Jala motioned for him to go ahead. “I’ll eat while you do and answer any questions if they have them. It’s probably best that you explain it anyway, you will likely do a better job of it.” Neph gave her a nod and she flashed him a smile of gratitude and began to eat. She hadn’t even considered eating yet, and the smell of food had made her realize how long it had been since she had eaten. They had doubtless used magic to sustain her during her days-long slumber, but since she had awakened, she hadn’t had a thing.
“As everyone in this room knows, I have spell warded this area so no one outside of this room can hear a word. Which means if anything we speak of in here leaves this room and becomes gossip, Finn is most likely going to kill someone. He has already shown Valor he is unreasonably protective and violent.” Neph flashed a smile at Finn.
“True words,” Finn agreed with a smile.
“Everyone in this room also knows that Jala, Finn, and Wisp recently went to see the Oracle in the Tolanteer forest. What you don’t know is what the witch told her. While I don’t know everything she said, I do know the important part. Jala is the last surviving member of House Merrodin.” He paused again letting the information sink in. “While this alone would be enough to get her killed, there is more. While on the way back they were attacked and like an idiot, Finn nearly got himself killed.”
“He was protecting me,” Jala objected, cutting him off.
Neph snickered lightly and nodded to her in acknowledgment. “As you can see, Milady is protective over Finn as well,” he said in apology. A few chuckles echoed through the room, and Finn gave her a wink. “At any rate, Finn got a big ouchie. Jala healed him, and thus awakened the other side of her family tree. Apparently she is Merrodin on Daddy’s side and part Divine on Mommy’s. So every High Lord on this damn planet is either going to want to bed her or kill her,” he finished.
“It will take all of us to keep her safe,” Jail said, as the room grew quiet once more. “We have to keep this a secret as long as possible. Jala still has a lot to learn before she can handle them alone.”
“Speaking of learning,” Neph said, once Jail had fallen silent. “Sovann, you take her in the mornings before the Academy and teach her the fundamentals of Magic. I’ll take her in the evenings after school and teach her battle techniques. Agreeable with you?”
Sovann nodded his acceptance of the suggestion. “If it is all right with Jala, that is fine with me. She expressed a desire to build her reservoir using mage stones; can you help her with that after your practice?” he asked, his attention focused more on Neph than Jala. “It would be best to do in the evenings before bed, so she regains her strength while sleeping.”
Neph gave a nod and settled back into his chair apparently satisfied.
“Swords would be good as well,” Valor pointed out. “There are times when magic simply isn’t the best choice.”
“Finn can teach her swords,” Neph said, cutting Valor off before he could volunteer to help.
“When? If Sovann has her in the mornings and you have her at night. She will have the Academy during the day and a lot to catch up on there, she has already missed a week,” Valor objected.
Jala watched them in dismay and tried to decide if she should even attempt to add an opinion. This was not at all the reaction she had expected. Looking over at Finn, she found him watching her with a grin. He looked around the room and mouthed the words “Watch this” to her as he rose slowly from the bed. Moving with smooth deliberate steps over to stand in front of her, he drew his sword and dropped to a knee in front of her. The room fell deathly silent the moment his knee touched the carpet. He gave her another wink, and she looked at him in confusion.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
He rolled his eyes at her and bowed his head over his sword. “I, Finn Sovaesh, swear before all in this room that I serve Lady Jaladene Merrodin. By every ounce of strength and drop of my blood, I will defend and serve Milady in whatever cause she sets before me. By the Aspects and Divine, I swear my life and soul to her for now and always,” he spoke in a calm, steady voice and looked up at her with the last words.
“I don’t know what to say, I’ve never heard a vow given before,” she said quietly.
“Say you accept my sword into your service, and I’ll be content,” Finn replied with the hint of a smile.
“I accept your sword gladly, Finn, and wish I had the proper words to tell you how much your vow means to me,” she said, still watching him in amazement. The room was silent around them. Apparently everyone had been as shocked as Jala by his actions.
