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

“Jala, move now!” Finn yelled again, his voice frantic. More Justicars were rushing out of the Hall of Justice toward them.

Jala shook her head at Finn in refusal. If she left him with that many enemies he wouldn’t have a chance. Taking a page from Neph’s book she called on one of the simplest spells he had taught her. The far side of the fractured dais glimmered in the sun as her magic coated it in several inches of ice. The area covered wasn’t large, but it was more than enough to send the approaching Justicars tumbling back off the side in a tangled heap of armor and swords.

With a muffled curse, Finn finished off his Justicar and slammed his blades back into their scabbards. He scanned the area quickly for enemies and then ran toward her. Without a flicker of hesitation he launched himself onto the back of the gelding behind her and grabbed the reins from her hand. With one arm wrapped tightly around her waist he kicked the horse into a run toward Valor. Jala glanced back quickly to make sure Marrow and Neph followed and was relieved to see her friends close behind.

“Where is Wisp?” she asked, struggling frantically to catch sight of the Fae in the chaos of the square. Everywhere she looked there was fighting and blood. The ground was littered with corpses of guards and commons alike.

“Already free of the crowd I would guess. She has a good deal of common sense,” Finn growled. She could smell the scent of blood thick on him and wondered how much of it belonged to his enemies.

“Did you really expect me to leave you there alone, Finn?” she snapped and used a wind spell to knock a cluster of combatants back away from the charging horses.

“Well it would be nice if you would listen on occasion,” he grumbled but there was no anger in his voice, only concern.

“Less talking, more retreating! They have their mages back there now!” Neph yelled behind them as the ground ahead split apart.

“Fix it!” Finn yelled and she wasn’t sure if he was talking to Neph or her. Her gelding began to slow as it approached the chasm but Valor’s mare thundered toward it, maddened by the scent of blood. Jala pulled on her reserves once more and flung a hand toward the gaping road just as Valor’s horse made the impossible leap. Chunks of rock and earth flew up at her command and hastily fused together forming a make shift bridge. The mare landed roughly as the spell was still weaving and nearly careened off the side, barely managing to regain her balance. Jala watched with held breath as Valor twisted in the saddle and leaned hard to the right to catch his sister’s body before it could fall from the saddle. The fact that he had remained with the horse at all astonished her, and yet there he was, leaving the bridge and bringing his sword up for another stroke.

Her gelding thundered across the bridge and Marrow streaked past them, a white blur against the stone. With a roar the Bendazzi leaped onto the armored form of a Justicar as he was preparing to swing on Valor’s back. The two of them went down in a tangle of fur and metal and Jala quickly lost sight of them as they raced by. The smell of ozone filled the air as Neph called lightning down upon an advancing group of guards in the Avanti colors.

“Hurry! Sovann almost has the wards done!” Wisp urged from the edge of the riot. She raised her bow over her head and waved it back toward the gate urging them on.

Valor was the first through, with her and Finn close behind. Jala turned to look back, desperate to see Marrow but didn’t see the Bendazzi anywhere. There was no sign of Jail, either, and she wondered how much her rescue had cost them. Finn slowed their horse and turned it quickly back toward the riot. He dropped down from behind her and looked up to Neph. He motioned at the open gates and turned back to Jala.

“Are you OK?” he asked, his eyes scanning her quickly for any signs of wounds. They stopped on her blood splattered leg and his concern washed over her.

“It’s not mine,” she hastily assured him and looked back through the gate. “Where is Jail? We need to close the gate and I still don’t see him or Marrow,” she said.

“Close it anyway, we can’t wait,” Finn urged but Neph stubbornly shook his head.

“Not until they are here. We can hold them off if needed,” The mage assured him.

Wisp rode over by her and squeezed Jala’s arm lightly. “You did much better this time, nice trick with the platform.”

Jala looked past her to where Valor sat silently with one hand resting on his sister’s corpse and a look of silent rage on his face. “Not good enough, I had planned to rescue both of them,” Jala said quietly. She looked away from the knight and back out the gate, her eyes searching the crowds once more. Where are you? she asked, sending the words to both Jail and Marrow.

Looking for Kellis. Close the gates I’ll contact Sovann when I’m ready to rejoin you, Jail responded, his voice sounding distracted.

Right behind Finn, wondering why in the bloody hell you aren’t sealing the gates before the angry mob looks this way, Marrow responded.

Jala turned to study the ground behind Finn and frowned in confusion. She saw no signs of her Familiar anywhere. Turning her head she searched the nearby alleys and streets frantically.

Remember this moment the next time you say the Blight hides better than me, Marrow said smugly as he dropped his camouflage and his form became visible near the stones of the wall. He had blended so perfectly with the stones she had looked right over him.

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