“What?” Jala asked staring at him.
“While I was hunting for Devony, Valor and Neph repaired the Merrodin Hall. It hasn’t been used for some time but mostly it was just dusting and minor repairs. While they were busy at that, Wisp and Sovann were finishing your orphanage in the Merro district. Your vassals are dutiful Milady.” He winked at the last and picked up one of her trunks. Carefully, he balanced it on his shoulder as he had the day he had moved her into this hall.
“The orphanage is done?” she asked faintly and felt joy at the thought. That put them one step closer to repairing the damage to her people.
“The building is secure and safe and the clinic is provisioned. Sovann has started to pass the word among the streets but we won’t officially consider it open until you have a chance to look it over tomorrow after school.” He carefully balanced the other chest and nodded toward the door.
“Why don’t you let me carry those with magic?” she asked motioning toward the chest.
“I’ll let you carry this one with magic. Honestly, Vezradesh, how could silk weigh so much? Are you hiding bodies in it?” he replied, lowering the larger of the two back to the floor carefully.
“Shoes mostly. Oh, and jewelry,” she said with a smirk and quickly cast a levitation on the chest. With a faint tremble the chest rose into the air and rocked unsteady for a moment before settling into a steady hover about a foot from the ground.
“I think you may have too many shoes,” Finn commented dryly and headed out the door.
“I don’t,” she replied, falling into step behind him once more.
“Of course you don’t. All women are apparently obsessed with shoes,” Finn replied with amusement.
“It’s not obsession, Finn,” she said pointedly as they headed back down the stairs. “Consider this, my dear. I have about two hundred dresses of all different styles and color. According to Sanctuary’s ridiculous fashion code, I’m expected to wear a different set of shoes depending on occasion, style of dress, weather, and so on. If it were as simple as changing a tunic I could get away with owning two sets of boots such as you do, the fancy ones and the OK-to-get-blood-on-them ones,” she explained as Finn motioned toward one of the curving garden paths.
“Defensive about shoes, aren’t we,” Finn replied with a barely suppressed chuckle.
“I don’t make the fashion rules here. I try to live by them, but I certainly didn’t make them. I’m perfectly happy with no jewelry or annoying strappy sandals,” she said, rolling her eyes.
He glanced down at her legs and back up to her face with a smile. “They are rather appealing though, you have to admit.”
“That’s because you don’t have to lace them on each morning and make sure none of the straps are crooked,” she countered.
“Barefoot is better,” Emily added quietly from somewhere behind them.
“I don’t know if I would go that far Emily. It’s been some time since I wandered barefoot,” Jala said with a slight chuckle. Turning back to Finn she smiled and let out a long sigh. “I missed you last night. Sleeping alone is impossible now,” she said quietly.
“I couldn’t sleep last night. I spent half of the night driving Valor insane and the rest of it driving Sovann insane,” Finn admitted.
“I think I got a few hours of rest early this morning,” she said with a shrug and instantly regretted the line of conversation. It brought images of Hemlock and a vial of blood to mind, the first and hopefully last secret she would ever keep from Finn. “Where is the Merrodin Hall? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it.”
Finn motioned ahead of them with his free hand and flicked a finger in the direction of another path. “We take a left up there at the crossroad and it’s not too far past that,” he explained. “It’s not too far from the Morcaillo hall actually, so you shouldn’t have any trouble adjusting to it.”
“What made them decide to move there?” she asked, grateful that he hadn’t noticed the abrupt topic change.
He shrugged the free shoulder and grinned at her. “You are out of the closet now, Vezradesh. It’s time that we all started treating you like High Lady Merrodin. That means proper housing and a few other changes, but you will see what I mean when we get there,” he said cryptically, drawing a look of suspicion from her.
“I don’t want my friends to treat me differently,” she objected.
“The only one that is truly irritated is Neph, but I’m sure he will voice his complaints when we get there,” Finn replied with a snicker.
“Why is Neph upset with me?” she asked carefully watching his expression.
