The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(3)

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Pain tore through his body like daggers and a sob broke from his throat. The dead are not supposed to hurt Shade’s mind screamed as another wave of agony washed over him.

“Easy I’ve got you.” Caleb’s voice whispered somewhere near his ear. “You are a tough little bastard Morcaillo.” He added in a strained voice.

“He looks dead to me, not tough.” A woman observed dryly from somewhere to his left.

“After what you have put him through he should be. He is Morcaillo, Onvalla. A Delvay or Shifter could live through this kind of treatment, even a Firym might be able to pull through, but not one of the more fragile houses. Their strengths do not lie in endurance.” Caleb scolded in a cold voice.

“He is Morcaillo as you say. So why should I care if he dies?” Onvalla snapped back in a tone that held very little patience.

“Because this particular Morcaillo was Micah’s friend and he isn’t like the rest. This is Christian the Shade. I know you heard Micah speak of him before. I know you remember that name, Onvalla.” Caleb growled.

“The one Micah said could change House Morcaillo if he led it?” Onvalla replied in a quieter tone. “Why didn’t you tell me before now? It’s too late now. He is practically dead.” Her voice held a note of regret and Shade wanted to slap her for it. It was taking everything he had to focus on their words rather than the jostling pain of his body, and every moment of suffering he had endured was her fault.

“I tried to tell you Onvalla. I tried several times to tell you or get him a healer, but your lackeys ignore my words.” Caleb explained in frustration. “They would have continued to ignore me if I hadn’t thrown such a bloody fit this time.” He added in clipped tones.

“Be grateful they fetched me rather than killing you for that.” Onvalla replied in a harsher voice. “I fail to see what we can do for him regardless. He is too far gone now and I have no healers. Blights have no need of healers.” Her words echoed with superiority and Shade could hear the smile in her voice.

“Slap her for that.” Shade mumbled hoping Caleb could decipher his words despite the weakness of his voice.

Caleb snorted back laughter as he gently lowered Shade to the dirty straw covered floor. “I doubt that would help either of us at this point.” He murmured quietly. “He wouldn’t need a healer either if your people hadn’t been feeding him Tevrae daily to keep him in this state. Give him the antidote and his regeneration will do the rest of the work. I doubt he will get his eye back or much of his strength, but he will live.” Caleb said in a louder voice.

“Antidote?” Onvalla echoed in confusion.

“Yes Antidote. Did you not happen to glean that particular detail when you were scanning minds? Nearly every poison has an antidote and the one for Tevrae is fairly simple. Let me out of this hole and I’ll be happy to show it to you.” Caleb spoke in a carefully measured voice, but Shade could still hear the seething anger in the man’s words.

“So you can escape? I don’t think so Caleb. I can’t have you running back to your people with the knowledge you have. It’s only for Micah’s memory that I have let you live this long. I know he loved you like a little brother, but don’t make the mistake of believing I share Micah’s sentiments. You were the one that tracked my people down. If not for you hundreds of Blights would still be alive. No one else can track us like you do, and until I find out how you tracked us you are my prisoner.” Onvalla’s voice grew colder with each word.

“And once you find out how I am what? Dinner?” Caleb snapped back. “If you don’t get him the antidote he will die and he could very well be the answer to your problems with the Morcaillo. If he takes control of his house he can call back his people and end their demands on your kind.”

Shade had to suppress a smile at the words. There was of course no way that was the truth. He had about as much chance of gaining control of House Morcaillo as Caleb had of convincing Onvalla to save his life. Now didn’t seem the prudent time to speak however. So he contented himself with staring up at the shadowed ceiling and silently wishing someone would cut his mangled leg off. With the pain coursing through it right now there was no way an amputation could hurt any worse.

“And why would he? Why would he relinquish power over the Blights?” Onvalla demanded. There was a trace of hope in her voice though, it was barely perceptible but it was there. She wanted Caleb to answer her with something she could believe.

Shade wanted him too as well. He hadn’t actually expected the Blight to be persuaded, but from the sounds of it she was. If Caleb could spin a good enough tale there was a chance he could get both of them out of this mess.

“Because unlike most of us in this wretched world Shade Morcaillo is a good man. I’ve heard his views on the world and they mirrored Micah’s. He isn’t like the rest of the Morcaillo and Micah respected him for it. You heard Micah talking about what needed to change in Sanctuary and I know you heard him say Shade Morcaillo was one of the changes. Put your prejudice aside and think with an open mind, Onvalla. Your savior is dying before your eyes and you are doing nothing.” Caleb’s voice rose with emotion as he spoke.

The room fell silent for several breaths and Shade wished fervently that he could see the look on either of their faces. His body wouldn’t respond though and he knew it without even trying, he was simply too weak. He wanted to know if Onvalla was truly considering what Caleb had said, but most of all he wanted to know if Caleb had truly meant his words. Shade had spent his entire life being judged by the name Morcaillo, and now finally when he was a breath from dying someone was judging him by his own merits, and comparing him with a hero. Micah Arovan had been a good man; no one could deny that, not even his enemies. To be considered his equal in anything was more compliment than Shade had ever received from anyone aside from Jala.