The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 4 The Blessed Curse (4 page)

“Neph,” Kadan called from behind him, but he
ignored his brother and continued for the door. He had one more
purpose in Delvay and then he would leave and never look back, at
least not while RenDelvayon lived.

Neph made his way in silence through the
front gate and up the small path that led to the trial grove. Her
body was still where he had left it, as he knew it would be. It was
custom to leave the remains of cowards or traitors for the
scavengers of the forest. He had known Kadan would leave her here,
despite the fact that she had been neither.

Pulling his bag free from his shoulder he
dropped it to the ground and knelt in front of her. His eyes traced
over her face memorizing each detail. She had been his twin in
everything. They shared the same eyes and pale hair. The only
difference had been their strength. All of his life Neph had
believed he was the stronger of the two of them, but Zyi had proved
him wrong. Out of everyone in the city below, she had been the only
one strong enough to tell RenDelvayon no, and she had died for
it.

Slowly he pulled his dagger from his boot and
gently cut a lock free from her tangled blond hair. Wrapping it
carefully around his hand he sliced the edge of his palm and let
his blood run slowly down to mingle with the dried blood already
staining the hair. “I’m so sorry Zyi. I should have gone with you,
or stood up to father. I don’t really know what I should have done.
I just know I should have done something.” Neph paused and stared
down at the bloodstained hair. Silently he clenched his fist around
it before looking back down at her body once more. “It won’t happen
again, Zyi. I promise you that. From this day forward I will speak
my mind and to hell with the consequences. I will not back down
when I know something is wrong.” He paused and tightened his hand
on the hair. “I promise you I will help those who truly deserve it
as I should have helped you, Zyi.”

Footsteps on the path behind him drew his
attention and Neph glanced back at two riders approaching. Letting
out a slow breath he stood and tucked the bloody strand of hair
into his cloak pocket before turning to face them. He closed his
eyes for a moment and willed himself back to calmness. There were
so many emotions churning in his gut it was nearly impossible to
keep from sobbing or screaming. Neph wasn’t sure which he truly
wanted to do.

He recognized both of the riders, however,
and now was not the time for either.

“By our beliefs, the dead do not hear our
words. Once the soul has left the body it is in the hands of the
Divine and no longer cares for mortal concerns.” His Aunt’s voice
was calm and level as was the expression on her wind burned face.
She was younger than his father by several years, but it didn’t
show in her features. KayDelvayon lived most of her life outdoors
and the effects showed in her numerous scars and deeply tanned
skin.

“I doubt you are here for theology lessons.
Are you planning to drag me back?” Neph asked coldly.

She frowned her disapproval at his tone and
shook her head, her long brown braid bumping slowly against her
armor. “We are planning to help you bury your sister,” Kay
explained in the same neutral voice. Turning back to her snow cat
she pulled a shovel from behind the saddle and tossed it to the
second rider. “Kadan, start digging the hole. I need to speak with
your brother for a time.”

Neph had purposely avoided looking at Kadan
until that moment, but now he couldn’t help but watch in stunned
amazement as his brother caught the shovel and dropped from the
saddle wordlessly. Without so much as a glance in Neph’s direction,
Kadan set up the hill and into the woods, his gaze searching the
ground as he walked.

“I have nothing to say to anyone,” Neph
began, but his Aunt cut him off with a sharp gesture.

“I have plenty to say to you, so shut up and
listen,” Kay snapped. Turning, she searched the area until her eyes
landed on a spot beneath a massive pine that was reasonably clear
of rocks. With another quick gesture in his direction, she made her
way to the spot and dropped down into a cushion of pine
needles.

“I don’t have to listen to you. I am
apparently a citizen now,” Neph grumbled, but even as he spoke the
words he was walking to join her. Her clear brown eyes settled on
him as he sat down across from her and he could see how exhausted
she was.

“I don’t have to waste my time seeking you
out, either. I love you, however, so I did. You love me as well, so
you will listen,” Kay said with a sigh. Her gaze trailed past him
for a moment to Zyi’s body and a flicker of pain crossed her face.
She shook her head sadly and met Neph’s gaze once more. “I won’t
defend what your father did. I will explain it to you, though,” she
began.

