From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(107)

“You expect me to leave this room without that child? You are mad. Legacy is to be protected at all costs and both Jail and Wisp would agree with me,” Emily snarled as she crouched for another lunge. If she came in low she could lift the child straight from his grasp and perhaps still manage to get a solid hit on the fool.

“Nice plan, think it will work?” the man asked in a mocking voice, his smile growing wider. Looking up from the child he turned his attention straight to her and winked.

Emily returned the stare. Her jaw dropped slightly as she stared at the man in complete and utter shock. Not even Neph could tell precisely where she was without the glasses Sovann had crafted, and yet this stranger was looking right at her. “Are you a Blight?” she mumbled as she slowly stood back up from her crouch. She hadn’t sensed him as a Blight, but then she hadn’t truly sensed him at all.

“Ah, if only it were something that simple to deal with. No, Emily, I’m infinitely more dangerous than your brethren. I am however on your side here. I want the child safe as well for my own reasons. He won’t be safe here. As long as your enemies know that Jala and the main strength of Merro are gone, they will send more for this child. Your friends are very near death now Emily, I suggest you hurry and make your choice. Let them die and fight me for the child or save them, kill your enemies, and allow me to return Legacy to his mother’s side.” His eyes continued to follow her as she backed a half step away from him, and Emily’s frown deepened.

“How do I know you will take him to his mother? I don’t even know who you are,” she asked as she studied the man searching for any clue to his identity or who he might be working for.

“My name is Seth, and you don’t know I will, you must simply have faith,” Seth said with a mocking smile. “It would be a perfect time for you to practice that particular part of being human. Faith is the thing you have the most difficulty with isn’t it? Well aside from snacking on your comrades that is. Which in fact will be very easy for you to do shortly and they will already be dead so no fight in getting the meal.”

“I can’t allow you to leave with him,” Emily snarled as she lunged with no warning at all. Despite the surprise she was positive she had, Seth dodged the attack easily and laughed.

“You never had a choice, Emily. I was simply trying to allow you a chance to keep your pride. Sorry doll, but I have no more time for this. The Nightblades are already closing on this room. Better kill them quickly, Emily or you will have let your friends die as well as lost the child. That’s more failure than I’m sure you want to deal with.” Seth spoke the words even as she was charging him again, his mocking smile never once faltering.

“You won’t leave this room with that child!” Emily snarled as she brought her claws down hard across the man’s side and nearly plunged headfirst into the wall as her hands passed directly through him.

Seth turned to watch her as she stumbled back to her feet, spinning to face him with an expression of disbelief clearly written on her face. Shaking his head slowly he clicked his tongue against his teeth. “I was gone before you killed the Nightblade Emily. This is a projection. I’m surprised you didn’t pick that up with your advanced senses.” Sighing dramatically, he shook his head once more. “You really do need the Bendazzi with you, child,” he murmured in a sickeningly sweet voice as the image slowly faded into the shadows of the room.

Cold weight settled over her chest at the words and she swallowed quickly as her eyes began to burn. “Damn you,” she whispered as the full brunt of her failure brought glassiness to her eyes. The faint scuff of a boot in the hall drew her attention back to Seth’s warnings and she turned to face the open door. Seth might have tricked her, but these fools wouldn’t. Flexing her hands Emily waited in utter silence for the first of the Nightblades to show themselves. She almost pitied the bastards. Seth had humiliated her and stolen Legacy and now they would pay for his sins, painfully. Crouching she waited for the first victim and only then realized the rest of the city had fallen silent as well. Not a single caw of a raven could be heard.





Chapter 21





The Darklands





“Clear the room!” Seth bellowed from the back of the crowded audience chamber as he pushed his way through the doors. The two demons posted to either side of the entrance gave the rogue a fleeting glance but showed no signs of following his order.

Finn leaned back in his seat and watched as the man crossed the room toward him. The spirits didn’t simply move from Seth’s path, they fled his approach in terror. “Why do they fear him like that? They don’t run from me in that fashion,” Finn whispered to Fiona. His teacher and unwilling mentor stood to his left, watching the proceedings with a look of utter disgust written plainly across her delicate face.

“The Dark Lady gave souls to him in payment. Seth feeds off them such as a Soulreaver would,” Fiona answered quietly, her gold eyes locked on the approaching rogue and narrowing dangerously. “This is your first official judging of souls. He should not be interrupting.”

“Clear the bloody room, now!” Seth snarled in a louder voice, his attention fully focused on the demons that lingered near the doors.

“Seth, I fail to see why I should have the chamber cleared for the laundry you are bringing me,” Finn called across the room before the demons had moved from their stations. Honestly, he didn’t really want to use the creatures more than he had to. The hold he had on the denizens of the Darklands was tenuous at best and he preferred to have them within sight for the time being. At least, until he mastered better control of the more dangerous ones.