The Crow King's Wife (56 page)

“Leave me.” The words were mangled so badly
that it took Shade a long moment to decipher what the rogue had
been trying to say. Charm’s face crumpled with shame and his head
bowed as he struggled against Shade in an attempt to regain the
shadowed corner he had been huddled in.

Swallowing heavily Shade shook his head and
fervently hoped he had the chance to deal with whoever had taken
Charm’s tongue and destroyed his body. Whoever had tortured him had
known their work well. Shade couldn’t even see a glimpse of the
charismatic Fionaveir that had been his partner and had risked his
life to help him escape the city. “It’s ok Charm. You have nothing
to be ashamed of, and I won’t even consider leaving you.” Shade
said as he pulled on his Changeling talents to strengthen himself
and lifted Charm’s wasted body to carry him.

Grim was waiting just outside the door with
an impatient scowl on his face, but his expression softened the
moment he saw Charm’s condition. His mouth flattened into a line
and he nodded once for Shade to head for the door. “I’ll carry the
woman, just concern yourself with him.”

“Faramir did this?” Shade demanded of Lex as
he forced the Fionaveir to look at Charm’s wasted form. “Faramir
destroyed him like this?” his voice was hoarse as he moved closer
to Lex with more rage coursing through his veins than he could ever
remember feeling before.

Eyes wide Lex nodded dumbly and took a step
back from Shade as if he was afraid Charm’s injuries were
contagious. “Faramir was the only one that ever questioned him.”
Lex said quietly.

“Then I’ll see that she dies slowly and
painfully.” Shade hissed through clenched teeth as he fought back
the burning behind his eyes that spoke of unshed tears. “No one
that can do this to another living being should be allowed to live.
I don’t care what crimes someone has committed they don’t deserve
this.” He added in a savage whisper and shook his head fiercely as
he headed for the door.

“When the passive soul howls in rage villains
cringe like babes.” Grim intoned in an almost musical voice. “Come
along my passive soul we need to escape before we can plot
vengeance.” He said with a heavy sigh as he shouldered gently past
Shade to take point.

“Please don’t mock me right now, Grim.” Shade
pleaded weakly as he fell into step behind the larger man.

Grim shifted Ingrid in his arms and glanced
over his shoulder at Shade without a hint of amusement on his
chiseled face. “I wasn’t mocking, Shade. That’s a line from a song
and it seems very fitting right now. I see years of repressed fury
in your eyes and I know how powerful you are. When you serve your
penance on this Faramir it will be devastating.” He explained with
a look of respect shining in his eyes. “I applaud, I approve, and
most importantly I will guard your back while you do it. I agree
with your words with every ounce of my soul. I may be coldhearted,
but I have the decency to kill my prey when I hunt. Whoever did
this to these two should suffer the same pain.”

“I’ve never felt this much anger before. I
want to make her suffer for this.” Shade replied in a broken voice
and could barely believe the words he was uttering. Never before in
his life had he wanted to inflict so much pain on anyone, no matter
what they had done to him. He couldn’t forgive what had been done
to Charm or Ingrid however. Such things couldn’t be forgiven, they
could only be punished.

Sanctuary

The hall of the council chamber echoed with
disgruntled murmurs and Neph could barely bite back his own
sentiments on the matter. His wouldn’t be whispered however, his
would be loud proclamations about what a worthless bitch their
Empress had turned out to be. With a heavy sigh he glanced at Jala
and leaned forward from the cushioned chair that had been provided
for him. For the first time in his life Neph understood why his
father had favored the uncomfortable wooden chairs. He had found in
the past hour of waiting that it was impossible to look imposing
when lounging in a feather stuffed velvet chair.

Neph’s gaze wandered across the assembled
High Lords once more and to his amusement he saw echoes of his own
sentiments on several faces. Elijah Arovan had opted to simply
stand, while his General sat behind with a scowl on his face that
did little to balance the fact that he was ensconced in light blue
velvet that looked more suited to a lady’s drawing room. Jala
herself even seemed uncomfortable though she was doing an adequate
job of hiding it. He caught a glimpse of her violet eyes as they
passed over the empty council seats and turned to stare at the
banners himself. Rivasa, Nerathane, and Morcaillo were all absent,
but then so was the Empress so there was no one to complain to
about it, yet.

