The Crow King's Wife(93)

“And what exactly do you define as the impossible?” Exodus asked cautiously.

“A world where Evagale can exist again and thrive and no one is forced to live in fear.” Finn began softly and he rose slowly to his feet. He motioned toward the trees and then looked up at her with determination lighting his eyes. He knew he was on delicate ground here. He had to gain her support and if he chose his words poorly she would think him just as mad as Fiona did. “The city had no standing military. It had no guards or walls, and the only thing that could be considered defense was the forest that surrounded it on three sides. Yet it stood for close to four hundred years in complete and utter peace. I want to take away their desire to fight Exodus. I want to eliminate their desire to escape what they see as a prison. All I have to do is force them to realize the Barrier is protection as much as restraint. If I can build Evagale in the Darklands it can be built in the Sunlit world. All I have to do is remind them of what they could have, and how little the cost would be.”

“Something like that would never last in Sanctuary.” Exodus replied with a shake of her head and a wistful smile. “It sounds beautiful Finn, and it makes a good story, but something like that could never exist in our world.”

“Why?” Finn demanded with a raised eyebrow. He didn’t raise his voice, but she looked stunned regardless.

“Well they would never build a city without defenses for one. No matter how hard you try you will never get them to stop their fighting the city would have to be protected.” Exodus explained with obvious frustration for what she must see as stupidity.

“For an Aspect you have a remarkable lack of faith.” Finn mused. “Evagale will be built Exodus, and we are the ones that are going to build it.” He informed her calmly and smiled once more as her expression shifted to bewilderment. “Not you and I personally, but the Divine.” He amended with amusement clear in his voice. “Close your eyes and picture a city with no walls and no guards that is dedicated to the Aspects, knowledge, and the arts. Imagine a city that holds a library at its heart rather than a government building and citizens that exist amongst each other with no quarrels, poverty, or crime.”

“It’s a beautiful image of idealistic nonsense that can never stand.” Exodus replied the moment he fell silent. She hadn’t bothered to close her eyes and he could tell by the expression on her face that he was very close to losing any chance he had at her support.

He fixed his eyes on her and held her pinned with his gaze as he calmly produced a stoppered vial from his cloak and held it flat in the palm of his hand before him. “Do you know what the term blooded means, Exodus?”

“In Nerathane it means those half-bloods that have been gifted with pure Dragons blood to grant them more power. I’m not sure if that is what you are referring to though.” Her words were hesitant, but the annoyance had cleared from her features and she was listening to him once more.

“The Dragons borrowed the technique from the Divine beyond the Barrier. I read on it during my research. Originally it was a gift reserved for the most honored of their servants. What I propose is something a bit more drastic.” He let the vial roll back and forth on the palm of his hand as she considered what he was saying. He could tell she was confused, but she also looked intrigued. “This is a vial of my blood Exodus. It is the purest silver of the Divine. If I gave you this vial and you drank it you would become more of what you are attempting to be. In brutal honest truth you and I both know that an Aspect is nothing more than an Elder Blood that has very specialized focus for the channeling of their power. What I’m offering you is a taste of true Divinity.” She was leaning forward now with eyes fixed on the vial in her hand, and despite her obvious attempts to keep the hunger from her face he could see it clearly. “It has a price Exodus.” He warned her softly.

“This city you want?” she asked cautiously then dropped down from her perch to stand before him. She was small with a slight build that made her seem little more than a child, but he could see the muscles tensed beneath her silk clothes. His fingers closed on the vial and he smiled at her knowingly. She was small, but she was extremely quick, and he wasn’t fool enough to leave something as precious as his own blood unguarded mere feet from the Mistress of Thieves. Her lips pursed at his closed hand and she gave him a withering look. “I wasn’t going to snatch it from you.” She snapped.

“Of course not.” Finn agreed amiably.

“The cost?” Exodus prompted with a raised eyebrow. She still looked mildly irritated, but the expression was fading quickly. She knew her own talents well enough and couldn’t begrudge him taking precautions.