“I’ve never seen Finn wear armor,” Jala admitted and carefully set the leathers down on her bed. “I have no boots.” She began the objection as Wisp dropped a pair of knee high matching boots onto the floor beside the bed.
“He wears it rarely. Often doesn’t think he needs it. He will wear it today, though, mark my words. C’mon now, out of the night gown, and I’ll help you get dressed. The serpent hide armor is soft enough you don’t need under padding which is a blessing. When you have to wear under padding it gets bloody smothering in the summer,” Wisp said merrily, tugging the nightgown up and over Jala’s head as she spoke.
“Do you think he will need it today?” Jala asked with a bit of concern.
“One never knows, and it’s always better to have it when you need it,” Wisp replied with a smile. “You still haven’t told me any juicy details,” she pointed out, and Jala fell silent once more.
With long practiced ease, Wisp helped her into the armor, showing her where to buckle each piece and then tugged the chain mail on over it all. “Perfect. Well, almost. Get the boots on while I get the last touches.” The small Fae moved quickly back to her bag and pulled a cloak of silver and white from its depths. It seemed a reversible garment with white fur lining one side and fine silver cloth on the other. “Finn had this made for you, and he had me make this for you as well.” Wisp dropped a small box into her hand with a shrug. “Though I don’t understand why it hardly seems ladylike. You can change the colors of the armor, by the way. Just focus on it and will it to change. Like so.” With a quick poke to Jala’s side, the armor shifted from green leather to a hideous bright pink while the chain mail turned to a bright yellow. Wisp broke into peals of delighted laughter, and Jala wasn’t sure if it was from her expression or the garish colors.
“Oh that’s horrible, Wisp,” she gasped, as she caught her reflection in the mirror. She closed her eyes and concentrated, willing the leathers to a dark purple almost black, and the chain mail to silver, while keeping the vines and flowers on the chain a pristine white. She opened her eyes and admired the armor. It truly was beautiful. She gave Wisp a slight shake of the head and opened the small box. A cloak pin rested inside. It was a simple circle with knot work around the edges and the intricately detailed form of a badger engraved in the center. The metal was a bit tarnished and didn’t look as though it had been polished at all. She remained silent, staring down at the cloak pin and slowly looked up to Wisp.
“You don’t like it then? I didn’t think you would. The badger is not exactly a popular beast. He gave me some worn and rusted buckles. Might have been from a saddle judging by the size and shape, but I don’t know, and told me to make that. I offered to get some silver, and suggested he was rather tight fisted with his money, but he insisted,” Wisp explained, her expression frustrated.
“No, this is perfect. He knew exactly what I would like,” she said quietly, closing her fingers around the cloak pin and remembering Havoc’s words so long ago in the Temple. “Your father earned the name Badger for his tenacity. He never quit, he never gave up, no matter the odds.”
“It is?” Wisp asked, sounding a bit dumbfounded. “Well OK, then, maybe Finn isn’t an idiot, although I will need further proof before I make the final decision on that matter.” With a dainty wave of her hand, Jala felt magic wash over her and her hair rose from her face and plaited itself down her back into a thick intricate braid. Wisp gave a nod of approval and handed her a slender gold circlet. “You can make it silver if you like and change the gem color. It’s the final piece of armor. I hate helms you see, so I have those made and enchanted to act as a helm. It isn’t quite the same protection as a plate helm, but it’s better than going without.” She gave Jala a final look over and grinned at the result. “Finn’s jaw will hit the floor.” She fairly giggled and then smiled with mischief. “I’ve decided I won’t smack you even though you look far better in that armor than I ever did. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get ready myself.” And with that the Fae bustled from the room as energetic as a hummingbird.
Jala watched her go, and looked down at the cloak pin in her hand. No, she decided as she studied it, lust was certainly not the correct word to describe what she felt for Finn Sovaesh. She ran her thumb across the engraved badger and stood slowly. With exaggerated care, she picked up the cloak and fastened it silver side out around her neck and then carefully donned the circlet. With the slightest of efforts, she turned the metal to silver and changed the green stone to a deep amethyst and looked at herself in the mirror. It had been so long since she had worn anything but dresses that wearing pants felt strange. She smiled ruefully into the mirror at the memory of her father’s words.
