The Crow King's Wife Page 14

  “How much longer are you going to let them stew, Finn?” Fiona asked quietly from the right side of his throne. She wore her white armor as always and was standing as rigid as a palace guard beside him. Finn glanced at her and shrugged one shoulder before slowly looking to his left. Seth stood silent there; the perfect opposite of Fiona dressed in dark leathers and slouched against the wall. His expression was unreadable, and he didn’t seem the slightest bit nervous, but then Seth never did seem nervous. He glanced at Finn and raised an eyebrow in question, but remained silent. It was his general attitude lately. Seth had barely spoken five words to him since their talk behind the crow carved door the night Zoey had left.

  Finn sighed heavily and turned his attention back to the crowd. In all honesty he had expected Seth to take care of this problem long before now, but the Assassin seemed intent on doing nothing but sulking. He wasn’t even sure that Seth had known there had been a betrayal in the citadel. Slowly Finn stood and the room around him fell silent as all attention riveted on his movement. Demons and spirits alike watched him with expressions ranging from fear to contempt. Finn studied the latter carefully and noted the ones who seemed the most defiant. He had been kinder than his predecessor and it seemed to have given his servants the wrong impression. Too many of them seemed to believe his kindness meant weakness. He intended to correct that matter today.

  “Yasny, come forward.” Finn commanded and his voice rang off of the stones so loudly that a few of the lesser spirits shuffled back further.

  To her credit, Yasny did not cringe. She glided forward with hips swaying gently as if she were a queen amongst peasants. Her long black hair fell across her shoulders as smooth as silk and the red gown she wore hugged her perfect body in all of the right places. She smiled at him with a look of pure invitation written on her face. “How may I serve Milord?” she purred in a voice that would have had most men undressing before she had fallen silent.

  Finn watched her display with a faint smile and had to resist laughing. She actually seemed to believe she could seduce her way out of this one, or she thought he was just as oblivious as Seth apparently was. “You may serve me by answering my questions honestly Yasny.” Finn began in a cold voice. All eyes in the throne room shifted to Yasny with hunger. There was nothing the creatures of the Darklands enjoyed more than watching someone else suffer more than they were. “It is not like you to help another Yasny. In fact I don’t think I have ever seen you help anyone, aside from Zoelyn. You helped her the night she left the Darklands and I want to know why.”

  “She wished to catch Seth’s attention better. I have a bit more experience with men than the poor girl did. So I lent my advice.” Yasny answered carefully.

  “By arranging her clothing and hair to mirror Dashara?” Finn pressed.

  “I was trying to help her see him for what he was. Seth is a monster. She was innocent and blind to his true nature. I did what I could to break the charm he had over her and allow her to truly see him for what he is.” Yasny’s voice was filled with so much sincerity that Finn almost laughed again.

  “So you took your actions to save her from Seth then?” Finn concluded dryly. He kept his gaze locked on her with a dark expression on his face, but she didn’t so much as flinch.

  Yasny nodded slowly, but her attention was focused on Seth now. The Assassin was no longer slouching against the wall, and his hand was resting lightly on his dagger hilt. Finn flicked a glance back to him and smirked. Seth truly had been oblivious then Finn realized. His actions now were proving it.

  “If that were the honest truth Yasny I would say you are redeemed. I would say your penance was at an end.” Finn began in a kinder voice as he slowly stepped down from his dais and began walking toward Exodus. “Kaverax found redemption you know. I sent him on to the life stream this morning. In all truth he likely found it long before now, but Death never saw fit to release him. I suppose dragons do make good lawn ornaments though.” Finn paused beside Exodus and stared down at the shroud covered body. He smiled faintly and winked at Exodus. “Nix is good; it takes talent to steal from Kali.” He whispered as he slowly turned back to look at Yasny.

  “Nix is the best and I hope this favor balances my mistake of summoning Seth without permission?” Exodus whispered behind him.

