The Elder Blood Chronicles Bk 1 In Shades of Grey by Melissa Myers Page A

been commanded. That is the last command
you will ever give me. My eyes are open now, and I see you for the
creatures you truly are. Her death was not in vain, and the price
for my ignorance was far too high.’
    The words had no sooner left his mouth, than
his sword was in motion again. Yet again another head was removed
with one fell stroke of that gleaming blade. The judge stared in
horror at the fallen High Lord and his voice shrilled above the
shock of the crowd as he screamed for guards. None came though, as
all stood frozen in disbelief. ‘You live for now,’ Caspian said to
the judge, pointing a finger at the man’s chest. ‘Mend your ways
and you may continue to live. Remember that it is justice you
serve, not the High Lords. I spare you in this, not for any love of
you, but because I, too, blindly served them. I give you the same
chance she gave me, without near the cost.’ With that said, he
turned his back on the man, as if he were no longer even there. His
eyes fell to Fiona’s body, and he dropped to his knee lightly and
ran a finger through her blood. He spoke words then, so soft no one
in the crowd could hear what he said. Many claimed that he begged
for her forgiveness, but no one truly knows. With a shaking hand,
he traced a line across his own wrist leaving a red smear on his
flesh. The blood sank into his skin where it touched, leaving a
scarlet line. Thus, marked, he would always remember what honor and
ignorance had cost him.
    With tears still open on his face he gathered
Fiona’s remains into his blood soaked cloak and slowly stood. He
stared out over the crowds and met the eyes of those that would
look at him. ‘From this day forward, be it Lord or beggar, none
will be spared justice before my eyes and only the guilty will ever
feel the blade of my sword again. I swear this on my wife’s blood.’
Caspian spoke the words loudly and clearly for all gathered to
hear. When he left Sanctuary that day, many of his Justicars
followed him. One by one they cast off their white cloaks and pins
of office and joined Caspian as he left the service of the High
Lords. To this day, they mark their arms with tattoos to signify
when they have achieved some good for the world, despite the law,
and to this day, they call themselves after the woman who died to
open their eyes.” He was silent for a long while after the telling
and simply sat there staring at the bench in front of him.
    “So my father was a Justicar at one time?”
she asked at last.
    “No. He joined long after Caspian led the
first Fionaveir from Sanctuary. All Fionaveir hate the Justicars
though. They see them as more of an obstruction of justice than
what they actually claim to be,” he replied. All of his smiles had
vanished with the telling, and he seemed entirely somber.
    “I’m sorry; I didn’t realize the story would
upset you,” she spoke quietly.
    “It’s not the story, it’s the memory. A story
would be far more bardic in the telling. That telling was about as
short as I could make it. As I said before all the gods were there.
I was there that day. I saw the pain in Caspian’s eyes. I watched
her innocent blood spill. We all have unpleasant memories, Jala.”
He gave her a weak smile and shrugged. “And they never get any
easier to talk about, no matter how long you wait.” He stood
slowly. “One last thing before I go, do you have your ship
pass?”
    She gave a slight nod and fished her pass
from her cloak pocket and handed it to him. He looked down at it
and frowned then calmly ripped it in half.
    “Wait, I need that!” Her objection came too
late, and she watched in dismay as the first of the two pieces
fluttered to the floor. He pulled another envelope from his own
jacket and handed it over to her. It was plain white with the word Quicksilver written in elegant script on its back.
    “That’s a better ship, and you will have an
easier voyage on it,” he said.
    She stared down at the envelope and looked up
to thank