“And that’s it, no more coherent thoughts from her today,” Neph broke in and stood, quickly shaking his head and frowning at Finn. “Congratulations, Finn, your presence kills brain cells, but then I was saying that long before you met Jala.”
“But they are so happy when they die,” Finn replied with a grin.
“Happily dying brain cells,” Neph said dryly, shaking his head again. “I’m leaving. I have better things to do than witness the cooing and cuddling. Come see me this evening without your cretin, Jala, and we will work on magic.” Turning, Neph headed out of the garden, striding quickly for their hall.
“Completely asexual,” Valor said quietly drawing the words out as he watched Neph leave. Turning back to Jala, he smiled. “We are going by Arovan’s holdings today before we head to the Merro district. I have a surprise for you,” He said with a smile and then sniffed the air lightly. “But first, I’m going to bathe and change. I think I might possibly smell worse than Finn,” With a slight bow of his head, Valor turned to leave and Finn rose to follow.
“Have to excuse me for a bit. Having Valor say I stink is the last straw. I’m going to bathe too. I’ll be back shortly. Jail, keep her company for me would ya,” Finn said, brushing grass off of himself quickly. “Val, wait up,” He called over his shoulder and jogged off after the knight.
Jala smiled, watching Finn playfully smack Valor in the shoulder as he caught up and then looked back at Jail. “I’m going to revise my answer,” she said with a faint smile.
Raising an eyebrow Jail nodded. “To what?” he asked.
“To me, Finn really does hold the most power. His opinion, his mood, his desires, they all mean more to me than anyone else’s. Therefore, he has the most power over me. It falls back on priority I suppose. To an Avanti, a banker likely has the most power. to Valor, it’s his father. To a common, it’s their ruling High Lord. Power is judged by the individual looking for it, and every answer will be different,”
“Do you really think Finn holds power over you?” Jail asked.
Smiling, she shook her head slightly. “Not in the sense you are implying. I do not exist on his whim, but in a sense, yes, he does. It is a mutual power, though. My feelings hold as much sway over him, I think,” she answered and sighed. “I’m not sure if I’m explaining myself well,” she admitted.
“No, you are. I understand you. What you are saying is that there are different degrees of power and motivation and the power you answer to is Love,” Wisp said, sitting back up and turning to face them. Grass stuck to the front of her dark green tunic but she didn’t seem to notice. “Valor answers to his father for the same reason, love. Whereas the Avanti look to the banker out of greed and most commons look up to their High Lords out of fear or respect. You are saying emotions are connected with who we see as powerful.”
Nodding slowly Jail smiled. “That is an answer with thought behind it, much better than a simple High Lords answer,” he said with approval. “Not necessarily the correct answer, but the questions I ask generally don’t have a correct answer. Here is your next question. You can have all afternoon to think up an answer,” He paused until she met his gaze. “Why did the Guardians make Sanctuary the way they did?” he asked.
“Bugger, glad you play the question game with him rather than me. I’d strangle him,” Wisp said, shaking her head slightly. “I think the first step we should do for Merro is find healers to work there, by the way. If you like, I could do some checking around while you are off with Val and Finn,”
“Thank you so much, Wisp. I’d truly appreciate that. From what I hear, healers are desperately needed there. I’m afraid I haven’t had the chance to look around in that district at all. I’m not really sure what to expect,” Jala said and sighed.
“Think of the worst possible slums and the most poverty and sickness you can imagine. That should have you braced well enough for when you see how bad it really is,” Jail said quietly. “The last winter was really hard on that district, as well as the Greenwild district. Plague hit with a vengeance and starvation hit not long after. Shade did a bit to improve it, but it wasn’t enough.”
“Maybe Sovann’s moving his warehouse there will help a bit. At least people will have a chance to make some money that way,” Wisp offered.
Jala nodded, not wanting to speak. These were her people they were talking about. The ones Symphony and the rest of the Fionaveir expected her to lead. How much hate must they have built up for the High Lords by now after living in filth for so long? From what she had learned at the Academy, her Bloodline had been a cruel one. Frowning, she wondered what reaction her people would have when they learned the Merrodin Bloodline wasn’t truly dead.
