Read Online The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 3 From the Ashes by Melissa Myers - Free Book Online

could have passed as any of the
workmen in the city in his current clothing.
    “Planning to help with repairs?” Shade asked
skeptically. If the rogue had any mechanical inclination he had
seen no sign of it yet. “You appear to be dressed for it. I’m not
used to seeing you in any color other than black.”
    “Actually I came to get you. Lutheron would
like to have a word with both of us, and its grey I prefer rather
than black. Grey blends with the shadows easier,” Charm replied,
tapping the crowbar lightly on his leg.
    “Is he finally going to admit that there is a
traitor in the Fionaveir?” Shade asked dryly. He had expected that
something would be done, once the fighting in the city was over, an
investigation at the very least. As far as he had seen, though,
nothing had changed. If the Fionaveir elders even acknowledged that
they had problems, they weren’t admitting it to anyone.
    “I don’t think you truly understand the
nature of leadership, Shade. You see, Lutheron is our superior in
the Fionaveir, so when he says jump, we don’t question why we
should jump. We simply jump, and hope it’s high enough to please
him. So you see, I didn’t ask what he wanted to talk to us about.
He said fetch you and I jumped,” Charm explained calmly, though
there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
    “Ahh. I have no problem with jumping for him,
Charm, as long as he can promise me that no one is going to put a
bear trap under me while I’m hopping around,” Shade returned with
equal sarcasm and a charming smile. “I understand leadership all
too well, Charm. Myth taught me the lessons clearly. I’ve also
learned that when your leaders are corrupt it’s simply best to walk
away.”
    “Are you going to walk away then, since you
believe our leaders are corrupt?” Charm asked, tapping the crowbar
once more as he stared down at Shade.
    “Are you going to hit me with that if I say
yes?” Shade asked, motioning toward the bar.
    “I’m considering it regardless of your
answer,” Charm returned with a smile.
    “Ahh. Friendship is such a beautiful thing.
To answer your question, no I’m not planning on walking from the
Fionaveir yet. I’m going to give them time to see if they will sort
out the problems. I know I’m low ranked and not privileged to
certain information. So I’m going to give them the benefit of the
doubt and believe they are working to find the traitor and I’m
simply not high enough rank to know about it,” Shade said with a
sigh and glanced back toward the Justicars hall where the Fionaveir
had set up their headquarters. It was difficult to keep his eyes
from straying to the charred buildings or the wagons that were
loading the dead. Sanctuary had been his home for most of his life
and seeing her in this state was painful. The clean-up had been in
progress for days now and they were still finding dead under the
rubble. So far, he hadn’t heard an actual body count but he knew it
was high.
    “C’mon Shade,” Charm said quietly. By his
tone it was clear that he understood Shade’s feelings perfectly. He
dropped the crowbar back to the ground and then jumped down from
the ship.
    Shade flicked his gaze from the crowbar to
Charm and raised an eyebrow. “I think that’s the most noise I’ve
ever heard you make, well aside from all of the bitching when we
bombed Eldagar.”
    Charm gave him a scathing look and moved past
him with a shrug. “I don’t like it either, Shade. None of the
Fionaveir do. Symphony will be sick when she sees the state of the
city. I want you to remember that we aren’t the ones that caused
the majority of this damage and we didn’t kill most of these
people. Your friend did on her little rampage. Her spells were
aimed at the Justicars, but the destruction she unleashed is what
caused the buildings to collapse. Havoc started the fire in the
Upper Market. Jala and Valor did most of the rest.”
    “I haven’t seen Havoc since the fight. Did he
not survive?”