before. He could have kept her beside him
forever, and he had sent her back. The temptation had been so
strong. It wasn’t Hemlock’s words that had swayed him in his final
decision. It was the memory of Jala in Sanctuary and how upset she
had been to see so many orphans in the streets of her district. No
matter how much Finn wanted her beside him, their son needed her
more.

“You lied to her,” Fiona said softly, her
tone almost gentle.

“And it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done
in my life,” Finn said slowly, the memory of Jala’s expression of
pain burned into his memories. “I knew from the moment I traveled
to Merro with her that she was the perfect woman for me,” he said
with a heavy sigh and raised a hand to rub his face. Somehow he was
still managing to keep his calm despite the agony twisting in his
chest. “I never once stopped to ask myself if I was the perfect man
for her.” He let his hand drop to his lap once more and leaned
heavily back in his throne. “I’ve always said Valor was a better
man than me. I wish them both happiness,” he finished, though the
words were barely audible through the tightness in his throat.