The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 4 The Blessed Curse Read online

  The Blessed Curse

  The Elder Blood Chronicles

  Book 4

  By Melissa Myers

  Smashwords Edition

  © 2011, 2012, 2013 Melissa Myers

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is coincidental.

  All rights reserved, except as permitted by U.S. Copyrights Act of 1976.

  No part of this publication can be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without prior written permission of the author.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Myers, Melissa

  The Elder Blood Chronicles Book Four - The Blessed Curse -1st Ed.

  LCCN:

  For Faythi

  You have many nicknames, but this was the first that I knew you by.

  Thank you for your constant support. You always know exactly what I’m saying, and exactly what to say in return.

  (Even when the topic is just wrong.)

  I would be lost without you.

  Prologue

  Cool wind cut across his sweat-soaked back as Neph let his sword relax in his hand. He wiped his face with the back of his arm and studied his sister. He’d lost her attention again. With a sigh, he followed her gaze to the courtyard wall where two kittens had begun their own duel. “Zyi. We don’t have time for this.” Neph spoke softly and her eyes flicked back toward him.

  “They are so cute when they are small.” Zyi’s mouth was curved into a gentle smile and her pale blue eyes danced with amusement. “All fuzz and energy,” she added with a wistful glance toward the kittens, her smile slowly fading at the expression on his face.

  “Zyi, the trial is tomorrow. You have to focus,” Neph pressed, his voice thick with his frustration. He’d been working with her for weeks on her shields and defense without much improvement, and she didn’t seem to be taking any of it seriously.

  “I know, Neph,” Zyi sighed. Her back straightened and she raised her sword again with an expression that suggested he was torturing her.

  “I don’t want to run the trial, Neph. It is hard for me to focus on something I hate the thought of.”

  “You have to, Zyi. All Delvay face the trial when they reach our age,” Neph said, repeating words he had spoken a thousand times in the past month.

  “Then let me face it tomorrow, Neph, and let’s do something that’s actually fun today,” Zyi offered, her smile returning as she stared up at her brother. Her sword dipped toward the ground again as she stepped closer. “Swimming? It’s certainly hot enough today. We could go riding. How long has it been since you have had a break from training, Neph?” Her voice was hopeful and Neph felt himself smiling in return.

  “Zyi, your defense is appalling, your attacks are weak, and there are field mice with more focus than you. We need to train.” Neph slowly shook his head at her and her smile faded. She nodded in return and lifted her sword once more. “I won’t let you fail this, Zyi. We will work all night if we have to,” Neph promised.

  “I’m not like you, Neph. I don’t have the warrior’s soul that Father is always preaching about. I don’t want to fight. I don’t want to kill, and I don’t want to face this stupid trial.” Zyi’s voice rose as she spoke and Neph glanced back to make sure they were still alone in the courtyard. “What does this trial prove anyway? That we are as strong as the mountains, like father says? I’m not. I admit it freely. So why do I have to face the trial?”

  Neph turned back to look at her, his eyes locking on her own. Her bitterness was as clear in her voice as the frustration was in his.

  “Because all Delvay do. Please watch your voice, Zyi. If someone overhears you saying that, Father will thrash you,” he warned in a low voice. “Thrashing me for being honest? How noble is that? It would be nice to be able to speak the truth for a change,” Zyi hissed. Angrily she pushed her pale blond hair back from her face once more and glared at him. “Well, come on, Neph, train me to be a better liar. Help me hone skills I despise.” Her sword raised and she dropped low into a defensive stance.

  Neph slowly shook his head and smiled down at his twin. Her eyes narrowed at his expression and he held up a hand in a gesture of peace. “How about, rather than train you to be a better liar, I help you earn the right to speak the truth. Once we pass this trial, Zyi, we are full citizens. As children, we can’t speak our mind; as citizens, we can,” he offered.

  Zyi sniffed and rolled her eyes. “As if you have anything to speak your mind about, Neph. You are father’s golden child. He gives an order and you obey. You and Kadan are just like him,” she grumbled, but her sword was still in the ready position. “Come on, then. Help me earn the right I should have been born with.”

  “First of all, get your damned shields up Zyi. Magical protection can save your life. Never forget your shields!” Neph snapped as he sprang toward her, his sword flashing. If she wouldn’t listen to his words, he would hammer them into her skull with his sword.

  * * *

  Laughter echoed down the hall behind him as Neph made his way slowly toward his father’s door. He paused at the sound and considered turning back to the main hall to join the others in drinks. With a heavy sigh he shook his head and placed a hand on the cold stone of the door and pushed it gently open. “Father, I need to speak with you,” Neph said in a voice just loud enough to carry to the next rooms as he stepped inside. As he had expected, the sitting room was empty. His gaze turned automatically to the door of his father’s prayer room as it opened.

  “About what?” RenDelvayon demanded, his expression filled with warning. His father was a large man, towering over his children in height and strength.

  Bowing his head with respect Neph inhaled deeply and let the breath out slowly. Nothing he had to say would please his father. “About Zyi, Father. She isn’t ready for the trial and honestly, I don’t think she ever will be,” Neph began in a steady voice. His father despised weakness above all else. Now was not the time to show nerves.

