The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(113)

“Feel free to attempt to stab my ass. I’m confident in my armor,” Valor replied with a smirk.

Turning slowly, Vaze regarded the knight dryly for a moment before motioning everyone forward. By his expression, it looked as though Vaze wouldn’t mind making the attempt regardless of armor. “Closer to me, so the shadows can reach you all,” he ordered.

Neph waited for a breath and watched as Zoelyn moved without hesitation to stand at Jala’s side. He still couldn’t believe the girl was truly going with them. She hated violence and yet she looked eager to go to battle. With a slight shake of his head, Neph moved to join the rest of them and watched in silence as the shadows thickened around them.

Mixed feelings rose in his chest as he considered the outcome of the day. He had no doubt that they would win the fight and recapture his city, and part of him was elated with the thought. The other part wanted to run screaming back upstairs and lock himself in his room, refusing to move. Once today was over, he was High Lord Delvayon rather than simply Neph, and he wasn’t at all sure he was ready to face that.

Vertigo washed over him and he pushed his doubts away as Merro faded to darkness. The stones of Delvay loomed around them as the shadows parted and he stared in silence at his childhood home. It had been so many years since he had stood in these halls. He felt eyes on him and glanced to his side to find Jala watching him with a knowing look in her eyes. She smiled faintly and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

“Temporary,” Jala whispered as Vaze stalked toward the stairway door. “Temporary,” Neph agreed softly with a nod.

“For Delvay,” Valor said with a smirk and moved forward with Foster to stand behind Vaze. Both knights drew their swords as they waited patiently for Vaze to signal the advance.

Vaze glanced back at them with a scowl as they approached and pointedly looked toward their metal shod boots. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head slowly in disgust as he motioned for them to hold back. As silent as the shadows he summoned, Vaze pulled the door open and slipped up the darkened stairwell to scout.

Several minutes of silence passed before a concussive boom echoed from the floors above. Neph’s eyes snapped upward as dust floated down from the stone ceiling. Whatever had just detonated had been massive and he wasn’t sure if it was a spell or mundane explosives.

“Move!” Valor bellowed as he sprinted up the stairs. Foster followed without hesitation, taking the steps two at a time in an attempt to reach Vaze and support him.

Jala watched them both with a worried expression before glancing at Neph. “They never should have spotted Vaze,” she said with concern lacing her words before she moved quickly to the staircase.

“You think they were expecting us, then?” Neph asked as he fell into step beside her. “I don’t see how they could have known,” Jala replied with a quick shake of her head.

Another explosion shook the building and Jala’s pace quickened to a run in response. Neph could see the fear on her face and knew it was for her companions and not for herself. He had never seen Jala fear for her own life as much as she did for others.

The door ahead of them still swung loose on its hinges from where Valor had passed through and Neph could see fire filling the room beyond. The ring of sword blades echoed back to them with a frequency that spoke of brutal combat.

“Jala leave! Do not come in here!” Valor’s voice rose frantically through the sound of combat.

Glancing over at her, Neph grinned and shook his head. “It’s always good to ignore Valor.” The others had gathered behind them nervously and were watching him and Valor for any sign of what they should do. “Vosha, you are a dragon, but are you the fire breathing variety of dragon?” Neph asked as he pulled up his strongest shields.

Vosha shifted and shook his head quickly. “No, actually I haven’t exactly mastered my draconic breath yet,” His reply was hesitant and it was obvious the boy didn’t want to admit his failings in front of Zoelyn.

“Impress Zoey later, Vosha. Once we are out of here,” Jala snapped. Her own shields were in place now and he could see her readying her first spells. Neph knew she wouldn’t listen to Valor. How could she, after all. Jala was simply not the sort of person that could walk away and leave a friend to die, but then, neither was he.

The tempo of swords picked up again, followed by a grunt of pain and Jala looked ready to bolt through the door. Moving swiftly to her side, Neph grabbed her by the arm and shook his head quickly. “Fools rush in, and your fool already rushed in. We have to use logic here. Once we move inside we stay beside each other and use our shields together. If mine starts to fail I’ll drop back behind you to bolster it until I can strengthen it. The same goes for you. Got it?” He spoke quickly and glanced once more at the fire in the room then back to Zoey and the two boys. “Jala, the two Bendazzi and I are going in first. Hang back here and help where you can. This is going to be bad, kids so if you don’t come in we won’t blame you. Staying alive is your only priority right now and we don’t expect the help.” He looked at Zoey as he spoke. Normally she was the most mature of the three, but right now she looked terrified. She gave a quick nod in response to his words, but didn’t budge from where she stood.

“Vaze, fall back! Fall back!!” Foster’s voice rose to nearly a scream and Jala tensed beside him. Another explosion rocked the room and the ceiling shuddered once more.