The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(16)
“I don’t hate you for being a Blight. I hate you for being a liar, Onvalla. Had you not lied to him in the beginning matters would be different between us. Maybe you should have shown him honesty and you wouldn’t have had to run!” Caleb snarled back as his anger sprang to life once more. “Micah gave you everything he was and you gave him lies and ran when he needed you. You knew he couldn’t follow you. Sebastian’s life depended on him staying, and so he sent me to follow you, and now everything I had is gone because of it. You are as guilty of Micah’s death as the Rivasans are. If not for you I would have saved them all!”
“You arrogant bastard do you really believe you could have stopped an entire Rivasan army?” Onvalla growled back with equal venom.
“I believe I could have talked my sister from fighting as well as Micah. I believe I could have led them all from the city before the Rivasans even closed to fighting distance, and if you think about it clearly you will realize I could have as well. They all listened to me and no one knows that area better than I do. Had it come to fighting though you know I would have made the difference that spared Micah. Had I been there he would be alive.” Caleb replied coldly.
Shade glanced between the two of them and a faint smile rose on his lips as he fully digested everything that had been said. It wasn’t that the topic was a pleasant one at all, but he finally saw his chance, finally he had enough knowledge of the situation to negotiate. Jala you tricky bitch, did you know what you were doing or is this just more of the luck that seems to favor you? Carefully he wiped the smile from his face and cleared his throat. “Lady Onvalla. Where is your child now?” Shade broke in loudly and his words seemed to stun them both to silence. To his amusement they both turned to look at him with matching expressions of disbelief as if they couldn’t believe he had the audacity to interrupt them.
“Dead.” Onvalla said quietly and brushed a stray tear from her cheek. “He learned of his father when he scanned my mind and thought me a coward for running. He left for Arovan as soon as he was old enough to travel to join his father in the fighting. I haven’t seen him since. I’ve sent Granger to search for him, but there has been no sign. He is dead, and I don’t even know who killed him, the Rivasans, or his father.” Her voice was monotone as she spoke and there was no trace of anger left on her face, only grief. She turned away from them both and paced slowly back to the window.
“All the more reason for you to allow me to accompany Shade, it’s just another reason to kill them, Onvalla.” Caleb growled.
“And what would stop you from returning to Arovan and leading your people back here once Rivasan has suffered your wrath Caleb?” Onvalla demanded in a weary voice.
“I said Kevala’drin Onvalla don’t pretend like you don’t know the word. You know full well what it means. Aside from that however my promise to Micah would keep me from leading them back here. Even if he didn’t know what you truly were his order was to guard you and protect you from harm. I swore I would and I keep my word no matter if it means protecting a lying bitch that I’d love to kill myself.” Caleb replied coldly.
Shade sighed and cleared his throat once more. “Lady Onvalla I don’t think your son is dead.” He broke in again and it was hard to keep the smile from his face when they both turned to look at him with the exact same expression of disbelief.
“What?” Onvalla gasped her eyes widening as she stared at him searching for any sign of deceit.
“I believe I’ve seen him very recently.” Shade paused and frowned. “Well not exactly seen him per say, but you know what I mean. I believe I know where he is, and if I’m right he is safe and unharmed.”
“Where?” Onvalla demanded.
“Say Caleb can join me for this little mission and I’ll be happy to answer that.” Shade returned calmly.
“Liar. You have no idea where my son is you are simply trying to trick me.” Onvalla snarled.
“Too right. I’m trying to trick you into allowing me to take an obvious psychopath with me on a mission I have absolutely no desire to go on so I can win your trust enough that you will actually listen to me when I tell you I’m trying to save your bloody people’s lives.” Shade said dryly and shook his head at her slowly. “Really Onvalla if I was trying to trick you why wouldn’t I simply say I would trade you the information in return for my release and forget all thoughts of the suicide mission you want to send me on? It’s different when Jala sends me on this sort of mission. She is a friend and you would be amazed the lengths I will go to for friends, but you and I are hardly on the suicide mission part of our relationship. When you ask it’s just insulting.”
“Once you leave here I have no guarantee you will return even if you say you are going on the mission. If I allow you to take Caleb it’s almost assured you won’t return. I’m better off keeping him as hostage. You seem to have grown fond of each other in your captivity. ” Onvalla argued and Shade nodded once in agreement.
“So send one of your people with us for assurance. Send Granger, he seems capable enough.” Shade offered.
“So you can have Granger killed once you are back with your own people?” Onvalla snarled and shook her head at him with anger growing in her eyes once more.
“Then send twenty of your bloody people with us. Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Shade snapped in frustration. “The point I’m trying to make is if you agree to my one request. I kill the damn Rivasan for you, and I will tell you where to find your son. All I ask is that you allow Caleb to help me, because I quite obviously can’t do it alone in the current state I’m in.” Shade pushed his crippled leg forward to emphasis the point and stared hard at her. “It’s the only way you will get anything you want. I will sit here prisoner and wait for Arovan to destroy you before I leave here without Caleb. He saved my life as you well know, and I won’t leave him to rot here.”