From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(15)

“Well unless Jail has taken to walking with his arm at that jaunty little angle all of the time, it was a given that you are here. That and the fact that your grip on his arm tightened when I started speaking and he now has little indents from your claws in his arm,” Neph replied in his typical sarcastic voice and Emily felt a growl building in her chest.

“She is having issues with feeling like one of us, Neph. Please don’t make it more difficult for her,” Jail said with a sigh.

If the instincts hit me when Neph is around, I make no promises. Chances are, I’ll have him arranged into cutlets and steaks by the time you hit the door, Emily warned Jail through their link.

Chances are that I will move slower to save Neph than I did for Sovann, so you will likely have your first steak eaten by the time I arrive to stop you, Jail replied with a bit of amusement.

“So what did you end up telling him to get him to leave?” Jail asked in an attempt to change the topic.

Neph glanced past them to the direction Victory had gone. “The truth. Jala didn’t say to be silent and I don’t see that they can do anything now. I told him Jala was in the Darklands on a quest and if he wanted to speak with her I’d be more than happy to send him to hell for the meeting.”

“No wonder he looked so out of sorts.” Jail sighed.

“Nah, I think he got that expression when I told him the Fionaveir have no rights to order Jala, regardless. If not for her, they wouldn’t have the bloody city. That, and if it were up to me, they would hand the city back to her upon her return,” Neph said as he raised the cigarette to his lips and took a long drag.

“The truth can be painful, especially when you are the one delivering it, Neph,” Jail said quietly.

“I support Jala. If she decides that she wants that city rather than letting the Fionaveir keep it, I will help her win it back,” Neph said bluntly and nodded his head to Jail as he turned to go. “At least I watched her fight for it. I wonder where their nominee for Empress was. I’m afraid I didn’t see her at the fight.”

Jail watched him go and let out a long sigh. “Many more are going to share that sentiment as this continues. I hope Lutheron and Caspian know what they are doing, for all of our sakes.”

“None of you know what you are doing,” Emily said with a chuckle. “You are worried about who is going to lead your world when this is all over. At this rate, it’s going to be the Blights that will be leading, because the rest of you will be dead for ignoring them in favor of your other enemies.”

“There is more truth to your words on that than I care to admit, Emily,” Jail agreed softly and then tugged on her arm. “Come on, let’s see what we can do about taming your wild side again. Perhaps if you have time I can teach you a few card games. Madren is nearly driving me mad with cards and it would be nice if he had someone else to play a game or two with. Without his library, I’m afraid he is as lost as you are without Marrow.”

“They are coming back, aren’t they, Jail?” Emily asked quietly and tried to ignore how much her voice sounded like Devony as she spoke the words. I’m not a scared little child anymore, she reminded herself sternly.

“I think right now we all qualify as scared children to a point Emily, and yes they will return. Keep faith in them,” Jail said with another gentle squeeze to her arm.

“Faith,” Emily echoed softly as she followed after him. Faith was one of the human concepts she had the most difficulty with. The entire concept was lost on her, but it seemed to mean a great deal to her companions. “I’ll try to,” she offered.





Chapter 3





Sanctuary





The metal panel opened with a loud crack and Shade staggered forward as the pressure he had been applying gave suddenly. Straightening slowly, he wiped sweat from his brow and surveyed his spell hawk with mixed feelings. On one hand it looked only slightly better than a wreckage heap at the present. On the other, it would keep him distracted from the ruin of the city for several more days while he repaired it.

Tossing his crowbar down beside the panel, he moved closer and examined the welds on the ship. The frame itself was still solid. It was simply a few panels and the view screen that would need to be scrapped and replaced. He leaned farther into the hole he had created in the side of the ship and examined the neighboring panels closely. Two more on this side and three on the other, he decided, and reached to pick up his crowbar once more and frowned. It wasn’t on the ground where he had dropped it.

Looking up, he found Charm sitting cross-legged on top of the ship with the crowbar balanced neatly on his lap. The rogue was dressed plainly today in a simple green tunic and brown breeches. The change of attire made him seem oddly normal. With the exception of his long blond braid and the delicate features of an Elder Blood, Charm could have passed as any of the workmen in the city in his current clothing.

“Planning to help with repairs?” Shade asked skeptically. If the rogue had any mechanical inclination he had seen no sign of it yet. “You appear to be dressed for it. I’m not used to seeing you in any color other than black.”

“Actually I came to get you. Lutheron would like to have a word with both of us, and its grey I prefer rather than black. Grey blends with the shadows easier,” Charm replied, tapping the crowbar lightly on his leg.