The Crow King's Wife (46 page)

“Shade really did kill his Momma to save my
Daddy.” Syrah’s soft voice broke the silence and Zoelyn glanced up
at the child in amazement. “I could see the look on your face when
Daddy said that, and I guessed that you thought he was fever mad.
He isn’t though. Shade really did do it. I saw it, and I saw him
cry when he gathered her body, even though he tried to hide
that.”

“What was his mother doing there?” Zoelyn
whispered in confusion as she looked from Syrah to Dray who simply
shrugged in response.

“She was helping the Rivasans. She told Shade
that his Father sent his regards. I think that was supposed to make
him give up, but it didn’t. She turned into a dragon and attacked
Daddy, and Shade killed her for it.” Syrah answered softly. He
large grey eyes settled on her father once more and for a few
breaths she actually looked her age as her lower lip trembled.

“He will be ok Syrah. Once I find all of the
quills he will start healing on his own again.” Zoelyn promised and
silently prayed she wasn’t lying to the girl. It all really
depended on what manner of poisons had been on the arrows. There
were certain poisons that were powerful enough to permanently
damage an Elder Blood, but they were few and far between and
usually too expensive for a common soldier to use.

“Even if Shade was saddled with guilt from
killing his mother it doesn’t explain why he left like he did. I
saw him glance back at Grim at least ten times during the flight.
You would think if he was that worried he would have stuck around
to make sure Grim would be ok.” Dray grumbled.

“Maybe he went to get Jala?” Zoelyn suggested
hopefully. If Shade had in fact gone to get Jala, Grim was as good
as saved. She had seen Jala work before and from what she had
witnessed it was possible that the High Lady of Merrodin was a
better healer than even Rose in Sanctuary.

“It wouldn’t take Shade nine hours to get
Jala, and that doesn’t explain why he took the bulk of the slaves
with him when he left. Neph is furious right now. Two of the
missing slaves are Arovan girls. From what I overheard Neph already
made arrangements to return the children to Lord Elijah and now two
of them are missing thanks to Shade.” Dray said in a hushed
voice.

Zoelyn turned to look at Dray in time to see
him glancing back from the door. She smiled faintly and nodded. He
wasn’t speaking quietly in hopes that Grim wouldn’t hear. Grim was
a Shifter and could likely hear what was going on three rooms down
the hall. Dray had been eavesdropping on Neph and didn’t want
anyone outside the room to overhear the stolen knowledge. “It’s
Shade. I’m sure he had a good reason for what he did, and he will
explain it when he returns.” Zoelyn said with a shrug as she
returned her attention to the healing.

“If he returns.” Dray added doubtfully.

“Let me up.” Grim snarled and pushed at her
hands once more. His eyes were locked on her with more anger
burning in their light grey depths than she would have believed
possible in his condition.

With a weary sigh she flattened a hand firmly
on Grim’s chest and glared at Dray. “If you can’t stay positive
than shut up please. He is already behaving like a child and your
words are only encouraging him.”

“A child?” Grim snarled as he feebly pushed
at her hand. “It has been nine hours if he was coming back he would
have been here by now. Let me up now!” She was sure the words would
have been screamed at her if he had the strength, as it was Grim
barely managed to speak louder than a whisper.

“Fear is a weapon to use against your enemy.
To allow its blade to pierce your own heart is blasphemy.” Syrah
intoned quietly from the foot of the bed. Grim’s expression shifted
at once from anger to what looked close to despair as he collapsed
back into the sheets once more. “Allow her to finish her work,
Daddy.” Syrah commanded in a voice that mimicked her mother’s own
patient tones so completely that Zoelyn felt the edge of tears
burning in her eyes.

“If Nel was here you wouldn’t even think of
fussing this much.” Zoelyn whispered as she pulled another quill
free of his flesh.

“If Nel were alive he wouldn’t have been
chasing
Kevala’drin
and wouldn’t be wounded at all.” Shade’s
voice rose from the corner near the door and all eyes turned to
regard him in amazement as he dropped the camouflage he had been
using.