  Finn nodded once his gaze still fixed on Yasny. “I don’t think it’s the honest answer though Yasny. I believe you took your actions because of the deal you made with Hemlock on my rooftop. In a bargain for this masterpiece.” Finn pulled the shroud back as he spoke revealing the pale body beneath. It was a perfect duplicate of Yasny in every way. Kali truly was a master with her magic to recreate a dragon that had been dead for centuries down to the last hair. “I just wanted to hear what bullshit you would spew to save your own hide. I am not quite as stupid as everyone present seems to believe.” Finn informed her with a smile.

  Yasny stared at the body in silence with her lips parted in dismay. Her eyes flicked back to Seth once more and she took a hesitant step toward the body. “Anyone in this room would have taken that bargain.” She whispered hoarsely. Her eyes locked on Finn’s in desperation and she took another step toward him. “I betrayed Seth not you!” she said more loudly and her voice broke with the words.

  “You betrayed Seth and tried to cheat me.” Finn corrected coldly. His hand dropped gently to rest on the cheek of the body. “I won’t be cheated.” He announced as he summoned his magic. The pale flesh beneath his hand began to wither and turn black.

  With a wail of pure agony Yasny rushed forward as the first of the flesh began to slough off of the body. Finn raised his other hand before she could close the full distance between them and held her frozen in place as his magic destroyed what remained of her hopes. There was nothing but crumbled bones remaining by the time he walked toward her.

  “Serve your penance and I promise you will find peace.” Finn began his eyes moving over the crowded room. “Betray me and I will destroy that which you most desire before your eyes.” He finished coldly his eyes once more focused on Yasny. She writhed before him, but couldn’t summon enough power to break the hold his magic had on her. She was pinned neatly in place with no prayer of salvation. “You thought I was a fool.” He informed her with a grim smile. Ever so gently he brushed his hand across her pale cheek. She trembled beneath his touch and likely would have pulled away if he had given her that luxury. “I was watching the entire time Yasny. Had you turned away from Hemlock I would have rewarded you, but you chose the other path instead. Now you get to pay the full price for that choice.” His hand dropped away from her side and he smiled at Seth. “Since I have taken over the domain of Death you have been waiting patiently for a reward for your service. You prefer souls over penance.” A low wavering cry began to rise from Yasny as she realized what he was about to do. Finn paused in his words and nodded once to her. “That’s right sweetheart.” He whispered and winked at her. “She is yours Seth.” He finished loudly and walked back toward his throne. Yasny’s voice rose from a soft cry to an inhuman scream as Seth closed the distance between them.

  “Bitch.” Seth snarled. The expression on his face was murderous as his hand closed around her throat. Her body convulsed at his touch and a soft glow began to form around his hand. Her scream turned from fear to raw agony as Seth slowly drained her power with as much pain as he could inflict.

  Finn regarded the assembled crowd silently and watched their expressions of hunger slowly turn to concern. It was too easy for them to imagine themselves in Yasny’s place, and the death Seth was delivering was anything but merciful. “I have Firym blood and was raised by the Avanti. Mercy is not in my vocabulary, and I have been taught to take every advantage against my enemies. If you want to defy me you will follow in Yasny’s footsteps. No matter how clever you think you are, I am one step ahead. If you serve loyally you will be rewarded, if you betray me…” Finn’s voice trailed off and he turned back to Yasny once more. He didn’t need to say anymore. They co
uld see what would happen clearly enough. He allowed them to watch for another few minutes before waving his hand toward the door in a dismissal.

  The room emptied quickly leaving only Seth, Fiona and Exodus. It was obvious the rest wanted nothing more than to be away from him as quickly as they could manage it.

  “That was well played. You didn’t really strike me as the sort that ruled by fear.” Exodus observed with a smile. She rose from the table she had been seated at with only a brief glance to the flickering remains of Yasny.

  “They didn’t really give me much choice. My predecessor ruled by fear and so that is what they are used to. It tried to play nice with them, and look at where it got me.” Finn replied with a shrug.

