The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 4)(47)

“Marrow,” the child announced in a high voice as he pointed at the Bendazzi.

“Marrow?” Zoelyn repeated in confusion.

“Stop it, Marrow!” Jala snapped as the Bendazzi pushed against her once more with more force.

“I don’t know, Jala, if your Familiar thinks it’s a bad idea, which he apparently does perhaps we should listen to him,” Shade said, his hesitation clear in his words.

“I can’t, Shade. I swear, I can do it. You saw the way Blackwolf acted in there. We have to have a place for them to go and Tevonale is perfect,” Jala pressed her hand, clenching at her side as she spoke.

“Perfect, aside from the fact that it is shattered and cursed at the moment,” Shade argued. “Daddy coming,” the child announced as he waved out the door.

“Shade?” Jala pressed, her voice sounding urgent.

“Fine, I will stop there, but that’s it. I’m not condoning this plan and if Valor stops you, I will applaud him,” Shade grumbled.

Zoelyn watched them both in confusion and wondered what she had missed in the few moments that her attention had been set on the Bendazzi. She searched Jala’s pale face for answers but found only a faint smile as Valor stepped onto the ship. All traces of the urgency that had been in her voice were gone from her demeanor.

Valor returned Jala’s smile and carefully sat a wooden crate down beside the door. Zoelyn watched him and felt her hopes sink as he began to pull the door shut behind him. It was probably for the best, anyway. She could see no way they would have gotten the mare onto the ship even if she had still been in the stable.

“We are ready, Shade. Thank you for your patience,” Jala announced the moment the door was sealed. “Thank me after I get you to Merro,” Shade replied, still sounding rather grumpy.

“Is he upset that I took so long?” Valor asked with puzzlement clear in his voice.

“No, I don’t think that is it at all,” Jala assured him as she took a seat and motioned for her son to join her.

Valor watched her silently and one eyebrow slowly rose. His head cocked to one side and he smiled down at the little boy. “Mommy is plotting isn’t she?” he asked in a pleasant voice.

“Mommy is not plotting. That sounds so devious, Valor,” Jala replied with a heavy sigh. “Mommy is most definitely plotting,” Shade called from the cockpit and Valor’s smile widened.

“What are you planning that I won’t like?” Valor asked, his voice still cheerful and to Zoelyn’s surprise he seemed amused rather than angry.

Jala sighed heavily once more and leaned back in her seat to stare up at the ceiling.

“It isn’t plotting, Valor. It is something that must be done,” she replied after a long moment of silence.

“Oh, one of those,” Valor said with a knowing nod and then shook his head slightly rolling his eyes. “How bad is it, Shade, on a level of one to ten?” Valor called as he picked the wooden box up and carried it closer to the seats. Carefully he sat it down beside Zoelyn’s seat and dropped heavily into the chair across from her.

“Forty-seven and a half,” Shade replied loudly.

Valor paused in the process of opening the crate, his eyebrow rising once more as he glanced over his shoulder toward the pilot’s seat and then looked to Jala.

“He is insane, remember. At worst it is a six,” Jala muttered as she glared in Shade’s direction. “Fifty,” the child announced cheerfully and Valor snorted back laughter.

“Treason, Legacy, that is treason,” Jala sighed, shaking her head at Valor. “Seven perhaps,” she amended.

“Before I get started on dealing with Jala, could you tell me if I grabbed the correct horse Zoelyn?” Valor said quietly as he finally pulled the lid of the crate up to reveal the tiny bay mare that was prancing inside, looking less than pleased with her situation.

Zoelyn stared down at the animal, her eyes widening as she spotted the white scars. “What did you do to her?” she gasped before she could stop herself. There was no doubt it was her horse, but she was so small and looked so terrified.

“I had her shrunk for transport. Don’t worry, it is a common spell and Jala can reverse it when we arrive in Merro,” Valor explained as he carefully replaced the lid of the box. “The stable master was impressed with her. Said she was a fine mare of good stock and even tempered. It’s hard to get praise from that man on any horse. You should be proud,” Valor added as he stood up from his seat once more and paced slowly to stand by the doorway to the cockpit.