From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(73)
“Yeah, pretty touchy,” Shade agreed, his voice pitched several tones higher than normal. Swallowing heavily he pried his hands from the armrests and sat straight once more. “That’s the water Symphony,” he said as calmly as he could. Glancing over at her then back at the view screen as he spoke. “Water, Symphony,” he repeated, leaning forward a bit in his seat to stare at the rapidly approaching waves. He glanced once more at Symphony. She sat very still in her seat a distant look on her face. “Water!” Shade bellowed and she jumped in her seat. His heart thumped painfully against his chest and he finally realized what it must be like for Charm when he was flying.
With unsteady hands she pulled upwards on the controls and looked over at him with a sheepish expression. “Mental link I’m so sorry. I didn’t think it would distract me that much,” Symphony apologized with a small shrug.
Prying his fingers once again from the seat he returned the smile with a quick nod. “No problem,” he said his voice nearly a squeak in tone.
“You don’t do well as a passenger, do you?” Symphony asked with a smile.
“No, I suppose I really don’t,” Shade admitted and let out a shaky laugh. “Everything OK? That mental link must have been important for you to zone out like that.”
“It was an update from Lutheron. The Firym have sent a hundred troops to help hold the city. The Faydwer have sent a handful of mages and their Ambassador. Jala Merrodin has returned from the Darklands and has apparently barely survived her quest, and last but not least, Delvay attacked the Rivasan border in force early this morning. Reports are still coming in but it appears as though the Rivasan suffered horribly,” Symphony said and then sighed heavily. “I don’t want anyone to suffer, and they all seem determined to kill each other off,” she complained with another sigh.
“One would think they would be more concerned with the Blight infestation,” Shade said in a disgusted voice.
“The Blights don’t seem to attack our opposition at all,” Symphony told him, her gaze moving from the view screen to look at his face. “It’s as if they have some way of controlling the creatures.”
“It’s House Morcaillo controlling them,” Shade confided, shaking his head. “I tried to tell the Fionaveir that when I first arrived but I don’t think they truly believed me.” He paused and glanced at Symphony with a smile. “Did you know you steer in the direction you are looking and we are nearly going back the same way we just came from?” he asked in a conversational tone.
Symphony laughed and shook her head. “I did that on purpose, Shade. I might not be a good pilot yet, but I’m not that bad. Today’s lesson will have to be cut short; I have to get back to Sanctuary.”
“We have barely been out of the city twenty minutes and they already need you back?” Shade asked with a shake of his head. “You never get time to yourself. From breakfast on you are reading reports or training.”
“And my time will only get more precious if we succeed in our goal,” Symphony agreed with a smile. “If it stops the constant wars and brings some peace to this world, it’s worth it though. Don’t you agree?”
“I do. I don’t see how you are going to manage it, though. They tell you only what they want you to hear. How can you lead with only half the information?” Shade asked. It was a common enough topic between the two of them. Over the past few days he had been doing his best to fill her in on the scant information that he knew, and on occasion had even eavesdropped for her to learn more. There wasn’t much of importance that was actually said aloud, though. If it was truly delicate information, mental links were generally used and with that he was useless.
“I’d like you to come to the meeting with me discreetly. After it is over, I want to know what you think of what is said there,” Symphony said with another glance toward him.
“Watch it or we will be going back out to sea again. You steer where you look,” Shade teased, but gave her a slight nod in answer to her request. “I’ll sit in the back as silent as a mouse and save all of my bitching until we are alone,” he promised.
Symphony laughed and gave him another smile. “Are you so certain you will be wishing to bitch afterwards,” she asked as the skyline of Sanctuary came into view ahead of them.
Shade stared at the city and let out a faint breath. “Beautiful isn’t she. She has some battle scars but she is still an absolute beauty.” Glancing over at Symphony he returned the smile. “And yes, I’m positive I will.”
“You really love this city, don’t you?” Symphony asked in a quiet voice.
“With most of my heart. It’s been my home for a long while. Morcath should be considered my true home, I suppose, but that’s not how it feels. I know every stone of this city and most of the people who live here. Well, at least in my district.” He frowned and cleared his throat. “My former district that is,” he corrected with a twinge of regret. It wasn’t that he missed his family at all, but he did miss his people. They had relied on him and he had walked away from them without a backward glance. Had he been there for them the night of the attack on the city he could have spared them the worst of the suffering. Instead he had been on the side causing the damage and making their already difficult lives more painful.