  “So now you are going to be a hard ass?” Exodus asked with a raised eyebrow. Her expression was doubtful and her smile suggested she didn’t think he could pull it off if he wanted to.

  “When I have to be.” Finn agreed with a faint shrug. “I shouldn’t have to be by the time today is over though. I still have a few more things to cover, and I hope you will forgive me but I’d rather finish in private.” He glanced at Seth meaningfully and Exodus nodded once in understanding.

  “Till next we meet then. Which I hope won’t be long Lord Death.” Exodus smiled and bowed in a mocking imitation of a noble court before fading away.

  Fiona frowned at her departure and looked sharply at Finn. “That very closely resembled flirting. Be careful with that one, she is not one to get too involved with. The other Aspects are not very fond of her.” As always Fiona’s voice held the chiding of a disapproving parent and Finn had to suppress a sigh.

  He nodded to her and waved toward the door. “Retire for now Fiona. I will need to speak with you later, but for now I’d like a few words with Seth in private.” Fiona scowled at his words but left the room walking so stiffly he couldn’t help but notice her displeasure.

  He waited patiently until the doors had slammed closed behind Fiona before approaching Seth and stopped just a few feet away. Yasny had faded completely, but Seth still stood where he had drained her with a look of frustration on his face. Finn smiled faintly and waited to speak until Seth met his gaze. “That was revenge Seth. How was it?” he asked quietly.

  “Not enough.” Seth muttered. With a heavy sigh he paced to the table Exodus had been seated at and dropped heavily into one of the chairs before looking back at Finn with expectation.

  “It never is Seth. If that torment you served Yasny wasn’t enough, how can you possibly believe anything you do to Hemlock will repay him for all of the misery he has caused you over the years?” Finn kept his voice gentle. He knew the discussion was going to be a painful one for Seth, but it was a point that needed to be made.

  “I have been thinking along those lines since our last talk.” Seth said with obvious hesitation and waved to the chair across from him. “I’ve been trying to gather the proper words for this for days, and I’m not sure I have, but we are both here so I might as well attempt it.”

  Finn nodded and sat in the indicated chair. He’d been wondering at Seth’s extended silence, and it appeared he was about to get his answers without the prompting. It was entirely possible that the day might end on a good note after all. He’d had doubts this morning as he was planning on how to best deal with Yasny and bring Seth back to his side.

  “My mother was a slave. She served as a whore to Avanti. He had a tendency of rewarding his men with the use of his harem, so I never knew Avanti was truly my father. It could have been half a dozen men in his service.” Seth began slowly. “When I was very young he rewarded one of his minor lords in that fashion, but the lord found interest in me rather than the women in the room. I typically served by fetching food and drinks for the girls, or changing sheets, whatever I could be told to do that I was capable of doing really. I had never been asked to serve anyone in this fashion though, and I ran and hid when the man approached me. The minor lord took offense, and in apology Lord Avanti gave me to him. My mother bid me to go, she pleaded with me to behave and serve him well. By the end of the first night I despised her for it. It never occurred to me that she was trying to save my life. All I could see was the fact that she had given me to someone who hurt me and made me feel worthless.” Seth paused and rubbed his eyes before letting out a heavy sigh. “I nurtured that hate for weeks. I directed it at everyone in the house. I hated them all and blamed them for allowing my torment. They didn’t speak up. They didn’t stop what was happening. So they were guilty. I killed them all right down to the guard dog. I punished every living soul in that house that had witnessed my humiliation.”

  Finn nodded slowly and pulled a flask from his cloak pocket. He took a small sip before offering it to Seth who shook his head in response. He wasn’t really sure where Seth was going with his story, but he didn’t dare interrupt. Most of what he was being told he knew from examining the room Death had designed as penance for Seth, but this was the most he had ever heard Seth speak about his past. If he spoke now there was a chance the Assassin would fall silent, and that was the last thing he wanted. He needed Seth on his side once more. With every day that passed he became more convinced that Fiona’s loyalties were truly with War, and there was no one else in the Darklands he would consider giving even a fraction of trust to.

