“Most of them seem to be Arovan. I see quite a few I recognize.” There was a note of distaste in his voice that didn’t surprise her at all. The men and women that had been sent to Merro had been the dregs of the Arovan armies. If Grim knew them by sight, he knew that fact as well. He hadn’t had a chance to see what Valor had made of them yet. He was still judging them by what they had been in Arovan.
“You still don’t like crowds, but then I can understand why now.” Grim mused softly and nudged her shoulder as he moved away from the activity. “Let’s see if he is on the other side of the grounds. Once we are away from the stables there won’t be as many about. I confess I have no desire to be seen either.”
Zoelyn gazed up at him at his words and a frown lightly creased her lips. She walked beside him for several steps only glancing back once to watch as Shade strolled toward the soldiers working at swords. No doubt he planned to simply ask where to find Dray, and it was likely the faster approach, but given a choice she preferred to simply look herself and avoid unnecessary conversations.
She looked up at Grim once more once they were well beyond the earshot of those behind them and her frown deepened at his expression. His grey eyes were narrowed with thought and his lips were drawn into a thin line. For the first time since she had met him she could see where his nickname had spawned.
Grim noticed her attention and his eyes met hers for a moment before he returned to studying the grounds before him. He was still searching for Dray she had no doubts on that, but his mind was pondering something else entirely; something not very pleasant at all if his expression was any indication.
“What did you mean back there? When you said you understood why I avoided crowds now?” Zoelyn asked hesitantly. There was a quaver in her voice that she wished hadn’t been there, but the set of his jaw and the dark look on his face had her nervous.
“Zoe-Lyn.” Grim said quietly, breaking her name into two syllables as if he were just hearing it for the first time. His steps slowed and then paused as they passed under a massive oak. With a sigh he leaned back against it and his eyes settled on her with such weight that for a moment she felt the urge to retreat. “You know even when the subject is changed my mind does not release the previous topic if it held my interest. I mull it over silently and turn it around in my mind until I am satisfied that I understand it.”
“Well what have you been pondering then? Surely you aren’t still worrying yourself over who I dreamed about?” She tried to force a lighter tone to her voice, but the effect seemed more nervous than casual to her ears.
“House Delvayon actually.” Grim began and his jaw clenched on the words. He let out a heavy breath and rubbed the back of his neck. His gaze lifted from her to study the darkened sky to the north as he began to speak again. “RenDelvayon’s wife died over ten years ago. He had two sons and a daughter. Ren killed his daughter himself during the barbaric ritual of testing their children’s worth. Kadan as I understand died fighting Rivana as did Kes the supposed adopted daughter of his house. That leaves NephonDelvayon and his Aunt KayDelvayon as the sole surviving members of house Delvayon. Only now you are telling me that Neph is your family.” His voice trailed off for a moment and she swallowed heavily at his words. She hadn’t expected him to be so well informed. His gaze drifted back down to her and he shook his head slowly as if seeing her for the first time. “You know when they called you Undrae I thought they were being cruel. I never once considered they were speaking the truth about you.”
“Grim, I…” Zoelyn began but he held up a hand to stop her before she could say more. Hesitantly she took a step back and his expression seemed to darken further.
“You don’t have to explain why you didn’t tell me. I can fully understand why you didn’t. Honestly I still had doubts until I saw that look of fear blossom on your face. I was testing the water so to speak, just voicing a theory. If you would have laughed and called me a fool I would have let it go, but you look terrified and ready to bolt so I know I’m right. You are truly Undrae, and Zoelyn should be Zyi Delvayon. Shade told me of the last battle in Arovan. He described the magic NephonDelvayon used to kill Nerath. It’s the same sort of magic used to create your kind. Neph was too young for such magic when his mother died. So that leaves only his sister as a possibility, if he truly is your family that is.” Grim said in a flat level voice. He crossed his arms over his chest and let out another heavy breath as if bracing himself.
Silence stretched between them as he studied her and in that moment her ears caught the faint sound of feathers. Zoelyn felt her breath slow further as she slowly turned her gaze to stare up at the large black bird perched in the branches above Grim. The crow’s attention was fixated on the man, as if it too held its breath while it waited to see what would happen next.
The few times she had glimpsed a crow in the past few days she had been unsure if it was truly Seth’s messenger. This time she was certain the crow above her was Seth’s, and if Grim moved against her the demon would appear and Grim would die. That knowledge was both reassuring and terrifying in the same breath. To have a guardian as powerful as Seth was a security she had never known before, but the knowledge that he would kill someone she considered friend as readily as he killed her enemies left her feeling sickened. Grim was angry, that much was obvious, but he was a logical man and once the anger passed he would realize she was the same person he had always known. She was certain of that.