The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 4)(34)

“And Valor is waiting outside for us. Hurry up. I’m not kidding. Get dressed nicely, Lord Delvayon, we have a party to crash. ” Jala prodded him gently with her hand and turned for the door. “I’ll wait outside your room,” she informed him as she hefted her staff in one hand and pulled the door open.

“Jala are you going to explain what is going on?” Neph grumbled as she started to close the door behind her.

Glancing back, Jala gave him an impish grin and shook her head lightly. “No,” she chirped and pulled the door shut behind her.

Neph let out a deep sigh of irritation, but couldn’t quite manage to keep the grin off his face. Everything had been spiraling out of his grasp, and then, with just the sound of her voice and the sight of her, it was all fixed. Jala Merrodin had returned and no matter how dire the situation looked, he would face it head on and without doubt. When Jala was involved, any miracle was possible, even saving Delvay.

It took him less than five minutes to dress, though Neph doubted she would approve of what he had chosen. He wasn’t like Finn had been, or Valor was. He didn’t own silks or velvet. For him, dressing nicely meant putting on the leather armor that had the least amount of scars and no dried blood on it. Pausing at the mirror he studied his reflection and smoothed his short blond hair a bit. His eyes lingered on his face and he shook his head slowly at the wide smile that still showed. It wasn’t an expression he was accustomed to wearing, and he would have to get rid of it before Shade or Madren saw him. The last thing he wanted was for Madren to lose his fear of him.

Jala was leaning against the wall, twirling her staff between her two hands when he stepped from his room. She looked up quickly, her eyes scanning him and nodded once. “That is about as well dressed as I’ve ever seen you,” she said agreeably.

“Anything more and I will be the one doing the identity tests,” Neph said with a shrug. “So, where are we going?” he asked as they walked side by side to the door.

“To get Valor and Madren,” Jala replied with a grin that had him rolling his eyes.

“After that?” Neph pressed.

“Out of Goswin,” Jala replied glancing up at him as she pushed the door open and stepped out into the cool night air.

The sound of childish laughter echoed through the garden and Jala’s answering smile was positively radiant. She moved swiftly in the direction of the laughter ending his chance at any further questions. Neph sighed and followed her quickly down the winding paths that led from the guest house to the Manor itself.

Valor was the first one Neph spotted as they approached. The knight stood by the entrance to the path. His purple and silver armor had been polished to such a shine it gleamed like a mirror. The sound of their footsteps drew his attention and Valor turned to watch them with a look of such utter devotion on his face that Neph shook his head. Neph wanted to make a smart ass remark, but he knew he couldn’t. While his expressions were more guarded than the knight’s and Neph typically wore a scowl, he could relate with that expression perfectly. The only difference they had in their feelings for Jala was that Valor was in love with her while Neph simply loved her. She was a sister to him and he was just as devoted as the damned Arovan was and he knew it.

The childish giggle broke through the stillness of the night once more and Neph paused beside Valor and Jala until he located its source. Legacy sat in the grass near one of the garden pools with an overly large white rabbit on the ground before him. The creature was sitting on its rump with both hind feet splayed out before it. As Neph watched, the rabbit rocked back on its haunches and its cheeks puffed out with air as its eyes crossed. More giggles erupted from Legacy as the rabbit’s ears grew limp and all of the air exploded out of it in a rush that sounded far cruder that a noise one would expect from an animal.

“What the hell?” Neph mumbled, glancing at Valor. “Wait until he dances,” Valor whispered back.

“Dances?” Neph raised an eyebrow and turned his attention back to the strange little creature as its body began to shift. Within a breath, Shade sat in the grass before Legacy with a stupid grin on his face.

“That’s all for now, little man. Shade needs a smoke and bunnies can’t have cigarettes,” Shade said with a grin and ruffled Legacy’s hair as he stood. Reaching into the pocket of his coat he produced a slender silver case and fished a cigarette out. He seemed to notice Jala and Neph then and bowed his head slightly to them in greeting.

“You have no dignity at all,” Neph informed him dryly.