The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(147)
Her heart sank in her chest as she took another step closer then froze as she noticed the blood bubbling on his lips. Moving swiftly she crossed to Shade’s side taking care to avoid Grim’s feeble attempts to rise. The Shifter was barely conscious and she doubted Grim even knew she was on the ship, but he wasn’t her concern at the present. Shade was, and if the blood was bubbling on his mouth it meant he was still breathing. Desperately she pressed her fingers against the side of his throat and felt her spirits soar as she caught the faint erratic beat of his pulse.
“Nix bring me a body quickly. I don’t care what it looks like or who it is as long as it’s human.” Exodus commanded sending the mental thought to her servant like a thunderclap that couldn’t be ignored.
Her mind raced as Exodus quickly sketched out her plan and she smiled at the sheer genius of it. Nimbly she dipped her fingers into her pouch and drew out a slender white vial. She frowned as she considered the dust inside then glanced down at Grim and sighed. The powder was expensive, but there was no help for it. What she was doing had to be done in utmost secrecy with no witnesses beyond herself and Nix. Quickly she unscrewed the cap from the vial and dumped a small portion into her hand and impatiently waited for Grim to attempt to struggle blindly to his feet once more before she threw the powder in his face. His body sagged as the Dreamdust worked its magic and she moved hastily back to Charm to dust him lightly as well. Judging by the knot on the side of the rogue’s head she doubted he would have woken regardless, but figured it was better safe than sorry.
“May I ask why you are wasting Dreamdust on unconscious men and why exactly you needed this?” Nix asked as he dropped a limp body to the ground before her.
“Help me get Shade out of his seat.” Exodus commanded without bothering to answer either of his questions. She didn’t have time to explain if she was going to save Shade’s life. “Sorry Rose. She murmured as she tossed a handful of dust into Shade’s face and used her power to steal a portion of Rose’s talent with healing. There were times when it truly paid to be the Aspect of thieves she mused with an impish grin. Other Aspects were limited with their powers, but her gift for borrowing made her talents endless.
“I think he will die if we try to remove that. Maybe we should get help.” Nix’s voice was filled with caution as he pointed at the jagged metal and tried to pull Exodus back.
“No one but us can know about this.” Exodus hissed as she used the stolen gift of healing on Shade and pried the metal from his gut. An incoherent groan rose from the man as she half drug Shade from his seat. “Help me damn it!” she snapped at Nix and he quickly sprang to obey.
Awkwardly they maneuvered Shade back to the rear of the ship and lowered him gently to the floor beside the corpse. Exodus glanced between the two bodies and realized glumly that the dead man was actually in better condition than Shade with the exception that Shade was still somehow managing to breathe.
“I’d likely be more help if I knew what we were doing.” Nix observed dryly then frowned as he noticed Exodus hurriedly unbuttoning Shades bloody shirt. “Have you developed some fetishes that I don’t want to know about?” he asked cautiously.
Exodus paused in her work long enough to give him a withering glare then motioned toward the dead man he had brought at her request. “Strip him.” She commanded before returning to her own task of removing Shade’s clothes.
“This man died in the prison riots. He was a prisoner for the Aspects only know how long. I do not think there is enough gold in the entire city of Sanctuary to get me to strip him.” Nix informed her haughtily.
“I will assign you to protect Fidelity for the next three moons if you do not do as I ask right this moment. You have your choice, take five minutes to strip a filthy dead man or listen to Fidelity croon love songs for a season.” Exodus returned distractedly as she pulled Shade’s shirt off and tossed it to the side. She smiled at Nix’s angry curse and glanced over to see him scowling like a demon but following her orders nonetheless.
Within minutes she had Shade freed of his clothing and frowned as she examined the extensive damage to his body. His regeneration was trying to heal him, but if his limbs weren’t straightened soon he would be crippled in most of his left side.
Grabbing Shade’s torn bloody clothes she threw them at Nix and pointed at the naked dead man at his feet. “Now dress him in Shade’s clothes.” Exodus commanded as she dropped to her knee beside Shade and gently touched the side of his head.
“Why?” Nix demanded and Exodus could hear the stubbornness in his voice. With a sigh she met Nix’s eyes and realized she was going to have to explain what she was doing or Nix would argue through the entire process.
“Because in order for Shade Morcaillo to live. He must die.” Exodus informed him calmly and smiled at the confusion that lit Nix’s handsome face. “He has too many enemies and too many crimes to his name. This crash provides the perfect opportunity. I will hide him where no one will ever find him, right under their noses. No one knew he had company on this ship, and even if Grim would leave a helpless stranger to fend for themselves, Charm wouldn’t.”
“Are you certain this is what Finn meant?” Nix asked with obvious hesitation. The expression on his face was doubtful as he stared down at Shade’s broken body then glanced back to her.
“Finn said to ensure he lived no matter what. This is the only way I can do that.” Exodus said firmly then turned her attention back to Shade. With a deep breath she pressed her fingers tighter against his skull and pulled on the power of her Aspect once more to steal the gift of mind magic from Jin Han’shy. She smirked as she imagined the High Lord’s reaction to his sudden loss of power, but figured it served him right for refusing to use it to help others.