The Crow King's Wife (59 page)

“What did you do to Faramir!” Symphony
demanded in a nearly hysterical screech. “Seize him now!” She
screamed to her guards as she shoved one of them toward Shade.

“Symphony no!” Remedy’s voice broke through
the chaos and Shade glanced quickly toward the approaching man
silently thanking whatever god had sent this blessing. If the
Empress would listen to reason from anyone, it was Remedy. “Leave
Shade be. That was not truly Faramir!” Remedy added quickly as he
drew to a stop several feet from Symphony with a look of pleading
on his face.

Symphony glanced between the two of them
seeming unsure of what to do and Shade shook his head at both of
them then glanced toward the north. Turning he found Grim standing
just behind him with his sword held at the ready and pale grey eyes
set on the guards as if daring them to move.

“Keep them off me please.” Shade said softly
as he stepped back from the unfolding drama and stared up at the
rapidly approaching dragons. Myth was right. His friends wouldn’t
have time to prepare. He was wrong about the options though. There
was one more that might buy Jala enough time to secure the city,
but the price was high. His eyes moved from the dragons to the
frantic people that were rushing to find shelter from the
approaching violence and he felt calmness settle over him. The
price was high, but the end result was worth it. If he bought Jala
enough time she could save thousands.
One life for
thousands
. Shade mused as he pulled the storage gem containing
his Spell Hawk from the pocket of his coat.

Shade could feel Grim’s eyes on him as he
broke the gem then stepped back quickly as the bulk of his Spell
Hawk filled the narrow street. Glancing back he found the Priest
watching him rather than the Fionaveir guards he was supposed to be
holding at bay.

“Is that for our escape or is this one of
those times when you are giving too much without regard to reason?”
Grim asked evenly.

“Giving just enough.” Shade corrected
quietly. He turned away from Grim and stepped onto his ship to
swiftly rummage through one of the compartments. With a faint smile
he seized a small container from his collection of ammunition and
tucked it under the arm as he exited the ship once more. He could
feel several sets of eyes on him now as he opened the box and
pulled a glass sphere from inside it, no one was moving to stop him
however. Without pausing to think about what he was doing Shade
slammed the sphere on the ground shattering the glass to reveal the
tiny orb of dull grey metal. It was difficult to say which was
worth more, the protection on his ship or the ammunition he was
destroying. The Barllen rounds would tear through Spell Hawk or
dragon alike with no regard for wards of protection.

“Barllen?” Grim asked quizzically as Shade
rapidly shattered three more of the spheres and stood with the
small orbs of metal clutched tightly in his hands. Nodding absently
Shade moved to the front of his ship and hastily wired the first
orb of Barllen to the broken bracket that had once held rails of
the metal before Vaze had ripped them from his ship.

“Can I ask what you are doing?” Grim’s voice
was more curious than anything else as he watched Shade move from
bracket to bracket attaching the orbs.

“It’s not much in the way of defense, but
it’s enough to keep some spells off my Hawk.” Shade explained as he
gave Grim a wistful smile. “It’s been a pleasure my friend.” He
said and bowed his head to Grim in farewell before turning back to
his ship. He paused as he reached the steps and gazed in the
direction he had left Lex then frowned as he noticed Charm
staggering toward him. He had intended to say farewell, but at the
sight of the rogue moving toward him the words died on his
lips.

“
I’m going with you
.” Charm informed
him mentally in the same elegant voice that Shade could remember
the rogue using time and time again while they were partnered
together in the Fionaveir. Despite the fact that his body was so
broken that he could barely stumble the look on Charm’s face and
the voice he used in Shade’s mind was firm with resolve.

“Charm you don’t understand.” Shade began,
but Charm cut him off with a sharp gesture and continued toward the
ship in a ragged but determined walk.