“I don’t want you to explain it. I don’t want
to think of him at all,” Neph snarled and sat back quickly as her
large palm connected squarely with the side of his head in a solid
smack. Blinking, he stared at her in shock. His Aunt had never
raised a hand at him before, even when he had deserved it.

“I said shut up and listen, Neph. I’m tired
and I have no patience for petulance. I rode all night to reach
here when I heard what happened,”

Kay snapped back at him. With another sigh,
she rubbed the fingers on the hand she had smacked him with and
shook her head lightly. “Thick- skulled brat,” she muttered. She
shifted where she sat and adjusted her sword before continuing.
“The trials have always been part of Delvay, Neph. In the
beginning, however, they were only for our warriors. It wasn’t
until after your Grandfather died that it was decided that everyone
must be a warrior and therefore everyone must take the trial. Not
everyone agreed with it, but Ren was in charge so they accepted
it.”

“Cowards,” Neph grumbled, his expression
filled with disgust.

“What is the penalty for treason, Neph?” Kay
asked sharply her eyes narrowing.

“It varies depending on the severity, but
typically its disembowelment and being left to the mountains,” Neph
answered slowly with a frown beginning to form on his face.

“Delvay is ruled by the strongest; it always
has been. To disobey or to go against a direct order of our leader
is considered treason. So unless you can take Ren in a fight, you
accept what he says. No one in Delvay can defeat my brother yet.
You might have considered that before you spoke so harshly to Kes.
She had no choice but to do what she did.” Kay’s tone had grown
harsher and Neph could see the anger she was working so hard to
control.

“What do you mean, yet? You think Kadan will
ever take over?” Neph asked dryly and shook his head in disgust.
“Kadan doesn’t have the balls to challenge father.”

“And neither did you before today, but no, I
wasn’t thinking of Kadan,” Kay answered with a faint smirk staring
pointedly at him.

Eyes widening Neph returned her stare until
she nodded slowly. “Me?” he asked dumbly, though she had already
answered his question.

“My brother is a strong ruler, but he isn’t a
good ruler, Neph. He is doing the best he can with what he has,
though. The trials weed out the weak for several reasons and if you
will be silent long enough, I will let you know them.” Kay paused
and watched him as he nodded for her to continue. Her gaze flicked
back to Zyi once more and her anger faded to what seemed to be
resignation to his eyes. “Delvay is failing, Neph. Our heroes are
gone and we are losing our strength. There was a time when only the
best were chosen to defend Delvay. Now everyone must.”

“But if we need numbers, why do we kill our
children?” Neph broke in.

Kay glared at him for a long moment and
rolled her eyes. “I am explaining that, Neph,” she grumbled shaking
her head at him once more. “It’s two reasons, mainly. We cannot
show weakness to the outside world. That is why our children are
not permitted to leave Delvay at all until they are past the trial.
If our enemies had any indication of how weak we are now, they
would march in force without hesitation. We are insular; we always
have been. Now, however, it is more hiding than anything else.” Her
words faltered and she rubbed her face. “The other reason is for
future generations. Our blood is already too weak now, Neph. That
is why we don’t allow commons to live among us. We can’t afford to
weaken ourselves further. Our lands are harsh; they do not provide
much. We cannot have a large population here, and we cannot force
the strong among us to provide for those too weak to take care of
themselves. Everyone must do their part, and if they are too weak
to do it…” Her voice trailed off and she shrugged at him.

“Zyi could have left like mother did. He
could have exiled her and taken her name and then it wouldn’t have
reflected back on Delvay. He didn’t have to kill her,” Neph argued,
a spark of his anger returning at her callous words.

“No, he couldn’t have, Neph. Do you have any
idea how many children fail the trial each year?” Kay spoke gently
and watched him as he shook his head slowly. “No, I didn’t think
you did. Too many, Neph. As I said, Delvay is failing. How could
Ren let his daughter walk away after forcing so many others to die
in the trial?”

“He could have let her go when she ran away.
He could have disowned her after she was gone rather than turning
his back on her after she was already on Death’s doorstep,” Neph
broke in once more.

