From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(90)

Is what? Neph pressed.

Valor is dear to me. Just as you and Marrow are. I care for all of my friends, but through certain circumstances I have grown closer with some more than others. Stop looking at me like that, Neph, I don’t even know what is amusing you. I was concerned, that was it, Jala explained, her voice growing defensive.

It looked more like terrified to me, but I’ll let it go, Neph replied his gaze moving down the table as Jail stepped back and folded his hands tightly together. A faint glow surrounded Jail’s hands for the barest breath and with a nod to Jala he slowly opened his hands to reveal a pure white crystal cupped in his palms.

“Twenty years of knowledge is contained in this stone, Jala. Do not try to learn it all at once. Extract it in fragments or you will overwhelm yourself,” Jail warned as he sat the crystal carefully down on the table and slid it across to Jala.

Nodding, Jala picked it up carefully and turned it over her hands as Valor made his way unsteadily back to his chair. “Are you all right?” She asked softly as he sat back down.

Valor nodded faintly. “Just dizzy as he said I would be,” he assured her. “Everything I learned at the Academy and beside my father on the battlefield should be there. By the time you finish that crystal you should know every bloody detail there is to know.”

You know what else I noticed? Neph asked, his voice fainter through the mental link. While you were all eyes for Valor and your mind was filled with what you label as concern, the lady knight was watching you like a hawk, and if looks could kill, my dear, you would be very, very dead, he added as the link between them faded completely.

Jala glanced briefly at Neph and then to Bridgette but the knight’s attention was focused on the table itself rather than anyone seated at it. “Are you all right to continue?” Jala asked Valor softly as she turned the crystal over in her hands once more. She knew how valuable the knowledge he had given her was and she was still trying to figure out how to protect the crystal from being lost or stolen.

Valor nodded and motioned with his hand for her to continue. His eyes scanned the table briefly and she knew he was searching for a decanter of wine. While he hadn’t been drinking as much recently, it was a habit that was dying a slow death.

“The next order of business. Sovann, how difficult are the Blight glasses to create?” Jala asked, determined to move ahead before she was distracted further.

Sovann looked up from where he had been playing with his nephew and shrugged slightly. “Not hard. It’s time consuming mostly with the fashioning of the frames and cutting the lenses. If Joseph helps me with that part we should be able to make them fairly quickly.”

“I’d be happy to help. I’ve gotten rather good at it over the past few weeks, given how many test pairs Sovann has made,” Joseph offered.

Jala nodded faintly her eyes lingering on Joseph. I don’t like your new addition of Joseph Walker either. It was rather convenient that he showed up in Sanctuary wasn’t it? War’s words echoed in her mind as she studied Joseph and nodded once more. “See that we have as many pairs as you can manage. I intend for all of our archers to be equipped with them,” Jala continued, her gaze turning to Wisp next. “You will be in charge of our Archers and see to their proper training,” she informed the Fae with a smile.

“I’d be happy to, but I still have so much restoration on the land to do, Jala,” Wisp said with a sigh.

“Let it go for now. We have plenty to work with from what you have already restored and if we don’t get a functional army by spring there is scarce point in having a restored country. Avanti will slaughter us,” Jala said firmly and looked next to Neph.

“No,” Neph said bluntly before she could speak.

“You didn’t even let me say what I wanted from you,” Jala snapped and let out a heavy breath.

“You were about to tell me that you wanted me to scour our ranks for likely mages and start training them,” Neph said with a smirk and shook his head slowly and firmly at her. “I wouldn’t teach you magic at first and I’m sure as hell not going to teach your whores magic.”

“You don’t know that is what I was going to say,” Jala shot back indignantly though in fact it was exactly what she was about to say to him.

“Ahh. Well, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and believe that you were about to make a suggestion that wasn’t idiotic, then. What was it you wanted from me, Jala?” Neph replied sweetly his blue eyes glittering with mischief.

“I was about to inform you that you are in charge of feeding my cat and mucking the stables,” Jala informed him dryly.

“Still better than training whores to cast firebolts,” Neph agreed with a smile.

“I wish you would stop calling them that,” Jala sighed.

“Would you prefer disease infested,” Neph began, but Jala smacked him before he could finish. His face broke into a grin and he winked at her. “Slowly but surely we are getting a bit of life back into you. I’d rather see your temper than your depression.”

“You are such an ass, Neph,” Jala sighed but smiled faintly as she spoke. Shaking her head slightly she looked back around the table once more her eyes lingering on Jail. “Is it true Jail? Do the Avanti truly hold your homelands?” she asked.

“They do,” Jail said with a nod and a smile.