From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(153)

The flutter of wings drew Finn’s attention for a moment and when he turned back Hemlock was gone. With a heavy sigh, Finn watched as Seth settled once more on the floor of the hall and shifted back to his human form. Bowing to Finn he held both hands outstretched a faint glow emanating from each.

Carefully Finn took the soul stones and retreated back to his throne examining them as he walked. “You brought the Bendazzi too,” Finn murmured as he sat once more. “Stay, Seth. Allow me to deal with this and then I have more work for you,” Finn said.

Carefully Finn cracked the soulstone containing Jala and watched as her spirit coalesced in front of him. She had a confused look on her face as she gazed slowly around the hall. He watched her in silence, drinking in her beauty and it took all his willpower to not approach her. Her eyes found him finally and they widened, her lips parting slightly in shock.

“Finn!” Jala whispered his name and her expression shifted to a look of pure agony. “I thought you were dead.” The words were spoken so softly he almost missed them entirely.

“Jala,” Finn said in greeting, fighting to keep his voice calm. His heart thundered in his chest as he tried his best to look unperturbed. “Do you remember how Sovann always said I would get myself into something I couldn’t get out of,” Finn said, holding both arms out his palms up. Slowly he gazed around the Audience hall then looked back to her. “It turns out he was right. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be, though. There is the godly power to consider.” He kept his words casual and forced back everything he desperately wanted to say to her. With a sigh he let his arms fall back to the throne and leaned forward to look at her.

“I thought you were dead,” Jala repeated, her voice louder and the pain in her voice was heartbreaking. “I never would have married him, had I known. I did what I thought I had to in order to save Merro,” she added in a rush, the words tumbling out of her as the tears would have had she still been alive.

“I know…Jala,” Finn said, the words faltering slightly as he caught himself at the last moment. He had almost said Vezradesh. The word had been on the tip of his tongue. That wouldn’t help though. Not with what he was about to do. “You aren’t finished in the sunlit world, Jala,” Finn said as he leaned back in his throne once more.

“I died, Finn. I failed,” Jala said sadly, her head dropping forward as if she could no longer meet his gaze.

“I’m sending you back, Jala. You haven’t failed yet,” Finn said calmly. “Heal yourself the moment you arrive. I will hold your soul in place for as long as I can, but it won’t be long. I am the god of Death, after all, not life.”

“Finn,” Jala began, her eyes lifting once more to meet his own. “They said it was enchantment that bonded us. They said your love for me wasn’t real…” Her words failed her and she tilted her head back, swallowing heavily, the actions of life still echoing in her spirit. “It wasn’t that for me Finn. I loved you more than anything else I had ever known,” she finished softly, her voice pleading for him to confess the same.

Finn sat in silence a long moment preparing to speak. “I care for you, Jala, as I would a friend. I fear there is nothing more to it though. What I felt before…” His voice trailed off as he nearly choked on the lie, but from the expression on, Jala’s face he didn’t need to say more. “May I never see you in my halls again, Jala. I wish you a long life,” Finn said quietly as he summoned his magic and sent her soul back to the sunlit world. He let out a long breath, fighting back the tears he felt stinging his eyes. Bowing his head he waved Seth forward.

“How may I serve?” Seth asked quietly as he bent to one knee before the throne.

“Take this to Jala and make sure she survives long enough to heal herself fully,” Finn said as he dropped the stone containing Marrow’s soul into Seth’s hand. “And Seth,” Finn added as the Assassin rose to his feet.

“Yes, Milord?” Seth asked, his dark eyes fixed on Finn.

“Bring me the traitor that killed her. Keep him alive, Seth. Apparently he has a fondness for the dead and I have a few to introduce him to,” Finn said, his tone low and dangerous.

Seth bowed his head and stepped back from the throne before taking to his Raven form once more. Finn sat in silence as the Assassin left, his gaze locked on the floor where Jala had stood moments before. He could have kept her beside him forever, and he had sent her back. The temptation had been so strong. It wasn’t Hemlock’s words that had swayed him in his final decision. It was the memory of Jala in Sanctuary and how upset she had been to see so many orphans in the streets of her district. No matter how much Finn wanted her beside him, their son needed her more.

“You lied to her,” Fiona said softly, her tone almost gentle.

“And it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Finn said slowly, the memory of Jala’s expression of pain burned into his memories. “I knew from the moment I traveled to Merro with her that she was the perfect woman for me,” he said with a heavy sigh and raised a hand to rub his face. Somehow he was still managing to keep his calm despite the agony twisting in his chest. “I never once stopped to ask myself if I was the perfect man for her.” He let his hand drop to his lap once more and leaned heavily back in his throne. “I’ve always said Valor was a better man than me. I wish them both happiness,” he finished, though the words were barely audible through the tightness in his throat.