The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)

All color drained from Caleb’s face at the words and Shade glanced quickly between the two of them before turning his attention once more to flying. “Who is Syrah?” He asked quietly.

“Syrah Khalia Faulklin, his daughter.” Finn answered simply his gaze still locked on Caleb. “She is being held in Rivasa at the Citadel in Prendington. I don’t know of her condition beyond the fact that she is not close to death. I wish I could say the same for Evanell or Ryven, but they were both lost in Amdany. I’m sorry for the losses you have endured Caleb, but you haven’t lost everything.” Finn’s voice had taken on a gentle quality that Shade had never heard him use before, and the expression on his face was filled with sympathy rather than his typical smirk. Swallowing heavily Finn shifted in his seat to face Caleb more directly and cleared his throat quietly. “Look, we have always been at odds, and I know this likely won’t mean much to you coming from me, but I know what it’s like to lose everything. I also know what it is like to have one thing left to grasp onto. Syrah is your lifeline here Caleb, grab on and hold tight. You have a reputation across Arovan for being a hero, and Syrah could really use a hero right now more than a martyr. For once you need to truly be what the people of Arovan believe you are.” Finn paused and his expression looked almost pained for a moment. With a deep breath he leaned closer to Caleb’s chair and his expression became one of such sincerity that Shade almost doubted it was truly Finn. “You can’t throw your life away. You are needed. I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but most of the heroes are dropping like flies. I was trying to be a better person before my death, Caleb, but I failed, and I’m out of the game now for the most part. You could be what Arovan believes you are, and they need you to be that now more than ever.”

“I can’t change my course now. I told Onvalla I would make them bleed. I can’t break my word.” Caleb muttered hoarsely. His face was still far too pale and his grey eyes had an almost vacant look as he leaned heavily back in his seat shaking his head slowly. “Syrah has been their captive since Amdany fell…” Caleb muttered weakly. His voice trailed off and he shook his head slowly.

“Make them bleed, but do it in a fashion that you can live through, Caleb. Save Syrah and then do what you have always been so god damned talented at and help Jala save everyone else.” Finn pressed and looked back to Shade. “He is quite possibly the most stubborn man alive, and I don’t have time to persuade him. I’ll leave that in your hands. As to what I need from you… well it’s a favor for an Aspect, but you have interest in it. It seems several of her followers are being held in prison in Sanctuary and she can’t seem to get them rescued. I need you to be a hero too and save her followers.”

“I can’t even step foot in Sanctuary. Every bloody person in that city knows I’m a wanted man.” Shade objected.

“Then I highly suggest you change your appearance before you go. One of the prisoners goes by the name of Charm. I believe you know him, and I believe you owe him. So suck it up Shade and be a damn hero and save him.” Finn snapped in annoyance as he rose from his chair. He glanced once more at Caleb and let out a heavy sigh. “I promise you Huntsman if you are stupid enough to make that little girl an orphan I will have you serving me for eternity. You can take your Grandfather’s place amongst my demons since Jala and Valor saw fit to kill Nasurai when they visited the Darklands.” Finn whispered as his form slowly faded from the ship.

Shade sat in utter silence for long moments trying to digest everything he had just heard. Charm was imprisoned, Caleb was the Bloody Huntsman, Caleb’s daughter was a Rivasan prisoner, and most terrifying of all Finn Sovaesh was the Divine of Death. He didn’t think he had ever been flooded with so much bad news at once before. He slowly glanced over at the passenger seat as Caleb dropped heavily into it.

“Bloody Huntsman eh?” Shade muttered quietly.

Caleb nodded slowly and let out a long sigh. “I’d like to say it’s been a while since I have done the sort of butchering that earned me that title, but that is exactly why Micah pulled me out of retirement.” He confessed in a low voice. “He needed someone who could spread fear amongst the Blights, and as it turns out I scare just about everyone including the Blights.”

“Did you really kill a Serpent with your bare hands in the Amdany harbor? One of the legends about you says that you did, but I always thought it was bullshit.” Shade asked in an effort to calm Caleb. The man was still far too pale and looked as though he might pass out at any moment.

Caleb swallowed heavily and nodded his head slowly his eyes still staring blankly ahead. “It tried to swallow me when I was knocked over the rail in the fighting. I objected.” His voice seemed almost mechanical as he answered and he raised a hand to rub his face as he fell silent.