“Where are your buddies at?” Neph called
across the room to Truce Avanti. He couldn’t keep silent any longer
no matter how badly Jala might want him to be diplomatic.

Of everyone in the room Truce Avanti seemed
to be the only one that actually looked comfortable, though Neph
knew it was a mask. He had caught the High Lord of Avanti glancing
at the empty seats at least twice. Frowning Truce raised an eyebrow
at Neph and summoned an expression of bored annoyance. Tilting his
chin up slightly Truce leaned over toward his wife and whispered
something before silently scolding his son for fidgeting in the
chair behind him. Apparently deciding it would be the most
diplomatic to simply ignore Neph as one would a rude child.

“Perhaps you didn’t hear me clearly. I
realize they sat you on the opposite side of the room to keep you
safe so I’ll speak up. I asked where your friends are Avanti.” Neph
repeated in a much louder voice that echoed off of the council
walls.

“Neph, please.” Jala said with a hint of
desperation in her voice. Her attention was fully riveted on him
now and her violet eyes were filled with pleading.

“I find myself rather curious on that
particular matter as well.” Arjuna Firym said in a casual voice
that was only slightly louder than what was generally considered
polite.

“How about where is the Empress?” The High
Lady of Seravae intoned with an apologetic glance to Jala.

“I’m sure we will have our answers soon. I
would greatly prefer that we not start this off on the wrong foot
by fighting amongst one another before the council even starts.”
Elijah Arovan said in a calming voice and pointedly looked to each
of his peers that had spoken up.

Neph had to resist the urge to roll his eyes
when the High Lord of Arovan’s eyes landed on him. It would have
been a childish gesture and he knew it, but to be chided like a
child twice in a row gave him the overwhelming desire to act like
one. With a snort of disgust Neph rose from his chair and paced
around the small enclosed dais that had been provided for his
house. The other High Lords had entourages that had accompanied
them, but his space was utterly empty aside from himself, which
meant he alone had the luxury of stretching without elbowing a
friend in the face.

“I wasn’t trying to make a fuss High Lord
Arovan. I’m simply bored of waiting and curious who Rivasa is
raping and pillaging while we sit here like good little fools.”
Neph announced casually and motioned a hand toward Truce. “I
assumed they sent their weakest link to dampen our suspicion on the
matter.”

“Do not presume to insult House Avanti in my
presence.” Truce replied sharply and Neph laughed in response.

“I was there at your surrender, Truce. Save
it for someone that hasn’t seen you grovel before.” Neph shot back
in amusement.

“Neph!” Jala snapped with anger thick in her
voice. The skirts of her long purple dress rustled noisily as she
rose from her chair and glowered at him. Leaning forward she rested
both hands on the railing and gave him her best Lady Bendazzi
glare. “You will stop trying to pick a fight. We are here to seek
peace.” She informed him coldly.

“Difficult to reach any sort of compromises
when we are missing several High Lords and our Empress.” Jin
Han’Shy observed quietly.

Jala’s mouth opened to reply but snapped shut
as the double doors at the front of the hall opened and the Empress
strolled into the room followed by Faramir and several guards in
polished plate mail. Silently Jala dropped back into her chair and
watched the procession as it passed by her dais.

Symphony inclined her head with in the barest
of nods to the assembled High Lords as she crossed the room in slow
dignified steps. Her long dark hair was swept up and held in place
by a platinum circlet that was emblazoned with the mark of the
Justicars at its brow.

Neph frowned at the sight of it and glanced
to Jala, but the High Lady of Merrodin seemed entirely focused on
the Empress’s bejeweled gown and Neph could see the annoyance
creasing Jala’s brow. She had noticed the same thing he had about
the Empress’s garb then. Unlike Jala’s own fine dress, Symphony’s
was not crafted with magic, which meant each of the jewels lining
her dress and glittering on her fingers had been bought.