  “She is my child. She will face the trial.” His father’s words were spoken in a low voice that suggested the topic was settled.

  “Father, you have Kadan and me. Do you really need Zyi to pass the trial too? Send her to the Academy instead, please,” Neph pressed. His eyes searched his father’s face for any sign of mercy and found none.

  “All Delvay face the trial. Zyi will as well. She carries my name. Do you expect me to let weakness grow in my family?” Ren demanded, his eyes narrow.

  “Would you rather see her die, Father? There is a very good chance that will happen.” Neph’s voice cracked with his frustration and his father’s eyes narrowed further.

  “Yes, I would rather see her die than bring weakness to our family. This discussion is over, Neph.” His father glared at him daring him to open his mouth again.

  Neph shifted his feet and struggled to fight back the words he knew he would regret. He could feel his temper rising and knew if he didn’t leave he would regret it. No one spoke back to High Lord RenDelvayon, least of all his children. “As you say, Father,” Neph said softly through clenched teeth.

  His gaze moved to the painting on the mantle as he turned back to the door. It was the only artwork in the room, and the only image of his mother left remaining in Delvay. He felt his temper cool as memories of her surfaced. They were bittersweet to be sure. Part of him hated her, and yet he could remember how she had treated them. Hi
s mother had been strong, kind, and as stubborn as stone. She might have been able to speak on Zyi’s behalf. His father might have listened to her. At the very least, RenDelvayon would have let her speak her mind fully, which was more than he was doing for his son. Pausing with his hand on the door, Neph glanced back at his father. “Not everyone is born for war, Father. Zyi’s calling could be something greater than either of us guess. She could be a healer, or a scholar, or so many other things. Please just give her a chance. Exile her and take the family name from her if she shames you, but don’t force her to do something she isn’t capable of doing, please.” Neph spoke the words softly and didn’t bother waiting for a response. There was little point to it. Mercy wasn’t a word found in the Delvay language, even when dealing with their children.

  More laughter erupted from the main hall, but the thought of drinking and laughter no longer appealed to him at all. Turning slowly, Neph headed for the stairs and his own rooms. Tomorrow would be a disaster and he knew it. Zyi had left the courtyard with bruises lacing both of her arms and very little sign of improvement to her defense. No matter how many times he had worked with her on spells or blades, she never improved. Her heart simply wasn’t in it. His steps paused as he neared her door. He could still see the glow of candlelight from beneath the door, but there was no sound from within. Without bothering to knock, he pushed the door lightly and leaned on the door frame to look inside.

  Zyi was seated under the window, her back pressed against the dark stone wall with a snow cat kitten curled in her lap. Her eyes were bloodshot and dried tears streaked her face. Looking up at him, she smiled weakly and waved him in.

  “I tried to talk to him,” Neph offered softly as he stepped inside the room. His eyes roved over the colorful paintings and tapestries that filled the small room and he smiled faintly. Every other part of the Delvay keep was somber and dark. Zyi’s room, however, was as bright and cheerful as a sun-filled meadow.

  “He didn’t listen,” Zyi concluded with a sigh and nodded to him. “He never listens. Thank you for trying, though, Neph.”

  Neph nodded slowly as his gaze fell on the packed bag hidden just beneath the edge of her bed. He studied it for a long moment and nodded again. “I even tried to get him to exile you,” Neph continued as he turned back to her.

  Zyi gazed up at him and then slowly stood. Carefully she shifted the kitten in her arms and offered it to Neph. “I waited for you to come upstairs,” she said, her tone so low the words were barely a whisper.

  Watching her carefully Neph took the kitten and stood silently as she gathered her bag over her shoulder. “Where?” Neph asked. He knew he should be stopping her, but he didn’t have the heart to. Their father had been quite clear on the subject of her leaving, and he would be furious when he found out that Neph had known.

  “Away. Anywhere is better than here, Neph,” Zyi whispered, her eyes growing glassy once more. “You are the only thing I will miss here.” Moving quickly she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

  He could feel her tears soaking through the cotton of his shirt as he wrapped his own arms around her tiny frame. She was so much smaller than the rest of them, so delicate and fragile. The idea of her being alone in the world terrified him, but then the thought of her facing the trial frightened him more. If she couldn’t stand against him and hold her shields, she didn’t have a prayer against the odds they would face tomorrow. “Let me go with you,” Neph began unsure exactly where the words had come from. He didn’t actually want to leave Delvay, but then, he didn’t want to see her go alone, either. No one else would understand her. Not like he did anyway. She was his twin; he knew her better than anyone else ever could. He had always protected her. What would she do without him to guard her from others? In Delvay, it had been childish teasing. The outside world would be so much worse and he knew it.

  Zyi laughed, and the sound was choked with her tears. Pulling back from him she shook her head and smiled. “I love you so much for offering, Neph, but your place is here and we both know it. I only waited here so I could say goodbye. I never thought that you might go with me.”

  Her voice was thick and Neph felt his chest tightening.

