From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(122)
“I don’t know how many times I can say I’m sorry to you, Jala,” Vaze said softly. “If it’s the sight of me that bothers you, though, you won’t be troubled much longer. I’m here to take you back to Kithvaryn and then I must leave. Unless you would rather take the stairs than the shadows of course.”
“No, I would appreciate your help with the shadows,” Jala sighed and felt a pang of guilt at his words. Perhaps she didn’t have the right to be angry with him. Maybe his way had been the best way. It was all a jumbled mess in her mind and nothing she had time to examine now. In truth, it was nothing she truly wanted to examine closely. As it was in her mind now, Vaze shared the blame for the failure to save Finn. She had acted rashly and rushed the spell. He had sent Finn back to hell. If she admitted that Vaze had acted in the best way, then the only one to hate was herself.
“Your friends are waiting in your room,” Vaze said quietly in a voice that seemed far too humble for the man she knew him to be.
“Do you have any idea what Kithvaryn has decided?” Jala asked in the most conversational voice she could manage.
“None whatsoever. Kith is hard to judge. I’ll cross my fingers for you, though, kid,” Vaze replied with a faint smile.
Nodding, Jala stepped into her room. Valor stood gazing out the window in a long coat of dark purple. Silver embroidery lined the trim in shapes of tiny Bendazzi. He looked every inch the noble, from the tips of his well-polished black boots to his short silver hair.
Sovann on the other hand bore the appearance of a scholar. His clothing was practical as always with more pockets showing than she could count. He sat waiting patiently in a chair with Legacy balanced carefully on one leg and an expression of dread on his face.
“It won’t be that bad. I’m sure, Sovann,” Jala offered with a faint smile as she crossed the room to take her child.
“It’s not the meeting with Kithvaryn,” Sovann mumbled with a slight shake of his head.
“Ash is waiting in the city for you. Word arrived while you were bathing. Apparently he plans to take ship from here directly to Seravae,” Valor explained in a steady voice, not bothering to turn from the window.
“But I have to raise Merro still. I hadn’t planned on going to Seravae until my people were living again,” Jala objected with a frown.
“I suppose you will have to take that up with your fiancé after our meeting with the General,” Valor said dryly as he turned toward Vaze. “Ready when you are Vaze. The sooner this day is over with, the better.”
Vaze nodded slowly to Valor and looked back to Jala with a questioning expression on his face.
“I’m ready,” Jala agreed and moved closer so that he could transport them all more easily. Legacy squirmed briefly in her arms before contenting himself with wrapping his tiny fingers in a lock of her hair.
Vaze stared at her for another long moment before nodding slowly. He glanced to Valor and then Sovann before looking back to her once more. “I really hope you know what you are doing with Seravae, and I really hope you have considered all other options first,” he said softly as the room darkened with his summoned shadows.
Kithvaryn sat waiting in the same chair he had occupied the night before. Kithkara stood behind him, leaning against the wall near the weapons racks. The expression on the woman’s face suggested she would like to make use of those weapons as the group entered the room.
“Good morning, General Kithvaryn, Commander Kithkara,” Jala spoke the greeting politely and bowed her head to Kithvaryn with respect.
“You look more the High Lady today than you did on our first meeting,” Kithvaryn returned with a note of approval in his voice. He gazed at her son for a long moment before nodding her toward one of the empty chairs.
“I regret the condition I arrived in. I’m afraid under the circumstances of yesterday’s events that it couldn’t be helped,” Jala replied with a small apologetic shrug. Carefully she pulled the long silk skirts of her newly summoned dress out of the way and sat down in the indicated chair.
Kithvaryn waited patiently for Valor and Sovann to take places behind her before nodding toward her son. “Finn’s child, I assume. I had heard rumors that you were with child, but the news seems too fresh for a child his age.”
“I was in poor condition when I returned from the Darklands, so I used magic on my son to insure that he survived,” Jala explained, leaving out as many of the details of the event as she could. There was no reason for anyone other than her friends to know what bad condition she had been in.
“I see,” the general responded in a tone that suggested he didn’t want to hear all of the details any more than she wanted to speak them. Exhaling heavily, he leaned back farther into the cushions of his chair, resting his elbows comfortably on the arm rests. “I’ve considered your offer and I have a counter for you. As it turns out, I didn’t care much for Hexian’s offer and we couldn’t reach terms that we both agreed on. As for Morcaillo, I don’t like nor trust the man so I don’t plan to take contract there either. That leaves you. If we can reach terms that is.”
Jala struggled to keep the look of hope from her face and nodded slowly. “What is your counter, General?” she asked in a reserved voice.
“First, my company will keep any spoils of war that are gained in defending Goswin. That is the full and complete spoils. Goswin will not get a share regardless of whether they fight beside us or not,” Kithvaryn began in a formal tone. “Second, my son’s soul is to be returned to me before we move our troops to Goswin. If there is any deceit in that transaction, the contract between the two of us will be void. If it is not truly my son that I raise, I will not only void the contract I will remove the leash from Kithkara that is keeping her on such remarkably good behavior.”