“You will see,” Finn replied.
* * *
Jala stared up at the door, her gaze locked on the sigil carved into it. It was obvious the door was new. The former symbol of Merrodin had been two eagles in flight. This however was a beautifully rendered Bendazzi crouched low as if to pounce. Moving closer she ran a finger across the image admiring the attention to detail the artist had used. There was certainly no mistaking what it was and by the way the wood had been bleached it reminded her of Marrow.
“I take it you approve?” Finn asked from just behind her.
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled warmly at him. “It’s beautiful. It looks so much like Marrow …,” she trailed off and slowly lowered her hand. “It’s perfect in every detail,” she finished and pushed the door open. The interior of the hall smelled strongly of fresh flowers and she inhaled deeply. “So much better than the musty smell of the Hall of Justice,” she said faintly.
“You can thank Wisp for that. I assure you, Val and Neph had nothing to do with the flowers,” Finn said with a smile.
Movement at the corner of her eye stopped her before she could reply. Looking up she saw Marrow running down the hall toward her. Her face broke into a smile once more as she knelt to greet the Bendazzi.
“Slow down Marrow,” Finn commanded, as the Bendazzi grew closer. “Marrow, slow down!” he repeated with more force when it was obvious he was being ignored.
“Marrow!” Jala exclaimed as the Bendazzi plowed into her, knocking her back on her butt. Laughing, she scratched behind his ears and tugged lightly at the ruff of fur around his face. “I missed you too.”
If you ever consider doing something that stupid again I’ll take your legs off at the knees. His voice was a deep rumble in her thoughts. His concern and relief washed over her like a tide.
“I’m sorry I worried you so much,” she whispered back to him and pressed her forehead against his own. “I didn’t like being away from you either,” she assured him.
“Marrow you are an oaf. You could have injured her,” Finn scolded, the anger in his voice causing her to look up in bewilderment.
“Finn, I’m fine. He just knocked me back on the carpet,” she said in a calm voice. “Into the new carpet at that. It’s actually very soft,” she added as she pushed herself up and looked back down at the dark purple flooring.
“He should be more careful,” Finn grumbled, shaking his head at the Bendazzi in disapproval. “Don’t threaten me, cat,” he warned narrowing his eyes slightly.
Jala raised an eyebrow and looked between the two of them. You threatened him? she asked Marrow, mentally guessing she was more likely to get an answer from her familiar.
I told him to quit his whining and that you are fine, and if he wants to scold me like an animal, I can start acting like an animal. My first priority would be to use his closet as my litter box, Marrow explained, sounding far too pleased with himself.
Biting her lip to keep from smiling Jala looked down the hall and back to Finn. “Are the others already in bed?” she asked.
He exhaled a deep breath and shook his head. “No, they are waiting to see you,” he answered and nodded his head toward the back of the hall. “In your sitting room, actually.”
“I have a sitting room?” she asked.
“And private kitchens. No more sharing our kitchen space with the rest of the hall. Yo
u have a private laundry too, though I think most of us use either magic or a laundress for our clothing,” he replied.
“So we have a laundry we will never do anything with,” she concluded with a faint smile.
“Actually, Val and I were kicking around the idea of using it as an indoor practice area for the less destructive skills. It would be helpful when the weather turns bad,” Finn explained.
“That’s a wonderful idea,” she agreed, her smile growing. “I was wondering if we would move the practice to Sovann’s house. I can promise you I wasn’t enjoying the prospect of long snowy walks there.”
Finn shook his head at her adamantly. “Lady Merrodin will not be walking in snowy sludge anywhere. She has a horse and if the weather is too bad for that we will call a coach,” he informed her gently.
“A coach?” she stammered pausing to stare up at him. “Finn I’ve never rode in a coach in my life,” she said suppressing a laugh.
“I don’t think you have ever lived as a High Lady before, either. Things will change, Jala. There can be no help for it.” He motioned her ahead to the last door on the left as he spoke and she nodded once before walking past him.
