The Elder Blood Chronicles – Book Three(128)

“You never had a choice, Emily. I was simply trying to allow you a chance to keep your pride. Sorry doll, but I have no more time for this. The Nightblades are already closing on this room. Better kill them quickly, Emily or you will have let your friends die as well as lost the child. That’s more failure than I’m sure you want to deal with.” Seth spoke the words even as she was charging him again, his mocking smile never once faltering.

“You won’t leave this room with that child!” Emily snarled as she brought her claws down hard across the man’s side and nearly plunged headfirst into the wall as her hands passed directly through him.

Seth turned to watch her as she stumbled back to her feet, spinning to face him with an expression of disbelief clearly written on her face. Shaking his head slowly he clicked his tongue against his teeth. “I was gone before you killed the Nightblade Emily. This is a projection. I’m surprised you didn’t pick that up with your advanced senses.” Sighing dramatically, he shook his head once more. “You really do need the Bendazzi with you, child,” he murmured in a sickeningly sweet voice as the image slowly faded into the shadows of the room.

Cold weight settled over her chest at the words and she swallowed quickly as her eyes began to burn. “Damn you,” she whispered as the full brunt of her failure brought glassiness to her eyes. The faint scuff of a boot in the hall drew her attention back to Seth’s warnings and she turned to face the open door. Seth might have tricked her, but these fools wouldn’t. Flexing her hands Emily waited in utter silence for the first of the Nightblades to show themselves. She almost pitied the bastards. Seth had humiliated her and stolen Legacy and now they would pay for his sins, painfully. Crouching she waited for the first victim and only then realized the rest of the city had fallen silent as well. Not a single caw of a raven could be heard.





Chapter 21





The Darklands





“Clear the room!” Seth bellowed from the back of the crowded audience chamber as he pushed his way through the doors. The two demons posted to either side of the entrance gave the rogue a fleeting glance but showed no signs of following his order.

Finn leaned back in his seat and watched as the man crossed the room toward him. The spirits didn’t simply move from Seth’s path, they fled his approach in terror. “Why do they fear him like that? They don’t run from me in that fashion,” Finn whispered to Fiona. His teacher and unwilling mentor stood to his left, watching the proceedings with a look of utter disgust written plainly across her delicate face.

“The Dark Lady gave souls to him in payment. Seth feeds off them such as a Soulreaver would,” Fiona answered quietly, her gold eyes locked on the approaching rogue and narrowing dangerously. “This is your first official judging of souls. He should not be interrupting.”

“Clear the bloody room, now!” Seth snarled in a louder voice, his attention fully focused on the demons that lingered near the doors.

“Seth, I fail to see why I should have the chamber cleared for the laundry you are bringing me,” Finn called across the room before the demons had moved from their stations. Honestly, he didn’t really want to use the creatures more than he had to. The hold he had on the denizens of the Darklands was tenuous at best and he preferred to have them within sight for the time being. At least, until he mastered better control of the more dangerous ones.

“I bring more than laundry, Milord, please humor me, I beg of you.” Seth’s voice held a faint note of pleading to it that seemed quite out of character for him.

Glancing at Fiona, Finn shrugged and waved a hand to the demons. With a low growl the first of the creatures moved to clear the hall. “This better be good, Seth. Do you have any idea how long I’m going to have to listen to Fiona bitch about you interrupting?” Finn sighed, glancing once more at Fiona before looking back to Seth with a weary expression.

Seth paused, a smile on his handsome face and brown eyes sparkling. He cocked his head to the side and winked at Fiona before turning to ensure the room was clear of all but the three of them. With a faint nod of approval he looked back at Finn and carefully pulled his cloak back revealing the wrapped bundle in the crook of his arm. “Milord, might I present your son,” he whispered, as he offered the bundle forward toward the throne.

Finn stared blankly for a long moment before blinking in shock and rising quickly from his throne. “My son?” he gasped as he took the bundle and stared down at the violet eyed child wrapped within. “What of Jala? How did you get the child? Why did you get the child?” The questions poured out of him as he backed once more to his throne, his eyes never leaving the baby. His legs shook slightly as he sat back down and pulled the blanket farther back.