The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(60)

“So how do we find her creator?” Finn asked after a long moment. “I can’t sense anything about her so I can’t trace it through magic,” he added thoughtfully and glanced at Seth.

“I will help this one if you will allow it. Perhaps when I have her in fit condition again her creator will come forward. If not I may be able to gather clues from her that will answer our questions. All I need is time and I will find the one that needs to be punished,” Seth answered with a smile.

“Do it then, but do it on the same rotation as Legacy. Jala is extremely pissed right now and I really don’t want to push her further. You can gather the girl or help her or whatever you need to do when you bring me Legacy,” Finn ordered and turned back for his throne. He paused beside Vaze’s motionless body and his shoulders slumped. “And, Seth, take Vaze back home and maybe, just maybe, Jala won’t realize you stabbed her Uncle. If she does, I am going to relay every prayer I get from her directly to you, and I’m using the term prayer lightly. They really aren’t prayers, Seth, not even close,” he added with a shake of his head.

Seth nodded quickly and moved forward to pick Vaze up by the belt once more. “I will return for the girl in a bit,” he announced with a nod.

Finn glanced back at him and smirked. “You are so lucky I dismiss Fiona on the nights that Legacy is here. She would be bitching for days over this and I would have you running the most tedious disgusting assignments I could think of as punishment for having to listen to her.” “If only you would dismiss her permanently,” Seth sighed as he disappeared from the room with Vaze.

Finn chuckled and his gaze returned to Zoelyn. She had been watching them both in utter silence afraid to make even the slightest sound.

Slowly she straightened against the wall and returned his gaze. “You tried to defend my son,” Finn said quietly. “I didn’t understand,” Zoelyn whispered hoarsely.

“Seth terrifies you and yet you still tried to defend Legacy,” Finn mused as he carefully picked his son up and sat down in the throne. He balanced the child in the crook of his arm and watched him sleep for a long moment before his eyes found hers once more. “Legacy is the only thing I have left of my former life. I have severed all other ties. He means more to me than anything and any who defend him I consider friend. You have no reason to be scared of me…” His words trailed off and he raised an eyebrow at her. “Zoey or Zoelyn? Jala used both when she was ranting and I’m not sure which you prefer. I think I favor Zoey myself. It’s less formal.”

“Zoey is fine,” she agreed as she moved cautiously away from the wall. “Why is he still asleep through all of this? Is he OK?” she asked hesitantly.

Finn grinned widely and nodded. “That was one of the reasons that we specified that Legacy be awake when Seth arrives. This child could sleep through the end of the world. It’s amazing really,” he chuckled.

“I don’t want Seth’s help. I want to go home. Please? I just wanted to help Legacy and I see now that he doesn’t need my help.” Zoelyn wasn’t sure if he would listen, but he seemed kind enough. He was certainly not what she had expected from the Lord of Death. It was obvious now that Legacy was in good care. She wasn’t sure about herself, though, and she knew she only had moments before Seth returned.

“If I thought Seth intended to harm you, I wouldn’t have agreed to his request, and while he may have made you sound like bait for your creator you won’t be. I won’t allow that. I will make a deal with you, however. Considering that we are friends, now.” Finn paused as he waited for a response.

“What kind of deal?” Zoelyn asked cautiously.

“Humor Seth for the duration of Legacy’s visit. If you still despise him by the end, I won’t let him bring you back again, and you can continue with Jala’s attempts to help you. Seth knows what you are, though, and Jala doesn’t. It’s very possible that Seth knows how to help you and it may take Jala months to figure it out,” Finn answered calmly.

“Will you ask him to stop calling me Undrae?” Zoelyn asked.

“Call him demon in return if he does. He hates to be reminded of what he is as much as you do, apparently. I suppose none of us achieved what we wanted from life. I never once wanted to be called Death and yet everyone but Seth uses that title for me now,” Finn sighed.

“He is a demon?” Zoelyn choked her eyes widening. None of the stories had ever described the Crow King as a demon. He had seemed like nothing more than Elder Blood to her. The demons in the stories were hideous and covered in scales with fangs and claws, yet Seth was beautiful. Even his golden bird like eyes had seemed normal to her after living for years on the Glis border. Most Shifters had animal traits in their human forms.

“The prettiest one I have,” Finn agreed with a grin.

“Ahh. You flatter me so, Finn.” Seth’s voice broke through the shadows with sarcasm lacing each word. “Did Jala notice?” Finn asked, his head snapping upward in the direction of Seth’s voice.

“No, and I doubt Vaze will tell her. That was likely an experience he will go a very long way never to mention again. I humiliated him,”

Seth answered as he dropped down from the rafters landing gracefully on the stone floor a few feet from her.

“You heard our deal?” Finn asked.