“What brought that smile about? It’s a good one.”
She glanced over her shoulder and found Finn leaning against the door frame. He wore a dark cloak, and under it she could see fine plate and chain armor every bit as detailed as her own. The Barllen swords hung at his side, another sign that he thought today would be quite dangerous. She pushed the thought away without too much consideration. With Marrow and Finn beside her, she was not too concerned with whatever the day might throw at them. Whatever it was, they would deal with it swiftly.
“I was remembering something my father said once,” she said a bit dreamily. She turned from the mirror and watched his gaze follow her, the same look from earlier was on his face. The one Marrow had said was appreciation. “I used to be a bit rougher when I was little and tended to prefer patched trousers. He said one day I would wear nothing but dresses with ribbons in my hair and all of my thoughts would revolve around boys.” She gave him a smile and rolled her eyes. “He was wise, but he wasn’t quite on the mark. I have never worn ribbons, and the dresses were forced on me for so long at the Temple they became normal. My thoughts do not revolve around boys either,” she finished with a slight chuckle.
He raised an eyebrow and remained silent just watching her. The bloody aspects they don’t, Marrow objected loudly in her mind.
She turned her eyes to the Bendazzi and shook her head slightly. They don’t, and you well know it. My thoughts rest on one, and he is hardly what I would call a boy, she corrected mildly and looked back to Finn. “I’m ready to go whenever Wisp is,” she offered, pleased by the smile that warmed his face.
“Come to my room for a moment, I’ve another surprise for you. I hope you will appreciate it, considering how long Valor worked on finding it for me.” He gave a slight chuckle and motioned her to follow after.
She walked behind him, curious, and wondered why she was getting flooded with gifts this morning. First the armor from Wisp, then the cloak pin, and now this. She was beginning to wonder if she had missed an important holiday as he closed his door behind her. Two wooden crates sat in the floor in front of his bed. They were carved from pine if she guessed right and had slats on the sides as well as the roof.
“The one on the right is yours,” he motioned and raised an eyebrow at her. “You have never seen these before have you?” he asked with amusement.
“Umm, wooden boxes?” she asked with shrug. “Yes, a few times, but not those particular boxes,” she answered.
He gave a light chuckle and shook his head. “No, no. They are carry boxes for transport on spell hawks,” he explained and moved quickly to the box on the right. With a gentle hand, he pushed the lid back revealing a small cat-sized animal inside. From the angle of where she stood, she couldn’t make out exactly what the creature was, other than dark colored and upset with Marrow approaching.
Food? Marrow asked hopefully, as he moved closer to stand by Finn.
Finn gently pushed the Bendazzi back and smiled. “I know they look like prey, but we will need them. Step back please you are scaring them half to death.”
Jala moved closer for a better look. She realized with shock they were horses after perhaps two steps and quickly knelt beside Finn. “They are so small,” she gasped.
“And they don’t much care for bei
ng picked up in this size. It tends to piss them off, and they will remember it when you remove the magic shrinking them later,” he warned. He pointed toward the little black one that seemed to be calming now that Marrow had moved back. “He is yours. I’ve had Valor searching for him all week. Valor knows far more about horses than I do, and I wanted to be sure the animal was a good one and had more to offer than just the right coloring.”
She leaned over toward the horse and smiled at the markings. A perfect blaze and four white socks just as her pony so long ago had been. She closed her eyes and smiled. If she had ever wondered if Finn paid attention to what she told him, she now had her answer. It seemed he hadn’t missed a single detail the night she had shown him her life before Sanctuary. Wordlessly, she leaned over and gave him a kiss, slow and sweet.
“I take it, you like him then. For that sort of reward, you will end up with a herd of horses. If I get a kiss for each one,” he teased.
“I do like him, but that isn’t why you got the kiss so don’t go buying a herd,” she laughed.
