The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(105)

“What are you doing up here?” Yasny’s voice demanded behind him and Hemlock slowly turned on his perch to smile at her. His feet shifted on the loose tiles of the tower roof and he paused, but his smile never faltered.

“Looking for a nice private place to talk to you, Yasny,” Hemlock replied easily. She was crouched above him close to the window and the expression on her face suggested that if he didn’t slip and fall she was going to push him. “I have a proposal for you, Yasny; just hear me out,” Hemlock pressed in his most charming voice. He didn’t have Seth’s natural talent with charm magic, but he did know how to tempt the Elder Blood easily enough.

“Why would I want anything you have?” Yasny hissed, but her expression had softened and he could see the glint of curiosity in her eyes.

“Because Finn will never give you what I’m offering and we both know it,” Hemlock replied with a smile.

Yasny’s eyes narrowed as she watched him, but as he had suspected, the hint was too much for her. She wanted to know exactly what he was talking about and it was obvious. She stood after a long moment and waved a slender hand for him to move closer. “Too much noise up here and I don’t like having to yell. Come inside the tower, Hemlock,” she said as she ducked back through the tower window.

Hemlock nodded and followed her silently into the palace. He gazed around at the room noting the cobwebs and dust that lined the corners then let his eyes settle on her. “I have a problem, Yasny, and after much consideration I’ve decided that we could help each other.”


“Do you have any idea what kind of bloody fit Seth would throw if he knew you were in the palace?” Yasny asked, ignoring his words completely. She shook her head at him in annoyance and leaned against the dusty wall. “I have no idea how soon he will be back, either, so you might want to spit out whatever you came here for before he returns.”

“You never were the sort for flattery,” Hemlock lied with a smile. In truth, Yasny had been one of the most vain and arrogant women he had ever known. She had reason to be, though. While she lived, Yasny was considered the most beautiful of the Elder Blood women, and she had known it. “Seth is why I’m here. You, of course, understand that Seth and I don’t get along, and, well, it has gotten to a point that I can no longer ignore.”

Yasny chuckled coldly. “Oh, you poor thing. And I should care about this, why?”

“You are correct, of course. After the countless years that Seth has spent weaving his charm magic over you, you shouldn’t care. I knew you when you lived, though, Yasny. I know you are no one’s lap dog and he has taken advantage of you.” Hemlock paused and smiled at her obvious anger. “Please allow me to finish before you speak. Her lips had tightened and he could tell she wanted to speak, but she nodded for him to continue. “Seth has been too active in the Sunlit world recently. Finn allows him more freedom than he does any other soul in his domain. I’m sure you have noticed the favoritism. His activity has got to stop.”

“It won’t. Finn has given him full leave to do whatever he must to help the girl,” Yasny broke in with annoyance clear in her voice.

Hemlock frowned and forced a look of confusion onto his face. He, of course, knew about Zoelyn, but this would go easier if Yasny thought she had the upper hand. “Is that what it is? He is helping a girl?”

Yasny smirked and nodded. “An Undrae, actually. Her name is Zoelyn,” she informed him with a grin.

He no longer had to force the look of confusion. According to the information he had, Zoelyn was a siphon. There had been whispers about Undrae in Glis, of course, but the word Undrae had become so bastardized there that they used it for anything they didn’t like. A true Undrae was a much larger problem than a siphon could ever be. “Whatever the case is, I need him to fade away like a good little dead thing, and I think you can help me with that. In return I, of course, would help you. I know the name, Zoelyn, but I had no idea she was the reason Seth was so active lately.”

“How would you help me?” Yasny demanded. He could tell she was growing tired of the game, but he still had enough of her curiosity to keep her talking.

“I could help you live again, Yasny. As far as I’m concerned you have served your penance here and I don’t think Finn is going to give you the chance that I am willing to. If he does send you on, it will be into the life stream where you will forget everything. I, however, will bring you back as you are now with all of your memories and powers.” Hemlock spoke softly, as if he was afraid the words would carry beyond their small room. He had her now and he knew it. No creature in the Darklands would sacrifice the chance to live again. It was the guaranteed way to achieve exactly what he wanted.

“How?” Yasny whispered. There was a hunger in her eyes that couldn’t be faked. For the chance to live again, she would do whatever he asked.

“Kali,” Hemlock said with a shrug. “She can create a body for you that would be a perfect duplicate of what you had in life, or she could make you different in appearance if you prefer to remain unknown. Then it would be as simple as my taking your soul from here. Once we have performed the spells in the Sunlit world to bond your soul with your new body, there is nothing Finn can do about it. Unless, of course, Seth still has his full freedom. Finn could send the Crow King to retrieve you, I suppose…” He let the words trail off and remained silent as she considered his offer.