“
You don’t understand Shade
.” Charm
said pointedly. “
Every secret I have tried to protect has been
revealed, and keeping my oath to the Guardians by helping you
protect this city is the only left that I might be able to do with
what life remains to me. I am going with you. I know how to load
the guns, I remember from our previous flights. I can at least be
useful in that respect
.” Charm’s rang loudly in his mind, and
was filled with so much anger that Shade knew there would be no
arguing with him. His mind was set and Shade didn’t have the time
to try to change it. “
It’s better than staying here and being
killed by my former comrades for nothing more than being a
Guardian
.” Charm added bitterly.

“So be it.” Shade whispered and let out a
sigh as he looked toward Lex once more. “Tell Jala I will buy her
what time I can. Help her get the people to safety. The Academy
would be the best choice the wards there are the strongest in the
city.” He called loudly. With a final nod to Grim he stepped upward
into his ship and staggered forward as Grim followed him up the
stairs and pushed him toward the pilot seat.

“Grim! What are you doing?” Shade demanded as
the priest calmly closed the door to the Spell Hawk and slid his
sword back into its scabbard before turning to face Shade.

“Helping you with every ounce of my power
just as we agreed. I will warn you though with what I am doing
today Syrah better grow up to be the most well-adjusted and
mentally stable woman in all of Sanctuary. That is the only way
things will be even between us.” Grim replied coolly as he moved to
take a seat in the front of the ship. “Give me control of the guns
and explain quickly how they work so you can focus your full
attention on flying. I have a feeling you are going to need it.”
Grim ordered without bothering to give Shade time to object.

“You realize what I’m doing is like declaring
Kevala’drin
on three separate nations at once right? My ship
has wards against teleportation on it to protect from others
invading it, but that works both ways. It means no one can teleport
off of it either. The Barllen on the outside will just increase
that. This flight is a one way ticket and this ship won’t be
landing Grim, it will be crashing. I can’t win against those odds
no matter how good I am. All I can do is slow them down before they
reach the city, and hope it gives Jala enough time to evacuate more
people to safety.” Shade explained in an overly calm voice. It
seemed so strange to be discussing the death of his beloved ship so
casually. His ship was really the last thing he could truly say he
had, but then if the ship crashed Shade sincerely doubted he would
around to mourn its loss.

“You do recall me saying I wanted every last
one of the flame hearted bastards dead right?” Grim returned with a
smile. “Now show me how to work these guns and let’s get this over
with. Rivasa, Nerathane, and Morcath chose this fight. Let’s be the
first to make them regret that decision.”

“The ammunition on my ship is different than
most. I’ve designed all of it. The Morcath Spell Hawks will have
some of the same ammo, but not all of it. The Barllen rounds in
particular are unique.” Shade began as he realized he wasn’t going
to talk Grim out of dying with him either. “Charm will keep the
guns loaded in the back so all you will have to worry about is
aiming. There is a rune on the control panel in front of you that
will link you mentally with the weapon systems or if you prefer you
can simply use the view screen. The runes for the separate
ammunitions are color coded depending on what it is. The Barllen is
the black rune, use it sparingly please.” Shade finished and slowly
sank down into his seat.

Lovingly he ran a hand across the dash of his
Spell Hawk and swallowed heavily as he leaned toward the pilot’s
controls. “You and I have had some beautiful times, Love, but this
is the last dance and this is the one that counts the most. I know
you are banged up right now, and I know I have been neglecting you,
but for today I need you to ignore that. I need you to fly like the
day I built you. There are a lot of bastards up there that are
going to believe they can catch you, but I know what you can really
do, and I need you to show them no matter what condition you are
in. I’m sorry for this, Love, but this city and those people are
worth more than both of us.” he spoke the words so softly that he
was certain neither of his friends could hear him until he looked
up and found Grim watching him with a thoughtful expression.

“This ship is the center of your world isn’t
it?” Grim asked softly as he drew his hands back carefully from the
controls and slowly looked around the Spell Hawk as if he were
seeing it for the first time.