He gave her a grin and bowed his head. He returned the lid to the box and gave a sigh. “If you want to check on Wisp I’ll take the horses outside. If I’m lucky I can get Val to help me carry them to the sky port.”
“I can carry one,” she offered and he shook his head at the idea and rose, lifting both boxes. “So stubborn,” she sighed, and rose, as well. “Fine, I’ll check on Wisp and meet you outside then,” she agreed and headed off in search of the Fae.
Wisp was emerging from her rooms as Jala approached. She was dressed in her house colors of green and gold with a bow nearly matching her in height across her back. She looked up as Jala approached and gave her a warm smile. “All ready,” she pronounced, holding both arms out as if to display the swords, daggers, bow and armor she wore. She looked as though she was heading for a battlefield, Jala noted silently and wondered if she should be armed with more than the small ruby hilted dagger she always wore.
“Finn is waiting outside for us,” Jala said and turned toward the door. She paused and looked at the Fae considering. “Wisp, do you know what Mi tevalla sel yondra mi vezradesh means?” she asked on impulse, hoping she had gotten the unfamiliar words right. Wisp was a veteran of the Academy for the past four years it was possible she would know the language.
Wisp gave a quick curious nod. “The first part is ‘my soul is yours my…” The last word, however, has several meanings. It can be heart, or love, or eternity, depending. That’s Firym, by the way, if you didn’t know,” she explained. She seemed to consider the phrase and frowned. “Where did you hear it?” she asked after a long pause.
Jala gave her an enigmatic smile in response. “It may have been in a dream, it certainly seemed like one,” she replied, and chose to ignore her friend’s confusion.
They reached the sky port only one hour late. Shade had already loaded his own possessions, and it was a simple matter for theirs. The only thing the three of them had brought that they weren’t wearing was the horse boxes. Shade pulled her aside with a bit of a glower. She knew it had nothing at all to do with the time of day.
“I didn’t agree to his coming at all. You know we don’t get along,” Shade fairly growled.
“I noticed Madren looking out the door of the spell hawk as we approached,” Jala countered, her tone conversational.
Shade frowned deeper and shook his head. “That’s different, Madren is from Goswin, and he will be able to direct us where to go.” He shook his head at her as if she were a disobedient child that he had no idea what to do with. “Even were he not from Goswin, he would still be better company to keep than Finn Sovaesh. I would have thought the Arena experience would have shown you that.”
“Oh, really? Yes, I would actually like to discuss that, since it was your betrothed that accosted us at dinner with that matter.” Jala turned her full attention on him now and felt her temper starting to rise to the occasion. “I believe it all started because I didn’t realize you were betrothed, and she decided I was your peasant whore. Are you certain you want to continue down this path, Shade? I don’t think we quite share the same view on it.”
Shade shook his head and looked as though he would like to shake her, as well. “Cassia aside, Jala, the man is a butcher. Didn’t you see that for yourself? From what I hear he practically tore Devron’s head from his shoulders. He is little better than an Assassin.”
“And every time I have needed him, that butcher. as you call him, has been there,” she snarled back at him, eyes flashing dangerously. “No matter what time of day or how ridiculous the task I ask of him, he is there without question.” Unlike you, she finished silently. She could see from his expression she didn’t need to voice the words.
“You know that room you stayed in at my hall was empty because of him. He butchered my friend the same as he did Devron, only he used a soul blade that time so no matter how much gold I spent I couldn’t bring him back.” Shade’s tone was quieter, still holding anger but not as much now. He had seemed to deflate with her last comment. “I would have been there if I could have, Jala. You never told me when you needed someone there,” he said with no apparent anger at all. His tone just seemed to hold sadness. He rubbed his face and looked over to the waiting spell hawk. “All in all, I suppose it doesn’t matter what I think of him. That is your choice and I won’t turn my back on you for it, but did you have to bring him today?”
“As much as you had to bring Leah and Madren,” she replied gently. “He promised he would try to get along, Shade. He will keep his word.”
“That’s a one-sided promise. I won’t agree to that for anything. Nothing can make me friendly to the man, Jala, not even you,” Shade replied and turned back to the ship. “If I have to travel with him, so be it. Let’s get it done with.”
