From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(32)

“Shortly after we found his cold bloated corpse,” Foster replied with another smile.

“Five hundred and sixteen silver for guessing the time. How sweet is that?” Noble chimed happily as he moved to join them and leaned against Foster’s horse.

“How much is your cut?” Bridgette asked Foster quietly.

“What makes you think I have a cut of that?” Foster exclaimed softly sounding rather indignant.

“I saw you prod Savy and whisper now’s your chance,” Bridgette explained dryly, looking between the two of them with a glare of parental impatience.

“Oh well, in that case, thirty percent,” Foster answered with a shrug, his former indignation forgotten.

“Well considering your good fortune today I don’t suppose the two of you would mind sorting through our people and finding any that know how to build. It would seem that I will need to requisition supplies from Lord Nephondelvayon and I am not at all sure what I need,” Bridgette said in a tone that brooked no argument.

“Wood and nails and a lot of them would be my guess.” Noble offered as he tossed the coin purse from hand to hand.

Foster snickered lightly and bowed his head to Bridgette. “We will see what we can find out,” he assured her with a smile.

Emily watched the two of them ride off and slowly backed away from the assembled knights. She would return later to watch them. For now she wanted to know what her companions thought of the new arrivals. A smile grew on her lips as she moved quickly back to town. Merro had been getting rather dull recently. It was good that new entertainment had arrived.





Chapter 6





Sanctuary





Shade watched with mixed feelings as the spell hawk put down in the center of the Sanctuary Sky port. Symphony was on board that ship and so far he hadn’t managed to convince Charm that spying on her was wrong. Leaning back on his ship, he lit a cigarette and contemplated what her reaction would be if he simply told her what they expected him to do. Most people would be indignant or angry over such a confession, but he wasn’t sure about Symphony. He had only spoken with her on a few occasions and she had seemed very serene. Not at all the sort to lose her temper easily.

“You look as though you are in deep contemplation,” Vaze said from just behind him.

“For the love of Fortune, you too? It’s bad enough having Charm always sneaking up on me. I must be the most oblivious person in the world,” Shade sighed as he stood straight once more and looked over his shoulder toward the warrior.

Vaze grinned and shrugged slightly. “If it makes you feel better, I stepped through the shadows so there was no way you could have heard me approach,” Vaze offered as he moved forward into the sunlight, his eyes fixed on the ship as the side door was opened.

“That actually does make me feel better. Charm just randomly pops up everywhere and I know he isn’t using magic to do it,” Shade agreed, relaxing back against his ship once more. “I don’t want to spy on her, Vaze. I know what it feels like to be watched constantly. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I spent close to twenty years of my life with every action I took being watched and judged.”

“Symphony has lived like that for longer. She is used to it and it really is in her best interest if you approach it in that fashion,” Vaze replied his gaze returning to Shade.

“What do you mean if I approach it in that fashion?” Shade asked.

“If you are there to watch out for her, rather than to watch her it is in her best interest. If you keep your ears open for approaching threats rather than for what she is saying in private, it is guarding, not spying,” Vaze explained.

“Is that what you do? I’m guessing you are typically the one spying on her with all of your shadow tricks,” Shade said, his words coming out harsher than he had intended. The entire assignment had his nerves on edge and it was showing more clearly than he would have liked. In all honesty, he would have been more comfortable had Lutheron sent him straight into the heart of the Glis conflict alone and unarmed. At least, he wouldn’t have a guilty conscience over it.

Vaze shook his head slowly. “I have guarded her once or twice but I’m not usually in the Fionahold. I travel often. My shadow tricks, as you call them, are more useful bent to other tasks.” If Vaze was offended, he didn’t show any sign of it. His words came out open and friendly with no trace of aggression to them.

They both fell silent as Symphony emerged from the Spell hawk and looked around the city. Even from this distance Shade could recognize the expression of distress on her beautiful face as her eyes found the damage to the city. Despite the Fionaveir’s best efforts of cleaning up the city, it was difficult to cover all trace of such destruction in a matter of a week’s time.

“Someone is going to have a lot of explaining to do,” Vaze murmured with a slight shake of his head. He ran a hand through his dark grey hair and smiled faintly at Shade. “Glad it isn’t going to be me,” he added.

“Lutheron, then?” Shade asked, as he watched Lutheron and Faramir approach to greet Symphony. A small crowd of people had formed around the Spell hawk now, and from the looks of things the future Empress would be busy for a while.

“Or you, or Charm. Won’t be me, though, I’ll be gone,” Vaze replied with a shrug.