From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(98)

“He isn’t ready to meet them anymore than he is to meet you. He is a bumbling idiot still,” Fiona replied sharply.

“Who are Yasney and Kaverax?” Finn asked, his gaze locked on the raven as it ruffled its feathers.

“Your dragons, Lord Death. They circle your citadel day and night,” Seth replied, once more hopping closer on his perch.

“And who exactly are you?” Finn asked, his curiosity peaked as well as his hopes. So far the bird was far better company than Fiona.

The Raven dropped from the rafter and glided gracefully toward the ground. Its body shifted and grew as it grew closer to the stone floor. By the time its feet touched the stones a man crouched in place of the bird. He stood gracefully from the crouch and bowed deeply to Finn with a smile on his handsome face. His hair was as dark as the raven’s feathers and stood in tousled spikes and his face held the delicate bones that were common in the Fae. His eyes, however, remained those of the bird. Seth shrugged his black feathered cloak back from his arms as he stood once more. “I am your Herald, your Ambassador, your Councilor, and your Spy,” he began, his voice full of a warmth that Fiona never seemed to possess. “I am your Knife, your Guard, and your Champion when required. In short, Lord Death, I am whatever you ask me to be and humbly do my best to please.”

“He is a former assassin that died for his sins and kisses enough ass to keep from serving the true torment in death that he earned in life,” Fiona growled. Her golden eyes were narrowed and she watched Seth with an expression of loathing and suspicion on her face.

“She is a bitter hag that sees the worst in everyone and everything. Ignore her and allow me to make myself useful to you,” Seth countered with a smile.

“How would you make yourself useful to me?” Finn asked cautiously. While his company was preferable to Fiona’s, every instinct Finn had screamed that this man was dangerous.

“Yasney and Kaverax for starters. I would introduce you to your most formidable of defenses. It is best that you know them well and if you treat them better than the Dark lady did, then I’m sure they will prove themselves quite loyal,” Seth replied smoothly.

“He isn’t ready for that yet. He needs to finish his lessons,” Fiona objected coldly. “If you continue to interfere, I will make you regret it, Seth,” she added in warning.

“Empty threats, harpy,” Seth said with a wicked smile and turned his attention back to Finn. “Allow me to help you, Lord Death,” he implored and bowed once more.

“Why do you want to help so badly?” Finn asked with a raised eyebrow. “What do you gain from it?”

“My continued comfort in death, of course, Milord. I ask only that I be allowed to make myself useful to you so that I may continue to enjoy the benefits of my job.” Seth spoke with such humility and subservience that Finn had to smile.

“So which of you inherits my power?” Finn asked, his smile still in place. He watched Seth’s expression for any sign of guilt as he spoke, but the man simply looked shocked.

“Milord?” Seth gasped his tone filled with disbelief. “I’m afraid I don’t understand at all what you mean.” Seth’s eyes were wide and filled with such innocence that for a breath Finn believed he had truly misjudged the man, until he saw the approving nod from Fiona.

“I mean, when you take me outside of the citadel to introduce me to the most formidable of my defenses, who inherits my power? You, or the dragons that rip me apart?” Finn explained, his gaze still locked on the slender man.

Seth let out a long breath and stood straighter, letting his feathered cloak fall back over his worn leather armor. His face lost all expression for a span of breaths and then slowly he smiled again and there was genuine amusement in the expression rather than simple flattering charm. He shrugged slowly and clicked his tongue against his teeth. “Me, if I happened to be fast enough. Which I usually am, though I’m sure as far as the dragons are concerned it would be them gaining your power. They are rather greedy for power you know, but then most dragons are.”

“And now?” Finn asked, wondering what the man would do, knowing that his plan wasn’t going to work.

“And now, I’m going to ask how I may serve you while you continue your training,” Seth replied with a sigh. “You can’t really blame me for trying, though,” he added with a grin.

Finn returned the smile and shook his head. “I don’t blame you at all. I would have tried in your place, I think,” he agreed.

“If I might make a suggestion, Milord, for my first order?” Seth prompted and watched Finn with a hopeful expression.

“Does it involve feeding me to anything else?” Finn asked.

Shaking his head, Seth smiled again and waved a hand toward Finn. “It involves finding more appropriate clothing for the Lord of Death. Honestly, the threads you wear now would be cast off by most beggars.”

Finn frowned and gazed down at his ragged clothing. Fiona had brought the scraps of clothes for him and it was either wear the rags or go naked. The shirt was badly stained and made of such a poor quality material he wouldn’t have wiped his horse down with it had he still be among the living. The pants were in even worse condition and the boots were so tattered he was amazed they held together each time he put them on. “Please do, and hurry about it. I think Fiona finds some sick amusement from seeing me dressed thus,” Finn said with a firm nod.