  “They put me in the Arena for my crimes. Everyone expected I would be dead within a day given my age. When two years had passed and I still hadn’t died Avanti himself came to watch me fight. I’d earned a reputation in the pits by then for being bloodthirsty and it was very well deserved. I had to be kept separate from the other prisoners to keep me from slitting their throats for the slightest insult. I lived on hatred and blood. I think it sustained me more than the gruel they served for food. Avanti watched me for three fights before he took me once more into his service. The next fight he sent in my mother. He had her masked, but when she spoke to me I knew without a doubt who it was, and that she didn’t know the first thing about fighting. I gutted her and made sure she died slowly.” Seth paused again and met Finn’s eyes once more.

  There was no sign of regret in his gaze and Finn found himself wondering if he had gotten through to the man at all in their last talk. It was possible he had misjudged Seth completely, but he didn’t think so. Too many things pointed toward Seth. There had to be a reason for that. No matter what Seth was saying Finn truly believed someone wanted the man redeemed. All of the signs were there. He just had to find a way to force Seth to accept it.

  “Avanti had me trained after that and every time he needed a lesson taught, he sent me. I had learned about calling cards by then, and I adopted the crow feather as my own. I gathered one for every person I killed and left one on those that I assassinated. I leveled cities, villages, noble houses, whatever he sent me to eliminate I did. I killed right down to the household pets and the horses in the stables. By the time the second year had passed in his service I had my cloak finished and had earned the title of the most despised man in Immortal society, despite the fact that I wasn’t even fifteen yet. I justified it by every wrong that had ever been done to me and how no one had ever lifted a finger in my defense. In my eyes every person alive was corrupt, and their lives held no value to me because of that. Every man I killed was my former master and every woman was my mother. The children I was doing a favor. I killed them before they could suffer in life as I had.” Seth leaned back in his seat and folded his hands on the table. He shook his head slowly at Finn and let out a long sigh. “If you would have asked me if I loved Dashara when I first arrived here I would have sworn to ever god that I did, but after so much inner thought I realize I didn’t. In retrospect she was a possession. She was important to me because she was mine, but in honesty she was just another path of revenge, another way to hurt those that had caused me pain. I protected her and the children because they were mine, but my hatred for Hemlock revolves around the fact that I lost to him. I want to kill him, because he killed me not because he killed her.
So in essence the only thing I have ever truly loved in my life is myself and the suffering of others.” Seth finished and stared down at the table with a frown.

  “And now?” Finn prompted. He still wasn’t sure where Seth was going with his conversation, but the outlook wasn’t good, and he wasn’t about to let Seth leave it at that. He needed to know how far he could trust the man, and if Seth ever planned to serve again.

  “And now you tell me that Fate has something grand in store for me and that I should be redeemed, but I have to object. I believe it’s something inside that makes a hero, Finn, and I don’t think I have it. Every choice I have ever made in life has been the darkest one. I am not the protector, I am the reason protection is needed. I have always been the villain, and I don’t think I have what it requires to be anything else. When I am pushed into a corner and forced into making a choice, my answer is written in blood.” Seth answered quietly and met Finn’s eyes once more. There was nothing but resignation on his face, and for the first time since Finn had met the man he looked defeated.

  “So this is your surrender? This is you telling me you aren’t going to try for redemption anymore?” Finn pressed.

  Seth swallowed heavily and nodded slowly. “This is me saying that I give. I have served here for so long that I know I will never be free. With the small taste of freedom you gave me I have lied, cheated, and killed. You gave me the opportunity to be more and I was too blind to see it. I wasted my chance and I don’t care to try again. I don’t even want to face the world anymore, and I think the world should find relief in that fact. The only thing I have ever given anyone is misery. I’d rather you grant me an existence like the rest of the demons. Give me some mindless patrol in the Darklands. I don’t want the position I have spent so long fighting for anymore. Give it to someone you can rely on.”