Wrath of the Forgotten: Descendants of the Fall Book II by Hodges, Aaron (good english books to read .txt) 📗

own follies. The early tribes had warred upon one another, until finally alliances had been formed. Kingdoms had risen from the ashes, binding the people together and restoring civilisation. But even then, the wars had continued, as each kingdom strove for supremacy.

Only the threat of the Tangata had finally united them.

What was left of that alliance now? Calafe had fallen and Gemaho had retreated, seeking refuge behind the mountains. Even Perfugia shirked its responsibilities, sending only their rejects, their unwanted to fight against the Tangata. Flumeer alone fought on.

Lukys opened his eyes as he sensed movement nearby. A female Tangata now stood beside Travis—Isabella. Her grey eyes shone in the lanternlight as she ran a hand through his friend’s long hair. Lukys noticed then that the others had returned as well. He found himself looking around for Sophia.

Lukys.

Lukys started as a voice spoke into his mind. He looked back at Isabella, finding her eyes on him.

Yes? he asked tentatively.

She glanced at Travis. Could you tell him I would like to dance?

Oh! Lukys lifted his eyebrows, surprised by the request. He hadn’t realised the creatures even knew what dancing was. Smiling, he shifted his gaze to Travis. She wants to dance.

Travis grinned and standing, he offered a hand to Isabella. “Hey, would you like to dance?”

Isabella was still watching Lukys, a frown creasing her forehead, but after a moment she smiled. The two moved into the open space in the middle of the courtyard. Lukys watched as Travis drew his partner close.

They began to dance, cautiously at first, moving slowly in time with the music. The bulky recruit appeared clumsy beside the Tangata’s fluid grace, yet the smile Isabella wore seemed genuine. The music washed over the two, carrying them away across the cobbles.

Lukys found himself wondering where the Tangata had learned such things. Legends claimed they’d been little more than animals when they’d first emerged from beneath the earth. Had those too been lies? Or had their species evolved through the centuries?

“I wonder where Travis got that idea,” Dale commented.

Frowning, Lukys turned to his companion, but at that moment the man’s partner appeared. He rose without prompting and the two followed Travis and Isabella out into the middle of the courtyard. The couple danced freely now, in tune with one another’s bodies, sliding through the steps with a refinement the recruits had never managed with Romaine’s drills.

One by one, others rose to join the dancers, bringing the courtyard to life. The Calafe woman that had given them the pies rose to join one of the guitarists, leaving Lukys alone on his bench. Sitting there, he could almost begin to see the magic of the place, the peace his friends had found with these strange creatures. Some struggled more than others, moving through the steps with difficulty, but their Tangatan partners didn’t seem to mind; indeed, they wore patient smiles on their faces.

Lukys shook his head as he watched the dancers. Then he frowned, his thoughts drawn back to what Dale had said. Why had the man been confused about Travis’s actions? Lukys had told his friend that Isabella wanted to dance…hadn’t he?

They seem happy.

Lukys looked around as Sophia’s voice interrupted his thoughts, finding the Tangata standing beside him. For once, her arrival did not startle him. It seemed right that she was here, and at first he did not reply, only sat looking at her.

Sophia’s eyes were dark in the starlight, her hair cascading down around her shoulders, sharp cheekbones adding an elegance to her face that Lukys had rarely seen amongst humans. She had changed into a satin dress, the fabric of purest black, clinging to her athletic frame, highlighting her slim waist, and…other things.

Suddenly Lukys’s throat was dry. Heart pounding, he felt as though he were seeing Sophia for the first time. He had treated her poorly these past days, ignoring her for the most part, staying away. Now though…

Rising, Lukys offered his hand. Would you like to dance?

Sophia’s eyes grew wide and to his surprise, she dropped her gaze. You don’t have to do that.

I want to.

He took her hand before she could argue further. She didn’t resist as he drew her towards the other dancers, though he sensed her trepidation.

Are you sure? she asked as the music picked up pace, sending the dancers spiralling around them.

Lukys nodded, and the hint of a smile touched her lips. Silently, she stepped closer and Lukys placed his hand on her hip, so that their bodies were just inches apart. A spark shot through his body, a thrilling, surging sensation that set his every nerve alight.

I’m dancing with a Tangata.

Sophia’s smile broadened and he realised she’d heard him. Silently she placed a hand on his chest. He shivered at the touch. They began moving to the music. Lukys was no dancer, but he found the steps came more easily to him now than during his days at the academy, and he realised this wasn’t much different from the fighting patterns Romaine had taught him atop the walls of Fogmore. His feet, accustomed to maintaining his balance now, moved naturally through the steps.

With their minds in tune, he found Sophia moving almost before he did, matching him stride for stride. Together they spun through the courtyard, bodies pressed close, breaths mingling, the rest of the couples forgotten, until Lukys felt it was just the two of them, alone in the courtyard. For just a moment, he allowed himself to be carried away by the music, drawn in by the shimmer in Sophia’s eyes, the magic of the moonlight shining down from overhead.

His mind pounded with a distant beat, matching the pulse of the music. Belatedly, he realised it was the voices of the other Tangata, the racing of their minds, the murmurs of their silent voices to the music of the Calafe.

How can I hear you all? Lukys asked, looking at Sophia.

Her eyes were only an inch from his, her lips so close he could feel the warmth of her breath