The Crow King's Wife (45 page)

The door pushed open and she startled at the
sight of Shade standing in the doorway. His auburn hair was tousled
badly and his leather armor was torn and bloodstained, but he
didn’t appear to be injured, not in body anyway, by the look on his
face she couldn’t say the same about his spirit. His face was drawn
and pale with an expression of utter defeat covering his features.
His blue eyes swept the room once then fixed on her.

“They said Seth came for you, but I didn’t
want to leave until I made sure you were safe.” His words were soft
with more weariness than she had ever heard in his voice
before.

“Thank you.” She murmured as she forced
herself to her feet. Her head throbbed from crying and she knew her
voice was hoarse from her raw throat.
I must sound as bad as he
looks
she realized glumly.

“The ship is loaded if you are willing to
leave here.” Shade informed her and rubbed the back of his neck as
he looked her over. “I think the two of us might possibly be the
most depressed victors history has ever seen before.” He observed
with a bitter smile.

“I think you may be right.” Zoelyn agreed as
she slowly crossed the room and peered through the door he had
entered from. “I’m depressed and lost. Do you remember the way
out?” she asked hesitantly.

“Perfectly.” Shade replied and moved silently
past her and down the long corridor beyond the room.

Doggedly Zoelyn followed after him silently
grateful that Shade didn’t seem to want to hear any details about
Seth’s rescue. It wasn’t something she was ready to talk about, and
from the look on his face she knew better than to ask any questions
of him. By the way he was acting Grim must be dead, she couldn’t
think of anything else that would dampen Shade’s spirits so
thoroughly.

Within ten minutes of walking Shade led her
out into the bright sunlit day and Zoelyn shook her head at how
close she had been to escape when she had given up. A few more
turns and she would have found her own way out of the fortress. Of
course the odds were good that Shade wouldn’t have located her had
she been wandering aimlessly through the city so it was likely for
the best that she had given in to her sobs and collapsed.

Shade halted a few feet from the fortress and
drew a battered silver case from inside his armor. His face was
devoid of all expression as he pulled a cigarette from it and
calmly lifted it to his lips and lit it while his eyes roved over
the battered city. Stonevines wrapped every building she could see
and there was no sign of anything living beyond a few stray horses
that milled in the streets far below. Shade inhaled deeply and
exhaled a stream of smoke from his nostrils as he seemed to
consider things then pointed absently to his right.

“My ship is just over there. Go ahead and
climb aboard. Syrah could probably use a hand with her Father and I
have one more thing to do.” His voice was monotone as he spoke and
he didn’t even bother to glance back at her. His gaze seemed
riveted on the city with an intensity that kept her frozen where
she was. “Suit yourself.” Shade murmured as he took another drag
from the cigarette and raised a hand toward the sky. His eyes
closed tightly and magic began to roil off of him as the sky above
darkened.

Glancing up Zoelyn expected to see a storm
such as Valor summoned, but instead her eyes found swarms of
creatures she had no name for flying so thickly that their tiny
forms blotted out the sunlight like the leaves of a thick forest.
Even as she watched more of the tiny forms appeared in the sky and
she squinted her eyes in a vain attempt to determine what the
creatures were.

Shade’s eyes opened slowly and all warmth was
gone from the dark blue depths as he dropped his hand to point
toward the remains of Prendington. “Destroy.” He hissed and the
creatures filling the sky above him descended like a swarm of
locusts on the city. Shade watched them for a moment then glanced
at her. “He wanted it leveled like Amdany. It will be leveled.” He
promised quietly as he began walking toward the ship.

Zoelyn nodded slowly her eyes following the
tiny darting creatures as they tore the city apart stone by stone
leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. Shaking her head she
jogged after Shade and slowed her pace once she reached his side.
“What are those things, Shade?” She whispered as she glanced
quickly toward the city then back to his pale face.

“Every raw nerve in my body given physical
form.” Shade replied bitterly and the edge of his mouth turned up
into a faint smile that didn’t hold a trace of warmth. “My anger,
my grief, and my despair manifested. They don’t have a true name as
far as I know and they won’t stay in this world long enough to need
one. Once this city is gone they will fade as well.”

