Fallen Warrior (Fallen Trilogy book 3)

by Williams, Tess

  Once he was up, I got on top of Tosch. He was all armor free, with only a simple saddle. In the sun, his eyes were pitch black.

  "Do you think the behemoths will stay here for good?" I asked, thinking of the herd that still grazed nearby.

  I couldn't see Silos's expression, but I heard his soft sigh as he picked up the reigns for his horse. "For years they remained on the fields of radiance. They might move up and down the river but now that they've found a water source, they're likely not to move."

  I frowned thoughtfully, blinking my eyes against the sun. "I hope Lox doesn't decide to look for them after all. If he saw them like this, he'd definitely want them back."

  "From the news I got in Karatel, he's much more concentrated on the wars. On his army, and his rule of the city. He's promoted himself as high commander now, and they say he's brought even more men out of the Katellian capitol."

  "Back into Akadia?" I asked, with some surprise. I knew for a fact that Karatel had already been short on men. Scanth had begun to complain about it before I left.

  Silos shrugged. "Such a commander... he always holds a plan for the future of his aims, no? He must realize the risk. Lox isn't likely to give up ground easily."

  I looked back at the desert and thought of Selket. After the palace had been destroyed, and he'd called all of the armies back from the eastern kingdoms, he'd still left Selket occupied. Everyone had assumed Lox simply didn't want to give up the only land gained in the war, but then he'd barely left enough men to defend it. Not even a third of Venoc's battalion.

  And so it had fallen, rather easily it had fallen, and it had made the Yanartians more confident than ever.

  I clamped down on my jaw. And Tosch shifted in place. I worked to settle him.

  "It's reassuring to know that his arm won't ever reach Kanth," Silos went on. "It's so far from Akadia, and we've so little there to tempt him."

  Tosch fidgeted again, and it got the other horse started. Silos hushed it, then he looked at me. I was already watching him. I spoke. "Do you think, Silos; do you think that if a person dies it makes up for the wrong they've done?"

  The old man didn't answer. But I felt confident of that part already, so I went on.

  "Do you think if he almost does it works the same?"

  He still didn't respond. I thought I saw the glint of light in his eyes, and though I truly did want an answer, I knew it meant he wouldn't give me a straightforward one—just something about looking to the future, and doing good there. I shook my head. "I would have liked Kanth, Silos. I really think I could have been happy there."

  He held out a hand without hesitation, until I took it across the wrist. "Then you will come one day," he said, meeting my gaze. "And we will celebrate in the winter together. You'll beat my brother hand-fighting."

  He laughed and I tried, but mine was ragged, and clipped, while his was full and deep. I released his arm and pulled back.

  Tosch was practically humming beneath me, clopping his hooves onto the desert, as if he wasn't sure what the things he was hearing meant; like I'd convinced him into too many directions in the past months, and if the fact that I loved Ellia didn't mean I should be near her, he didn't know what I might do next.

  So I leaned forward and whispered a few words in his ear.

  For a full second he hesitated. And then he jerked off so fast that he didn't even lift his front hooves from the ground, he just darted, full speed in one direction. Before I'd even gotten hold enough to make sure I wouldn't fall off, we were too far from Silos to look back. We passed the behemoths in a flash and the morning sun made the desert hazy at our other side. I was feeling closer to jumping off of Tosch, than staying on where we were heading. So I got a good hold on his reign, wrapped it around my fist, then bent close, telling him to go faster.

  Chapter Nine

  ELLIA:

  Byako might have been the country which reminded me most of Shaundakul, except that it was all tucked close to the ground. Its huts were made of wood, but they weren't fragile like Yanartian buildings. They were solid, and dark, and rising up around them were the most vibrantly green trees that splashed like flowers against the sky. Their leaves were round and small and numerous. When the wind blew they fell like rain and mingled with the other bright tones that decorated Byako.

  Vivid pinks and oranges, blues and greens littered the paths between the buildings. Either in the form of encased flames, or hanging strings, or impossibly large flower arrangements made of dyed paper.

  It was an oddity, that like Echren, even in winter it remained bright. And the other way it resembled Echren was the number of White Tigers roaming about it. You couldn't walk down a street without seeing one standing post at the end, or else walking on beside. Their fur was like silk, as soft as Luffie's feathers. As with all granted animals, they bore a sheen, but it held no color. They were purely monochrome, and they shimmered either subtle silver, or pearl, or very dark grey, like obsidian.

  One passed by me now, bits of snow stuck to its fur, and I thought of Luffie. She was not here. I'd left her in Yanartas and come by boat. It was just a short meeting that I'd been called to and nowadays she didn't like leaving the Isle unless she had good reason.

  I hadn't come alone though.

