From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(133)

“A waste of air?” Neph offered in a helpful tone.

“A craven sack of shit unworthy to clean the mud from Jala’s shoes?” Valor suggested, taking the cue instantly from Neph.

“Please, I’m sure the lady can find her own choice of words here,” Jala said, desperately hoping they were done. She was quite sure both of them were filled with many more phrases that she didn’t want repeated in front of the snitching seamstress.

“No, either of their choices will do. I might have phrased it more eloquently, but theirs will suffice,” the lady said softly with amusement thick in her voice. Turning slowly she regarded the seamstress who was staring with a look of pure shock on her face. “If you repeat any of what was just said, old woman, it will be the last words you ever speak,” she warned. The seamstress paled visibly and nodded quickly, her attention swiftly returning to the cloth she was sorting. “I do not believe we had a chance to be properly introduced. My name is Sirena. My son tells me that you are remarkable in your will and determination.”

“Your son?” Jala asked as she pointed a finger toward Ash who simply nodded with a smile on his face. It was the first time she had seen him smile since they had stepped foot onto the islands.

Sirena nodded, and though the expression on her face was shrouded by the veil, Jala knew she was returning the smile. “He has warned you about Jexon, I assume?” Sirena asked.

“He has, and I understand this will be a difficult arrangement,” Jala replied. Though from what she had seen so far, difficult may not be the proper word to describe it. She had thought she was beyond insults, but Jexon’s every comment was cutting. In just the few times she had spoken with the man she had felt her confidence slipping.

“Well then, allow me to lesson a bit of the pain of it. The Wraiths support you. The isle of Silence has always supported my son and you will have the best that I have to offer from the Circle of Silence,” Sirena said as she turned back toward her son. “As for you, several of your friends asked me to tell you how pleased they are that you have finally returned. They look forward to speaking with you at your first convenience.”

Jala flicked a gaze toward Ash who simply smiled wider. Apparently that was the sign they were waiting for that would indicate their plan was working. “Please, Ash feel free to visit your friends if you like. I doubt I will be going anywhere soon, anyway.”

Ash shook his head with a smile. “It can wait, Lady Jala. I will stay close by until after the feast, in the event that you have any questions about the culture that I can help with,” he said bowing his head to her slightly.

“What questions could there possibly be about this culture. You are raiders that exist off others like parasites and treat your women with less respect than a civilized person shows a dog,” Valor said with a glare in Ash’s direction.

“Well, in their defense, most dogs I have seen follow orders far better than Jala does,” Neph said with a wink toward her.

“I’m more of a cat person, I suppose,” Jala sniffed and shook her head at the three of them.

“Some of us are as you say, Lord Hai’dia, but not all of us. There are some on this island that would welcome change,” Sirena said quietly as she moved toward the door. “I will pass your words along, Ash, and tell your friends to expect you after the feast,” she said as she disappeared once more into the halls of the keep.

“You didn’t have to insult her like that. My mother is not at all what you described and neither am I,” Ash said, his gaze upon Valor and the smile no longer present on his face.

“Words, Spook. Those are nothing but words. If you want me to believe it, then prove it,” Valor shot back.

“I’m trying to, Valor,” Ash said with a sigh and shook his head sadly. “I just can’t seem to get far enough past your prejudice to do it quickly.”





The night was brightly starlit and the scent of a thousand flowers filled the air. The memories of her first wedding stirred in her mind with such vibrancy it was almost as if she were there. We sat for hours simply talking and I knew with every fiber of my being that he was the one I wanted to wake up beside every morning. Finn’s dark green eyes rose in her mind and the smoke filled hall faded to nothing more than noise. The memory of his smile and the warmth of his skin brought a faint smile to her lips and glassiness to her eyes. Vezradesh. That single word that only he used, that meant so much when he spoke it.

The image faded as someone at the roughhewn table jostled her while reaching for more ale and shattered the illusion she had built to block out the present. With a heavy sigh, Jala looked around her to ensure she hadn’t blocked out anything of importance. Jexon sat on her left, already deep in his cups and laughing with those seated close by him. Another man that no one had bothered to introduce her to, sat to her right. It had been him that had pulled her back from her memories to face this.

Jala glared at him, knowing full well he couldn’t see the expression on her face. No one could. As it turned out, matron’s fashions on Seravae were the same attire Sirena wore. A long modest dress that showed no hint of skin or the figure beneath, complete with a long veil to cover her face and hair. It had been a chore in itself to tame her curls enough that no hint of them would show. She thought that would be the most difficult part of the attire until they had arrived at the feast. She wasn’t permitted to remove the veil to eat or drink, and she had yet to master the art of getting whatever she was trying to put in her mouth without getting some on the veil first. After the first droplets of wine had stained the fabric and Jexon had made mockery of it, she had simply given up. She really didn’t have much of an appetite now anyway.