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

“You know about the bargain with Hemlock? That is the only other secret I have, other than the coin and the coin I didn’t think important because I never intended to allow that to happen.” She pushed back from him as she spoke, no longer caring if she was late to class or even made it to her classes at all.

He nodded in answer and shrugged. “I knew about it before Hemlock left the Hall that morning. It’s part of the reason I couldn’t’ sleep. I don’t have to warn you of what he could use the blood for. I’m sure Sovann already has.”

“How did you know? Time was stopped, or he said it was anyway. I don’t understand …” Her voice trailed off and she stared at Finn.

“We are going to be late for class,” he replied with a smile and looped an arm around her waist guiding her once again toward the Academy.

“Finn, how did you know?” she demanded again, her steps slowing once more.

“Don’t you think you have been truant enough this year Jala?” Finn asked, his tone mockingly parental.

“Finn!” she exclaimed in frustration and elbowed him lightly in the side.

Chuckling he grinned down at her, amusement written clearly on his tanned face. Running his fingers through his tawny hair he tilted his chin a bit and sighed. “I’m just that damn talented,” he said, exhaling as he spoke and then chuckled again. She elbowed him harder in response. “All right calm down,” he said through laughter and grinned at her boyishly. “I have contacts that keep tabs on certain individuals. Hemlock happens to be one of them,” he said with a shrug.

“I thought he was the sneakiest man in Sanctuary. How does a contact of yours keep tabs on him?” she asked.

“Because my contact is a Nightblade,” Finn answered smoothly with a shrug.

An odd flutter passed through her from the link and it took her a moment to recognize what it was. Pausing in her steps again, she looked up at Finn in astonishment. “You just lied to me,” she said quietly.

“Hmm. You have gotten better with your link.” He considered her briefly and nodded. “OK, the truth then,” he sighed and pulled her back into motion once more. “Hemlock bragged to me over it. I know him a bit better than I let anyone know. I worked for him for a time but it’s not something I’m proud of. My father is an Assassin as I’ve already told you, so naturally I picked up a few tricks. When I first came to the city and realized how much tuition at the Academy was, I knew I wouldn’t earn it in the Pits or dueling at low levels,” he explained and shrugged.

“I thought no one ever left the Nightblades. I thought it was a lifelong commitment,” she said quietly, wondering if he had another secret to reveal. He was gone in the early morning hours though she had always thought he was training during that time.

“Typically, it is. There were special circumstances and they are part of the reason Hemlock hates me so much. I have no doubt whatsoever that had you not traded the blood he would have already moved on me. Cassia offered him money, of course, but Kithvaryn has made offers as well and I doubt it was in coin. The temptation had to have been strong for Hemmy,” Finn said giving her a smile.

“Hemmy? How well do you know him, Finn?” she asked, her voice low. They were nearing the stairs to the Academy now and she found herself tempted to stop once again. This was an answer she badly wanted from him.

“Too well. He considered me his protégé for a time. I think he came as close to trusting me as he ever has anyone.” Finn slowed his pace beside her and glanced over at her. “I’ll explain before you ask,” he sighed, and kept his gaze on the looming doors of the hall as they climbed the stairs slowly. “A contract came in on Valor. I accepted it before anyone else could. Hemmy never questioned whether I would kill a friend. He naturally assumed I would. He was right. I did hit a friend, just not Valor. I backstabbed Hemmy with a concoction I had made and forced him into a deal. So Valor lived, I got out of the Nightblades, and Hemmy hates me. That’s the short version of it, of course, but I’m afraid it’s all I have time for at the moment.” A frown crossed over his face as his hand touched the door to the hall. “No one else knows about that, Jala, not even Sovann. Honestly, I don’t think Valor would talk to me if he knew I had worked for the Nightblades. I’ve heard myself described in quite a few ways by many people. Never once has the word virtuous been used. Valor is virtuous in his own fashion though, and he couldn’t abide learning about this.” Regret and sadness brushed her through the link and he turned back to the door pushing it open silently.

She nodded slowly as she digested the story and glanced around the hall as they entered. Marrow and Emily had been strangely silent the entire walk and she honestly wasn’t sure the Blight child was even still with them. This area however would be safe enough with just Marrow. “You are already late for your own class, Finn. You should probably let me go on alone from here,” she said quietly.

He sighed dramatically and placed a hand over his heart. “I divulge my secrets and she casts me off,” he said in a mournful voice, then winked at her, flashing his charming smile, though she could tell the teasing was forced. The emotions running through the bond between them were still in too much turmoil. “I told you I switched things up a bit so we could spend more time together. As it turns out we are both wretchedly late for basic geography, though with that particular instructor if we are quiet when we go in I don’t think he will notice.”

“You switched your schedule?” she asked in shock. “But what about your own classes?”

He shrugged and smiled at her. “I live by the blade, Jala. I likely have more of an education than any other duelist in the city. Given the choice, I’d rather spend time with you and refresh the basic classes than advance further with knowledge that I will likely never have a use for,” he explained.

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