The Elder Blood Chronicles – Book Three(15)

Emily fought back a snort of amusement as she watched him gaze at the empty corner. She remained silent and turned her attention outside the window she was perched in, hoping to catch a glimpse of what she knew she wouldn’t see. Jala and Marrow had been gone for days now and no matter how long she watched for their return, she knew in her gut she wouldn’t see them. Jala had left her behind, just as Shade had done, and she had never seen Shade again.

It wasn’t truly Jala that she missed, though. It was Marrow. She identified with the Bendazzi better than she did these perfect pretty Immortals. He was a predator as she was, and he understood things the immortals couldn’t seem to grasp. Like the smell of scented soap alerts prey. Emily grumbled silently and shifted a bit closer to the window. She had no doubt at all that if she showed herself to Sovann and Wisp another bath would be in her future.

A ragged sob followed by a slamming door heralded Wisp’s victory, and Emily watched in amusement as the child ran to huddle beneath the window barely inches below her. The desire to reach down and touch the child flashed through her mind, but she ignored the impulse. While it might be funny for a moment to see the child shriek and jump it wouldn’t be worth the lectures from Sovann that would ensue afterwards.

“What did you need to speak with me about?” Sovann asked quietly as he gave Devony a reassuring smile.

Wisp looked over her shoulder at the door and then back to Sovann. “Are the wards in place?” she asked quietly.

Sovann returned her gaze and arched an eyebrow before nodding slowly. “Whenever the door is closed the wards are active. No one can hear us,” he assured her.

“My brother is here. He wants to speak with Jala. I haven’t told him what is going on. I left him in the main house with some food and drink while I came to speak with you. The only company he has right now is the maid and she had no idea where Jala is. What should I tell him? The truth didn’t seem a good idea at the time,” Wisp explained, her words pouring out in a flood. Wisp brushed a strand of hair from her face and stared at Sovann, her big green eyes full of expectation.

Emily’s attention turned from the window to them and she watched Sovann as he considered the Fae’s words. On the surface, Sovann was a slender mirror of his dead brother. He had the same bronzed skin and tawny hair, though he wore his hair longer than Finn had. Emily, however, had been around Sovann enough lately to know appearance was the only thing the brothers had in common. Finn was passionate and spontaneous where Sovann was calm and thoughtful. He was displaying that thoughtfulness right now and didn’t seem in a hurry to answer Wisp, though the Fae was quite obviously in a hurry.

“I don’t see how they can possibly interfere with Jala right now…,” Sovann began but let his voice trail off. He pursed his lips as he gave the matter more thought and shifted a few items on his work table.

Emily smiled at the habit. It was one of the few entertainments she had while working with Sovann on his secret project. He was very particular about his work tables and liked everything to be perfectly in place. So when she grew bored she roamed the room shifting things around.

“Whatever we tell him, he will report back to the Fionaveir leaders. It won’t take long for gossip to spread. Jala didn’t say that we should keep silent on this but I don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize their returning safely. It’s not that I don’t trust my brother, but I don’t know how far the gossip will go. If the Fionaveir leaders keep it to themselves we don’t have a problem,” Wisp said, her voice filled with concern.

Sovann nodded slowly and then smiled brightly, looking over at Wisp with decision clear on his face. “All right, where is Neph?” he asked sweetly.

“Overseeing the grain that’s being stored and he is in a foul temper because of it. Apparently the flour has been cut with sawdust, or so he says. The last I spoke with him, he was planning to ride north to Brannaford to… How did he put it? Ahh. Strangle the crooked bastard with his own innards. Yes, that was it,” Wisp replied with a faint smile of her own.

“Fetch him and tell him to deal with the Fionaveir.” Sovann said with a firm nod and started to go back to his work.

“But I love my brother! Why would I sick Neph on him?” Wisp objected with a hint of a whine to her lovely voice. She shifted where she stood and twisted the fabric of her green tunic in her hands.

That, too, was a habit Emily had noticed time and again. She didn’t need to hear their words to know their feelings. She had studied these immortals far too often. Wisp always twisted at her cloak or tunic when she was upset.