The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(48)

“Is she always like this?” Neph growled, his gaze dropping to Emily.

I told her to stand her ground with you and she would be fine. I warned her to not let you be a bully or you would be completely unbearable. Normally, she doesn’t speak and simply watches others. Of course, she has only been here for one night, so her “normal” is judged on a very short time-frame, Emily explained with another feline grin.

“Ignore what Emily told you. Do not stand your ground with me. It would be best if you simply duck your head and scamper away when I approach. I don’t like children and it would be less painful for both of us if we don’t have to deal with each other,” Neph growled as he reclaimed his chair once more.

“I’m older than Jala,” Zoelyn pointed out calmly.

“What?” Neph choked, his eyes scanning her once more. It was hard to determine much about her appearance through the coat and gloves, but he wouldn’t have guessed her much more than twelve by her size.

“I’m twenty-three. Jala is eighteen,” Zoelyn said softly. She shrugged her slender shoulders and the back of the coat bumped heavily against the wooden cabinets. Sighing she pushed off from the counter and looked down at her coat.

Neph couldn’t see her face, but he could imagine the look of irritation that must be there. He had been about to make a smartass comment but bit it back and simply looked her over again with new insight. The noise the coat had made suggested there was lead sewn inside the leather. Her gloves were bulky with metal plates covering each finger in such a fashion he wondered how she was able to do anything with her hands. Her boots were the sort that dock workers usually wore, bulky things to begin with, and then the added weight of the iron plates on top of that. In sword training his master had started him off with a sword filled with lead to build his strength. The girl’s entire life was a lead blade. Despite her size, she had to be strong, and without the garments she would doubtless be quick. With the garments, she was miserable and despite her silence on the matter, it showed.

“Tell Jala how much you hate those clothes and she will see that you have others,” Neph said quietly as he stood from his chair. He headed for the door and didn’t bother to look back at Emily or Zoelyn. He had enough things on his mind without the extra weight of the girl. She was Jala’s project, not his.

“Neph!” Jala exclaimed in surprise as he nearly knocked her over with the door. The black tunic and patched leggings had been replaced by a violet and silver dress and her hair was once again immaculate. In the manner of a few minutes she had transformed herself from a farmer’s wife to a High Lady once more. She stepped back and smiled widely at him. “I was just coming to get you,” she admitted and waved toward the back door of the house. “I think it would be easier if I explain my plans to everyone at once. They are waiting in the temple,” she explained quickly as she headed for the door.

“The temple?” Neph asked as he fell in step beside her. Jala had revered Fortune when he first met her, but she had never been truly devout.

“It’s an odd meeting place I know, but I trust it more than anywhere else to discuss things of this importance. My secrets will not be spied upon in the temple,” Jala said with a shrug.

“That depends on who is favored by the Aspects involved,” Neph pointed out mildly as he followed her across the courtyard toward a small building set to the side of the house. “You have a private temple? I was thinking a city temple,” he muttered as he realized where they were headed.

“There is a city temple, as well, but this is the House Temple, and the Divine involved favors me,” Jala explained as she pulled the massive doors open and stepped inside the dimly lit room.

Neph followed her inside, closing the door quietly behind him and then froze as he recognized the red-haired man from the battlefield standing just to the right of the door.

“I favor her,” the man agreed with a smile and winked at Jala.

“Grandpa, what are you doing here in the flesh?” Jala gasped as her face broke into a smile once more. “Important meeting. I will be in the background and I promise I won’t interrupt,” the man assured her.

Neph stared at him then to Jala as he quickly took in his surroundings. There were only two symbols in the entire temple and he knew without a doubt that this wasn’t Death standing before them. “You call the Divine of War Grandpa?” Neph stammered, his eyes flashing back to Jala once more.

“Well, he is,” Jala said with a shrug and hugged the Divine lightly as if he were simply one of the Elder Blood. “Don’t stay in the background; sit at the table. It’s Havoc and Zach. You know Zach will understand your presence and, well, I will just smack Havoc if he objects.” “You support Jala in her plans?” Neph asked before the Divine could begin walking.

War regarded him for a long moment with dark eyes and slowly nodded. “How much faster do you think Jala would work to regain Delvay if she knew what resided within the House Vaults?” War asked softly.

“Much,” Neph replied grudgingly. While he understood why the Divine of War knew his House secrets, he didn’t like it even being mentioned when there was a possibility of others over-hearing. Delvay had guarded their vaults jealously since the Barrier was raised around Sanctuary and Kadan had nearly destroyed his people trying to protect them. It was not a topic to be spoken aloud and the look he gave the Divine said as much.