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

I told you, her reply came hesitantly, or perhaps…perhaps humanity is evolving?

Perhaps…

Concern showed in Sophia’s eyes as she watched him. It pained Lukys to see it, and without thinking he pressed his lips to hers. She flinched in his arms, but a moment later he felt her relax, and then she was kissing him back, her lips parting, the warmth of her mouth mingling with his.

Lukys found himself grinning as he drew back and saw the shock on Sophia’s face.

That was…unexpected, she murmured.

He didn’t reply, only held her in his arms, turning her through the steps of the waltz. She was right—he’d surprised even himself. But maybe he was done ignoring his own logic, done fighting the inevitable. The music was fading now, and he realised belatedly that they were the last couple in the courtyard. The others had vanished into their apartments, to their rooms…

Lukys’s heart started to race as he looked into Sophia’s eyes. His hand tightened around hers as he found himself imagining what it would be like to share that grand bed with this strange woman, to look into those strange eyes as they…

The thought was interrupted as a distant thumping sounded in his mind. It began like the distant whispers of the Tangata, but quickly rose in pitch, until it seemed it would force all other thoughts from his mind. The smile fell from Sophia’s lips, and he knew she was hearing the chanting too. Slowly the words took shape.

Death, death, death.

The hairs on his neck tingled as though a cold breeze had blown through the courtyard. The chant was already growing to a crescendo, the words practically shouted now, like the banging of drums, a call to war. And he knew then that he’d heard this same chant before, deep in the tunnels under the earth, in the Birthing Grounds of the Tangata.

The Old Ones.

His blood ran cold as he looked at Sophia. “They’re here.”

26

The Fallen

Pain engulfed Romaine as he reached out with his one hand and gripped the rock.

One, two, three.

Groaning, he heaved himself halfway onto the ledge, then using his injured arm to lodge himself there, then shifted his hand so he could push himself up the rest of the way. His feet found fresh purchase and gasping, he looked up, seeking his next handhold.

The brightening sky still seemed so far away. The crack that marked the mouth of the ravine might as well have been a hundred miles off. He would never make it, certainly not before Yasin…

One step at a time.

Determined, Romaine reached out again, hauling himself up, planting himself in place with his elbow, then pushing up the rest of the way. He was lucky—the ravine was not as steep as it had looked from above. The ground sloped at maybe a sixty degree angle. With his body pressed to the stone, he had just enough purchase to hold himself in place. If it had been a sheer cliff, he’d never have climbed out.

But then, the fall probably would have killed him, and he wouldn’t have been around to worry about whether he could escape. He wouldn’t still feel the pain of his loss, of seeing yet another friend murdered, wouldn’t have felt the agony of his own failures. Despair hung around his shoulders like an anchor, threatening to drag him back into the depths, whispering for him to let go, to surrender.

Just a little farther.

He would not give up. He would not let Cara down. She was all he had left.

Hours before, Romaine had awoken in darkness, surprised to find himself alive, though his body ached as though he’d taken a dozen beatings. Thankfully his sword had been lying nearby, and while the shield Amina had gifted him was dented, its strappings had survived the fall. If he made it out of this hole, Romaine would need both. Yasin would not go quietly.

He’ll kill you anyway.

Thrusting aside thoughts of defeat, Romaine continued, climbing up and up, until finally he found himself rolling over the lip of the ravine, free. Sunlight touched his face, searing his eyes, waking him from his despair. Romaine blinked, then pushed himself up. A familiar collection of boulders dotted the site around him.

Lorene still lay where he had fallen. A groan tearing from his lips, Romaine crawled to his friend. Blood stained the dirt beneath him, but otherwise Lorene could have been sleeping. There was a peacefulness to his face, if one ignored the bolt still embedded in his chest.

Romaine scrunched his eyes closed, struggling to contain his grief. Only one thing kept him from lying down beside his friend and waiting for death to find him.

Cara.

He came to his feet. His legs felt weak, unsteady, but at least he hadn’t broken anything in the fall. His eyes were drawn to the sky and he saw that the sun was still low on the distant horizon. Erika and the others would just be preparing to depart. If Yasin had not ordered an attack in the night, there might yet be hope to warn them

Fist clenched, Romaine started towards the campsite, but as he cleared the ring of boulders, a distant sound carried to his ears. He hesitated, heart hammering in his chest. It sounded almost like…

Romaine started to run. The clashing of steel and the screams of men grew louder as he cleared the last of the boulders and started down the slope. The valley twisted away from him, hiding the Gemaho campsite from view, but they couldn’t be far. Pushing beyond his pain, Romaine increased his pace.

Ahead, the basin twisted and at last he spotted movement, still a few hundred yards away. Men swarmed around across the valley floor, where flashes of yellow revealed the Gemaho soldiers, desperately trying to defend themselves.

Gathering his strength, Romaine drew his sword. Pain swamped him. He knew he could not change the outcome of the battle. Yet still he pushed on, past the doubt, past the agony. In that moment, it didn’t matter if