The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(110)
“If Nel were alive he wouldn’t have been chasing Kevala’drin and wouldn’t be wounded at all.” Shade’s voice rose from the corner near the door and all eyes turned to regard him in amazement as he dropped the camouflage he had been using.
He was dressed better than she had ever seen him with fine clothes that would have humbled all but an Avanti lord. His hair was freshly cut and styled and rings flashed on each of his fingers, but despite the changes he still looked wretched to her eyes. His skin was far too pale and there were shadows under his eyes as he moved closer to the bed to gaze down at Grim. The smell of cologne washed over Zoelyn as he approached and she stared up at him in utter disbelief. He was attired as if he were attending a formal ball. As far as she had known Shade was destitute after being cut off from his House and finances. She had never seen him wear anything other than his leather armor or a worn tunic and trousers before now.
“Shade.” Grim breathed the word with such vast relief that Zoelyn could do nothing more than simply look between the two of them in a hopeless attempt to determine which one was behaving more strangely.
“The door didn’t open. Have you been in here the entire time listening to us?” Dray demanded sounding more than a little offended.
The thought of Dray being offended by eavesdropping was almost enough to make her giggle despite the tension in the room. Dray was famous for eavesdropping. He could hardly condemn anyone else for it. It didn’t seem like a good time to point that fact out though so Zoelyn bit her lip and fought to keep the grin from her face.
Shade shook his head slowly and motioned to the crack under the door. “I arrived about the time Syrah was chiding her father on fear. I wanted to know who was in the room before I showed myself. I’m afraid I have a bit of explaining to do, and I wanted to see Grim before Neph had a chance to sink his talons into me.”
“You came under the door?” Dray asked with annoyance and his gaze moved automatically to examine the two inch gap with a critical eye. She could already see the gears turning in the Blight’s mind as he contemplated how to blockade off a room against further infiltration of that nature.
“Changeling, anything I want to be and all that.” Shade returned softly but his eyes were focused on Syrah rather than Dray. He offered a faint smile that seemed to hold more sadness than anything of amusement and shook his head at her slowly. “I’m not sure that you have ever been a child, Syrah. You seem so adult and set in your ways that I hate to correct you, but I have to disagree with your logic on fear. I’m not familiar with the dictates of the Order of Fear, but as far as I’ve seen from life, to be governed by fear might be blasphemous, but to feel fear proves nothing more than you care. We all feel fear whether we show it or not. I myself have been so terrified of what I faced that it is amazing I managed to accomplish anything. The difference is how we face it. Your Father faces fear head on and to even suggest he is cowardly is insulting.”
“I didn’t mean that!” Syrah protested in a squeaking voice. She shook her head quickly and her wide grey eyes settled on her father. “I didn’t mean that. I just wanted you to behave.” She added desperately.
Grim forced a smile onto his face and nodded once to his daughter in reassurance before turning his attention back to Shade. “Where have you been?”
“Errands that I had to attend to. I went to Sanctuary.” Shade replied casually as he pulled a vial from the inside of his jacket pocket. Turning it over he examined the label for a moment then handed it to Zoelyn. “I brought that from Rose. I explained the circumstances and she says that will help counteract the Folly and promote good healing.”
Nodding slowly Zoelyn turned the vial over and carefully removed the stopper to take a delicate sniff of the potion. Wrinkling her nose she glanced at Grim and then back to Shade. “He drinks it I suppose?” she asked doubtfully. From the smell of it she almost pitied Grim. It wasn’t something she would want to taste considering how badly it smelled. At Shade’s answering nod she held the vial to Grim’s lips and had to fight back amazement when he drank it without hesitation. He didn’t even bother remarking on the smell though he did grimace slightly and motion for water once it was empty.
Shade smiled faintly once more. “Jala will be here soon. If the potion isn’t doing enough to help have her look in on him.” He watched Grim for another long moment with what seemed to be guilt hovering in the depths of his dark blue eyes.
Zoelyn nodded slowly and watched Grim’s eyes flutter several times and then finally settle closed. His body relaxed as he sank into deep sleep. “How long will he stay asleep?” She asked softly though she doubted the sound of her voice would awaken him. His breathing was already too deep for it to be a natural sleep. It had to be the potion and that explained Shade’s guilt. He had drugged a friend even though he knew Grim wanted to be awake. It was obvious even to her that Grim had a thousand questions for Shade, and Shade had intentionally silenced him before he could ask any of them.
“Forty-eight hours for a normal person. Rose says to expect twelve for Grim given his Shifter blood.” Shade answered quietly and there was definite guilt in his voice when he spoke. Clearing his throat he looked between Zoelyn and Dray and let out a soft sigh. “I would appreciate it if everything I say from this point on stays in this room. I understand if you feel obligated to speak on it later, but I would greatly appreciate your silence for a few hours at the very least. With what is coming next it may seem strange, but I have my reasons. I don’t want anyone to attempt to defend me later today, which is why Grim is sleeping at the present. Let the cards fall as they will please.” He waited until the both nodded then turned to Syrah. Digging in his pockets once more Shade pulled a storage stone out and offered it to the girl. “I think you might possibly be the only one I can give that to. I haven’t seen you show fear once, and everyone else would be afraid of this. There is a goblin inside it, but it is not a mean creature. If you feed it then it will follow you as loyally as a puppy. It is yours if you want it, if not please tell your father to release it. It cannot go with me once I leave Delvay.”