“I don’t think it’s bad. I’ve never heard it before though. Is it from that book?” Jala asked trying to get another look at the book’s cover.
Neph gave a slight nod and stood slowly, stretching his arms above his head. Glancing up as he lowered his arms he examined the book’s binding critically and nodded again. “It’s a fairly rare book and the only one I have anything published in. I’m my father’s pride and joy let me tell you. I hate hunting, detest brawling, write poetry and I’m a finger wiggler as if the rest wasn’t bad enough.” Critically he looked her over, eyes lingering on her posture and then flicked his gaze back up to meet her eyes. “What?” he asked, then paused and glanced around the garden.
“What’s wrong?” Jala asked, her tone a bit too hopeful. By the way he was acting she was sure Neph sensed something. If he did that, would make him the first out of everyone she had been around today.
He shook his head lightly seeming distracted and cast a quick spell. “Can’t really put my finger on it,” he mumbled and his frown deepened. “It’s like we’re being watched but I don’t sense magic.” His voice trailed off as he looked around the courtyard again and then back to her. “Have you had anymore troubles today that I need to know about?” he asked, his tone a bit suspicious.
“No, not trouble,” she said with a shrug, watching him closely.
Flicking his gaze back to her he narrowed his pale blue eyes. “No, not trouble, eh? So what do I need to know about that isn’t trouble?” he asked.
“Well I suppose it kind of is trouble,” she began, shuffling her feet slightly. With a sigh she dropped lightly to the grass and crossed her legs under her. “Sit, I’ll explain,” she said and motioned for him to join her on the grass.
“This is more important than lessons?” Neph asked doubtfully.
Without pausing to consider, she nodded and Neph raised an eyebrow. Silently he sat down across from her and motioned for her to begin. “It would probably be simpler this way,” she said quietly and handed him the letter Shade had sent. He gave it a brief inspection and then began reading silently, his expression never changing.
“Is it here now?” He asked as he folded the letter once again and returned it to her.
“Yes she is. Her name is Emily,” Jala replied. Nervously she flipped the letter in her hands and locked her gaze on Neph’s pale blue eyes. “There are more of them in the city though, Neph, and they are hunting here. We have to warn the others but I don’t even know where they are right now. The city is not safe right now,” she kept her voice steady as she spoke, though her fear was growing steadily. Her friends would have no way of even knowing these creatures existed.
Neph gave a bitter chuckle and smirked. “This city is never safe, Jala.” With a sigh, he stood slowly and offered her a hand up. She stood slowly and watched him for any sign of what he intended to do. With another sigh, he looked her over, eyes lingering on her jewelry. “I’m assuming you want me to help you warn everyone tonight?” he asked, looking less than pleased at the prospect.
“I don’t know where Finn is. I suppose I could try to warn him with a mental link but if he is drinking …,” she trailed off with a helpless shrug.
“He is at the Pits,” Neph said, eyeing her jewelry once more. “And if we go there it may get interesting unless you change.”
“What are the Pits?” she asked, already removing her jewelry and dropping it into her book bag carelessly.
Glancing around the courtyard once more, he flicked his gaze back to her. “A rather rough place that I would rather not take you to,” he said before returning his gaze to the courtyard. “I don’t suppose she would let me see her would she?” he asked.
Jala paused in removing an earring and shrugged. “I don’t know really. Emily will you let Neph see you?” she asked the empty air. She wasn’t sure at all where the child was or if she was even in the garden still.
“I don’t know if I like him,” Emily’s soft voice came from several feet behind them.
“Everyone says that when they first meet Neph,” Jala replied with a soft chuckle. “I will vouch for him though. I trust Neph as much as I do Finn.”
Neph turned to look at her with an arched eyebrow. “Do you now?” he asked, sounding amused.
She met his eyes fully and smiled. “I do,” she said simply and winked at him.
“In all honesty you should probably trust me more. I don’t have the tendency to lie, drink, and kill as your husband does,” Neph replied with a smirk.
“Finn is honest,” she replied rolling her eyes.
“When it suits him,” Neph agreed dryly. Turning his attention back to where the voice had come from he crouched low to the ground and crossed his arms over the top of his knees. “If you are guarding Jala then you have nothing to fear from me. I would like to be able to recognize you, though,” he said quietly in a soothing voice.
“By Fortune, Neph, you almost sounded nice,” Jala said with a smile and nudged his back with her knee.
“Shut it tart,” he grumbled with a slight smile.
“Don’t call her that,” Emily said quietly as she slowly became visible. With eyes locked firmly on Neph, she approached silently and stopped a few feet from where he crouched.
“Cat’s eyes, claws, and fangs. Brings an interesting mental image to the phrase Easy as taking candy from a babe,” Neph said, his gaze roving over the Blight child as he spoke.
“Go ahead, try to take her candy,” Jala said with another chuckle.
“I don’t have any candy,” Emily pointed out to the two of them with a frown.
Neph snorted in amusement and stood slowly. “So the Blights hunting in the city are adults?” he asked, looking to Jala for answer.
“I don’t know. All I know is that Emily senses more of her kind in the city,” Jala explained.