“I can find other transport if it bothers you that much, Shade,” she offered, not wanting to spend the entire time on the spell hawk dealing with this tension.
“I told you I would take you to the Tolanteer. As you recall I keep my word, as well.” His reply came a bit stiffly as if she had insulted him with the suggestion. Without another word, he stepped into the spell hawk, passing Wisp and Finn without so much as a good morning.
Finn raised an eyebrow at her as she approached and she sighed. “He really doesn’t like you, Finn,” she said with a hint of a smile. “But I assured him you would behave on the trip.”
“Oh, indeed, as gentle as a lamb, I promise,” Finn replied, his voice showing only a hint of sarcasm. They stepped onto the spell hawk and Finn’s eyes seemed almost immediately drawn to Madren who sat wide-eyed in one of the four back seats. Jala gave a groan and looked to Wisp for help, but found the Fae smirking with a look in her eyes that suggested if Finn chose to slit the man’s throat, she would applaud.
“Uhh. Hello, Jala, and you two as well,” Madren greeted her with a hesitant smile and looked nervously at her companions.
“Shade treats you quite gently, doesn’t he?” Finn cut in before she could return the greeting. Madren bobbed his head in nervous reply and swallowed heavily. “So much as look at Jala in a way I don’t approve of and I won’t. He slaps your hand. I’ll cut your bloody hand off and feed it to you. Are we clear?”
Madren paled more and gave a quick nod. “Very clear, very clear indeed,” he agreed hastily.
“Fine start, if you think perhaps you can stop bullying Madren and take a seat we will be off,” Shade called over his shoulder, his expression dark.
“I suppose it can wait till later,” Finn agreed with a smile that was so forced it was almost comical. Jala regarded the two of them, then looked to Wisp who clearly supported Finn, and then to Leah who sat beside Shade with an expression identical to his own. It was as if battle lines had been drawn, and she hadn’t yet received orders.
Quite, and the only one that isn’t ready to fight is Madren. Does that make you the mirror of the creepy stalker since you are peaceful as well? Marrow nudged
his way past her and sat at Finn’s feet, making his own position on the matter quite clear. She gave a slight shudder at the thought and sat down in the only chair available now, the one next to Madren. With a long sigh, she sank back in her chair and decided she would sleep most of the flight. All she had to do was manage to get sleepy, and that would be a splendid plan. At least she knew Finn would occupy himself chopping off Madren’s appendages if he caught the little creep watching her sleep. She forced back a snort of amusement and listened to a brief hushed argument behind her. Wisp seemed quite firm on whatever topic they were discussing and apparently won the debate. Finn gave a brief grunt of disapproval and moved up to her seat.
“Jala, I don’t want you sitting here, and Wisp won’t trade you seats,” he explained in a quiet, calm voice.
Jala, now past the point of manners, gave a snort of laughter. “No, really, she won’t? I wonder why ever not, the view is so wonderful,” she asked in amusement. Looking pointedly at one dark wall of the spell hawk then the other and then to Madren. With a flutter of eyelashes, she returned her eyes to Finn’s, and choked back another snort of laughter.
Finn gave her a dry expression and then shrugged. “So you are going to sit with me,” he finished with a nod. He stood abruptly and looked down at her as if expecting her to argue.
“But you said she wouldn’t trade,” Jala began and then fell silent as Finn picked her body up from the chair, returned to his own seat, and sat back down with her balanced neatly on his lap. “Oh,” she said lamely and gave a slight nod. “Sit with you, got it now.” He shifted her position slightly, apparently searching for the most comfortable position for his leg, and leaned back in his seat with a nod of approval.
“I suppose this means we are ready,” Jala called ahead to Shade who was sitting so rigid it seemed possible someone had left a dagger sitting point up on his seat. Shade gave her a curt nod and wordlessly turned his full attention on the controls. Within moments, the spell hawk rose gracefully from the sky port and away from Sanctuary.
The Elder Blood Chronicles Bk 1 In Shades of Grey Page 32