Blood, Honor and Dreams (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #2)

Her companions watched her expectantly as she approached and she marveled at how swiftly they had prepared. Wisp and Neph were fully armored and the small Fae had her bow strung across her back. A full quiver of her deadly black fletched arrows was tied to the saddle and she looked ready for war. Jala raised an eyebrow at the swords that Neph wore but the mage simply raised an eyebrow at her in response, offering no explanation. She had never seen him carry blades before, but the sight was reassuring. With magic being limited it was nice to know that the mage had back-up defenses. “What’s the plan?” Wisp asked, once Finn had joined them.

“If Kellis won’t listen to reason, than we retrieve Valor and Chastity in whatever way we can. I doubt they have Devony there but if you see the child she is to be rescued as well. We can’t use magic directly against them but we can use it on the surroundings for advantage. If possible, Neph, I would like to divide our enemies if it comes to a fight,” she said, her voice calm despite the churning in her stomach. There was so much that could go wrong today and the thought of losing one of her friends in the fight made her sick. There was no other option that she could see, though, aside from letting Chastity and Valor die, and that simply wasn’t an option in her eyes.

Neph nodded his agreement and cocked his head to one side watching her. “And then what? Once we have stirred the hornet’s nest what do we do?”

“We retreat back here and you and I seal the main gates. If it comes to that, Sovann will disable the portal. He is working with Emily today so she can guard him while he does so. If anyone manages to get through the portal before he can seal it, she will make short work of them,” she explained and turned her gelding for the gates.

“So we put ourselves under siege then,” Neph pressed as he nudged his horse up beside hers.

“Do you have a better plan?” she asked, hoping he would. She didn’t like the thought of sealing them into a corner of the city with enemies on all sides.

He shook his head slowly and turned his gaze toward the inner city. “If we do this, we will have to plan on finding a way out of Sanctuary very soon. We can hold siege for a while but our enemies are no fools. They will find a way in sooner or later.”

“But where do we go once we are out?” Wisp asked from behind them. Neph looked to her with a raised eyebrow but it was Finn that answered.

“I’ve put thought into it. Once we are done with today, Wisp and Valor can leave the city. I can get the two of them out without much difficulty. They can work quietly on restoring a bit of the land in Merro. Once they have had a week or so at that, we work on getting out everyone that wants to leave.”

“It might be best to send you, as well Finn. They already have warrants for your arrest and after today they will want you more than ever,” Jala said, quietly not liking the thought of being parted from him at all but realizing it was for the best.

Finn snorted in amusement. “If you think I’m going to leave you here without me you are mad, woman. Besides you will need me here for the contacts I have in the city.”

Jail nodded his agreement. “None of us have the connections Finn does with the Underworld of Sanctuary, and escaping here will require the help of the smugglers, I’m afraid.”

“Do we even know what they were arrested for? Chastity is from Arovan. I can’t imagine her breaking laws,” Wisp said as they passed into the inner city. Even from the gates of the Merrodin district they could see the crowds surrounding the Hall of Justice.

“It’s going to be tough getting horses through there,” Neph muttered as he surveyed the milling people.

“Valor was arrested for killing Justicars. Why he was fighting them to begin with, is anyone’s guess. I’m not sure as to the charges against Chastity, however,” Jail said.

“We will find out soon enough,” Finn said as he pushed his mare up past all of them and headed for the crowds at a light canter. The mare was shaking her head in protest at the crowds and began to dance sideways as they neared the people.

“Well that will clear the way unless they wish to be trampled,” Neph said dryly. “I believe I miss his old horse more than he does. May the bastard who killed it burn in the Darklands.”

“It’s Valor’s doing. He is the one that found this one for Finn,” Jala said, urging her gelding into a trot toward the path Finn was creating. She glanced down at Marrow and motioned toward the crowd. “Give us more room please.” The Bendazzi paused in his steps and let out a loud roar that had people falling back in such haste she worried some would be trampled. Without hesitation, Neph and Wisp fell into place on either side of her and Jail took the spot behind. Marrow coursed ahead of them snarling and growling whenever the onlookers were too slow in moving.

Jala surveyed their surroundings cautiously and noted that on this side of the square the majority in the crowd seemed to be commoners. Closer to the dais in front of the Hall however, stood ranks of armed guards in Avanti and Rivana house colors. “Bloody hell,” she muttered. It had been too much to hope that it would just be Justicars they had to contend with.

“Clear the way for High Lady Merrodin,” Finn called loudly as they neared the thickest of the crowds. “Clear the way now!” he bellowed again when the people continued to mill in confusion. His horse began to dance in place obviously unhappy to have so many people near her, and between that and an added roar from Marrow the crowds backed away quickly.

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