From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(119)

It was hard to suppress the laughter, but Emily did her best. Wisp was upset. Now was not the time to laugh, no matter how amusing her question was. She wasn’t sure the Fae would like her answer either. Actually, Wisp, he looked a good deal like you and your brother, only a bit paler and much less charismatic. My overall impression was a pretty boy Fae that was a complete *.

“Oh,” Wisp said in what Emily thought was dismay. “I, uh, I always heard he was a Shifter. At least in the stories, he is, but he looks Fae you say. I, uh, well I suppose there is nothing to be done about it, but I can’t say that I like the Harbinger of Death looking like me,” Wisp mumbled with a frown.

“Legacy is safe with Jala. I’ve spoken with her and everything is fine. I have no idea why he helped but apparently he did,” Jail announced as he reentered the room.

Wisp let out a sigh of relief and wiped the remainder of the tears from her eyes. “Well, that is the good news then. The bad news is, Emily is down for a while. These will have to be stitched until Jala returns unless we want to share the secret with Kendry or Wesley.”

Stitch the wounds. I will wait for Jala, Emily told them both through a mental link, and Jail nodded his agreement with her decision.

“Emily is a trump in our favor as long as she remains a secret among Jala’s friends. While I don’t know for sure that our healers would gossip, I don’t want to take the chance,” Jail said softly.

“Then we are all in agreement. Just one thing, Jail,” Wisp said with a faint smile.

“What’s that?” Jail asked as he sat down beside them.

“Do you know how to help her shift back to her other form?” Wisp asked.

“Uhh. No. You mean she doesn’t know how to do that herself?” Jail asked in confusion, his gaze going back to Emily.

“I’ve heard Shifters have to be taught by their elders how to change their forms,” Wisp said with a shrug.

“Is that true, Emily. Do you not know how to change back?” Jail asked, his gaze fully on her now.

Why would I want to? Why would anyone want to be a Blight, Jail? Emily asked as she rolled onto her side and stretched out, her muscles flexing under her new skin. It was both painful and wonderful at the same time. She could feel the raw power of this form. When she was healed she would be even more devastating to their enemies. The Bendazzi form was like a blessing from the Divine in her eyes. People feared the Bendazzi as well as respected them, but no one despised them simply for existing. Even she despised the Blights and she was one of them. Why would she ever want to change back? The thought itself was almost laughable. She had absolutely no intention of ever being a Blight again. On that she was certain.





Chapter 24





Kithvaryn





Pale blossoms floated down through the air before her. Turning slowly, Jala gazed up at the blossom covered trees around her and felt her burdens lifting. The sky above was a pale blue, dotted with the sort of clouds you could find all manner of shapes in. She used to love those sorts of clouds as a child. She could remember lying in thick grass, simply staring at the sky for hours while her imagination ran wild.

Jala closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. The scent of the flowers was nearly intoxicating. Slowly, her eyes opened once more, and she moved to the edge of the orchard to stare at the white walls of a city in the distance. Everything was so pristine, so absolutely beautiful it was surreal.

“I must have died in the night. That bitch slit my throat while I slept,” Jala murmured as she remembered Kithkara’s promise of death. This place was simply too perfect in all of its details to be just a dream.

“It’s a dream, not the afterlife. You know very well if you die you are bound for someplace darker than this,” It wasn’t truly a surprise to hear War’s voice. Still, it took her several moments to locate his perch in the upper limbs of one of the trees.

“I thought you couldn’t contact me in the sunlit world? Where are we this time?” Jala asked, gazing up at her Grandfather.

“Kithvaryn is different. I have more power here. They all worship me on this island. As to where we are, this was Tevonale, another land that is nothing more than a memory in the minds of those old enough to remember it,” War answered in a wistful voice.

“I’ve never even heard of it,” Jala admitted, her eyes going once more to the white walls of the city. Small forms were circling over the walls dotting the blue sky at intervals that seemed too regular to be coincidence. “What are those? They are too small for dragons, but too big for birds.”

“Griffons. They no longer exist in Sanctuary. They were lost with Tevonale,” War explained as he dropped down beside her and motioned toward the city. “It’s probably for the best though. Griffons would have been no match for the Spell Hawks and dragons had a tendency to snack on them.”

“Is this place another lesson for me?” Jala asked as they began to walk slowly toward the city.

“Not one such as Lady Veyetta. Tevonale is a history lesson I suppose. It’s a reminder of what can happen when the High Lords go to war,” War said in a voice that held more sadness than she would have expected. Glancing over at her, he smiled faintly and shrugged. “I know I’m War. I shouldn’t mourn the effects of my aspect. I do, though. Tevonale was remarkable. They were the ones that started the tradition of the Spring games. No one remembers that now, though. No one ever remembers after a few centuries. Do you know where the Black Sea is, Jala?”