Finn stood slowly and winked at her. “See, I know how to shut them up,” he whispered with his usual grin returning. He crossed the room again and dropped back onto his bed letting his sword drop beside him.
It was Sovann that knelt next, followed by Wisp and then Neph. Jala listened to their vows and accepted their pledges, her hope growing stronger with every word spoken. With the help of the people in this room, rebuilding Merro was becoming more attainable by the moment. Jail waited until the others had seated themselves and gave his own vow, seeming horribly amused as he did so. One by one, her newly made court looked to Valor who, out of everyone, had remained still and silent.
Jala shook her head and smiled. “Valor barely knows me,” she explained.
“It’s not that,” Valor objected. “I’m debating on whether or not my father would kill me. I’m a second son and unlikely to inherit, but he expects me to serve in Arovan’s army one day,” he explained.
“In his shadow of course,” Finn agreed with a nod. “Understandable, Val, you would likely be most comfortable there and we understand.”
Finn had barely finished speaking before Valor was kneeling before her, his sword point down and swearing his own vows. The others in the room managed to keep their laughter to themselves until after she had accepted his sword and motioned for him to rise.
She looked around the room and smiled at everyone, shaking her head slightly. “You all realize I’m poor, what’s left of my people are starving beggars and my lands are in ruins, right?” she asked.
“Bloody hell. Now, she tells us,” Neph growled and the room broke into laughter once more. Neph waited for it to die down and grinned at her. “Of course we do. There isn’t a single person in this room that would give his word for money.” He glanced at Finn and smirked. “Well, except perhaps Finn, but he is more of a whore with his swords than his honor.” Finn rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at Neph. Grinning, the Mage dodged and turned back to her. “We are a bit different from your typical lords and ladies. You see, we can’t be bought.”
“That isn’t what I meant at all. I know you aren’t like that. It’s just I’m not sure what exactly I am supposed to do with a court when I don’t have a kingdom,” Jala explained quickly.
“You don’t have a kingdom yet,” Finn pointed out, emphasizing the last word.
“If I’m ever going to get one I need to speak with the Lord of Oblivion,” she sighed. That task alone seemed near impossible to her.
“I can arrange that easily enough,” Wisp offered. “The Harvest festival will be going on in my lands in two weeks. I can arrange for you to speak with him there, and no one will think a thing about us going to the festival, so we can keep it quiet.”
“Your father’s lands,” Neph corrected. “Your lands are now the Merro Wastes, remember?”
Wisp blushed and shrugged at Jala. “Going to take me a bit of time to adjust to this. Bear with me, please.”
Jala smiled and nodded. “It will take all of us time to adjust I think. That would be wonderful if you can arrange it though Wisp. I really had no idea how I would get someone from Oblivion to talk to me.”
“Wisp will take care of it,” Finn said sitting up on his bed once more. “Now, all of you but Jala, outta my room and take your chairs with you.” He motioned to the door, and his friends rose with a few complaints and more laughter. He watched them leave and lo
oked over at Jala.
“That was rude,” she pointed out with a smile.
He shrugged. “If you are training with Sovann in the morning and Neph at night and attending school during the day, it really doesn’t leave me much time for your company. So, if I have to be rude to get you alone, I will.”
“I didn’t expect all of that,” she said quietly. Raising the wine to her lips she took a drink and shook her head again. “This all seems like a dream, I keep expecting to wake up.”
“I knew they would if I took the first step. It wasn’t that they needed me to goad them into it. It was simply that none of them had considered it. Most of them come from rather important houses themselves. The idea of swearing an oath to another house had likely never crossed their minds,” he explained.
“Thank you,” the words were simple ones, but her tone added volumes with its sincerity.
“It wasn’t my first choice, simply the one I knew you would accept,” he replied with a shrug.
“What was your first choice?” she asked, looking over to him.
