The Crow King's Wife(22)

Shade stared at him for a long moment and then forced his eyes back onto the ship’s view screen. “How would you know that?” he asked and glanced back to the back of the ship. Had it been anyone else he would have assumed they had learned through scrying on him, but Finn Sovaesh was terrible with magic and everyone knew it. Shade’s attention flicked between the back of the ship and the passenger seat once more and he groaned inwardly. He wasn’t sure if he was praying Caleb would return or hoping he wouldn’t. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to see Finn get his ass kicked or if he wanted to hear everything Finn had to say.

“I was dead, now I’m Death, and you were nearly dead, but I didn’t allow it. Do you know what that means Shade?” Finn replied calmly. He seemed amused by Shade’s glances toward the back of the ship and chuckled when Shade looked at him in confusion. “Well first of all it means I’m a Divine now and no matter how much Grim may hate me, he won’t be able to so much as bruise me. Second it means you owe me a life boon and I’m here to collect.”

“Bloody buggering hell. Is there one single individual in all of Sanctuary that doesn’t want something from me?” Shade snarled as his shock gave away to anger. “Seriously? You are a god and you are making demands of me? This is the sickest joke I’ve ever bloody well heard. It’s ridiculous. Why would I ever consider doing anything for you? I hate you. You know I hate you. Why would you even ask me to do anything for you?” His voice rose with each word as his frustration grew.

Finn sighed with exaggerated annoyance and gave Shade a withering look. “The feeling is mutual, but if not for me you wouldn’t be alive now would you? You know you were too close to death to live. You know it had to take more intervention than your pathetic regeneration to save your life. Given what you are I really would have thought you would have improved your regeneration by now. It’s rather sad actually.”

“Really? Is now really the time to criticize the use of my birthright?” Shade growled and shook his head at Finn. He let out a long slow breath and stared at the view screen as he wrestled his emotions back under control. “I don’t have time for your favor Finn. I’m already in the middle of two other favors for people that I like more than you.” He said after a long silence. “And in case you don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, that was a pretty big insult because I really don’t like Onvalla.”

“I know what you are talking about. I watched your little drama unfold in Glis. Your passion is so touching Shade. You know I really do think you will save the whole world.” Finn said in a voice laced with sarcasm.

“I’m willing to bet Divine or not that I can still bruise you, and interrupting my shower is reason enough for me to try. Keep being an ass Sovaesh, test my patience further.” Caleb’s voice was low and filled with warning.

Finn slowly turned in his seat and Shade found himself glancing back as well. Caleb stood just beyond the door of the back room still dripping wet from the shower. He wore black uniform pants and had a towel wrapped over his shoulder with no sign of a weapon on him, but he still looked ready for a fight if Finn chose to rise from his seat.

“Now is really not the time Grim, and I don’t want you in hell any more than I do Shade. So it wouldn’t be in my best interest to kill you should you decide we should fight. Why don’t you sit down, shut up, and listen instead? I have a few things to say to you as well.” Finn pointed sharply at an empty chair as he spoke and then turned back to Shade.

“My friends call me Grim and you are nothing I would consider a friend. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t use the title.” Caleb snapped as he dropped into the indicated seat with an expression of annoyance on his face.

“Shall I call you the Black Bastard then or Bloody Huntsman?” Finn growled in response.

Shade’s eyes widened at the words and he slowly glanced back at Caleb once more. He knew those titles. Everyone in Sanctuary knew of the Black Bastard of Arovan or the Bloody Huntsman, he simply hadn’t realized Caleb Faulklin was either. He hadn’t even realized the bastard and the huntsman were the same person for that matter. It made the reputation even more infamous. If the stories about either held any truth at all Caleb Faulklin really was a psychopath as he had suggested to Onvalla.

“You aren’t really?” Shade began quietly and his voice trailed off as he glanced from Caleb to Finn and then back to the view screen.

“What you didn’t realize you were giving a ride to the Bloody Huntsman Shade? Didn’t you wonder when he told you his friends called him Grim? That isn’t exactly a nickname that one gives to a sweet tempered individual.” Finn said dryly.