Nodding slowly Zoelyn stared at Shade for a
long moment before stepping onto the ship. She had been studying
magic with Jala as well as Seth for months, and her brother was one
of the most powerful mages she knew of, but the spell Shade had
just used was not one she had ever heard of. It had to be forgotten
magic from beyond the Barrier or she would have heard of someone
using it in some story. For the first time since she had met Shade
she could see a dark side, and she knew what he had just shown her
was only a pale glimpse of the true power he was hiding. The spell
had to require immense energy to cast given how devastating it was,
yet Shade didn’t look the slightest bit worn, which meant his magic
reserves were well beyond what most mages possessed.

“All of the slaves, three Snow Cats, and a
horse that belongs to Grim now.” Shade informed her as he motioned
to the back of the ship on his way to the pilot’s seat. “I had no
choice but the shrink them for transport. There were too many
people to fit on the ship otherwise.” He explained softly as he
dropped into the seat and pressed his hands over the control panel.
A soft hum ran over the ship as Shade prepared for takeoff.

Zoelyn’s gaze moved to the stack of crates
near the back of the ship and she felt relief well in her until her
gaze landed on Grim. With a gasp she crossed quickly to his side
and dropped down beside Syrah as she swiftly inventoried his
wounds.

“Can you help him?” Syrah whispered in a
pleading voice. Her wide grey eyes were full of tears and the
expression on her fragile face was positively wretched.

Smiling softly Zoelyn nodded her head and
hugged the child carefully taking care not to touch her with bare
flesh. “I’ll do everything I can for him.” She promised as she
pushed all other thoughts from her mind. Grim needed her full
attention and she knew it. She didn’t have time to contemplate Seth
or Shade’s strange behavior, and she was almost grateful for the
distraction.

“I’m glad you didn’t go with him.” Dray’s
voice was barely a whisper and she could hear a thickness in his
voice that spoke of tears.

“I think I am too.” Zoelyn agreed softly.

Delvay

Gnawing hunger tore through her as she bent
lower over Grim’s body. She could feel the curse eating away her
willpower, but she knew Grim was too weak to withstand even the
feeblest draining if she gave into the desire. She had managed to
stabilize him on the flight home, but there was still so much
healing to do. The flesh beneath her hand was far too hot and
clammy and she knew she would have to put every skill Dominic had
ever taught her to the test if she was going to save his life.

Grim’s hand rose weakly to push her away as
he tried to sit up for the fifth time since she had begun removing
one of the arrow heads embedded deeply in his side and she had to
stifle a curse. On the ship he had been unconscious, but he had
woken shortly after they had moved him to a room in House Delvayon
and he had been a thorn to work on since.

“I am never going to get this arrowhead out
if you don’t stop, Grim.” Zoelyn muttered through clenched teeth as
she firmly pushed him flat onto the bed once more.

“Shade.” The name was barely a whisper
through his lips, but somehow Grim turned the single word into a
demand.

“I don’t know where he is, Grim. I’ve told
you that. I promise once I have you patched up properly I will go
find him.” Zoelyn sighed. He sprawled under he hands once more, but
she knew he hadn’t given up. His fever was so high he wasn’t
thinking clearly and he was obsessed with finding Shade. Once he
had enough energy to attempt to push her away again he would, which
meant she only had a few minutes to remove the remainder of the
quills from his side.

“He shouldn’t be alone. Do you know what he
did? Do you know how he saved me?” Grim mumbled. He turned his head
to stare up at her and the expression on his face was desperate.
She had never seen Grim act this way no matter what the situation
had been.

“I know he saved you. Syrah told me.” Zoelyn
replied calmly as she pulled another quill from the wound. Of all
things men used to kill each other the Serpent tooth arrow was the
one she despised the most. Each tiny quill that lined the edges of
the arrow head was designed to break off on impact and typically
they were coated in poison. She was certain the quills combined
with the potion he had drunk before the battle was to blame for his
current condition. The Heroes folly was a potion intended to keep a
warrior on his feet long past the point he should have fallen by
boosting stamina as well as natural regeneration. The effect had
sealed all of the arrow quills deep in his flesh to putrefy and
poison his blood.

