The Crow King's Wife (17 page)

“Yes well, it was Azashy that told the Lady
Blackwolf who Caleb’s true father was. It was a naïve action, and
it changed the face of the Glis court. Caleb was exiled to Arovan.
Blue Bess was exiled from Lord Blackwolf’s company. She was given
the choice of leaving Glis with her son, but chose to continue to
serve House Blackwolf at Sebastian’s side rather than his father’s.
In retaliation for Azashy’s actions Nicoli Blackwolf had intended
to have her quietly silenced before she could reap more mischief.
Azashy found out and fled. Since that day she has been in hiding
and only parts with information to the few individuals she approves
of, and none of the information she has parted with has ever been
about Glis.” Fortune pulled the glass of brandy to him the moment
he fell silent and took a small sip. He nodded with approval at the
vintage and glanced toward Cora.

“Given the nature of her exile from Glis it
stands to reason that if Azashy was going to turn to the enemy she
would have done it then. Why wait until now after all? If she was
going to hold a grudge she has had years to betray Glis.” Cora said
as she slid the perfectly rolled cigarette toward Fortune and gazed
at Neph once more.

“So if I can manage to find out where they
are hiding her I can end them being one step ahead of us
constantly.” Neph concluded with a nod. It was useful information,
and would be even more useful if he could pass it onto Jala. Until
she decided to speak with him again though that was rather
impossible. He wasn’t really sure what he could do with the
information alone, but Fortune seemed to believe he could somehow
benefit from it.

“The next bit of useful information is
discretionary. Use it as you will or don’t use it at all. The
choice is entirely yours.” Fortune sipped from the brandy once more
and leaned back in his chair. “Several months ago, not long after
Jala announced to the world who she was, there was an attempt on
Shade Morcaillo’s life. At least that is what Shade assumed. It was
a Nightblade assassin that attacked him, and Shade placed her in a
storage gem in return for it. I don’t actually think she meant to
kill him however given the circumstances. She seduced him, and then
attempted to stab him while he was still in a daze over the loss of
his virginity.” Fortune paused and smirked at Neph. “He wasn’t
wearing a Bachelor’s ring however, and she stabbed him through the
hand. Not only did she manage to get a sample of his blood she
quite possibly managed to get pregnant as well. The Nightblade’s
and Kali are on very close working terms which means Kali may very
well have Morcaillo blood to use in her creations as well as
Shade’s child to train. The Assassin in question was released from
her stone when Shade fled the city of Sanctuary. No one has seen
her since.”

“Why would Kali want Morcaillo blood? I
haven’t seen anything too impressive from Shade yet. He is a fairly
good Spell Hawk pilot, but I know quite a few that can claim that.”
Neph objected after a long moment. He had turned the information
over in his mind and failed to find the least bit of interest in
it, but Fortune seemed to think it was quite important.

Fortune stared at him for several breaths and
then smiled widely. “By the Aspects I think you are quite possibly
the last person to learn this. It used to be a very well-kept
secret, but Shade has let the information blurt out several times.
Neph, the Morcaillo are Changelings.”

Neph stared at him with a slack jaw as the
ramifications of what he had just heard sank home fully. Kali was
deadly enough with her creations, but when you added in the
potential of her creations being able to turn into anything or
mimic anyone, it became an entirely different level of deadly.

“The next bit I think you have already gotten
a hint of. There is more to it than what you have seen however.”
Fortune paused and summoned and illusion of the map table with the
focal point on Oblivion. He waved a hand toward the image and
smiled at Neph. “You noticed that the living have returned to
Oblivion. The part you were unable to see is that every last person
that Zachary and Jala have returned from the grave is a trained
soldier. They didn’t bring back a single soul that couldn’t fight.
Oblivion is preparing for an attack on someone and I’m not sure who
yet. I would be willing to concede that they might be there for
defense if Oblivion had anything left to defend.” Fortune’s voice
rose a bit as he spoke, and his eyes were locked on the illusion he
had summoned. This last bit of information seemed to hold his
interest more than anything else he had spoken of so far.

