The Crow King's Wife(16)

“You could tell me the sky is purple and it was raining frogs yesterday with a straight face couldn’t you.” Shade mused with a faint smile.

“Lizards, the frog rains don’t hit Glis until closer to winter.” Caleb replied calmly and glanced at Shade his expression still serious. “It’s an art that too many Elder Blood master. I can lie like a dog and make it sound the honest truth.”

“Not a very knightly sentiment.” Shade replied with a snort of genuine amusement. He could see Caleb becoming the closest friend he had very easily. The man never ceased to amaze him, and someone with his talents would be a very good ally to have.

“I never once said I was a knight Shade. You just assumed I was. Every time I’ve heard you refer to me as a knight I’ve had to repress a chuckle. I couldn’t even pass the knight exams with my magic. I don’t qualify as a knight for several reasons.” Caleb smirked and shook his head at Shade with a hint of a smile on his face.

“But you said you were in Micah’s honor guard.” Shade objected.

“That doesn’t make me a knight Shade. You really don’t know who I truly am, do you?” Caleb asked and his smile widened.

“Caleb Faulklin.” Shade offered dumbly with an expression of utter confusion written clearly on his face.

“Strangers call me Caleb. My friends called me Grim, and everyone else knows me by other titles. If we live through this I’m sure you will hear them from time to time.” Caleb returned cryptically.

“Which do you prefer?” Shade asked as Caleb drew them both to a stop in front of a two story house. His gaze lingered on the brightly colored flowers beside the stairs and he shook his head silently. It seemed so wrong for daisies to be sprouting near the house that belonged to the most dangerous woman in Glis.

“Caleb is fine for now.” Caleb announced quietly and he glanced behind them at their Blight escort. Turning back to Shade he nodded toward the house. “Don’t let her appearance fool you Shade. Be on guard in here. Onvalla is not as she appears. She is a serpent and she is deadly.”

“Watch your tongue Faulklin or I’ll cut it out.” The stout guard warned as her hand dropped to her belt to settle around her dagger hilt. She seemed the most vocal of the guards and Shade decided she must be the leader of the squad or simply the biggest fool. With the caution the other Blights had shown it was obviously a very bad idea to pick a fight with Caleb, but then they were close to Onvalla’s house now. It was possible the entire area was filled with Blights and they just couldn’t see them. That could very easily explain the woman’s new found boldness.

“I’d love to see you try that, Liadra.” Caleb shot back with venom lacing every word. His grip on Shade loosened as he half-turned to face the Blight. “My opinions are my own and I will voice them as I please. You have taken everything else that I have, but that is still mine and I won’t surrender it.”

“Is now really the time for this?” Shade asked quietly. The last thing he wanted was his meeting for peace with Onvalla to start with a brawl outside her front door.

“At the risk of sounding petulant, she started it.” Caleb muttered sourly.

“I’d say childish was a more fitting word than petulant, but as you like.” Shade sighed and pulled back from Caleb as he turned to face the stairs. He let out a rough sigh and hobbled closer to grip the railing as he studied the rough wooden slats and pondered exactly how he was going to accomplish this without further humiliation.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to have help with that?” Caleb asked quietly.

“I will be damned if I am going to be carried into this meeting. I don’t have much pride left Caleb, but I have too much to stomach that. I’d rather swallow a dagger than be carried.” Shade snapped in a tone that rang with more petulance than Caleb could ever match.

“As you like.” Caleb replied and Shade could hear the smirk in his voice without even turning to look.

Shade’s foot had barely settled on the first step when Caleb moved swiftly up behind him and tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of grain. Blood rushed to Shade’s face as embarrassment and anger warred for control of his mind. In two quick steps Caleb cleared the rickety stairs and swung Shade down from his shoulder.

“Dignity aside Shade you are not as capable now as you once were, and the sooner you come to terms with that the better off you are. You will need help from now on, and we don’t have the time to waste for you to learn that lesson on your own.” Caleb spoke before Shade could even open his mouth.