Dreams of Fury: Descendants of the Fall Book IV by Hodges, Aaron (most important books to read .txt) 📗

shouted desperately, using his inner Voice too. The crossbow wrenches fell silent as Travis and the others looked at Lukys, eyes wide, and in the air, even the Anahera seemed to falter at the power of his Command.

With a soft thump, the Anahera landed on the cobbled streets a few yards from where their party stood. As one, Dale, Travis and the other guards spun towards her. Only then did recognition bloom in the eyes of Lukys’s fellow Perfugians.

The Anahera standing before them was Cara, their long-lost friend from Fogmore.

“Lukys?” Cara said his name again, but this time he sensed her hesitation, the doubt in her mind.

Lukys couldn’t blame her. As far as she and most of the world had known, he and his friends had died south of the Illmoor. For Lukys to be standing there alive, let alone in the garb of a Sovereign…well, even he had trouble believing it at times.

“Cara?”

Another voice spoke before Lukys could greet the Anahera, as tearing off his helmet, Travis stepped from the line of guards.

“By the…You, I guess, it is you!” he exclaimed, a sudden grin stretching across his lips.

Then he was racing forward to drag Cara into an embrace, lifting her from the ground and spinning her around, wings and all. A chuckle whispered in Lukys’s mind at the sight and he glanced at Sophia, seeing the grin on his partners lips.

So this is the Anahera you’re all so fond of.

So it would seem, Lukys said quietly, then hesitated, wondering if he should reveal more. But…Sophia would sense the truth from him anyway—there were no secrets between them now. Travis in particular….

He trailed off as Isabella stepped hesitantly after her partner, lifting the helmet from her own head. Still embracing Cara, Travis noticed her approach and turned from the Anahera, still wearing his grin.

“Cara, there’s someone I want you to meet!” he said with his usual enthusiasm. Releasing the Anahera, he stepped up to Isabella and kissed her quickly, before looking back at Cara. “This is Isabella, my partner!”

Lukys’s heart twisted as he watched the smile fall from Cara’s lips and she took an abrupt step backwards, eyes wide, suddenly shining. There was no missing the shock on her face, even if he had not seen her aura change from pink to white. Her mouth opened and closed, but the surprise of seeing her former…crush with another had obviously robbed her of words.

“You must be the Anahera who protected my favourite human from the Old Ones,” Sophia interjected quickly, stepping forward to offer Cara a hug. The Anahera had regained a little of her composure by the time Sophia stepped back, and Lukys smiled at his partners quick thinking. “It’s a welcome sight to see one of your kind on our side,” she continued, though Cara was still staring at her in surprise, no doubt wondering at her Tangatan nature. “We have heard terrible rumours of the Anahera fighting alongside the Old One.”

“I’m afraid that much is true,” a new voice interjected, and Lukys’s heart clenched as the face he’d glimpsed in the minds of the crowd approached up the street. So Erika was here. Behind her, the Calafe lingered, apparently shocked to a standstill by Cara’s appearance. “I thought you were dead, recruit.”

An audible groan came from somewhere behind Lukys at the Archivist’s appearance. He cast a sharp glanced over his shoulder, catching Dale’s eye, but the guard only shrugged. Erika wasn’t exactly their favourite person, after she’d forced them all to join her on her mad quest south. Regardless, Lukys shook off his hesitation and stepped forward to greet the woman.

“Archivist,” he said, keeping his tone pleasant whatever his true feelings about her. “It is good to see that you have endured these past months.” He did not offer any explanations for his own survival.

“I have a new title now,” she replied somewhat hesitantly, glancing over her shoulder. Several men of the Calafe moved to join her and Lukys thought he glimpsed what might have been a nod from one missing an arm. Apparently reassured by their presence, Erika faced Lukys and Sophia again, though only for a moment, as her eyes registered another presence.

“King Nguyen,” she greeted, arching an eyebrow. “I am surprised to find you here. Don’t tell me you’ve allied yourself with Amina after all?”

Nguyen chuckled at that. “The Sovereigns and I decided we liked the look of Mildeth, so we took the city for ourselves.”

A frown creased Erika’s brow at his words. “Sovereigns?” Her eyes flicked back to the pair of the and widened. “I see…” she hesitated, then made to offer her hand. “It seems we have all moved up—”

Before she could come any closer, the one-armed Calafe man leapt forward, grabbing her by the shoulder and dragging her back. “Beware!” he cried, a blade appearing in his hand as he placed himself between the former Archivist and the Sovereigns.

“Darien!” Erika gasped, struggling to retain her balance as she staggered. “What in the--?”

“A Tangata stands with these kings,” the Calafe man hissed. “See the eyes of the two women?” He added, gesturing to Sophia and Isabella, neither of whom were concealing their faces now.

Blood began to pound in Lukys’s ears as he watched the colour drain from Erika’s face. Light burst from the familiar gauntlet she wore, even as the Calafe warriors raised their weapons. Her head whipped around, focusing on Sophia as the glow of her gauntlet grew brighter.

“Stop!” Lukys bellowed, unleashing his Voice for the second time in as many minutes.

Erika stopped dead, hand half raised, that strange glow dancing around the metallic links. But she did not—could not—bring herself to open her fist and unleash her power. Drawing in a breath for calm, Lukys placed himself between the new queen and his Sovereign mate.

“Peace, Erika,” he said softly, hands raised. “Wait a minute, before you make a mistake you will regret. Sophia and her brethren are on her side.”

Rage shone in Erika’s eyes and her face twitched. Abruptly, Lukys’s spell