“No, he couldn’t. Despite how you say no one
would know where she was from, they would. All it would take is for
Zyi to talk about her past. One little whisper to someone she
trusted and soon everyone wherever she was would know she was High
Lord Delvayon’s errant daughter. People gossip, Neph. I loved Zyi
as much as I love you, Neph, and I grieve for her passing, but she
was weak.” Kay leaned back against the Pine tree and watched him as
a wave of emotions washed over him.

The desire to lash out was so strong he had
to bite his own tongue. Instead, he tilted his gaze up to the pale
blue sky and tried to rein in his emotions once more. Kay had
always been honest with him. Some truths, however, were painful to
hear.

“Tell him all of it, Kay. Don’t let him walk
out of here thinking he will find her.” Kadan’s voice broke the
silence between them and Neph turned his gaze back to his brother.
Slowly he looked back at Kay a frown creasing his face.

“Why won’t I find my mother if I search for
her?” Neph demanded cautiously.

Kay closed her eyes for a moment then turned
to glare at Kadan. “I was getting to that, Kadan. I trust the grave
is done?” “It is,” Kadan agreed.

“Watch your words, then, or I will be digging
another and you will be measuring your own work from the inside,”
Kay said in a clipped voice before turning back to Neph.

“Delvay’s strength is failing, Neph.
Magically, you are the strongest child that has been born in the
mountains in the last five hundred years. Your sister showed
potential as well, but she didn’t have the strength of will that
you do,” Kay began carefully.

“What does my magic strength have to do with
my mother?” Neph snapped.

“You are stronger than father ever was. It’s
rumored that you are stronger than my Grandfather was. You don’t
show any of the weakness that is plaguing Delvay. What does that
tell you, Neph?” Kadan growled drawing another glare from their
Aunt.

“Kadan, I’m warning you for the last time,”
Kay said levelly. Turning back to Neph, she shrugged. “There is no
pleasant way to explain, Neph, but what Kadan says is true. Add the
fact that you were born early by nearly two weeks and the fact that
your hair is blond while your mother’s was chestnut and well…” Her
words trailed off once more and she shrugged again.

“So, I’m not truly Delvayon?” Neph gasped his
eyes flickering between the two of them.

“Your mother was a cousin of our house, so
technically you do have some Delvayon blood,” Kadan offered gently.
“Well then, who in the bloody hell is my true father?” Neph
demanded.

“No one but your mother knew that, and no one
has seen or heard from her since the night you cast your first
spell at three years of age. It was strong enough to knock a hole
through the keep wall, and far more powerful than any Delvay child
would have been capable of. After that, Ren told us all that she
had run off. Most of us didn’t believe it,” Kay explained softly.
She chewed on her lip for a long moment before meeting Neph’s eyes
once more. “Delvay won’t stand much longer at this rate, Neph. My
brother is leading us to ruin and only a few of us even realize
it.”

“Are you expecting me to save it somehow?”
Neph asked incredulously.

“No, I’m not expecting it, but I’m hoping
that you will,” Kay answered softly. “There is no one else that is
strong enough to take control from him. Go and learn, Neph. Gain
strength and wisdom and consider what I’ve said today. I will pray
that you return but I will never expect it of you. The choice is
entirely yours, and Delvay will do as it always has and try to
survive either way.” Standing slowly, she dusted her armor off and
looked down at him. “Let’s see to Zyi now and make our peace with
our grief,” she said softly.

“I thought it wasn’t allowed to bury those
accused of cowardice? Why are the two of you helping me with this?”
Neph spoke carefully to keep the anger and frustration from his
voice. They were both questions that he truly wanted answered and
he didn’t want to give them reason to ignore him.

“Everyone buries their dead, Neph. Most sneak
out of the city to do it to avoid difficulties. No one leaves their
child for the wolves, though,” Kay answered with a sigh.

Kadan simply shook his head and shrugged.
“She was my sister, Neph. I do what I must to keep him happy, but I
didn’t want this anymore than you did. I simply knew I wasn’t
strong enough to challenge him on it. You lived, Neph, I wouldn’t
have. My hopes are resting on you as much as Kay’s are.”