From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(16)

“Is he finally going to admit that there is a traitor in the Fionaveir?” Shade asked dryly. He had expected that something would be done, once the fighting in the city was over, an investigation at the very least. As far as he had seen, though, nothing had changed. If the Fionaveir elders even acknowledged that they had problems, they weren’t admitting it to anyone.

“I don’t think you truly understand the nature of leadership, Shade. You see, Lutheron is our superior in the Fionaveir, so when he says jump, we don’t question why we should jump. We simply jump, and hope it’s high enough to please him. So you see, I didn’t ask what he wanted to talk to us about. He said fetch you and I jumped,” Charm explained calmly, though there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“Ahh. I have no problem with jumping for him, Charm, as long as he can promise me that no one is going to put a bear trap under me while I’m hopping around,” Shade returned with equal sarcasm and a charming smile. “I understand leadership all too well, Charm. Myth taught me the lessons clearly. I’ve also learned that when your leaders are corrupt it’s simply best to walk away.”

“Are you going to walk away then, since you believe our leaders are corrupt?” Charm asked, tapping the crowbar once more as he stared down at Shade.

“Are you going to hit me with that if I say yes?” Shade asked, motioning toward the bar.

“I’m considering it regardless of your answer,” Charm returned with a smile.

“Ahh. Friendship is such a beautiful thing. To answer your question, no I’m not planning on walking from the Fionaveir yet. I’m going to give them time to see if they will sort out the problems. I know I’m low ranked and not privileged to certain information. So I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe they are working to find the traitor and I’m simply not high enough rank to know about it,” Shade said with a sigh and glanced back toward the Justicars hall where the Fionaveir had set up their headquarters. It was difficult to keep his eyes from straying to the charred buildings or the wagons that were loading the dead. Sanctuary had been his home for most of his life and seeing her in this state was painful. The clean-up had been in progress for days now and they were still finding dead under the rubble. So far, he hadn’t heard an actual body count but he knew it was high.

“C’mon Shade,” Charm said quietly. By his tone it was clear that he understood Shade’s feelings perfectly. He dropped the crowbar back to the ground and then jumped down from the ship.

Shade flicked his gaze from the crowbar to Charm and raised an eyebrow. “I think that’s the most noise I’ve ever heard you make, well aside from all of the bitching when we bombed Eldagar.”

Charm gave him a scathing look and moved past him with a shrug. “I don’t like it either, Shade. None of the Fionaveir do. Symphony will be sick when she sees the state of the city. I want you to remember that we aren’t the ones that caused the majority of this damage and we didn’t kill most of these people. Your friend did on her little rampage. Her spells were aimed at the Justicars, but the destruction she unleashed is what caused the buildings to collapse. Havoc started the fire in the Upper Market. Jala and Valor did most of the rest.”

“I haven’t seen Havoc since the fight. Did he not survive?” Shade murmured in a faint effort to change the topic. He didn’t like to consider that Jala had changed that much in the short time she had been with Finn. The Jala he had known and helped would have never created such a disaster.

“He is serving penance for the fire,” Charm said, his expression growing grim. He turned his gaze away from Shade, his mouth firmly closed.

Shade nodded silently and followed the rogue. He wasn’t sure if Charm was upset with Havoc or upset with Havoc serving penance, but it obviously wasn’t a topic he wished to speak of. His steps slowed as he watched two Fionaveir pull a body free from a pile of timbers. The girl looked to be in her twenties, with long dark hair. One side of her head was caved in but the features were still recognizable and painfully familiar. “I knew her. She worked at the Millstone Café on Trader’s way. I had breakfast there every morning and she always knew just what to bring me without my asking.” He watched them move the body to join the others lining the road. “Her name was Elise. She was saving money for her apprenticeship with a tailor.”

Charm had stopped walking as well and was watching Shade with a look of sympathy. “No matter how hard you try, Shade, you can never save them all. Death demands her due and she is a greedy bitch. Remember her. That is the best you can do now. “

“I’ll be remembering quite a few, I suppose. I knew most of the people in the inner city,” Shade said softly as he continued toward the Hall.

“We all will be, Shade. Most of the half-blood Fionaveir are from Sanctuary. You are remembering acquaintances or perhaps a few actual friends. They are remembering family and childhood playmates. It isn’t just you that is finding this painful,” Charm scolded gently as he fell into step beside Shade once more.

Shade nodded in acknowledgment as he pulled open the door to the hall. A few people milled inside and from the expressions on their faces, something was wrong. He watched the furtive glances toward the double doors on the back way that led to the office Lutheron had chosen and then glanced back at Charm again in question.