The Elder Blood Chronicles – Book Three(171)

“I hate her, Val. I hate her so much,” Jala whispered, the anger fading from her as she stared at the sigil of the Bendazzi on his breastplate.

“I know, Jala. You are standing on that ledge right now, though. You are balanced right on the verge of darkness, and no matter how badly you want her dead, I won’t let you fall. I will not let you become one of them, no matter how hurt or angry you are. You are better than they are, Jala,” Valor whispered back.

Jala looked up slowly, her eyes searching his face. There was nothing but concern in his dark blue eyes. She had been expecting disappointment and felt relief wash over her when she didn’t find it there.

“The Lord is approaching,” Jail said softly behind her and Jala nodded slowly before turning away from Valor to watch Jexon pull his horse to a stop beside her own.

“Thank you, Valor,” Jala whispered as she pulled back from him and walked toward Jexon. She could see the fury on her husband’s face, but it no longer concerned her. The agreement had been that she would be the obedient wife as long as he protected Merro. He had failed in his task by attempting surrender, which freed her from the obligation of good behavior.

Jexon closed on her quickly, his strides fueled by his fury. He would rant and rave, but nothing more. He never did more with witnesses. Jala watched him calmly and held a hand up for the knights to stay back. “It’s OK,” she told them softly. Though, by the expressions on their faces, they hardly agreed.

“You stupid bitch! Do you have any idea what you have done?” Jexon bellowed as the back of his hand connected solidly with her face. Staggering back from the blow, Jala reeled in shock, more from the words than the actual blow. She doubted Jexon even realized that he had quoted Finn’s last words to her, but the memory stung regardless. She could hear movement from behind and then Jexon was on his back on the ground with Valor’s fist rising for another blow.

“Are you all right?” Her father demanded as he pulled her farther back from Jexon.

Jala nodded absently as she watched Valor’s fist rise again and again, his metal gauntlet coated with Jexon’s blood. A faint smile tugged at her lips though she knew it was the last expression she should have.

“Are you going to stop Valor?” Jail asked softly and elbowed her lightly in the side. “Because it would really be a good idea to do so before he manages to kill Jexon,” he added when Jala didn’t show any signs of moving.

“Valor,” Jala called out loudly as she stepped toward the two men.

Valor stopped his next blow, but didn’t look up from Jexon. He crouched there, his face a mask of fury staring down at Jexon. She could see the muscles in Valor’s neck quivering with the desire to continue the assault.

“Could you sleep at night if you murdered him?” Jala asked calmly, repeating his own words back to him.

“Soundly and with a smile on my face,” Valor replied in a voice that was choked with anger.

“What happens when Legacy reads about this at the Academy?” Jala asked as she drew closer still.

“Then he will ask what took me so bloody long to kill the son of a bitch,” Valor shot back but she could see his body relaxing.

Slowly, Jala closed her fingers around the wrist of the hand he still held upraised for another blow. With a gentle tug she pulled him to his feet and looked down at the blood soaked gauntlet. Without bothering to even look at her husband she began to undo the buckles and pulled the gauntlet from Valor’s hand, gazing down at the bruised and scraped knuckles.

“Seize him!” Jexon bellowed from the ground, his voice distorted by his broken nose and bleeding lips.

“Uh, beg pardon but who exactly are you telling to seize him, Milord? We knocked your two guards out cold and disarmed them when the Commander moved toward you and the rest of us were cheering him on and hoping he would kill you,” Noble said with amusement in his voice.

“That’s not entirely true. I wasn’t cheering I was holding a sword out in offering in case he wanted to use something other than his fist,” Foster objected.

“There is nothing to seize him for. He hasn’t committed a crime,” Jala said quietly as she healed Valor’s hand and stepped back from him. Looking down at Jexon she shook her head slowly and smiled. “Valor is my Warder, remember? He was simply doing his job and protecting me. Unlike you, Jexon he does his duty,” she finished.

Jexon struggled to sit up, his face still filled with anger. Raising one arm he wiped the worst of the blood from his face and staggered unsteadily to his feet. “I was trying to protect your lands you stupid little bitch. We were outnumbered we had no choice but to find terms with the Avanti.”