The door opened before she could even reach for the knob and Wisp poked her head out. “Marrow was right, you are here, finally. We were beginning to worry,” she said as she pushed the door the rest of the way open. “Well, some of us were, anyway,” Wisp added quietly as Jala walked into the room.
The walls had been freshly painted a crisp white and the furniture was obviously new as well. Valor leaned against the wall closest to the door, a wine glass in his hand. His usual black and silver clothing had been replaced with a rich deep purple and white with silver trim. Raising his wineglass to her he nodded and smiled. “Welcome home, Lady Merrodin.”
“Thank you Valor,” she said quietly, her eyes roving across her friends. Jail and Neph sat at a table near the opposite wall and both were dressed similar to Valor in purple, white, and silver. Glancing over at Wisp, she realized the Fae was dressed in that fashion as well.
“Even Sovann is wearing your colors now. Did you like the sigil on the door?” Wisp said with a smile.
“It was beautiful,” Jala replied, her tone filled with amazement.
“Purple?” Neph demanded, his expression stormy. “I suppose I should be grateful I wasn’t forced to wear pink but bloody purple, Jala! Why would you do this to me?” he demanded.
Wisp snickered and shook her head at Jala. “Ignore him. He will get used to it.” Prodding Valor lightly Wisp motioned for him to push off the wall. “Show her your cloak, Val.” Jala raised an eyebrow at Valor and glanced back at Wisp. “You will love it. If he will ever tell me who his tailor is I’ll have one made as well,” Wisp assured her.
With a faint smile the knight pushed off the wall and turned for Jala to see the Bendazzi embroidered on the back, set perfectly center of the dark purple wool. Silver words surrounded the sigil and Jala frowned trying to read them.
“I don’t know that language,” she admitted, after a long minute and sighed. “It’s beautiful though,” she added tracing a finger down the silver silk border on the cloak. There were words embroidered there, too, but she was unable to read what they said, either.
Valor turned to regard her with a raised eyebrow and chuckled lightly. “Truly you don’t know the language?” he asked, sounding a bit bewildered.
Jala frowned and shook her head slightly. “No, should I?” she asked.
“It’s Merro, or at least the formal Merro. Court speak, if you will,” Valor replied with a shrug. “All houses have a motto, though most outside of the actual house typically don’t know it. House Hai’dia for example is
By the wind at my call and the clouds that darken thy sky,
you will know me and give way to the Storm that is my will.”
Overly dramatic if you ask me, but then Father never asked me,” he explained with a smile.
“So what does that say?” Jala asked, her curiosity peaked.
“Neph is the one that wrote it,” Wisp offered, grinning at Neph who shifted in his chair with a frown. “I think it’s very poetic. Valor, if you would.”
Valor grinned and cleared his throat.
“Through darkness I have walked,
through pain I have lived,
through courage I will thrive.”
With a slight bow to Wisp, Valor grinned at Neph. “Who would have ever guessed our sour Delvayon could be so eloquent.”
“I know where you sleep at night, Valor, and most nights you aren’t sober enough to evade me,” Neph warned.
Swallowing, Valor nodded slightly and looked back to Jala. “Should you ever happen to find a frog in my room, or a toad, perhaps, please check to ensure it isn’t actually me before casting it out of the hall,” he implored quietly.
“Neph wouldn’t turn you into a toad. Ashes perhaps, but not a toad,” Jala replied with a grin. Turning to regard Neph, she looked him over from his dark purple tunic to the matching pants with silver trim. “It really doesn’t look bad on you, Neph. I’m sorry you have such an aversion to purple. Truly I don’t think you can blame this on me though. While I favor the colors, I was in jail when this was decided,” she pointed out, her grin widening.
“Notice your adoring husband is not adorned in your colors?” Neph asked.
“Between being impaled on a sword and being worried sick about my imprisoned wife, I’m afraid I just didn’t find the time to drop by the tailors,” Finn replied dryly.
