The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(18)
“Well?” Caleb asked as the silence in the ship grew.
“Did you hear about the bombing of Eldagar?” Shade asked with a faint smile.
“I did. The largest hive of Blights was wiped out there in a single day, and by rather unconventional means.” Caleb replied slowly and by his expression Shade could tell he knew what he was going to say next.
“That was me, on this ship, and I was worried some of the Blights might remember that particular day. Considering how pissy Onvalla was about the glasses that allowed Blights to be seen I really didn’t think she needed to know exactly what I had done against her people.” Shade explained with a shrug.
“Bloody hell. Are you sure none of them followed us here? I can’t believe Onvalla would simply let us walk out without spying on us the entire way.” Caleb asked softly as he turned in his seat to stare at the empty ship behind them.
“None that I saw and these are the accursed glasses she was so upset over.” Shade assured him as he placed his hands over the control panel. “Now there is a shower and plenty of soap in the back room of this ship. Feel free to partake of it while I get us the hell out of here. I’m going to warn you upfront though. I’ve never flown this weakened or with one eye so the ride will be a bumpy one.”
“As long as you don’t crash I don’t care how rough the voyage is.” Caleb returned with a sigh and rose from his chair. “Soap is too much temptation. I will return shortly.” He announced as he disappeared into the back of the ship.
Shade smiled and focused himself on the ship pouring as much magic as he dared into it. Normally a long voyage was no issue for him, but this time out he was going to have to pace himself. For some reason his magic wasn’t as strong as it typically was, and it wasn’t returning with the speed he was accustomed to. The ship lifted gently from the clearing and he kept it as steady as he could as they slowly rose above the tree tops. The last thing he wanted to do was throw Caleb from the shower or hit another tree with his ship.
“I have seen you looking better.” The voice came from the seat Caleb had so recently vacated and it was so shockingly familiar that Shade nearly planted the Spell Hawk directly in a very large pine tree.
Inhaling sharply he fought to bring the ship steady again and then glanced over quickly at the passenger seat. “You are supposed to be dead.” Shade said with dismay as he stared at Finn Sovaesh in pure shock. He was dressed differently than Shade had ever seen him, in dark chain armor and a black cloak, but there was no mistaking who it was.
The corners of Finn’s lips creased with his typical arrogant smile and he raised his eyebrows twice. “Funny you should mention that given what I came to speak to you about.” Finn drawled and his smile widened. “You were very close to death recently too, Shade. In fact you were right on the boundary, only a breath or two from crossing over weren’t you?”
Shade stared at him for a long moment and then forced his eyes back onto the ship’s view screen. “How would you know that?” he asked and glanced back to the back of the ship. Had it been anyone else he would have assumed they had learned through scrying on him, but Finn Sovaesh was terrible with magic and everyone knew it. Shade’s attention flicked between the back of the ship and the passenger seat once more and he groaned inwardly. He wasn’t sure if he was praying Caleb would return or hoping he wouldn’t. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to see Finn get his ass kicked or if he wanted to hear everything Finn had to say.
“I was dead, now I’m Death, and you were nearly dead, but I didn’t allow it. Do you know what that means Shade?” Finn replied calmly. He seemed amused by Shade’s glances toward the back of the ship and chuckled when Shade looked at him in confusion. “Well first of all it means I’m a Divine now and no matter how much Grim may hate me, he won’t be able to so much as bruise me. Second it means you owe me a life boon and I’m here to collect.”
“Bloody buggering hell. Is there one single individual in all of Sanctuary that doesn’t want something from me?” Shade snarled as his shock gave away to anger. “Seriously? You are a god and you are making demands of me? This is the sickest joke I’ve ever bloody well heard. It’s ridiculous. Why would I ever consider doing anything for you? I hate you. You know I hate you. Why would you even ask me to do anything for you?” His voice rose with each word as his frustration grew.
Finn sighed with exaggerated annoyance and gave Shade a withering look. “The feeling is mutual, but if not for me you wouldn’t be alive now would you? You know you were too close to death to live. You know it had to take more intervention than your pathetic regeneration to save your life. Given what you are I really would have thought you would have improved your regeneration by now. It’s rather sad actually.”
“Really? Is now really the time to criticize the use of my birthright?” Shade growled and shook his head at Finn. He let out a long slow breath and stared at the view screen as he wrestled his emotions back under control. “I don’t have time for your favor Finn. I’m already in the middle of two other favors for people that I like more than you.” He said after a long silence. “And in case you don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, that was a pretty big insult because I really don’t like Onvalla.”
“I know what you are talking about. I watched your little drama unfold in Glis. Your passion is so touching Shade. You know I really do think you will save the whole world.” Finn said in a voice laced with sarcasm.