“Zachary might have brought them back to
support Arovan.” Neph suggested with a weak shrug.

Fortune nodded slowly but didn’t look
convinced in the slightest. “Jala might do something of that
nature, but I don’t think Zachary Dark would.” He objected.

“It’s possible that he would for the Firym or
Faydwer though. Those two lands were staunch allies of Veir before
the fall.” Cora offered quietly.

Fortune sighed and dismissed the illusion
with a frown. “This would have been Tyber’s call not Zachary, but
no one has seen Tyber since the fall of Veir. I couldn’t even guess
what the High Lord of Oblivion is about. There is simply no way of
knowing with the information we have so far. We will simply have to
wait for them to show a card. For now it is good to know, but not
something we can do much with.”

“It’s a waiting game as Fortune says.” Cora
agreed then smiled faintly and looked at her son with a meaningful
expression. “We are almost to the end of our talk for now, but the
next few things are going to make you want to act rashly. You
cannot Neph, you are desperately needed here and you have to
consider that fully before anything else.” She paused and waited
for him to nod his agreement though he wasn’t sure he actually
wanted to agree. “Rivasa is holding captives in several of their
cities. Most are children, and some are Delvay. They likely intend
to use them as slaves or breeders if their blood is strong
enough.”

Neph’s expression darkened with her words and
despite his agreement to not act rashly his mind was already
flooding with possible ways to retrieve his people. Most were slim
hopes, but a few of the fragmented plans had potential. He could
feel both of their eyes upon him and decided it was best to remain
silent for the time being. It wouldn’t do for either of them to
believe he was going to blatantly ignore their advice and Cora was
right, now was the time for rational thought. Knowing that his
people were in the hands of the Rivasans wasn’t making it easy to
think rationally however. The entire world knew stories and rumors
about the Rivasan slave farms, and none of them were pleasant.

“Which brings us to the last bit of
information I’m going to tell you today and it is the reason I want
you to hold off on your plan of attack. You have visitors coming to
Delvay Neph, and one of them happens to be the Black Bastard. He
has declared
Kevala’drin
against Rivasa and it seems to me
that it would be easier for you to kill two birds with one stone in
this case. He wants them dead and so do you, so help him kill them
and keep your hands clean in the process.” Fortune kept his voice
low as if there was a possibility that they might be over heard
despite the fact that the entire house was empty.

“So use Caleb as a tool then?” Neph asked
without much enthusiasm. There were few people he liked or
respected and while Caleb wasn’t a friend, he had earned Neph’s
respect.

“No.” Fortune said flatly with a mildly
irritated expression. “The Avanti use people as tools. What I’m
suggesting is more of helping a friend. Caleb intends to die in
Rivasa. You can prevent that if you assist him in his vengeance and
you won’t have to leave your city to do so. He is strong enough to
function as a conduit for your magic, as long as you don’t use the
Forbidden sort he won’t suffer from it.”

“I don’t even know how to begin using someone
as a conduit. It isn’t something I’ve ever attempted.” Neph
objected with a heavy sigh. The thought of using anyone in the
fashion Fortune was suggesting seemed a coward’s approach to him.
It was as much as saying he was too frightened to go to Rivasa
himself.

“Neph, you killed the dragon Nerath
single-handedly during the last stand in Arovan. You are terrifying
to most and many would rather agree than face an argument with you.
You have powerful allies from several different lands, and you have
more training in intrigue and politics than any other Delvay alive
can claim. Your people need you. No one can replace you or even
come close to replacing you. You are as important to the future of
Sanctuary as Jala is.” Cora said quietly, but her voice was laced
with conviction. She truly believed the words she was speaking and
it showed in her voice as well as her expression.

“So I should just tell Caleb that my life is
more valuable than his and he should shoulder all of the risk
then.” Neph grumbled as he sank back in his chair.

“No Neph, you should tell him that you are
going to help him get his daughter back despite the fact that your
responsibilities in Delvay may require the power you will be
loaning him.” Fortune corrected gently.

Neph looked up sharply and locked eyes on
Fortune. “His daughter is there?”

