The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(78)
“A few people are talking.” Exodus agreed hesitantly. She eyed him curiously as if she couldn’t quite believe he wasn’t frothing at the mouth and rambling then seemed to relax a bit on her perch above him. “You don’t sound mad though even if you do look a bit nutty.” She added in a brighter voice.
Frowning Finn gazed down at his immaculate armor and traced a hand through his hair. He knew it was wind tousled, but that couldn’t be helped. Beyond his hair however he was perfectly respectable in appearance.
Exodus laughed softly at his self-inspection and shook her head quickly. “Not in appearance, but in action. You are planting a bloody forest in the Darklands after all.” She amended with a grin.
“I’m recreating the city of Evagale. It was surrounded by thick forests on three sides. The city itself was built in a bit of a valley and was famous for the scholars and artists that dwelled there. I’ve read in three books by different authors that say Evagale was the most precious gem lost in the thousand year war.” Finn explained with the same patience that he had used when explaining his projects to everyone else that doubted him.
“And why should you bother? It is a lost city from beyond the Barrier does it really have a place in the Darklands?” Exodus asked. Concern had crept back into her face and voice.
“I could give you the same answer I gave Fiona.” Finn began with a grin. “I could say it’s dead therefore its mine, but I said that mostly to make her question my sanity so she would run to her true master in panic. War has done a good job of spreading his concerns for my well-being and here you are.” He waved a hand toward her lightly and his grin broke into a full smile as the glint of concern on her face blossomed further. “I will give you the truth though.” He added before she could speak. With a sigh he propped one of his legs before him and rested his arm against it. “Evagale is dead, but it could be revived, just as easily as the souls of my domain can be returned to the world above. Every piece of land I alter is a monument to what we can accomplish. The souls are sent to me for redemption and I am showing them what is worth being redeemed for. I am showing them what can be done if they can set aside their wars and their differences. I altered my own house for that reason. It is not the protective fortress that will keep me safe now, but it is one of the reasons for my redemption. That is a replica of the house I was born in. That is the house that my mother and father lived in for decades and raised their family in. That was my Mother’s prison and sanctuary. Every time I walk through my door I remember why she was trapped there, and it gives me the strength to try to achieve the impossible.”
“And what exactly do you define as the impossible?” Exodus asked cautiously.
“A world where Evagale can exist again and thrive and no one is forced to live in fear.” Finn began softly and he rose slowly to his feet. He motioned toward the trees and then looked up at her with determination lighting his eyes. He knew he was on delicate ground here. He had to gain her support and if he chose his words poorly she would think him just as mad as Fiona did. “The city had no standing military. It had no guards or walls, and the only thing that could be considered defense was the forest that surrounded it on three sides. Yet it stood for close to four hundred years in complete and utter peace. I want to take away their desire to fight Exodus. I want to eliminate their desire to escape what they see as a prison. All I have to do is force them to realize the Barrier is protection as much as restraint. If I can build Evagale in the Darklands it can be built in the Sunlit world. All I have to do is remind them of what they could have, and how little the cost would be.”
“Something like that would never last in Sanctuary.” Exodus replied with a shake of her head and a wistful smile. “It sounds beautiful Finn, and it makes a good story, but something like that could never exist in our world.”
“Why?” Finn demanded with a raised eyebrow. He didn’t raise his voice, but she looked stunned regardless.
“Well they would never build a city without defenses for one. No matter how hard you try you will never get them to stop their fighting the city would have to be protected.” Exodus explained with obvious frustration for what she must see as stupidity.
“For an Aspect you have a remarkable lack of faith.” Finn mused. “Evagale will be built Exodus, and we are the ones that are going to build it.” He informed her calmly and smiled once more as her expression shifted to bewilderment. “Not you and I personally, but the Divine.” He amended with amusement clear in his voice. “Close your eyes and picture a city with no walls and no guards that is dedicated to the Aspects, knowledge, and the arts. Imagine a city that holds a library at its heart rather than a government building and citizens that exist amongst each other with no quarrels, poverty, or crime.”
“It’s a beautiful image of idealistic nonsense that can never stand.” Exodus replied the moment he fell silent. She hadn’t bothered to close her eyes and he could tell by the expression on her face that he was very close to losing any chance he had at her support.
He fixed his eyes on her and held her pinned with his gaze as he calmly produced a stoppered vial from his cloak and held it flat in the palm of his hand before him. “Do you know what the term blooded means, Exodus?”
“In Nerathane it means those half-bloods that have been gifted with pure Dragons blood to grant them more power. I’m not sure if that is what you are referring to though.” Her words were hesitant, but the annoyance had cleared from her features and she was listening to him once more.