The Elder Blood Chronicles – Book Three(23)

“I’m not scared of him,” Shade pointed out as he motioned behind him with a sweep of his hand. “I’ve seen scarier,” he added and then frowned as he noticed everyone in the room staring at him. “I’m going back to my ship. If you want to convince me you can do it there.”

“Did you do an inventory of the ships there as Remedy asked for earlier?” Charm asked before he could leave.

Shade paused by the door and nodded. “Four Eagles, three hawks, eight doves and a sparrow though I have no idea who had a sparrow. They stopped making that class years ago.”

“What?” Victory and Charm said in unison both of them staring at him as if he had spoken complete gibberish.

Shade cleared his throat and sighed then began again. “Four Eagles or transport ships. By the look of these I’d say they have been used for cargo vessels rather than passenger transport. Three hawks such as my own ship in size. Eight doves which are the same as a hawk in size but have no weapon systems. The doves are generally used for luxury transport for the wealthy. Then the sparrow which is a one person ship very small and not very useful. They were originally designed for spying but failed in that purpose as they give off too large a magical signature,” Shade explained with exaggerated patience and then nodded his farewell to them.

Stepping from the door, he gazed upward and inhaled deeply. It was a beautiful day out. The air was the crisp cold of early winter and the sky was a blanket of blue without a cloud in sight. If he could simply keep his gaze upward and away from the ruin of the city and manage to keep his mind off Jala’s plight, he could possibly enjoy the day. Neither seemed likely, however. The idea of traveling into the Darklands hadn’t been a pleasant one, but he would have. He wasn’t entirely sure if it was to help Jala or to redeem himself. His actions in Rivana still haunted his conscience and surely retrieving her from hell would have made up for it.

With a heavy sigh he crossed the streets toward the Sky port and scanned the ships there once more. With the exception of the Eagle class the rest barely looked as though they had been flown. They were in immaculate condition. His own ship looked like a heap next to them. With its battered panels and lack of paint it was truly a sparrow among songbirds. Even the actual sparrow class looked better than his own ship he noted with a smirk.

“Shade, a moment before you start your work again.” Vaze’s voice came from just behind him.

Pausing, Shade turned and looked at the man with open curiosity. “Lutheron finished with you quickly,” he said with a nod of greeting.

“Lutheron dismissed me early because he didn’t like what I was saying,” Vaze replied with a shrug. “He doesn’t like to be corrected,” he added and motioned for Shade to continue walking.

“So, what do you need to speak with me about?” Shade asked cautiously.

“These ships, actually. Have their owners come forward yet?” Vaze asked as he ran his hand across one of the Doves they were passing.

Shade shrugged. “Not that I’ve seen, but then with all of the activity over the last few days they may be afraid to. Why?”

“I’m going to announce that if they are not claimed within one week they will be considered property of the Fionaveir,” Vaze began and grinned at Shade. The expression seemed out of place on the normally expressionless face. “I’ve informed Lutheron of this and he isn’t happy with what I have in mind.”

“What do you have in mind?” Shade asked, growing cautious.

“I plan to have you teach Symphony to fly, as well as a few others. I wouldn’t expect you to use your own ship for such things, though, so wait, and pick the best of the unclaimed ships. That should keep Lutheron’s gaze firmly on you. He will be frantic at the idea of Symphony flying,” Vaze explained.

“Uhh. Why would I want Lutheron’s gaze firmly on me?” Shade began, his caution shifting over to outright distaste.

“Because it will keep his eyes off me while I’m in the Darklands,” Vaze finished, looking to Shade with a raised eyebrow. “Three days from now we will eliminate the Blight problem. Once that has been dealt with, I will leave the city. You will begin flight lessons that day even if it’s simply teaching her the parts of the ship and not actually flying.”

“On the day she arrives in the city? We aren’t even going to give her a chance to get settled?” Shade asked, incredulous.

“Afraid not. Time works differently in the Darklands, and while its only three days for us, it’s much longer for Jala. Symphony will need the distraction anyway. It will keep her mind off the dead,” Vaze answered with a sigh.