The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(88)

I could keep you safe. Why do you have to go with him? Dray’s voice echoed in her mind and she turned to look around. She had forgotten about Dray as much as she hated to admit it. Guilt prodded at her as she considered how lost he had been without her the last time she traveled with Seth to the Darklands. It had taken Emily knocking him out to control him until she was back, and she had only been gone for one night.

“I need the time to train, Dray,” Zoelyn explained as she tried to guess where he was. Typically he was near her, but he was using a mental link now, so he could be anywhere in the house. It still amazed her that he was able to use mental links with her at all. Every other person that had tried to use magic on her failed, but Dray somehow managed it.

You could train here, Dray protested, a note of stubbornness rising in his voice.

“I will have longer there to train and Seth knows what I need to work on,” Zoelyn explained calmly.

“Your Blight has an issue?” Seth asked with a smile. He scanned the hallway quickly and his golden eyes settled almost instantly on the wall behind her. “She is coming with me, and she will return when Legacy does. I promise to bring her back in one piece, boy. Surely you can contain your jealousy for a week.”

I don’t like him, Dray informed her coldly. You shouldn’t trust him.

“There are a lot of people that would say the same about us Dray. Don’t trust her, she is Undrae. Don’t trust him he is Blight. I like Jala’s belief of judging on merit,” Zoelyn sighed.

“He is a self-created monster. He wasn’t born a Demon. He chose a path in life that made him one,” Dray said in a quiet voice. It was rare that he actually spoke aloud with others around, and she knew he had only done so now so that Seth would hear as well.

“Everyone can find redemption, Dray,” Zoelyn replied quietly. “If they choose to look for it,” Dray growled.

Seth smiled at the Blight and nodded his head slightly. “Wise for your age. I am a self-created monster. You are correct. Everyone that I murdered, tortured, or destroyed was my enemy. Remember that, Dray before you decide to piss me off.” His smile turned cold as he spoke and he bowed his head once in the Blight’s direction. “We are leaving now. You have a week to exist without her. I think you will survive. Get in my way now, though, and I can promise you won’t.”

“Please, Dray. I will be fine. I promise,” Zoelyn assured him with a smile.

“You have them fooled, but not me. I’m not afraid of you either. When the time comes I will be ready to send you back to hell again,”

Dray promised in the loudest voice she had ever heard him use.

Seth had turned to leave, but at the Blight’s words he froze mid-step and slowly turned to look back at the Blight. “Even the Divine fear me,” he whispered and the tone of his voice made her skin crawl. “I am the Crow King. I am the Herald of Death. I am the Nightmare of thousands. Women shiver at the mention of my name and grown men weep at the thought of facing my blades, and yet you say you do not fear me.” He stalked toward the wall where the Blight stood and his hands dropped lightly to his daggers. “You can hate me. You can say you don’t fear me, that’s fine. Bide your time, little Blight, and when you decide you are man enough to send me back to hell, let me know.”

“The moment you hurt Zoey will be the moment I kill you, Demon,” Dray hissed. “How touching,” Seth smiled again and shook his head at the Blight.

“Please stop,” Zoelyn whispered behind them and Seth bowed his head at once his hands moving instantly from his dagger hilts.

“The Elder Blood are such savage creatures. We snarl and growl like the most primitive animals,” Seth said with a sigh and his smile lost all hints of the former coldness he had shown Dray. “If you are waiting for me to hurt Zoey, you have a very long wait, Dray. I am trying to help her,” he added in a kinder voice and winked at her.

“You see, Dray, I will be fine,” Zoelyn added as relief surged through her. With the way Seth was acting, she had thought there was going to be a fight.

“You are good,” Dray said quietly. “I am immune to charm, though,” he added in a softer voice. “I will wait for you, Zoey, and when you see him for what he truly is, I will be ready.”





Chapter 14





Glis





Sunlight filtered down through the tree tops leaving dappled patterns across the thick undergrowth. Shade paused and listened closely, praying for any sign of movement. The dead silence was unnerving him more than he cared to admit. He had never been anywhere so completely devoid of life. Not even a trill of a bird stirred through the darkening forest. As far as he could tell, he had perhaps two hours of daylight left before another pointless day ended. So far, his search had tallied four days without even so much as a hint of the Blights.

“I’m not sneaking here!” Shade called loudly and turned in a slow circle watching the forest closely. His voice echoed off the trees, but nothing moved or made a noise in response. “I just want to talk to you. That’s it! Look, I’m not even armed!” His voice echoed once more and he leaned heavily back against a tree with a grunt. “Even if you do want to fillet and devour my flesh, I’d still welcome the conversation while you are getting the dinner table ready,” he mumbled half-heartedly. The frustration of his search combined with his loneliness was beginning to take a toll on him.