The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)

His eyes landed on the chair he had been sitting in minutes before, and he pulled gently on his magic as he waved a hand in its direction. The air shimmered around it as he reversed time just enough to return it to its former condition. Crossing the room once more, he dropped into the chair and eyed the rest of the damage in the room. It would be a simple matter for him to repair everything as he had the chair, but as far as he saw it, Kali had created the mess, and she could clean it up.

“Perhaps you should tell me what you have seen in regards to the Veyetta while I think about the matter with Symphony,” Kali said. Her hand flicked out behind her and she dropped back to sit balanced neatly on the empty air behind her. He had known countless mages in his life and all but Kali hoarded their magic. Kali threw magic around as if it were nothing, and it often left him wondering exactly how large her reserves were. He had never seen her run low on power, no matter what the situation.

“NephonDelvayon is involved, but it is vague as to how. I always see him in the visions before the rise of the Shadows. I see Jala, as well, but I think she is standing against the Veyetta. There is another there, but I can’t see him. It’s nothing but darkness when I try to look closely and I think it may be Vaze. He is the only one I know that can obscure himself so well from my power. The vision begins in the mountains and I’m confused on that. Veyetta covers valleys south of Arovan and I can’t determine why the mountains are involved,” Hemlock began in a hesitant conjured raised a dozen questions rather than answering one.

“Delvay is in the mountains, but it is controlled by the Rivasans right now,” Kali said thoughtfully. She leaned back in her conjured chair and tapped one slender finger against her full lips as she gave the matter further thought. “Vaze is formidable but the other two are pups,” she mumbled.

“Jala is a very powerful pup,” Hemlock warned. It was possible that Kali hadn’t kept track of the war raging outside the city, but he had. From what he had seen Jala Merrodin was not one to write off as a child. He had known she would be powerful, he hadn’t expected her to prove it so quickly, though.

“Powerful, yes. Wise, no. Jala can be manipulated. Just look how easily we separated her from her gods. With one swipe of a knife we moved her from being Fortune’s toy to ours. All it took was a few pretty words and some finger pointing in Fortune’s direction,” Kali murmured. “War was on the battlefield, so was Fortune. I watched that entire battle and I saw three gods present. We didn’t separate her from them; we simply gave her less respect for them. I wouldn’t call her our toy, either. Jala has gained a great deal of wisdom in a very short time. She isn’t nearly as trusting, either. Jexon saw to that with his idiotic betrayal in Avanti,” Hemlock countered.

“Pish posh,” Kali muttered with a dismissive wave of her hand. “What did you tell Jala about the Veyetta?” she asked, her pale eyes once again locking with his in a manner that was entirely unsettling. Kali had an intensity to her gaze that very few could master.

“The truth of my visions. If the Veyetta reawaken, someone she loves will die. She has seen the strands of darkness, Kali. She knows I’m not lying and she knows if she doesn’t act when the time arrives, that it will cost her dearly,” Hemlock answered quietly.

“Jala is such a sweet little sentimentalist. That works so well in our advantage. The same could be said for Symphony, I think. Also, you need to take a trip to Merro and find some more puzzle pieces. While you are doing that, I will focus on fumbling the magical threads to hide my home a while longer so I can find out which heart strings Symphony obeys. Love is always the best puppet string to pull. I just have to figure out who our Empress loves the most and make a puppet accordingly,” Kali mused.

“If I leave the city now, my guild is in more danger than it will likely survive. If the Fionaveir discover where the NightBlades reside they won’t rest until they have destroyed everything I have,” Hemlock objected calmly.

“Well, I’d say place someone you trust in charge, but we all know you don’t trust anyone,” Kali said dryly and sighed heavily. “Send someone else to Merro, then. If Jala is involved with your visions there will be answers there. Someone needs to gather them unless you can manage to summon a vision that isn’t filled with riddles.”

“I’ll see what arrangements I can make,” Hemlock offered with obvious reluctance. He hated leaving the city. Sanctuary was his home and his security. It wasn’t that he feared the lands outside; it was the simple fact that he didn’t hold power there. Still Kali had a valid point. He had visited Jala not too long ago, but it had been a short visit in the early hours of the morning and he hadn’t bothered to gather information while he was there. That was before his Time magic started failing him, though Things had changed now. For the first time since he could remember, he had to do things the hard way. With a weary sigh, he stood and nodded to Kali. “I’m not sure how long I will be out of the city, but I will contact you when I return. I think I will have to leave the Guild to fend for itself for a time. This is too important to leave in someone else’s hands. I’d rather see the NightBlades fall than the Barrier.”

“Glad we see eye to eye on the matter.” Kali grinned at him, looking far too pleased with herself. There were times when he w anted to slap her, given her temper, though he generally just walked away. Which was exactly what he intended to do now. “Nighty night, Hemmy. Let me know the moment you return,” Kali added cheerfully as he crossed to the portal stone.

“Of course, Kali,” Hemlock replied with his own forced smile. Someone in the city would have a very bad night, now. He needed to vent his irritation on someone other than Kali. Kali was too useful to kill, and that was the only thing that had kept his blade from her throat for a very long time. He was a survivor to the core, and he knew he needed Kali to survive. He would do whatever he had to, even if it was allying with a nutty bitch, to save a world he despised. The irony of the situation brought a smile to his face and his irritation with the night eased a little. Hemlock, the savior. He nearly laughed at the thought. Charm would choke on his own vomit if he ever learned the truth of it all.