Fortune nodded and glanced at Cora before
speaking. “She is six and she has been a captive since Amdany fell.
She is pure Elder Blood, and already showing potential in magic. I
believe you knew her mother Evanell Khalia.”

Neph nodded as the memory of the slender dark
haired Fae surfaced in his mind. He had never spoken directly to
Evanell at the Academy, but he had seen her several times. She had
been the sort that was difficult to miss in a crowd and even harder
to forget. Evanell had possessed an otherworldly beauty and a
serene grace that left most men begging for her company. Neph had
never begged, but he had to admit he had taken every opportunity to
watch her when she was around him. “She took healing and Alchemy
classes at the Academy, neither were interests of mine so I wasn’t
in her company much.” Neph mumbled as he considered how the
Rivasan’s would treat a child of those lines. There was no doubt
that Evanell’s daughter would have inherited her mother’s beauty,
and with her genetics the child would become a breeder if she
wasn’t rescued.

“I see by your expression that you know what
future the child has if her Father fails.” Fortune said softly. His
expression was grim as he leaned back from the table. He muttered
something under his breath and two large leather sacks appeared
before him.

From what Neph could tell they appeared to be
grain sacks, and by the looks of them they were as full as they
could be without bursting. They only held his attention for a
moment however, and then his mind was focused once more upon the
Rivasan captives. “I fail to see how my understanding of her danger
should temper my desire to go to Rivasa. If my own people are
captive there as well it’s more reason for me to go fight beside
him rather than hide in the city while he attempts suicide in a
very colorful way. Why exactly is he attempting suicide if his
daughter still lives?”

“He didn’t know she still lived when he
declared Kevala’drin.” Cora answered sadly.

“Neph, listen closely. I have secrets that
will save Delvay, but I will not share them with any beyond you and
your sister. I’m waiting for her to arrive before I speak on that
particular topic, and if you depart for Rivasa there is no
guarantee you will return to hear my words.” Fortune paused and
shoved the bags toward Neph. “These will give Caleb the edge he
needs and it’s more help than he is expecting. Those combined with
your gift of magic should be enough to see him through alive
without risking your life. If you die, Delvay dies. It is as simple
as that. No one else can hold the city, and I won’t help the rest
of them.” Fortune’s voice held an edge that seemed very out of
character from what Neph had seen of the man so far, and for the
few moments he spoke Neph could see the Delvay blood the Fortune
claimed to have.

“What are those?” Neph asked as he prodded at
one of the bags.

“Seeds.” Fortune answered simply and smiled
faintly. “And the Black Bastard will know exactly what to do with
them.” He rose from his chair and gazed down at Neph with the smile
still playing faintly across his lips. “In the end I cannot order
you to remain behind nor would I. This is something you must put
serious thought into Neph and decide for yourself. Consider this
when you are thinking on it though. The only one left that can lead
aside from you is KayDelvayon, and she was too weak to stand up to
her brother. Zyi can’t shoulder this burden. Everyone believes she
is dead and if they knew she is Undrae now they would kill her for
it. The hardest part of being a leader is knowing when you have to
stand aside and let others take the risks. Jala Merrodin still
hasn’t learned that lesson, and there is a very good chance it will
mean her death. Caleb Faulklin and Shade Morcaillo are up to the
task of dealing with Rivasa. The only question remaining is can you
set your pride aside long enough to realize that, or are you going
to follow Jala down the path of destruction?”

“Jala isn’t on a path of destruction. She
knows better than anyone else what she is capable of.” Neph
grumbled. Valor had already proven how important it was to keep
faith in Jala, and Neph wasn’t about to think otherwise on the
matter again. He had already been proven wrong on it, and he didn’t
need to learn a lesson twice.

“And that is why she has fallen twice
already.” Fortune said dryly and shook his head slowly at Neph.
“Think on it Neph, set all emotions and pride aside and think with
logic.” He suggested in a kinder voice. Fortune straightened his
suit jacket and brushed a bit of dirt from his sleeve before
looking toward Cora with a raised eyebrow.