“Victory is ours,” Valor said with a wink and hurried to join Finn as he entered the building.
“Would you believe that both of them are at least seven years older than I am?” Neph asked her quietly, watching the two of them disappear inside.
“No, not really,” Jala answered and let out a heavy sigh.
“Wisp quit molesting my brother!” she heard Finn call loudly inside.
“Dirty child molesting Fae!” Valor echoed.
“No, I really find it quite hard to believe. One would think they would be more mature,” Jala said shaking her head.
“You married him,” Neph pointed out, glancing toward her.
“Quite happily, and I love him despite his faults. Neither of which means I have to approve of everything he does,” Jala replied and moved toward the building as the sound of commotion inside grew.
“I really can’t imagine that either Wisp or Sovann is going to be in a very good mood,” Neph warned as he followed her up the stairs.
“I really can’t say that I blame them,” Jala responded lightly and shrugged. “I suppose we will do what we can to soothe them.”
A loud crash of something breaking echoed from an inner room and Jala frowned. “Damn Sovann must be pissed,” she whispered to Neph.
“What the hell is that thing?” Valor’s voice echoed back to them as another crash sounded from the room beyond.
“I think we have misunderstood the situation,” Neph muttered as he quickened his pace toward the door ahead.
“Oh Fortune,” Jala gasped as she ran after Neph.
“Look out!” Neph bellowed, pushing her aside as the door in front of them exploded. Valor tumbled past them rolling to a stop amidst the debris of the door. He rose quickly to his feet, his sword still clenched in his hand and blood pouring from one side of his face. With a muttered oath, he rushed back into the room, sword held at the ready. Neph moved to follow, keeping Jala behind him. The room beyond was pitch black with sounds of movement echoing off the walls.
“I can’t see a fucking thing in here Finn,” Valor called from nearby. “Where is it?” he asked.
“Dead I think. Neph give us some light,” Finn called back, his voice softer.
Neph muttered quietly beside Jala and a soft blue light began to grow in the room. Finn stood by a back wall his swords still in hand. A mangled form lay before him, nearly cut in two. Cautiously Jala stepped into the room and glanced down as dampness soaked through her shoes. Fearing the worst she examined the pool and let out a sigh of relief as she realized it was wine.
“Busted vat,” Neph said, quietly motioning to an Essence wine vat that lay on its side along the wall.
“What happened?” Neph asked Valor who stood closer, dabbing a cautious hand at the cut on his head.
“We followed the noises and came in here. Barely got the door open before that thing sprang on us,” Valor explained, motioning toward the unmoving form.
Jala glanced toward Finn and then around the room. “Where are Wisp and Sovann?” she asked quietly, her throat clenching as her imagination raced with possibilities.
“I don’t know,” Finn said quietly and looked toward the far side of the room. “I don’t know who that is but she is too big to be Wisp,” He said quietly motioning toward a body.
Jala followed his gaze and her eyes lingered on the woman’s body. She hadn’t noticed it when they had first entered the room. Moving slowly she approached it more to assure herself that it was not, in fact, Wisp. Finn moved to join her and knelt beside the body. Claw marks gouged both of the woman’s sides with deep rents along her hips. Her eyes were closed and her mouth slightly parted. What remained of her clothing hung off of her in ragged shreds but beneath it Jala could see a faint rise and fall of her chest.
“She is still alive,” she whispered to Finn.
“Barely. Her name is Isador. She is Fionaveir. I recognize her now,” Finn said with a shake of his head. With one hand he flipped the remains of her dress away from her left arm showing Jala the tell-tale tattoos there. “I have no idea what she was doing here, though.”
Kneeling beside Finn, Jala carefully placed a hand on the woman’s chest and called on the healing magic. Warmth flowed through her hand and into the body below. She closed her eyes and focused on the wounds, sending her power into every tear and urging it to heal.
“I’m going to check the rest of the building for Sovann,” Valor said grimly and headed for the hallway.
“Take Neph with you,” Finn ordered glancing over his shoulder as they left the room. He looked back to Jala as she slowly moved her hand from Isador’s chest. Chewing on her lower lip she met his eyes. “I take it this is what you wanted to warn us about? That Emily isn’t the only Blight in the city?” he asked quietly.
She nodded silently and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder. “I’m so glad you didn’t listen to me about coming back tomorrow. If you had she might be dead now,” she whispered, wrapping an arm through his.
He shifted himself, carefully adjusting his balance and gave a slight nod. “If anything has happened to my brother, I’ll hunt every one of the little bastards down,” he said, his voice a low growl.
“Fortune, I hope they are all right,” she said, her concern for her friends growing by the second. “I wish she would wake up. Maybe she knows where they are,” she added, glancing down at the still form of the Fionaveir. Frowning, she looked up from the woman to Finn and raised an eyebrow. “How did you know who she was?” she asked quietly.