“So what are you going to do after you deal with Rivana and rescue the prisoners in Sanctuary?” Zoelyn asked as they paused beside the ship.
Shade grinned at her and dropped his arm from her shoulders. With a heavy breath he shrugged then opened the door and motioned them all inside. “Damn good question. I’m sure I’ll think of an answer when the time comes. I’m good at impromptu.” He spoke cheerfully, but Zoelyn didn’t miss the glint of sadness in his blue eyes as he turned away. His words were positive, but she could see clearly that Shade didn’t fully expect to survive to the end of it all and so he hadn’t bothered to consider what he would do after it. He dropped his arm from her shoulder before she could press the subject and she watched in silence as he opened the door to his ship and disappeared inside it. There was no hesitation or fear in him at all. Her eyes moved from the door and followed Grim and Dray as they moved toward the ship. Neither of them looked concerned either, only determination lit their faces and she wondered how many friends she would watch die before Sanctuary finally knew peace. “Even one would be too many.” Zoelyn whispered as she stepped into the ship.
Chapter 9
The Darklands
The throne room was hollow silence aside from the steady tapping of Finn’s finger on the table top. Seth watched with growing impatience as the Lord of Death stared down at the game board between them. It had been Finn’s turn for nearly ten minutes and Seth was beginning to wonder if Finn was truly contemplating his next move. He leaned back in his chair ignoring the creaking of his leather armor and wondered if he should even bother trying to bring Finn’s attention back to the game pieces. It wasn’t that he truly had an interest in playing, Fiona had informed him that Finn needed to be occupied and so he was trying his best to occupy the man. Ever since his visit to Jala, Finn had been morose and barely spoke to anyone. Even his judgments over the dead had slackened and once more the spirits awaiting his time were lining the streets.
With a heavy frown Seth kicked the table leg harshly sending the carved pieces scattering in all directions. Finn sat abruptly back in his chair and watched one of the pieces roll to the floor before turning his annoyed glare to Seth.
“Why don’t you just tell me what is eating you and we can both drop the pretense of having any interest in this?” Seth grumbled as he waved a gloved hand over the table top.
Finn’s eyes narrowed and his finger resumed its infuriating tapping. He remained silent for another long moment then met Seth’s eyes squarely once more. “Why didn’t they just put you in charge here if they needed to replace a corrupted Divine? Why did they steal my life for this duty?” he asked in a voice so low it was barely audible. “You have mastery of magic and know how the Darklands work. It just seems as though it would have been more practical than wasting so much time training me.”
With a bitter chuckle Seth smiled at Finn and raised an eyebrow. “Do you want the blunt truth Milord or do you require sweet words today? You have been sulking like a little girl so I’m not sure how to respond here.”
Finn’s glare intensified and sparks of anger rose in his eyes, but it was far better than the depression he had been wallowing in as far as Seth was concerned. “You are a fine one to speak of sulking. A few weeks ago you were talking suicide as I recall.”
Seth shrugged his smile still firmly in place, but remained silent.
“The blunt truth you ass.” Finn snapped finally and Seth had to resist the urge to chuckle again. There were so few people left that were brave enough to insult him.
“I would have devoured most of the souls and War knew it. I’m not sure how fully you understand our delicate little balance here so I will explain fully. Our Lifestream is a cheap facsimile of the one beyond the barrier. It cannot produce souls as the true Lifestream can. Beyond the barrier if a soul were destroyed it would be replaced in a manner of hours. In here it takes years for a new soul to form. We are dependent on the reincarnation of our dead, and with me in control, well…” Seth’s voice trailed off and he raised both hands in a helpless gesture. “Let’s just say I hate too many in the sunlit world to allow them to have what I cannot. Why should I give them a second chance when I won’t get one?”
“Maybe if you showed one shred of redemption you would get a second chance.” Finn muttered sourly. He leaned forward on the table and to Seth’s vast relief finally stopped the constant tapping of his finger. With an idle flick of his finger he set one of the game pieces to spinning and stared at it dismally.
“With you, yes that is possible, but we were speaking of me coming to power without you in the equation.” Seth said quietly. “After dealing with the Lady bitch for as long as I did I promise you fair judgment would have been the last thing on my mind.”
“Even if I gave it to you now I have nothing to go back to.” Finn whispered and there was a glint to his eyes that almost looked like unshed tears. “I had so much and I never truly realized how precious it was until it was gone.”
Seth stared hard at him and shook his head slowly. “What happened to your belief in destiny? Haven’t you been spouting that crap at me for months?” he demanded. He had thought the harshness of his tone would snap Finn back to anger, but the Lord of Death showed no reaction at all beyond a faint smile.
“I held that which I most desire for a few breaths and pushed it away from me again.” Finn whispered. “If this is destiny I’m going to kill the Aspect of Fate.”