Grim’s hand rose once more and pushed at her
just as she locked onto a stubbornly buried quill with her
tweezers. He tried once more to sit up and she fought back the urge
to curse as she lost her grip on the quill. Leaning back she took a
deep breath and glanced at the small girl sitting at the foot of
the bed.

“Syrah, What would your mother do with a
patient like this?” Zoelyn asked in the calmest voice she could
muster. Between Caleb’s constant interference and the gnawing
hunger of her curse her patience was nearly gone. Much more of this
and she was going to strangle the man to speed him on his way to
Finn’s door.

“Summon Daddy and have him knock him out so
she could work in peace on the wound.” Syrah answered in the same
rational voice, but the look she was giving her father was one of
stern disapproval. Her tiny mouth was pursed into a tight frown and
she shook her head in reproach.

“And what should I do since the unruly
patient is your daddy?” Zoelyn asked sweetly. She had known how the
child would answer. Evanell had taught her daughter well and it
showed in Syrah’s every action. When Syrah spoke it was Evanell’s
wisdom in a child’s voice.

“Find him Shade so his mind will be at
peace.” Grim snapped before Syrah had a chance to reply. With
another grunt of effort Grim heaved himself into an upright
position and wobbled unsteadily before dropping his legs over the
edge of the bed.

“You can’t possibly believe you are going to
be able to stand, Grim. It took two guards just to get you into
this bed. You haven’t been conscious more than an hour since you
fell in Rivana.” Zoelyn objected with every bit of righteous
indignation she could summon to her voice.

“He killed his own Mother. He shouldn’t be
alone now. Shade wears his guilt like a noose and this much will
strangle him.” Grim’s voice was strained but she knew the look of
stubborn resolve on his face far too well. He wouldn’t give this
up, either she would have to find a compromise with him quickly or
watch him stumble out of the room and most likely to his death. He
needed the quills out now to stop the poison.

“Lay back down and let me remove the quills
and I will send Dray and Syrah to find Shade, alright?” Zoelyn
offered.

“It won’t do any good to send me. Shade isn’t
in Delvay. He left the moment the children were off the Spell Hawk,
and no one can say where he has gone. Neph has been trying to find
him for hours.” Dray pointed out from his perch by the door and
Zoelyn had to resist the urge to slap him for it.

“What? How long has he been gone?” Grim’s
voice grew hoarse as he struggled to his feet. “Where is my sword?
I have to find him.” Even as he spoke his knees were wobbling as if
they would buckle, but the man seemed to be too stubborn to admit
to his own weakness.

“The only thing you will be finding is your
pillow.” Zoelyn grumbled as she rose from her chair and moved to
stand in front of him. He glared down at her in defiance but one
solid push from her hand send him crumbling back onto the bed. A
flicker of agony crossed his face as the wound in his side tore
open further and she felt a moment’s regret for her roughness. “I’m
trying to save your life, Grim. Shade can take care of himself well
enough. The sooner you let me finish, the sooner you can go find
him.”

“If he suffers from my delay I will not
forgive you for this.” Grim promised in the same hoarse voice, but
didn’t try to rise again. His jaw clenched as he closed his eyes
and turned his face toward the wall.

Zoelyn stared down at him in bewilderment for
several breaths before she realized he was finally going to submit
to her healing. Silently she returned to her chair and leaned over
the wound once more. It was almost impossible to keep from glancing
at his face. She had never seen Grim act so strangely, but decided
it had to be from the fever. Dominic had said that the fever mad
rarely made sense in their ramblings. Her tweezers found the quill
once more and she carefully pulled it from the wound doing her best
to wipe away the puss and blood it left in its wake. With patience
she didn’t feel in the slightest she pressed at the open wound and
searched for more of the quills. She had only managed to find four
so far and most Serpent tooth arrows held ten.