  Lucian and Estrid were present as well; not that either of them had needed to come, to meet with the rulers. They were here for Byako's mid-winter celebration—the celebration that meant the streets were now decorated with even more lights and colors; flames of pink and turquoise, collared confetti that mixed in with the tiny green leaves that already littered the ground.

  The events for the festival that filled the center square (a man swallowing flames, sorcerers creating shapes of sparkling light, birds taught to whistle tunes, and so on) were making it difficult for me to find Lucian and Estrid now. Lucian had offered to come with me to my meeting with the rulers, but I'd dismissed him, wanting to give the couple plenty of time on their own. This would be their first trip away from Yanartas, since they'd finally acknowledged their relationship, and I wasn't about to impose on it.

  That had come about...

  A day after the announcement that the behemoths had been freed from Akadia, I'd gone to the Warrior's Chamber and asked for an audience with the lot of them. My address had involved a lot of names, official ones, of mine, passed down from my ancestors. In truth, I had thirteen of them, and the Warrior's had heard each as well as the accounts of the high standing of Shaundakul, and its past relations.

  Then I'd made sure they recalled that with my father gone, I was the ruler of Shaundakul. Then I'd suggested that they not presume to propose unions to the ruler of Shaundakul, particularly ones she'd already made clear she had no interest in.

  And so, Estrid had forgiven me fully, and Lucian was spared the trouble of displeasing them, and, in my mind, it was doubtful that I would ever advance to second or first order Warrior.

  But I hadn't cared then; and I still didn't.

  I passed another White Tiger—though this one didn't have a rider. But it wasn't a second before he had appeared, swinging around the column of a porch, and waving to me.

  "Do you still want to meet up before dark?" he asked, giving a meaningful nod to my sword.

  "Yes. I just have to find my friends. Have you seen them? I can't find anyone here."

  "The other Warriors, aye?" he checked.

  I nodded.

  He gestured a lazy hand across the square. There I saw, on the roof of the building, as many couples were, Lucian and Estrid, sitting side by side and watching the festival. He had his hands stretched behind him, she had her head against his shoulder, both with their legs out in front of them.

  I looked back at the Byakoan. "Thanks. I'll be ready in just a minute."

  "Take your time, but I'll be waiting for you just outside the square. I thought we'd practice at the temple since it's so loud here."

  "Alright," I acknowledged. Then I marched off to Lucian and Estrid. She was mid-laugh
when I waved from the ground.

  "What's funny?" I asked.

  Lucian nodded his head over to the nearby Byakoan, one at the head of a group. "He's retelling the battle at Selket. Apparently we Cirali Warriors did little more than get in the way for the White Tigers. They're saying chimera prefer flying to fighting."

  "Well, Tris likes swimming better than both," Estrid commented.

  "How did it go with the rulers?" Lucian asked with a pause.

  I shrugged. "I liked talking with Cheng. He makes me more anxious for spring to come than the cold does. I think he should give the speech to the armies when we do finally battle again."

  "Was that what you discussed?"

  "Karatel, a little. One of his riders met with the rulers of Echren. He was more concerned that they would be reliable in battle. Anyways, it's all dealt with. How is the festival so far?"

  "It was definitely worth it coming," Lucian said. He laughed. "Estrid's decided we should have brought her brothers."

  "They would have danced, I told you. They could have put on their own show."

  "And had you join them, likely."

  "Would that have bothered you, Master Denathar?" she teased.

  He dropped a brow at her.

  I glanced back towards the square. There weren't only Byakoans and Yanartians here. Because of Byako's route through to the Isle, more foreigners than ever journeyed to Byako, from the south, or far west or east, lands distant from Akadia. It seemed that many of them had stopped over for the festival, making for a wide variety of styles. And I wondered how many would be coming to Yanartas to pledge their help.

  "Are you going to stay with us now, Ellia?" Estrid asked. "There's a game involving magic we tried earlier. I think you would like it."

  I tipped my head. "No. I'm already set to train."

  "With the Byakoans again? Won't you be back by night at least? There's supposed to be fireworks."

  "I might be," I said. "If I'm not. Have fun, alright? Let's take the late ferry tomorrow, then you can stay up late."

  Estrid pressed her lips and tried to smile. Lucian made the same sort of face.

  I distracted the looks by pointing out a nearby Byakoan braiding flowers into hair. I suggested Estrid try blue and left them receiving only slightly less sympathetic expressions.

  By the time I joined my teacher outside the square I was refocused on the next task. His White Tiger walked beside us, and we spoke of Cheng, his leader, and the Echrians, which, like most Byakoans, he found humorous. I put effort in, as always, to help encourage his acceptance of the foreigners. If only everyone could see their diversity as a gift, a means by which they might unite, not be apart, well, then... I thought I would have seen done the duty I should.