He leaned back on his arms and smiled at her. “Getting you out of Sanctuary. I thought about offering it this morning, but after listening to how you turned down Shade, I decided I didn’t want the same rejection. I have family in Firym that would have granted me lands, or if not there, Valor would have given me a place on his lands.” With a shrug, he rose to his feet and stretched. “But I know you want Merro back and you have to be Lady Merrodin to do that. So leading my friends into your service was the next best option.” He walked over to the small table and poured himself a drink. Raising the glass in her direction, he gave her another fainter smile. “To Lady Merrodin,” he said, flourishing the glass in her direction. Without pausing, he raised the glass and drained its contents entirely and poured another.
“What’s wrong, Finn? Are you upset because you thought I wouldn’t leave with you? Honestly, I don’t know what I would have chosen if you asked.” She rose and moved toward him. She could feel his agitation. It wasn’t truly anger that she felt from him, but deep frustration, and she wasn’t sure what was causing it.
“Neph is right, every High Lord with a son is going to be after you, and eventually you are going to find one that you won’t let me kill.” Raising the glass to his lips, he drained the second glass. She put a hand over the decanter before he could pour a third. He raised an eyebrow at her and looked down at her hand. “What? You can get rolling drunk but I have limits?” he asked.
“I don’t think there is a single High Lord or any of his children that could compare with you, Finn. No one would treat me as well as you do and you are quite possibly the most honest person in Sanctuary. Who could I trust like I do you?” She moved her hand from the decanter but he didn’t reach for it. He set his glass down instead and took one of her hands in his.
“I had never even contemplated commitment before I met you, Jala, and I don’t have to contemplate it with you at all. I am committed. Regardless of what choice you make concerning marriage, I am yours in mind body and soul.”
“So marry me, then, and spare me the High Lords attentions. I don’t want any of them,” she said and then clamped her mouth shut realizing she had spoken aloud what she had been thinking.
Finn released her hand abruptly and moved to the door so fast she thought her words had sent him into full flight. Mentally, she cursed herself and turned to the table and poured a glass from the decanter. Still kicking herself for speaking, she downed it so fast she didn’t realize it was Firewater until the glass was empty. Gasping from the taste, she bent double, one hand clutching the table for support. Dimly, she realized Finn had not fled and was leaning out the doorway looking into the hall.
“Sovann, get in here,” he yelled out the door. She had recovered from the drink by the time Sovann entered the room looking as bewildered as she felt. Finn hastily moved to his closet and grabbed a few articles of clothing. He grabbed his sword as he passed the bed and replaced it on his belt, moving with an urgency that left her completely confused. “I need you to cast a transport,” he said to his brother who was watching him patiently waiting for an explanation.
“Is something wrong?” Sovann asked, eyes flicking to Jala with concern.
“No, nothing is wrong. She made an offer that I intend to act on before she can change her mind,” Finn replied, grabbing her hand and pulling her over to him. “Marrow, move closer if you are coming. Sovann take us to Fallanor,” Finn ordered.
Jala looked down at Marrow beside her and then back to Finn and finally to Sovann as the mage began casting a spell. “Where is Fallanor?” she asked dazedly, still not quite believing this was happening.
“Capital city of Firym. My great uncle lives there,” Finn explained as Sovann finished the spell and the room around them faded.
Chapter 29
Faydwer Border
“Set the ship down here. We will have to go the rest of the way on horseback,” Lex said, motioning to a clearing below.
Shade glanced at him and checked the map as he began to ease the ship down. “This is Faydwer,” he said glancing at Lex again in confusion.
Lex gave him a slow nod and smiled. “Yes, I do, in fact, know my way home, Shade. This is the Faydwer Firym border, actually. The Fionahold is in the Rilken Mountains,” he said grinning at the expression his words brought to Shade’s face.
“That’s not even four hours from Morcath by spell hawk,” Shade stammered. The ship settled in the grass of the clearing, and Shade moved his hands from the controls. “Are you telling me that the infamous Fionaveir practically live in my former backyard?”