* * *
“So, are you going to give me any hint as to why we are going to see your family?” Jala asked.
Valor cast a glance back at her and smiled, shaking his head. He was walking a few feet ahead of them and seemed in a much bigger hurry than Finn who paced beside her, idly twisting branches from the garden plants as they walked toward the stables.
“I take it you don’t get along with his family?” Jala asked looking over at Finn with a raised eyebrow.
He looked up sharply from a lily he was dismembering and grinned. “No, I get along with Honor fine, almost as well as I do Valor. That’s not at all what I was thinking about.” Shrugging, he left off with the plants and tossed the mutilated stalk aside. “I’ve heard some rumors the last week or so and it’s got me wondering.”
“What kind of rumors?” she asked.
“High Lord Blackwolf is summoning people from Sanctuary to help in defense of Glis. High Lord Delvayon is calling his swords. It just doesn’t seem to be a very good time to be a small fish. I’m trying to figure out how to build your power quickly,” he replied letting out a sigh.
“Our power,” she corrected.
He shook his head and smiled at her. “Your power. I want nothing to do with politics. I’ll help you with whatever I can, but I don’t want the power at all,”
“They aren’t just rumors, Finn,” Valor cut in, turning to walk backwards as he spoke. “That’s why we have to get this done now. It won’t be long before Arovan is pulling people back home as well. My brother hinted, the last time we spoke, that father might recall me. Things are bad in Glis,”
“What’s going on there?” Jala asked, looking between the two of them.
“From what I understand, no one really knows. Some say Kali has created a new threat, others blame Rivasa or Nerathane,” Valor said with a shrug and paused in step for them to catch up. “I hear that most of Gaelyn’s commons are dead and people are disappearing from Glis now,” he said in a near whisper as he fell into step beside them.
“I heard the same. I don’t think its Rivasa or Nerathane,” Finn replied.
“Who is Kali?” Jala broke in, confusion clear in her voice.
“Kali the mad. Kali the cruel. Kali the wicked,” Valor chimed, giving the words a musical quality. He grinned wickedly as he spoke as if the words were forbidden ones.
“She is a geneticist that is a bit off in the head,” Finn replied and swept his gaze around the garden as if he expected her to appear. To see the two of them acting nervous just talking about someone was a bit shocking to Jala. She had yet to see anything that scared Finn and Valor didn’t seem too different in that respect.
“That’s putting it mildly. She is what the stories would call a mad scientist. She abducts people for spare body parts. She creates monsters to try to kill us off,” Valor said, his tone low and ominous. He motioned toward Marrow and spoke even quieter. “She created the Bendazzi, the only predators on Sanctuary that the people of Glis cannot find affinity for. She created the serpents and most of the countries lost their naval forces not long after.”
“She is the boogie man for immortals,” Finn cut in and rolled his eyes at Valor. “Really, for those kinds of stories we should be sitting around a campfire. Kali is mostly reputation. People tell the
ir children scary stories about her and the fear of her grows from that. I sincerely doubt if she is as bad as the stories make her sound.”
“Why are all of those people by the stable?” Jala asked, pausing in her steps. Both Finn and Valor stopped and looked ahead at her words, the matter of Kali completely forgotten. There were perhaps twenty in all and laughter rippled through the crowd. She couldn’t see what their attention was on from where they stood, nor did she know anyone there.
“That’s Wesler and Tombrey closest to us, both Avanti lordlings. This is not something we want to approach,” Valor said after a moment’s consideration.
“I see Nigel standing on the left. I can ask him quietly what’s going on,” Finn offered, motioning toward a dark haired man standing amidst three or four brightly dressed women.
“I’m telling you we don’t want to approach this, it’s bait,” Valor repeated, his tone filled with warning.
“Bait?” Jala asked, raising an eyebrow.
