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

smiled. “We humans are always dealing with stupid things,” she replied. “You might say it’s our specialty.”

A sigh slipped from the Anahera and she looked up from the floor. “One of the Perfugians,” she said quietly. “Travis. I…liked him, once.” She snorted. “Like I said, it’s stupid, I…there was too much happening…I thought he was dead, and with Romaine and Maya and all your crap…with my long-lost sister…”

Cara’s voice cracked. Sliding onto the floor alongside her friend, Erika hugged the Goddess to her chest. She stroked the young Anahera’s hair as another shudder shook Cara, cooing softly beneath her breath the way her mother had once, when Erika had still been innocent. Those days seemed a hundred years ago now.

“I thought…” Cara said, then began to truly sob, the tears coming hot and fast. “I thought…for just a second…when I saw him still alive, even after all this time, after everything we’ve been through, I thought maybe…”

She gave a violent shake of her head, and Erika sensed the girl’s anger—not at this Travis or Lukys or anyone else, but at herself.

“I’m so stupid,” she croaked, looking up from Erika’s shoulder, eyes shot with red. “Of course he found someone else.” She hiccupped, then swallowed them down and went on. “I don’t know why I was surprised. The Tangatan lady…seems nice. I’m happy for him…really, happy he’s alive, but…” she trailed off.

Erika nodded as fresh tears welled in the Goddess’s eyes. There were no words for this kind of thing, nothing either of them could say to make it better. So she hugged the young Anahera tighter, letting her sob and cry and curse the world, safe in the knowledge someone was there, that Erika would not let her go, that she would be there until Cara found the strength to face the world again.

Or until the world came looking for them.

As one, the pair flinched as a distant horn sounded from outside the window. It was followed by another, then another, as others picked up the call. The hairs on the back of Erika’s neck stood on end as she recognised the pattern, the message the watchers on the wall were conveying.

One was the signal for an enemy sighted, for the arrival of the Tangata in the valley of Mildeth.

The second was a greeting.

Queen Amina was at the gates.

25

The Sovereign

Standing atop the walls of Mildeth, Lukys looked out across the valley and wondered what madness had brought him to this place. Sophia and their guard stood with him, and Erika and Cara were nearby too, Nguyen and Zayaan too. But in that moment, looking down upon the vast army gathered beneath the walls of Mildeth, Lukys had never felt so alone.

I am here, Lukys.

He smiled as Sophia joined her mind with his, but not even her presence could relieve his terror, the sense of inadequacy he felt. Below, a woman sat alone on her horse, garbed all in steel armour, a helm marked by a crown upon her brow.

The rightful Queen of Flumeer had come to claim her city.

Amina sat in silence, without advisors or generals or guards to protect her. She knew her enemies were too noble to strike her down unprovoked. She did not even seem overly concerned to find her city held by enemies.

Beyond the queen, the sprawling mass of her army filled half the valley. Lukys’s heart was split at the sight. Her forces appeared mostly intact. After the rumours that had spread ahead of her arrival, they had feared little would be left of the Flumeeren army. It meant they might stand a chance against Maya’s forces, that humanity might yet survive.

But only if they could avoid a battle between the forces of humanity.

Most of those Amina led were mounted, and Lukys wondered what had become of the others, the soldiers that had manned the forts along the Illmoor River, who for years had guarded the kingdom from Tangatan invasion. Judging from the coldness of Amina’s face, Lukys suspected this woman would not have hesitated to leave them behind if it meant her own survival.

“Well, well, well,” her voice carried up to them, surprisingly powerful despite the distance, “it seems the mice came out to play while the cat was away.”

Lukys shivered as he felt an echo in his mind, the reflection of the Amina’s inner Voice. So it was true. Erika had told them about the queen’s heritage, but it was one thing to hear of it, another altogether to witness it for himself.

And it meant Erika’s other revelations must be true as well. Lukys swallowed as a lump rose in his throat, memories of Romaine rising to swamp his thoughts. Somehow, a piece of him had known the great warrior had fallen. Otherwise, there would have been word of him somewhere, rumours of his presence. The Calafe warrior wasn’t one to run from a fight.

Even so, to learn the truth, to think of his mentor lying alone in the cold Mountains of the Gods…

Amina’s heritage might have greater import for the fate of humanity, but somehow, it was Romaine who lingered on Lukys’s mind.

Shaking himself, he focused on the queen. Despite her ability, she didn’t seem to be using her Voice in a deliberate manner. He prayed that meant she was unschooled in her powers. The last thing they needed was another Melder influencing the battle. And it might prove an advantage they could exploit.

“Amina!” he called finally, shaking himself from his silence. “We have co—”

“My, my, is that Nguyen I see up there?” the queen interrupted. “And do my eyes betray me, my Archivist has come to greet me as well. I might have guessed you would have survived the inferno, though…you should have left your pet to burn.”

A growl came from nearby and Lukys glanced at Cara, but Erika had already raised an arm to bid the Anahera wait. The two seemed to have grown close in their absence.

“Oh dear, and Zayaan, they turned you as well? I had thought