Nodding, Lex stood from his seat and walked to the back of the ship and lifting two of the crates containing the horses, he headed for the door. “Get the other two horses and I’ll be showing you that they live in your former backyard.”
Leah rose from her chair and stretched her arms over her head and gave him a faint smile. “Help Oma, Shade, and I’ll get the horses,” she offered.
“It will be rather nice to be out of the city won’t it, Oma?” Shade said forcing a smile on his face. He offered her a hand and helped her from her seat. The Empath had been quiet and shaking since they had left the city. Between his wild emotions for the past few days and the turmoil of leaving Madren, Oma had been overwhelmed by Shade’s emotions. He had tried to convince Madren to come, practically begging him. That had gone as well as his attempted rescue of Jala. It was rather difficult to save someone who didn’t want to be saved, he had realized. He knew Oma needed him to keep his emotions steady now. He turned his thoughts away from everything he had left behind in Sanctuary. “I don’t think I’ve ever actually been to Faydwer. My father didn’t get along too well with their High Lord. It will be something new for both of us,” he said trying to get some reaction from her. She didn’t even look at him as he spoke, just followed along behind as he led her off the ship.
“We still have Jala’s horse here. I think we should put Oma on him. He was steady in the Tolanteer,” Leah said as they approached. She handed him the reins to the black and white gelding and gave Oma a smile. “He didn’t even spook around the Bendazzi,” Leah told her with a reassuring smile.
Oma regarded the horse with a blank expression and nodded silently to Leah. Frowning, Shade helped the girl into the saddle and handed her the reins. “Give me just a minute to get my own horse and I’ll be back,” he told her.
“She isn’t doing well,” Lex said as Shade approached. “I’m not sure how she will take Fionahold. It’s full of people and there is always stress,” he warned.
“I couldn’t just leave her in Sanctuary. Maybe there will be a mage there that can help her somehow. I’ve never been able to find anyone she would trust enough to help her, and I don’t know the first thing about Empaths.” Shade sighed and took his reins from Lex. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Lex’s chosen mount. “Finn’s horse?” he asked.
“It’s a good horse. I’m not goi
ng to leave it to rot on the ship. Besides, his cousin is a Fionaveir, he can get the animal back to him along with Jala’s,” Lex replied with a shrug. “Gem the ship and let’s go. I’d like to get up the first pass before its dark.”
Nodding his agreement, Shade stored the ship and led his horse back over to Oma. Patting her gently on the leg, he looked up at Oma with a smile. “It will be okay, Oma, I promise. The Fionahold hasn’t been found in three hundred years. It’s bound to be safer than Sanctuary.”
She gave him another silent nod and turned her gaze toward the mountains. Shade followed her gaze and wondered just how far into the Rilkens they would have to go. From what he could see, their road was thick with pines and black stone cliffs. It didn’t look as though it would be an easy ride, and the thought of navigating it in the dark was not a pleasant one. He had never been much for the outdoors and greatly preferred flying to riding. “You know I could probably find a place to land deeper in the mountains. I am the best pilot there is,” Shade called over his shoulder to the twins.
“Not possible. Magic isn’t allowed near the Fionahold,” Lex said with a smile as he rode past at a light canter. “Get on your horse, Shade, daylight is burning.”
“Wait, what do you mean ‘magic isn’t allowed?’” Shade yelled after him, quickly getting on his horse and kicking it into a trot to catch up with Lex. He glanced back once to make sure Oma’s horse was following but otherwise remained intent on catching up.
“I mean they don’t allow us to use magic at the Fionahold, not even Mage Lights. With as many people as we have living there, the signature it produced would be clear to anyone with mage sight. It’s a security measure, Shade. Don’t worry you will adjust. It won’t really matter anyway if you are field operative. You won’t be there enough to notice,” Lex said once Shade had gotten within hearing range.
The Elder Blood Chronicles Bk 1 In Shades of Grey Page 42