The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(15)
“Such pretty words.” Onvalla snapped her eyes flashing back to land on him. She did nothing to hide the loathing she felt for him and Shade felt his hopes sinking further.
She had too much prejudice in her heart to hear anything he said unless he could think of something really good, really quickly. He had dealt with hard negotiations in Sanctuary before during his time as the ruling lord of his quarter of the city, but he had never entered into a negotiation with so many cards against him. He was disfigured, stunk worse than a sewage soaked corpse, and was wearing torn and filthy clothing. There was no way he was going to charm anyone in his current state, especially not someone that already hated him simply for the blood pulsing through his veins.
“I was sent here to offer peace to your people, Lady Onvalla. I’m not trying to flatter you with pretty words, it’s simply the truth. This is more important to me than any personal feelings I have, and if you truly care for the well-being of your people it should be just as important to you.” Shade pressed and knew the moment the words were out of his mouth that he had chosen poorly.
Her expression darkened and she stalked closer to him her delicate hands clenching into fists. “Liar.” She hissed. “Filthy Morcaillo liar. You say Jala Merrodin sent you to make peace. The same Jala Merrodin that provided the gods accursed glasses that allow my people to be seen? Do you know how many of my people have died because of those glasses?” Onvalla pressed her voice growing louder with each word and the threat in her eyes was deepening with every step.
“One more step and I’ll be forced to restrain you Onvalla.” Caleb warned. “I won’t kill you, but I will stop you from killing him.” He added as he took a step closer to Shade.
Relief washed over Shade at the words and he took a slight step back toward Caleb. It might look like cowardice in Onvalla’s eyes, but it was practical in his. Even if she was slight of build he didn’t want to fight her, and he wasn’t sure that he could even dodge her blows.
“At the time Jala provided those glasses your people were raiding without mercy Lady Onvalla. Jala took what measures she deemed necessary to protect her people and allies. At that time she believed your people to all be evil and animalistic in nature. She has learned better since then and regrets her ignorance on the matter. Her offer for peace is genuine and I promise I’m no liar on the matter. Tell me what I can do to prove myself to you please. We are running out of time on this.” Shade spoke slowly and calmly and knew he only managed to keep his nerves from his voice due to the fact that a very large and very intimidating Arovan was standing just behind him. He was on delicate ground and he knew it, but the fact that the Blights all seemed to fear Caleb did a lot to build his confidence. Even if he was useless in a fight right now, Caleb quite obviously wasn’t.
Onvalla glared at him for a long moment and a smile slowly formed on her lips. If anything the expression was even more unnerving than her anger. She was about to name a price and Shade knew just by the look in her eyes that it would cost more than he was willing to pay. “You want to prove yourself Morcaillo?” She asked coldly and slowly nodded at him. “Fine then, I’ll give you that chance. Bring me the head of the one that killed Micah and I will listen to this Jala Merrodin’s terms. Prove you are genuine by killing a Rivasan and avenging Micah. The Morcaillo and the Rivasans are allies, and if you want to prove that you don’t serve House Morcaillo than this is the best way I can think to prove it.”
“I’m no Assassin, Lady Onvalla.” Shade objected weakly as his thoughts spun from her words. That was quite possibly the last thing he had expected her to ask and even as he spoke his mind was desperately scrambling over how impossible the task was. He had two days at best, he was crippled, and he didn’t even know for a certainty which Rivasan had killed Micah. It was doubtless one of the High Lord’s countless sons, but he didn’t know exactly which one, and he wasn’t sure that anyone truly did. Several of the Rivasan leaders had escaped the Last Stand in Arovan, and it could have been any one of them that swung the blade against Micah and Honor.
“Fetch our gear and he will do it.” Caleb said firmly behind him and Shade whirled to stare at the Arovan with wide eyes.
“I said nothing about you going, Caleb.” Onvalla hissed her eyes narrowing as she stared past Shade.
“You lost a husband you ran away from Onvalla. I lost two men that were closer than brothers, my sister, my wife, and my children. You think you want revenge and I think you have no idea what revenge truly is. You may want the Rivasan that killed Micah dead, but I want every last one of the flame hearted bastards dead. I want their country in ruins as mine is. I want them screaming in pools of blood before me, Onvalla. I want Kevala’drin and you will only be able to stop me from delivering it for so long. I will have their blood.” Caleb’s voice was filled with passion as he spoke and he moved closer to the Blight with every word. By the time he fell silent he was bare inches from her and staring down with the expression of a fanatic on his face.
“I didn’t run from him because I didn’t love him Caleb. Don’t make my pain sound less than yours. I ran because I had to. I was pregnant Caleb, I had no choice. I couldn’t let him discover I was a Blight, especially not with you in his house. Do you remember how many dinners I sat through listening to you brag about slaughtering my people. Do you have any idea how many nights I watched you return drenched in blood that I knew wasn’t your own? How could I admit to what I was knowing Micah’s hatred and knowing you would kill me for simply existing?” Onvalla’s voice rose as well and to Shades astonishment there were tears forming in her eyes.