“And look where it got you. You should be thanking me, Finn. You are truly a god now rather than just thinking you’re one,” Hemlock returned, waving a hand in Finn’s direction.
“You know, I find it amusing that you only appeared after Seth left the room. Did I finally manage to stumble across something that you fear Hemlock?” Finn asked, cocking his head to one side.
“Ha! Seth? No, I fear many things. Salvation, peace on Sanctuary, Kali when she is pissed off, and those little squiggly things they serve in the Seravae quarter at all of the cafes. You know the little green things with those tentacles that they eat while the things are still squirming.” Hemlock waved his fingers about for a moment mimicking his description and then shrugged with a sigh. “Although I don’t suppose you care about that,” he said letting his hand fall limply back to rest on his leg. Shaking his head slowly, Hemlock let the cloak fall back enough for Finn to see his smile. “Seth, however, I do not fear at all,” he finished with a shrug.
“Why are you here?” Finn repeated, not the least bit amused by Hemlock’s antics or the distraction from his search for Jala.
“To ensure you don’t keep Jala here with you,” Hemlock said bluntly as he rose from the throne.
“What interest do you have in it?” Finn snapped, the mere suggestion that Hemlock had an interest in Jala infuriated him. He couldn’t stomach the thought of Hemlock anywhere near her. He knew quite well what sort of man the Assassin was.
“Because our world is going to shit swiftly and I don’t want to be alone with Myth when the rest die off. Jala is still needed, or so Kali says, and I tend to listen to Kali. As I said she is scary when she is pissed,” Hemlock returned in a cheerful voice. “Besides, Finn, as I said, she called out for Valor in her moment of need. Not Seth, not Neph, not You,” he emphasized the last word as he stepped down the stairs closer to Finn.
“Why would she call out to me? She thinks I’m dead,” Finn snapped, his gaze following Hemlock as the rogue walked a tight circle around him.
“I like the new look, Finn. The black armor is very…deathly,” Hemlock said, waving a finger at Finn’s chain armor.
“You know it isn’t wise to taunt your master,” Fiona said, finally stirring herself to speak. “You serve Death remember?”
“I served the Dark lady. I have no contract with Finn,” Hemlock replied calmly, pausing in front of Finn once more. “She has forgotten about you, Finn. Do the sunlit world a favor and forget about her,” Hemlock whispered.
The flutter of wings drew Finn’s attention for a moment and when he turned back Hemlock was gone. With a heavy sigh, Finn watched as Seth settled once more on the floor of the hall and shifted back to his human form. Bowing to Finn he held both hands outstretched a faint glow emanating from each.
Carefully Finn took the soul stones and retreated back to his throne examining them as he walked. “You brought the Bendazzi too,” Finn murmured as he sat once more. “Stay, Seth. Allow me to deal with this and then I have more work for you,” Finn said.
Carefully Finn cracked the soulstone containing Jala and watched as her spirit coalesced in front of him. She had a confused look on her face as she gazed slowly around the hall. He watched her in silence, drinking in her beauty and it took all his willpower to not approach her. Her eyes found him finally and they widened, her lips parting slightly in shock.
“Finn!” Jala whispered his name and her expression shifted to a look of pure agony. “I thought you were dead.” The words were spoken so softly he almost missed them entirely.
“Jala,” Finn said in greeting, fighting to keep his voice calm. His heart thundered in his chest as he tried his best to look unperturbed. “Do you remember how Sovann always said I would get myself into something I couldn’t get out of,” Finn said, holding both arms out his palms up. Slowly he gazed around the Audience hall then looked back to her. “It turns out he was right. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be, though. There is the godly power to consider.” He kept his words casual and forced back everything he desperately wanted to say to her. With a sigh he let his arms fall back to the throne and leaned forward to look at her.
“I thought you were dead,” Jala repeated, her voice louder and the pain in her voice was heartbreaking. “I never would have married him, had I known. I did what I thought I had to in order to save Merro,” she added in a rush, the words tumbling out of her as the tears would have had she still been alive.
“I know…Jala,” Finn said, the words faltering slightly as he caught himself at the last moment. He had almost said Vezradesh. The word had been on the tip of his tongue. That wouldn’t help though. Not with what he was about to do. “You aren’t finished in the sunlit world, Jala,” Finn said as he leaned back in his throne once more.
“I died, Finn. I failed,” Jala said sadly, her head dropping forward as if she could no longer meet his gaze.
“I’m sending you back, Jala. You haven’t failed yet,” Finn said calmly. “Heal yourself the moment you arrive. I will hold your soul in place for as long as I can, but it won’t be long. I am the god of Death, after all, not life.”