  “I don’t mind leaving her, Zyi. Let me get a few things and we will go,” Neph placed the kitten carefully on the bed and started to turn for the door as she grabbed his arm. He paused and looked down at her once more as she shook her head again. “Zyi, neither of us has ever been outside of Delvay. You don’t even know what you are walking into,” Neph said gently.

  “A better life for me, but it’s not a life for you Neph. You belong here. You do have the warrior’s spirit. You are one of the strongest in Delvay now. In time you will be more than Father could ever hope to be,” Zyi whispered as she placed a hand on his cheek. “Keep them in balance, Neph. Father is as cold as winter and Kadan is heartless. You are the only one in this damned place with any compass ion at all. Maybe one day you will lead here, and I can come home again.”

  “I will never lead Delvay, Zyi,” Neph said with a faint smile and watched as she stepped away toward the door. “How are you going to get out of here without them noticing?” Neph asked quietly.

  “They are drinking downstairs aren’t they?” Zyi asked, pausing by the door.

  “Aren’t they always?” Neph snorted in response.

  “Then they should be sleeping by now. I added a little something extra to the mead tonight. Nothing that will hurt them of course, but they will get a very sound night’s sleep from it.” She smiled impishly and winked at him. “I will miss you so much, Neph,” Zyi said softly as she stepped out into the shadowed hall.

  With a final glance around the room Neph carefully picked the kitten up once more and balanced it in the crook of his arm as he blew out the candle and headed for his own room. Delvay would be a darker place without her, but he knew in his heart it was for the best. Still, that didn’t silence the voice screaming for him to go after her, to stop her, to go with her, to do something. A lump was growing in his throat and he could feel his eyes burning with unshed tears. With a heavy sigh, he stepped into his own room and leaned back against the door. The kitten stirred in his arm and he absently ran a hand through its thick fur. For the first time in his life, he was truly alone. There was no one left in Delvay that he could confide in, or show weakness to. Zyi never judged him for emotions. “I should have gone with her,” he whispered to the cat as he sat it down carefully on the foot of his bed and began to strip out of his sweat stained clothes. Tomorrow would be a long grueling day, and it would be best to be well rested before facing it. Not that he truly believed he would sleep tonight. With a heavy sigh, he glanced back at the hallway once more. He doubted he would ever sleep soundly again, knowing she was just as alone as he was in a world that was much crueler than Delvay. The Academy might have been safe, and he could only hope that was where she was heading.

  * * *

  Morning sunlight filtered down through the trees as Neph guided his cat carefully up the steep mountain path. By tradition, the trials were held on the tallest peak of the three mountains surrounding the capital. His gaze rose to the snow covered heights ahead of him and then to his brother who rode beside him. “Are you going to say anything to me, Kadan?” he asked finally. Kadan was typically quiet, but today was extreme even for him. His brother had barely even looked in his direction since they had ridden out.

  “Did you know she was running away?” Kadan asked, his voice low and filled with anger. His dark eyes locked on Neph and narrowed. “Did you help her run away?”

  Neph watched him for a long moment and shook his head slowly. “I didn’t know she was going to do it, but I’m glad she did. I didn’t help her, but I would have had she asked.”

  “I know she wouldn’t have left without speaking with you, Neph,” Kadan snapped.

  “She said goodbye,” Neph agreed, his gaze moving once more to the mountain. Kadan would tell their father everything he said and he
knew it. By the time he faced his father, however, he would be past the trial and could no longer be punished as a child.

  “You should have stopped her, Neph. She is weak and has proven herself a coward by her actions,” Kadan’s voice rose and Neph turned to regard him again.

  “She is our sister, Kadan. She is gentle and kind and has shown nothing but love toward us. You scorn her because she doesn’t wish to fight,” Neph said and shook his head slowly in disgust. “In my eyes, she should never have to fight, Kadan. She has two brothers that should have been more than willing to fight for her.”

  “She is Delvay,” Kadan snapped, as if the words explained his anger completely.

  “She was Delvay,” Neph corrected. “And Delvay didn’t understand her at all. Maybe she will find others that do,” he added hopefully. “Idiot,” Kadan growled as he pushed his cat forward into a lope. “C’mon. I’m eager to put this day behind me.”

  “You and me both,” Neph agreed as he urged his cat forward. There was perhaps an hour left of riding and then the trial. He had no doubts he would pass his tests. As Zyi had said, he was one of the strongest in Delvay. His spells were perfect and his shields were stronger than anyone he had faced so far, including Kadan. With a faint smile he followed his brother in silence as they crossed through the thick pine forest surrounding the base of the mountain peak. Snow began to show on the ground and the air cooled drastically as they continued to climb, but he was used to the cold. He was Delvay and the mountains were as much a part of him as his own flesh.

  Movement to the side of the trail caught his eye and Neph stared hard into the trees. His gaze locked on the woman crouched in the snow at the base of one of the massive pines. He knew her well enough, but he didn’t understand what she was doing here. He nodded in greeting and frowned when she looked away without returning the gesture. He knew she had seen him. Their eyes had met.