“Well, what do you think of everything? Your own hall, house colors, the orphanage is done. We are well on the way to putting House Merrodin back on track,” Wisp said, tugging Jala over to the couch.
Grinning, Jala dropped back onto the couch and shook her head slightly. “I’m amazed, shocked, and eternally grateful. Thank you all so much,” she answered and gave the Fae a light hug. “This time yesterday, I was worried about being executed and then when I’m released I see everything you have done in my absence. It’s as if you never doubted I would be released.”
“We didn’t doubt you would be released,” Jail replied with a chuckle.
“The only true doubt was who would be releasing you,” Neph added with a smirk. “I could have throttled Kadan when he showed up this morning. Had I been sitting on the council the day would have been much less stressful. Did he at least cast a vote for you?”
“It didn’t actually come to a formal vote, but I respect your brother for the way he conducted himself,” Jala replied carefully, guessing this was a touchy subject for Neph.
“Well he usually is very proper,” Neph muttered, his tone suggesting it was not a trait he admired in his brother.
“I expect things will get worse from here,” Jail warned her and glanced at the others in the room.
“Maybe not entirely,” Finn said with a smirk. “I heard an interesting bit of gossip while I was waiting outside the Halls for Jala. It seems Cassia has been called home by her brother. I’m not sure how long she will actually stay there, but for now, at least, we will have one less howling for blood.”
“Cassia is out of the city? Truly?” Jala asked looking over to Finn who was pouring drinks.
“Truly, so now all we have to worry about are her lackeys. That shouldn’t be too bad though, lackeys are generally easy to bully,” Finn replied with a shrug and moved to join her on the couch.
Once seated, he handed her a glass and she stared down in shock at its contents. “Tea?” she asked bewildered. It was the first time since she had met Finn that he had ever given her anything non-alcoholic.
“It was that or Firewater, unless, of course, you would prefer some of Valor’s wine. The brandy is in our room and still packed as of yet, I’m afraid,” he explained with a shrug.
Valor held his wineglass out in offering and she hastily shook her head. “No, thank you, Valor. I know how fortified your wine is. I would likely get drunk from the fumes from it. I was just surprised
. Actually I prefer tea to wine most times,” she said with a faint smile.
“So what is next on the agenda?” Wisp asked, shifting her position on the couch to more of a perch in the corner.
“Proper housing in our district, I think. If we start near the gate ward we can work inward and should make fairly quick progress. Most of the buildings near the gate ward are fairly solid and only need repairs to be livable. It’s the ones closer to the docks that will have to be rebuilt entirely,” Jala said after a moment’s consideration.
“We are going to have a bit of a shift in training as well,” Neph began. Jala turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow and he shrugged. “It’s nothing you will object to I’m sure. From now on, three mornings a week you will be training with Rose on healing in the morning rather than with Sovann. And you and I will switch our training to the arena rather than in the garden. I think you are ready to actually hurl some spells rather than talking about hurling spells.”
“Really?” Jala asked, her excitement bleeding over into her voice.
“Are you that happy about learning more healing or the possibility of hurling spells at me?” Neph asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Do you really have to ask her that, Neph? Everyone gets happy at the prospect of hurting you,” Valor replied with a grin.
“I know I do,” Finn agreed with a shrug.
“The thought has never put me in a bad mood,” Jail added smiling at Neph.
“It’s the possibility of how much you can teach me and the healing classes, Neph. I have absolutely no desire to hurt you,” Jala assured him.
“Hmph! She doesn’t know him well enough yet,” Jail surmised with a grin.
“So the first free day we start on the housing. Valor, have you received the supplies from you brother yet?” Wisp asked, steering the topic away from teasing the already grumpy mage.
“They will be in storage by the free day, as I understand they are in the process of being shipped now,” Valor replied and dropped lazily into a chair. “You do realize, of course, while I am extremely skilled in a multitude of areas, carpentry is not one of them, right?” he asked Jala.
The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 2 Blood Honor and Dreams Page 23