The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(79)
“The Dragons borrowed the technique from the Divine beyond the Barrier. I read on it during my research. Originally it was a gift reserved for the most honored of their servants. What I propose is something a bit more drastic.” He let the vial roll back and forth on the palm of his hand as she considered what he was saying. He could tell she was confused, but she also looked intrigued. “This is a vial of my blood Exodus. It is the purest silver of the Divine. If I gave you this vial and you drank it you would become more of what you are attempting to be. In brutal honest truth you and I both know that an Aspect is nothing more than an Elder Blood that has very specialized focus for the channeling of their power. What I’m offering you is a taste of true Divinity.” She was leaning forward now with eyes fixed on the vial in her hand, and despite her obvious attempts to keep the hunger from her face he could see it clearly. “It has a price Exodus.” He warned her softly.
“This city you want?” she asked cautiously then dropped down from her perch to stand before him. She was small with a slight build that made her seem little more than a child, but he could see the muscles tensed beneath her silk clothes. His fingers closed on the vial and he smiled at her knowingly. She was small, but she was extremely quick, and he wasn’t fool enough to leave something as precious as his own blood unguarded mere feet from the Mistress of Thieves. Her lips pursed at his closed hand and she gave him a withering look. “I wasn’t going to snatch it from you.” She snapped.
“Of course not.” Finn agreed amiably.
“The cost?” Exodus prompted with a raised eyebrow. She still looked mildly irritated, but the expression was fading quickly. She knew her own talents well enough and couldn’t begrudge him taking precautions.
“If you drink it you will be bonded to me in a fashion. It won’t make you a mindless slave by any means, but your feelings toward me will be kinder. The price of Divinity is loyalty to me Exodus.” Finn answered with a faint smile.
“Bloody hell.” Exodus muttered her eyes widening as she stared at him. He could see by the look on her face that she saw the entire picture he was painting. “I’m not the only one you are going to make this offer to am I?” she asked quietly.
“You are the first of many.” Finn agreed in a somewhat smug tone. He knew he had her. The offer of true power was too much for her to resist. It would be too much for the others to resist as well. “Evagale will be built Exodus, and our servants will dwell there in peace without fear of retribution, because everyone will know that true Divine have returned. The phrase The wrath of the gods is about to gain meaning again.” He paused to ensure she was hanging on his every word then continued in a confident voice. “When the High Lords meet for their council we will be there as well. Sanctuary is our home and I have no intention of sitting on the sidelines while they tear it apart. They say that by our laws the Divine may not participate in political affairs, and yet I see Lutheron do it every day. So I have determined that if he can, I can, and that our laws are outdated. It’s time to reach a new agreement between the Divine and the Elder Blood.”
Her eyes flashed once and she shook her head at him. “You are doing this for Jala aren’t you? I thought when you first spoke that you were doing this for the Aspects and then you mention their council.” There was a note of jealousy in her voice that left him silent for a long moment and her anger seemed to grow in that space.
He pulled himself from his shock and shook his head slowly. “I’m doing this for me, Exodus.” He murmured. His hand moved to the tattoo on his wrist and his fingers absently traced the marriage lines imprinted on his flesh. “I have to feel as though the gain was worth the price I paid. Some might say that Divinity was well worth the cost of my mortal life, but I don’t agree. I’m doing this so that I can sleep at night knowing it was all worth it. The Aspects are a joke to the Elder Blood as it stands now, and if I can change that and give them a voice then I will be able to actually see some good that I have done.”
Exodus watched him for a long moment and then regarded the trees surrounding them with renewed interest. “Evagale.” She said softly as if pondering the name then looked back to him with interest filling her dark blue eyes. “Where would it be if we built it?” she asked cautiously.
A smile pulled at his lips once more but he kept his expression subdued. She might see a smile as gloating, and that was the last thing he wanted. She was serious now and he needed to be as well. “In its own place like Sanctuary. I don’t want it to be claimed by any one land. I want it to belong to everyone and yet no one. I won’t give the High Lords power there such as they have in Sanctuary, and yet I won’t ban them from the city either.”
“How will you keep the rival priests from fighting amongst each other?” Exodus continued. The caution was fading from her voice replaced by simple curiosity.
“With laws.” Finn answered simply and slowly lowered himself to the ground once more. The moment for concern was past. Exodus was as good as his and he didn’t need to stress over the matter any further.
“How will you enforce the laws if you have no guards?” Exodus pressed. She glanced quickly at the moss covered rocks he was seated on before sitting down to face him with both of her legs crossed in a childlike pose.
“If I were to say to you. Exodus your priests are thieves and I understand their natures, but I cannot allow crime in Evagale. If your followers steal in this particular city I will ban your temples and remove your seat on the council with the Elder Blood. If you cannot control your priests I cannot put faith in your leadership and therefore your presence there is a waste. What would you do?” Finn kept his voice mild but he could still see her stiffen at his words.