He was dressed better than she had ever seen
him with fine clothes that would have humbled all but an Avanti
lord. His hair was freshly cut and styled and rings flashed on each
of his fingers, but despite the changes he still looked wretched to
her eyes. His skin was far too pale and there were shadows under
his eyes as he moved closer to the bed to gaze down at Grim. The
smell of cologne washed over Zoelyn as he approached and she stared
up at him in utter disbelief. He was attired as if he were
attending a formal ball. As far as she had known Shade was
destitute after being cut off from his House and finances. She had
never seen him wear anything other than his leather armor or a worn
tunic and trousers before now.

“Shade.” Grim breathed the word with such
vast relief that Zoelyn could do nothing more than simply look
between the two of them in a hopeless attempt to determine which
one was behaving more strangely.

“The door didn’t open. Have you been in here
the entire time listening to us?” Dray demanded sounding more than
a little offended.

The thought of Dray being offended by
eavesdropping was almost enough to make her giggle despite the
tension in the room. Dray was famous for eavesdropping. He could
hardly condemn anyone else for it. It didn’t seem like a good time
to point that fact out though so Zoelyn bit her lip and fought to
keep the grin from her face.

Shade shook his head slowly and motioned to
the crack under the door. “I arrived about the time Syrah was
chiding her father on fear. I wanted to know who was in the room
before I showed myself. I’m afraid I have a bit of explaining to
do, and I wanted to see Grim before Neph had a chance to sink his
talons into me.”

“You came under the door?” Dray asked with
annoyance and his gaze moved automatically to examine the two inch
gap with a critical eye. She could already see the gears turning in
the Blight’s mind as he contemplated how to blockade off a room
against further infiltration of that nature.

“Changeling, anything I want to be and all
that.” Shade returned softly but his eyes were focused on Syrah
rather than Dray. He offered a faint smile that seemed to hold more
sadness than anything of amusement and shook his head at her
slowly. “I’m not sure that you have ever been a child, Syrah. You
seem so adult and set in your ways that I hate to correct you, but
I have to disagree with your logic on fear. I’m not familiar with
the dictates of the Order of Fear, but as far as I’ve seen from
life, to be governed by fear might be blasphemous, but to feel fear
proves nothing more than you care. We all feel fear whether we show
it or not. I myself have been so terrified of what I faced that it
is amazing I managed to accomplish anything. The difference is how
we face it. Your Father faces fear head on and to even suggest he
is cowardly is insulting.”

“I didn’t mean that!” Syrah protested in a
squeaking voice. She shook her head quickly and her wide grey eyes
settled on her father. “I didn’t mean that. I just wanted you to
behave.” She added desperately.

Grim forced a smile onto his face and nodded
once to his daughter in reassurance before turning his attention
back to Shade. “Where have you been?”

“Errands that I had to attend to. I went to
Sanctuary.” Shade replied casually as he pulled a vial from the
inside of his jacket pocket. Turning it over he examined the label
for a moment then handed it to Zoelyn. “I brought that from Rose. I
explained the circumstances and she says that will help counteract
the Folly and promote good healing.”

Nodding slowly Zoelyn turned the vial over
and carefully removed the stopper to take a delicate sniff of the
potion. Wrinkling her nose she glanced at Grim and then back to
Shade. “He drinks it I suppose?” she asked doubtfully. From the
smell of it she almost pitied Grim. It wasn’t something she would
want to taste considering how badly it smelled. At Shade’s
answering nod she held the vial to Grim’s lips and had to fight
back amazement when he drank it without hesitation. He didn’t even
bother remarking on the smell though he did grimace slightly and
motion for water once it was empty.

Shade smiled faintly once more. “Jala will be
here soon. If the potion isn’t doing enough to help have her look
in on him.” He watched Grim for another long moment with what
seemed to be guilt hovering in the depths of his dark blue
eyes.

Zoelyn nodded slowly and watched Grim’s eyes
flutter several times and then finally settle closed. His body
relaxed as he sank into deep sleep. “How long will he stay asleep?”
She asked softly though she doubted the sound of her voice would
awaken him. His breathing was already too deep for it to be a
natural sleep. It had to be the potion and that explained Shade’s
guilt. He had drugged a friend even though he knew Grim wanted to
be awake. It was obvious even to her that Grim had a thousand
questions for Shade, and Shade had intentionally silenced him
before he could ask any of them.