“There is gossip going around that Shade left Cassia for you, and then you refused him so he left Sanctuary completely. Cassia is in an outrage over it. She doesn’t play well with those she considers rivals,” Valor explained.
“I’m hardly a rival of hers, beside I’m married to Finn now. That should prove I’m not a rival,” Jala objected, shaking her head.
“Are you really expecting her to use logic?” Finn asked with a chuckle. “No, sorry, that’s just not Cassia’s way of doing things,” Taking her arm gently he pulled her off of the path to approach the stables from the back. “Val is right though, better to avoid this,”
“Nothing good at all when Cassia is involved. She is a vindictive bitch even when there is no reason to be vindictive,” Valor agreed.
Casting another look toward the crowd, Jala nodded slightly and followed Finn. More laughter rippled through the crowd but she noticed not everyone was laughing. A few looked disgusted. Fighting back her curiosity, she focused her attention on the ground and made herself keep pace with Finn.
“I don’t know where he is,” a familiar voice wailed from inside the circle.
“Finn, that was Madren,” Jala said, freezing in place.
Nodding slightly, Finn tugged on her arm again. He turned to look at her with a frown as she held her ground. “And it’s not our business. I don’t even like Madren, Jala,” he said with a hint of pleading in his voice.
“I personally despise the little worm,” Valor said calmly.
More laughter erupted from the crowd and Jala pulled her arm free of Finn. “He helped me in the Tolanteer,” she reminded him.
“And we didn’t truly need the help. Have you already forgotten his drugged candy, his midnight serenades, him watching you sleep?” Finn asked with a heavy sigh.
“No, I haven’t forgotten, but regardless, I will not just ignore Cassia tormenting someone who has tried to help me. Even if it is Madren,” she said, returning his frown.
“Please don’t do this,” Finn said quietly. There was pleading in his dark green eyes.
“Finn has it right here, Jala, it’s not our business,” Valor said, taking her other arm and attempting to help Finn move her.
“Aren’t you a knight, Valor?” she asked, turning her frown to him instead of Finn. She didn’t like seeing that look from Finn and was glad for the excuse to turn away.
“I am, and your point is?” Valor answered with a raised eyebrow, looking unperturbed.
“Aren’t you supposed to defend the weak?” she asked. Her violet eyes narrowed and she did her best to stare him down.
“Weak yes, weak obnoxious perverts, no. It’s a flexible code really,” Valor replied and glanced over to Finn who was no longer attempting to prod her along. He wore a look of resignation instead.
“Fine. If you two won’t do anything, I will,” she said, glaring at both of them. “I’m not afraid of Cassia,” she added, turning to head toward the crowd.
“It’s not that we are afraid,” Valor began, sounding rather indignant.
“Don’t bother. Let’s just get this over with,” Finn said, cutting him off. She heard him fall into step behind her. His irritation washed over her through their link and her frown deepened.
The dark haired man turned to regard them as they approached and quickly stepped back from the crowd making his way toward Finn. He was dressed finely in black and gold and had the look of nobility about him, though Jala didn’t know of any houses that held those colors as their own. She barely spared him a second glance as Marrow cleared a path to the center. She tried not to smile as people scrambled out of the Bendazzi’s way. It was rather satisfying to see their discomfort, though. Most around the Academy tried desperately to ignore the Bendazzi from a distance, but once the cat got close their terror of him was obvious.
Don’t feel bad about wanting to smile. I’m having to fight down the urge to snarl just to see them run for shelter. I think it would be much simpler for both of us if I just eat Cassia, Marrow, said his amusement clear in his tone.
“Just tell me where he is, Madren. Stop lying. I know you know where he went.” Cassia’s voice cut through the crowd’s murmur like a whip.
“I don’t, though,” Madren said in a whimper.
Stepping around the last few people, Jala saw Madren hanging limp between two men she didn’t know. They held him firmly by the arms, preventing him from fleeing. Madren’s face was a ruin. His eyes were blackened and lips broken and bleeding. From the looks of him they had been at this sport for a while. A third man stood by Cassia with a smile stretched across his handsome face. He had the same delicate bone structure as Cassia and hair that was a deep gold. The sleeves to his red shirt were rolled up to the elbows and the skin on his knuckles was torn.
