The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(65)
The flames died abruptly and Hemlock stood upright, slowly gazing around at what remained of the small sitting room. Most of the furniture was destroyed and parts of the walls were still in flame. Kali, however, seemed calm once more. He raised an eyebrow at her and carefully watched the expression on her face for any sign of anger. Her moods shifted so quickly that she was nearly impossible to predict.
“We could kill Symphony and replace her with a clone that I have manipulated the mind of,” Kali mused, her tone peaceful once more.
There was no sign whatsoever of the fury that had held her moments before and Hemlock had to force back the desire to choke the woman. Kali was likely the strongest reason that he never allowed himself to form attachment to women. He was certain at some point the crazy bitch had been sweet and alluring like Jala. Kali was simply the advanced version. She was living proof of what other Immortal women would become, given enough time and power, and that single thought had kept Hemlock free of attachment for years.
“I don’t think that is an option this time, Kali,” Hemlock replied cautiously. The last thing he wanted to do was set off another tantrum, but from what he had seen of the Fionaveir her idea simply wasn’t plausible.
“Probably not,” Kali sighed with disappointment. “It is so much easier when I can just clone someone and tell them what to do rather than having to deal with actual people,” she added wistfully.
“We need something Symphony truly wants or cares about. Remedy or Lex would work, but I can’t locate them. This is the first thing we must deal with, and quickly before the Fionaveir come down on us. Soon after, though, we must determine how to keep the Veyetta at rest. If the Shadow Walkers reawaken they will continue their plans to bring down the Barrier and then we are all dead, regardless.” Hemlock sighed and rubbed his face again. It was a habit of his when stressed, and with the way things were going his face was going to be raw before the week was over.
His eyes landed on the chair he had been sitting in minutes before, and he pulled gently on his magic as he waved a hand in its direction. The air shimmered around it as he reversed time just enough to return it to its former condition. Crossing the room once more, he dropped into the chair and eyed the rest of the damage in the room. It would be a simple matter for him to repair everything as he had the chair, but as far as he saw it, Kali had created the mess, and she could clean it up.
“Perhaps you should tell me what you have seen in regards to the Veyetta while I think about the matter with Symphony,” Kali said. Her hand flicked out behind her and she dropped back to sit balanced neatly on the empty air behind her. He had known countless mages in his life and all but Kali hoarded their magic. Kali threw magic around as if it were nothing, and it often left him wondering exactly how large her reserves were. He had never seen her run low on power, no matter what the situation.
“NephonDelvayon is involved, but it is vague as to how. I always see him in the visions before the rise of the Shadows. I see Jala, as well, but I think she is standing against the Veyetta. There is another there, but I can’t see him. It’s nothing but darkness when I try to look closely and I think it may be Vaze. He is the only one I know that can obscure himself so well from my power. The vision begins in the mountains and I’m confused on that. Veyetta covers valleys south of Arovan and I can’t determine why the mountains are involved,” Hemlock began in a hesitant conjured raised a dozen questions rather than answering one.
“Delvay is in the mountains, but it is controlled by the Rivasans right now,” Kali said thoughtfully. She leaned back in her conjured chair and tapped one slender finger against her full lips as she gave the matter further thought. “Vaze is formidable but the other two are pups,” she mumbled.
“Jala is a very powerful pup,” Hemlock warned. It was possible that Kali hadn’t kept track of the war raging outside the city, but he had. From what he had seen Jala Merrodin was not one to write off as a child. He had known she would be powerful, he hadn’t expected her to prove it so quickly, though.
“Powerful, yes. Wise, no. Jala can be manipulated. Just look how easily we separated her from her gods. With one swipe of a knife we moved her from being Fortune’s toy to ours. All it took was a few pretty words and some finger pointing in Fortune’s direction,” Kali murmured. “War was on the battlefield, so was Fortune. I watched that entire battle and I saw three gods present. We didn’t separate her from them; we simply gave her less respect for them. I wouldn’t call her our toy, either. Jala has gained a great deal of wisdom in a very short time. She isn’t nearly as trusting, either. Jexon saw to that with his idiotic betrayal in Avanti,” Hemlock countered.
“Pish posh,” Kali muttered with a dismissive wave of her hand. “What did you tell Jala about the Veyetta?” she asked, her pale eyes once again locking with his in a manner that was entirely unsettling. Kali had an intensity to her gaze that very few could master.
“The truth of my visions. If the Veyetta reawaken, someone she loves will die. She has seen the strands of darkness, Kali. She knows I’m not lying and she knows if she doesn’t act when the time arrives, that it will cost her dearly,” Hemlock answered quietly.
“Jala is such a sweet little sentimentalist. That works so well in our advantage. The same could be said for Symphony, I think. Also, you need to take a trip to Merro and find some more puzzle pieces. While you are doing that, I will focus on fumbling the magical threads to hide my home a while longer so I can find out which heart strings Symphony obeys. Love is always the best puppet string to pull. I just have to figure out who our Empress loves the most and make a puppet accordingly,” Kali mused.