“Forty-eight hours for a normal person. Rose
says to expect twelve for Grim given his Shifter blood.” Shade
answered quietly and there was definite guilt in his voice when he
spoke. Clearing his throat he looked between Zoelyn and Dray and
let out a soft sigh. “I would appreciate it if everything I say
from this point on stays in this room. I understand if you feel
obligated to speak on it later, but I would greatly appreciate your
silence for a few hours at the very least. With what is coming next
it may seem strange, but I have my reasons. I don’t want anyone to
attempt to defend me later today, which is why Grim is sleeping at
the present. Let the cards fall as they will please.” He waited
until the both nodded then turned to Syrah. Digging in his pockets
once more Shade pulled a storage stone out and offered it to the
girl. “I think you might possibly be the only one I can give that
to. I haven’t seen you show fear once, and everyone else would be
afraid of this. There is a goblin inside it, but it is not a mean
creature. If you feed it then it will follow you as loyally as a
puppy. It is yours if you want it, if not please tell your father
to release it. It cannot go with me once I leave Delvay.”

“You are leaving Delvay?” Dray said in
obvious shock.

“I have other promises to keep that I have
already delayed too long.” Shade replied softly, but didn’t bother
to look at Dray. His gaze was still fixed on the child and the
stone she held. Absently he pulled a pouch from his pocket and
dropped it on the foot of the bed before her. “That is for you and
your father if he decides to not return to Arovan. When you give it
to him please let him know that it isn’t blood money. Those are
gems that I had hidden on my ship for emergency use. I want the two
of you to use them instead. If he manages them carefully it should
be enough for you both to live well and pay for your schooling in
the future if you decide to attend the University.”

Zoelyn’s hands froze over the wound in Grim’s
side. She had been trying to work and grant Shade as much privacy
as he could until his last words. Tilting her head up silently she
studied the dark circles under his eyes and the pale color of his
skin. He didn’t look well at all, and his words weren’t the least
bit reassuring. “You aren’t ever coming back?” she asked softly and
watched the expression on his face closely as she spoke.

A flicker of grief lit his eyes for a breath
and then it was gone. Shaking his head slowly he forced a smile on
his face. “I won’t be welcome in Delvay after today.” He spoke the
words calmly, but she could see the tension in his shoulders
increase. Something was very wrong and she didn’t have the
slightest clue what it was.

“What have you done?” Dray demanded as he
pushed himself from the wall. The expression on his face was one of
dread and anger. He was staring at Shade as if the man had just
betrayed them all, and it was only then that she realized Dray was
staring at Shade’s clothing rather than his face. He was wearing
the blue and silver of House Morcaillo, and she hadn’t even noticed
until that moment.

“Dray, it’s Shade!” Zoelyn snapped as she
rose to her feet as well. “How many stories has Jala told us about
Shade? You know better than to doubt him. Shade is the last person
we should suspect of being a traitor.”

“Feel free to doubt me, Dray. I’ve done
everything and I am most definitely a traitor.” Shade whispered
cryptically as he turned for the door. “Don’t bother attacking me
for it though. I’m sure Neph will want those honors.” He added as
Dray took a step toward him.

Zoelyn watched the door close behind him and
turned to stare at Dray. After several breaths she realized her jaw
was still hanging open and hastily closed her mouth then shook her
head quickly to force her mind back into motion.

“What the hell was that?” Dray demanded
looking more than a little unsettled himself.

“I have no idea. Follow him though. If he is
going to talk with my Brother I want to know what it is about and I
have to finish on Grim before I can leave here.” Zoelyn motioned
toward the door as she spoke and shook her head once more as Dray
practically bolted to follow her suggestion.

Slowly she sank back into her chair as the
door closed for the second time and stared down at Grim’s sleeping
form. Shade had asked for her silence, but Grim would have to know.
There was no other way for Syrah to explain the bag of gems or the
goblin. It wasn’t going to be pretty when they explained it either,
by the way Shade spoke something very bad was about to happen.