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

I’m a little curious as well. What? Marrow asked looking from her to the children and then back to her.

“It’s nothing. I’m sorry,” she said to Wisp and smiled down at Marrow. It made me think of Jail’s question. Those two children just gave me my answer, she explained to Marrow. The Bendazzi looked at her with the same look of confusion in his eyes that Wisp now held. Sighing, Jala looked at Wisp and then down to Marrow. “Do you remember the question Jail asked Me?” Jala asked Wisp.

“Why did the Guardians make our prison the way they did,” Wisp said with a nod.

“The answer is the same one those children just got. We have to sit behind the same barrier. We had better learn to get along. It’s not a prison so to say. It’s the corner we were made to sit in,” Jala explained with a smile. “If they truly wanted us to die off they wouldn’t have given us the means to provide for ourselves. Why create a bountiful land full of life and magic if they want us to die? They want us to learn to live together. But the older ones that were locked in here are still upset about being tricked so they call it a prison and teach us to call it that as well.”

“It does make sense,” Wisp agreed, then looked at Jala with a raised eyebrow. “I can’t say that I think it’s very funny though,” she said slowly.

Jala shook her head slightly, smiling at the Fae. “It’s not. I was just wondering how many of the Guardians looked at our forefathers and said, ‘What brats?’”

Smirking, Wisp nodded and chuckled lightly. “I’ll have to tell my father he is a brat in a corner. I’m sure he will love that.”

Glancing over at her, Jala grinned again. “Just don’t tell him who said it first, OK?” Glancing up at the sky she sighed and the grin faded. “I’m going to be late to meet Neph and he is going to complain half of the lesson over it,” she said with a sigh. Leaning over she gave Wisp a light hug and sighed again. “Thank you. I’m sorry I’m always in such a hurry. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” she spoke quickly and was already moving away as the last words left her mouth.

“She didn’t notice me at all,” Emily said quietly from beside her.

Jala gave a quick nod and tried to smile. “Now let’s see if Neph does,” she said with forced cheer and silently prayed to Fortune that Neph would notice the Blight child. It wasn’t that she wanted to endanger Emily. It was simply growing more and more unsettling as she realized no one could sense these creatures. She wouldn’t even have known Emily was there if the child hadn’t told her. If no one at all could sense them then they could be hunting in the streets even now, and no one would know. A shiver went up her spine at the thought and she shook her head to clear it.

“They are hunting here. I can sense them. I just don’t know where they are exactly,” Emily said quietly.

Stumbling to a halt, Jala leaned against a garden wall and let out a long slow breath. “You sense them in Sanctuary?” she asked quietly, her face paling as she spoke. With the reminder that Emily could scan her thoughts as easily as Marrow, Jala forced herself to remain calm. The thought of other Blights in the city had her near panic though.

“I do,” Emily replied, her voice sounding cautious. “They aren’t close to us here, though. They are far off in the city. You don’t have to be scared of them, either. I can sense them and I’m here.” The Blight spoke in soothing tones as if to a spooked animal and Jala felt a small hand grip her own.

“But you aren’t with Finn or my other friends. I’m not scared for me, Emily. I’m scared for everyone else,” she explained. “I’m going to have to tell them about you and the other Blights. I would have told them later anyway but knowing Blights are here now means I have to tell them now.” She paused and sighed. “This is very bad for all of us,” she said after a long moment, her voice barely a whisper. With a silent prayer to Fortune to keep her friends safe, she pushed off the wall. She moved quickly with Emily’s small hand still clutched in her own. Knowing for a certainty the Blight was with her was almost as reassuring as the immense Bendazzi pacing at her side. Between the two of them, Jala felt almost invincible. She knew how dangerous Marrow could be with his claws and spines and she had no doubt at all that Emily could be just as deadly.





*





“You are late,” Neph said dryly, not bothering to rise from where he sprawled in the grass with both arms crossed under his head. A book levitated above him, pages open and fluttering lightly in the evening breeze.

Stopping just above him, Jala looked down at the cover of the book and raised an eyebrow. “Poetry?” she asked in mild shock. She never would have guessed Neph to be the poetry sort.

“Was glory and honor the gallant man sought as he rode forth on that day,” Neph began, his gaze locked on the sky beyond the book. “With his armor shining and his bright banner flying he bravely joined the fray. In blind courage he fought with fury and blade to protect all he held dear.” He paused in the quotation and turned to look at her, a cynical smile on his face and winked. “Took but a single man with a wave of his hand to teach the gallant man fear. As the fire rained down and the earth shook, the gallant man fell back in terror. For as we all know when battling foes, to cross a mage is an error.” He finished and flipped his hand toward the hovering book. With a solid thud the book closed and he plucked it out of the air gently. “On occasion, poetry is amusing. Even if it’s poorly written poetry such as that particular piece is.”

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