“You must truly be a masochist,” the man drawled, pulling his arm back for another swing at the helpless Madren.
“I thought brawling in Sanctuary held penalty of death,” Jala called loudly before the man could strike again.
All attention turned to regard her. Most of the gazes were cold but a few held curiosity.
“Is this the peasant whore who has been causing you such trouble, sister?” the man asked, looking Jala over as if she were a horse up for sale. He stepped toward her and smiled coldly, “Not a bad package,” he said in low tones.
“Release Madren. This is ridiculous. It’s like beating a child, Cassia,” Jala said, ignoring the man.
“Shall we question you instead, peasant girl? I have to say that would be infinitely more entertaining for me,” Cassia purred. As usual she was dressed impeccably and her every move drew attention to her beauty.
Num, num, dead bitch, full Bendazzi, there is no down side here, Marrow said as he moved forward to stand between Jala and Cassia’s far too attentive brother.
“I think you will find me much harder to subdue than Madren. He doesn’t fight back,” Jala warned. She felt Marrow tense beside her and knew if this went violent someone would die, the Bendazzi would see to that.
“Oh, and she is feisty too,” the blond man said with a grin and started to move toward her again, though he was keeping a respectful eye on Marrow as he did so.
“One more step, Nate, and I’ll send you back to daddy in pieces,” Finn’s voice came from behind her and he quickly stepped up beside Marrow who was now crouching, waiting the moment to pounce.
“And I’ll cover up the mess nicely so the Justicars never hear of it,” Valor said, cheerfully stepping up to stand on her other side. Jala contained her sigh of relief and smiled pleasantly at Cassia. “Please release Madren. He doesn’t know what you want him to tell you,” she tried again, keeping her voice calm.
“Finn dear, I really don’t think you want to be involved in this. Try to retain some of your reputation, please. When I offered you money to befriend the little whore I really didn’t think you would take it this far. I just wanted her away from Shade,” Cassia said, her voice dripping with contempt. A few whispers and muffled laughter fil
tered through the crowd and Cassia smiled with satisfaction.
“My wife is not a whore and I take great offense in you calling her that.” He paused as a louder ripple of chatter ran through the crowd at his words. “If you really want to talk about whores though, we can, Cassia,” he said, once the noise died down again.
Cassia smiled at him and shook a delicate finger at him as if scolding a child. “Be careful, Finn,” she warned, and then broke into merry laughter. “Oh, I’m sorry, I just can’t believe you married the peasant. How quaint, an exile and a peasant. Your children will be true gutter rats,” she said, her voice still choked with giggles.
“Better a peasant than a High born slut,” Valor said, bringing the laughter to an abrupt end and silence to the crowd.
“This has absolutely nothing to do with you Valor,” Cassia snarled coldly.
“No, it doesn’t Val. I’ll have to agree with her there. This has to do with Cassia and her unhealthy obsession with my wife,” Finn said with a sigh. Turning his attention to Valor he smiled wistfully. “In for a copper, in for a gold eh,” he said and drew a cigarette from the pocket of his coat.
“Oh shit,” Valor mumbled as Finn lit the cigarette and turned back to Cassia.
“What?” Jala asked, watching Finn and glancing at Valor.
“Does she still take new customers even though you married her Finn? She really isn’t a bad looking piece of ass and if she is a peasant whore it’s bound to be worth the money,” Nate cut in with a smirk. More laughter ran through the crowds.
Finn gave a dramatic sigh and nodded, watching Nate. “My wife isn’t a whore and if you are looking for the bargain discount I’d suggest your sister. She hasn’t quite figured out she can charge for it yet so you might want to take advantage of that.” Tapping his finger lightly on his chin he glanced at Cassia and then back to Nate. “Although, I feel obliged to warn you that after I slept with her it took three weeks and two visits to the priest before it stopped burning when I pissed.”
The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 2 Blood Honor and Dreams Page 2