The Elder Blood Chronicles – Book Three(110)

“You had to add to it didn’t you,” Emily sighed with a shake of her head. It had nearly taken having Marrow lay on Emily to hold her down for Jala to accomplish cutting the Blight’s hair. It had seemed the most practical thing to do, given how much Emily detested taking care of long hair.

Jala smiled faintly and glanced to the other side of the room. “Did you sense any guilt or remorse on any of them, Ash?” she asked quietly and had to fight back the urge to smile as Neph spun around in his chair to stare in the direction she was looking.

“Valor had remorse when he looked at his fellow knight, but there was no guilt in the room beyond your own, Milady,” Ash replied in a whisper as he slowly materialized from the shadows at the back of the room.

“Do you have anyone else hidden in here?” Neph demanded, turning in his chair once more to face her.

“Did you know Soulreavers can read emotions as well as Empaths can? It’s truly amazing what they can do with their spirit magic. Taking the form of a spirit, for example. I had no idea they could do that either. As silent as a ghost in a literal sense,” Jala said as she watched Ash cross the room to take a seat at the table beside her. “They are also utterly immune to the powers of Empaths as well as Enchantments,” she added, her eyes locking with Neph’s. “I need you to do something for me, Neph, and I need it to be done silently.”

Neph frowned, his expression growing serious as he looked around the table and then slowly back to her. “What?” he asked cautiously.

“I need you to arrange a marriage for me. I cannot do it myself because of the laws of the land. I’ve tried marriage for love. Now I have to accept marriage for politics. I need an army, Neph, and I need one by spring. I know Valor is building one but they won’t be seasoned and they will be affected by the Avanti enchantments,” Jala said softly, her throat growing tight as she spoke. She had discussed her plan with Ash already and it was a solid idea, but the thought of another marriage made her almost physically ill. She couldn’t imagine lying next to someone else while her heart still screamed for Finn.

“With Seravae?” Neph said, his eyes moving from Jala to Ash and then back.

Jala nodded slowly and let out her breath. It was a force of will to keep her eyes from growing glassy as she spoke. “I’ve talked it over with Ash and I believe it is my best option. Every other nation is either already fighting or my enemy. Seravae is the only neutral country left aside from Nerathane and I fully expect Nerathane to side with Rivana very soon,” she explained.

“Lord Jexon is married to a girl from Rivana at the present. Therefore any marriage arrangements will fall to the next worthy man in line. Any who qualify as a Warlord in my land would be an option, though some are more fitting than others for this. The rings of mastery they possess determine how many they are fit to lead. So the more trained they are, the more soldiers they have available,” Ash said softly.

“Ash has twenty-eight rings,” Jala added quietly.

“You are going to marry Ash?” Neph choked the words and stared openly at Ash who simply smiled in return.

“Once you make the proper arrangements for me,” Jala agreed with a nod. “As I said, we have discussed it. As it turns out it is quite beneficial to both of us. Ash cannot gain more status in his lands due to the fact that the current High Lord fears him. So he needs a land other than Seravae to call home. I have land and he will have soldiers. We will both win in this.”

“And I understand that Jala is grieving and I expect nothing from her in the ways of a wife. I simply see our marriage contract as a way for both of us to attain our goals. I will be free of my father’s rule and she will have the army she needs,” Ash said with a faint smile.

Neph looked between them once more and leaned back in his seat, rubbing his chin thoughtfully with one hand. “You know Arovan despises Seravae, right? And you have three hundred Arovan knights living here.”

“I’ve considered that. Ash assures me that there are different factions in his land and the one that he is allied with are not raiders. I’m hoping that fact might reduce the pending hostility a bit,” Jala said with a sigh and shrugged. “It is the best option I see, Neph. I regret that there will be difficulties from it, but it is better than losing to Avanti.”

“When do you plan to do this?” Neph asked still skeptical.

“As soon as the curse on Goswin is lifted,” Jala answered softly. “When we go to Goswin, you will leave for Seravae if you agree to help.”