The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(51)
“The only option we have is to pool our strength. My army proves that we can work together if we try. Now all I have to do is get everyone to put their differences aside before it’s too late. I am preparing, gentlemen, and I have no idea how much time I have. So, to put it bluntly, my boot will be up your asses until I have you exactly where I think you need to be.” Jala smiled at War as she settled back into her chair. “I’m so glad you chose to join us at the table, Grandpa,” she added with a wink.
“So, tell me where Delvay needs to be. I’ve seen how pointy your boots are,” Neph said with a sigh as he settled more comfortably into his chair. From what he had heard so far, it was going to be a long night. “I don’t understand half of what you are saying, Jala, but, as always, I’ve got your back.”
Chapter 6
Merro
Zoelyn leaned back from the table and regarded the heaping plate of food before her with frustration. There was no possible way she could eat this much food, but Jala had become convinced she was underfed. Even Valor’s arguments that you didn’t overfeed the starving didn’t save her from the mountains of food at every meal.
Her gaze slowly moved to Neph and she fought back the desire to kick the man. Had he not mentioned her clothing to Jala, the High Lady would have never made her remove her coat and no one would have ever known how thin she was. The sight of her jutting ribs and too thin arms had sent Jala into such a fit of anger it had taken both Neph and Valor to keep her from returning to Arovan to vent her anger on Dominic.
“Quit glaring at me and eat your damned food like a good little girl,” Neph growled, his eyes never leaving the courtyard where Jala was sparing with Vaze.
“It does no good to glare at Neph. He is immune to the emotions of others,” Shade observed casually as he leaned closer to Neph. “Does Valor look a bit twitchy over there or is it just me?” he asked in a quieter voice.
“Valor never lasts through Jala’s sword practice. He always loses his temper with Vaze,” Sovann informed them with a sigh. Zoelyn hadn’t been given many chances to be around the mage, but from what she had seen of Sovann so far, she liked. Unlike most of Jala’s companions, he was soft spoken and always polite. Every time she saw him, however, he was busy with something and always distracted. Even now, his eyes were locked on several sheets of paper spread out before him and he hadn’t even bothered to look up when speaking. Frowning, he tapped his quill against the table and shook his head. “The portal stones Jala wants created need to have security measures, but I’m not sure how to set them,” he mumbled and glanced up at Neph.
“Keystones?” Neph suggested with a shrug.
“Not practical. Jala wants them for everyone and making that many keystones simply isn’t practical. She intends for caravans to use these as well as commons. I was thinking perhaps a portal master who judges who passes through the stones, but maybe a parameter that controls how many pass through in a day would be better.” Sovann sighed and rubbed his face a look of frustration clouding his features.
“The control of numbers wouldn’t work,” Neph said with a shake of his head. “What if we needed help and our allies could only send a set number of soldiers through per day?”
“I will have a very difficult time finding people that are trustworthy to function as Portal masters,” Sovann complained and tossed the quill down onto the stack of papers.
“Why not have it a set number unless you have a keystone and provide the High Lord of that nation with the keystone requirements for his soldiers?” Zoelyn suggested quietly.
“That might work,” Sovann mused and picked up his quill again, his frown fading as he began scratching notes on the paper once more. “She helped you with your problem, Sovann. It’s only fair that you eat some of that food and help her with hers,” Shade said with a grin. Sovann glanced up at Shade and then looked to her. With a faint smile he snagged a piece of toast from the plate and nodded to her. “I really don’t understand it. Jala has been feeding her like this for a week now and she is still as frail as ever,” he sighed and took a bite.
“Jala puts the food in front of her, but Zoelyn doesn’t eat it,” Neph said in a voice that showed how tedious he found the conversation.
“Valor is about to break,” Wisp announced softly from the far end of the table. Grinning, she bounced Legacy on her knee and shook her head as she watched Valor. “Daddy is silly isn’t he,” she mused happily.
“Why is he even allowed near her sword practice?” Shade mumbled as they all watched Valor draw his own steel and lay into Vaze with a vengeance that spoke of fury rather than practice. Jala fell back quickly from the match and tilted her head upward as if beseeching the gods before turning to walk slowly to their table.
“I don’t know why I even allow him in the courtyard when I practice,” Jala said as she dropped into a chair beside Zoelyn and examined her plate critically. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted Sovann munching on the piece of toast and she sighed heavily. “You know she might actually gain some weight if you wouldn’t take her food,” she grumbled and looked back at Zoelyn. “Eat, Zoey, you are skin and bones,” she pointed at the plate.
Zoelyn nodded silently and tried to ignore the expressions of amusement that lit both Shade and Neph’s faces as she picked up her fork and began to eat once more.