The only real question was where the money
came from. If Neph had to hazard a guess he would say taxes from
the city, but given the state of a few districts in the city
spending that much money on clothing would be beyond stupid. There
were people starving in some quarters, and every High Lord
assembled knew it. With the war destroying so much farmland, and
keeping other crops from being harvested food was costly, and
flaunting jewels during such a crisis was a slap in the face to the
more hard pressed lords.

The Empress seemed perfectly oblivious to the
hard stares she was getting from the High lords and ascended the
stairs with a look of perfect serenity on her beautiful face. She
turned slowly back to the High Lords as she gained her dais and
held her hands out for silence though the room was already so quiet
that a pin dropping would have rang like a bell.

“I have been informed that certain of our
High lords have been detained and will arrive shortly. I realize
you all grow impatient and so I have decided to start the meeting
with a few personal matters that have been brought to my attention
and do not require the presence of my entire council.” Symphony’s
voice rang through the room with the musical quality of the Fae,
but from the expression on the High Lord of Faydwer’s face Neph
guessed the Fae were not currently claiming her as one of their
own.

“May we enquire as to what has detained our
fellow High Lords your Grace?” Lord Arovan asked in a voice that
held more reason than Neph could have mustered if his life had
depended on it.

“It is a matter between their three lands, an
alliance of terms that they were negotiating that has taken longer
than intended. They will bring this matter to our attention when
they arrive or so I am assured and you will have all of the details
then High Lord Arovan.” Symphony replied calmly and her gold eyes
moved across the room to settle firmly on Jala. “As to the other
matters, High Lady Merrodin will you rise please.”

“Of course your Grace.” Jala replied as she
rose once more from her chair and bowed her head respectfully to
Symphony, but Neph could clearly see the look of apprehension on
her face.

“You are accused of charges of brutality in
the maintenance of your borders Lady Merrodin.” Symphony announced
then glanced down as Faramir supplied her with a small stack of
papers. The Empress scanned the papers and her brow creased
slightly as she looked back up to Jala with narrowed eyes. “Would
you please define your protocol for defending your borders for all
assembled?” Symphony said in a voice that turned the politely
phrased question into a command.

“I have put strict rules upon my borders as
to who is allowed to cross. Those who break those laws are branded
for the first offense and sent back to their homeland. For the
second offense they are branded a second time, fined and jailed for
one week before they are returned to their home. For the third
transgression we brand them, fine then and expedite their return in
a fashion that keeps them from bothering us a fourth time.” Jala
explained in clipped tones her gaze locked on Truce Avanti as she
spoke.

“Please define expediting their return.”
Symphony pressed then tilted her head slightly to one side as
Faramir whispered into her ear. Nodding Symphony turned her
attention back to Jala and raised an eyebrow in impatience.

Clearing her throat Jala nodded and stood
straighter meeting Symphony’s eyes directly with no sign of remorse
on her face at all. “We bind them hand and foot and place them into
a catapult. We aim the catapult back at Avanti’s lands and do our
best to hit his Palace with the criminals we are returning to him.
Unfortunately we have yet to hit our mark as it lies some distance
from our borders, but we hope to one day enjoy success on that
endeavor.” Jala replied in a sickeningly sweet voice.

A snort of laughter erupted from High Lord
Arjuna and the Firym abruptly turned away from the assembly in an
obvious effort to regain control of himself. “Expedited return.”
Arjuna chuckled and he shook his head at Jala with a wide smile on
his handsome face.

Symphony glared down at the Firym for a long
moment then turned back to Jala with a disapproving look. “Does
this not seem harsh to you Lady Merrodin?” Sounds of running feet
echoed through the hall beyond the door accompanied by muffled
shouts and Symphony’s stern expression faded as she turned to
Faramir in confusion.

“I will see what the trouble is your, Grace.”
Faramir assured her demurely but paused before she had reached the
first steps as the double doors burst open and Victory Faydwer
stormed in with a frantic look on his face. His gaze swept the room
quickly and seized on Symphony. Bowing deeply he stood and Neph
could see blood tracing down the side of the Fae’s face as he
stood.