Shade nodded slowly and swallowed as he
slowly traced a finger over the view screen controls beginning the
preflight sequence. “No matter what I did at home it was never the
right choice. When it came to the Academy there was always someone
slightly better than I was. In every single situation I have ever
been in there has always been someone slightly stronger, faster, or
more talented in magic, but here in this seat I am king. No one can
come close to me here, and this Ship is my heart and soul. I
designed her and built her and I know every inch of her better than
a mother knows her child. This ship is my life and there is only
one thing that I would sacrifice it for.” Shade’s voice was low as
he finished the diagnostics and wrapped his fingers tightly around
the controls. He felt his magic swell as he linked fully with his
Spell Hawk and for the first time in weeks he was king again. He
knew this was his last flight, and he had every intention of making
sure it was never forgotten. The true battle would be won by Jala
and her fellow High Lords, but his flight would be the first shot
fired and it would live on in bard’s tales for decades to come. He
owed his ship that much for what he was demanding of it.

“Is Jala really worth what you are
sacrificing.” Grim asked quietly.

Shade smiled sadly and shook his head slowly.
“Jala is wonderful, but she wasn’t what I was talking about when I
spoke of sacrificing my ship. I’m doing this for Sanctuary. I’m
doing this for every single soul down there that isn’t involved in
this war and has no magic to protect themselves. I saw how many
died when the Fionaveir took this city. So many people I knew
suffered because of the pettiness of High Lords. I’m not like the
rest of the Elder Blood. I never have been. I despise war and I
truly pray this is the last battle fought. There is nothing
glorious or honorable about it. War is nothing more than suffering
and slaughter and it disgusts me.” He closed his eyes for a moment
as his words trailed off then let out a long deep breath as he
pulled the controls slowly toward him.

His ship responded instantly despite its
battered condition. His eyes fixed on the view screen as he slid
his finger across the rune that activated the mental link that he
rarely ever used. A faint hum filled his ears and the view screen
faded away replaced instantly by a perfect view of the sky
surrounding his ship with no obstructions blocking his view. It had
been so long since he had used the linking rune that for a moment
he was breathless with the experience. It was a perfect bond with
the one thing in the world that he loved more than anything else,
and it only seemed fitting that he and
The Shade
would be
one until the very last moment.

* * *

Sunlight glared down on his back and Finn had
to resist the urge to push the cowl of his Priest’s robe back and
tilt his head upward. Never before had the warmth of pure sunlight
filled him with such simple joy and he smiled as he finally
realized why the Firym revered the sun. He had lived without it for
close to five years and to be standing under it now with a soft
breeze filled with the scents of blooming flowers was almost
intoxicating.

“Lord Han’shy can you use your gifts to urge
this people off the streets.” Jala’s voice shattered the peace of
the moment and Finn let out a quiet sigh as he turned his attention
back to the chaos surrounding him.

“I could, but I won’t. It’s a waste of my
strength. If they don’t have the sense to flee the battlefield then
they deserve their fate.” Jin Han’shy replied calmly.

Jala had turned away obviously believing her
request would be followed without argument but whirled back around
to stare at Jin in open disbelief. She blinked at the High Lord and
Finn had to suppress a chuckle at her expression. His little
peasant girl had grown arrogant in her time as High Lady Merrodin
and it showed clearly. By the way her violet eyes blazed it was
obvious that she was trying to decide how best to punish someone
with the audacity to deny her.

“Saving the lives of hundreds of people is
not a waste of time.” Jala snapped and Finn could see the angry
tirade building just by the way she stood with her shoulders
squared.

“But arguing with my father is.” Jail cut in
before the debate could grow more heated. Bowing low to both Jala
as well as his father Jail smiled. “I would be happy to do as you
ask Lady Merrodin so that my father’s considerable talents can be
turned toward the approaching enemies.”

“Fine, as long as someone is doing it.” Jala
replied looking somewhat mollified. “Valor can you slow them with
weather?” she asked turning aside from both Han’shy as she
continued to try to force order out of the world around her.