  The Byakoan Warrior led me to the Granted Temple on the farthest side of the city. From here there was a high view of the surrounding swamplands, most of which were disguised by trees, but there was a whole section northwest of Byako that was marsh for ages. The White Tigers had crossed this to reach Selket, and watching them leap over the scattered pools had been a magnificent sight.

  I didn't have to change to practice. Lately I hardly ever, or never, wore a dress, so I was already set in my Warrior's garb. I pulled my Byakoan sword of dark silver out and we spent till nightfall running through steps.

  After that, the Byakoan and his tiger went back to the festival, and distraughtly he allowed me to remain at the temple by myself.

  Almost immediately I let out a long sigh.

  The Byakoan temples were all open to the air, with stone structures at their front etched with markings. They were dark and high, and smooth but not polished. The floor of the temples were stone as well. Sword in hand, I walked to the front of the temple, then I bowed down to one knee, planting my blade at my side.

  The constellations that were a part of the other temples, here, were true stars, and though it wasn't clear tonight, I imagined their positions. It wasn't a few seconds though, before I realized I wasn't alone. The temple was off, but not so much that there weren't passersby in the streets. I stood back upright, but instead of looking back, I took my sword and glanced over the front edge of the temple. There were trees there, cluttered down a slope, with a grove inside them. I'd gone there once already to be on my own, and there was a path that led out to it; but I preferred not to garnish the attention taking that might bring.

  Setting a foot carefully on the top of the slope, I started to descend it. I took most of it in a bit of a slide, thanks to the ice, but I landed smoothly—only falling into a short run towards the end. Then there was the crunch of snow beneath my feet as the sounds of the festival disappeared and I entered the grove. It was encircled by trees and sometimes lit with torches, but tonight all but one of them were dark. I glanced around to see that I was on my own, then I set myself up at its center and pulled my sword out once again.

  I didn't have any intention, except to run over the forms I'd just practiced with the warrior; which was what I would have done in the temple. I started with a straight thrust out, and I considered some of what I'd spoken with the rulers about as I fell into the other steps. Eventually, though, my mind moved where it so often did while training, or on my own, and I didn't restrain it from doing so. I never did.

  It was speaking with Nain once he'd returned to Yanartas that I most often thought of.

  I made a turn and heard him telling me that he'd recognized his rescuer as Lieutenant Dracla at once, only he'd thought it was to some place terrible where he might be leading him.

  I pulled my blade back horizontal and Nain's voice took over as I followed the next steps.

  He told me that he would get me back to Selkie.

  He said that he wasn't an Akadian.

  I took a step forward, then turned, and came up with my sword.

  He had it all planned ahead of time.

  I back-stepped and ducked.

  He left when we were almost free and I didn't know why.

  I dropped to swipe low.

  But the Akadian commander knew...

  The last words wrung out like ice.

  He left to free a dragon.

  I made three very quick steps, turning around on the last, and then I stopped my blade at the chest of a man dressed in black. "Do you think I came here to be followed?"

  In my frozen position, from the previous exertion, my breaths came out fast frosting the air. It made it a little hard to see him in the shadows of the trees, but I'd already gotten a good look at him while he was winding their edge. He wasn't just dressed in black, it covered his neck and head, and most his face as well; it was a uniform I recognized, but that didn't assure me much in the situation.

  I hadn't intended for my voice to sound so harsh, and now that the man wavered a step back, I regretted how I must have surprised him.

  But only a little.

  "Who are you?" I asked. "I saw you back near the temple. And in the square. Are you following me or not?"

  I kept my blade close and high, but not pressed to him. I would have been more afraid, because of the distance from the city, and the darkness, except that he didn't look to be carrying weapons, and he was staying perfectly still.

  I tipped my head in exasperation. "Can you speak, or are you mute? I don't intend to hurt you so long as you have an explanation, but don't think you'll be able to disarm me."

  He started shaking his head, as he lifted his hands. "I don't want to hurt you." His words came out fast, almost a mumble. But for a moment, they debilitated me; my grip on my blade faltered, and I hardly knew why.

  I heard the sound of a snap behind him, and I sucked a breath. "Is there someone else with you?" I gasped.

  He turned his head almost as quickly as I asked the question, then he shook it before looking back. "It was a bird, I think," he said. His chin was dipped, and he brought it a little higher as he spoke, almost like he was scared to meet my gaze fully.

  I frowned, looking between my sword and his stance, and imagini
ng I'd overreacted.

  "I didn't mean to scare you," he suddenly mumbled, his palms still in front of him.

  "You didn't scare me. I heard you coming from yards off." I scoffed. "You must be the worst hunter in the world."

  All at once, just when I'd been almost ready to let my guard down, his whole position shifted. His head jerked up with a start, and his body joined it. Even one of his hands came up as if he were going to reach for me.

  I shouted a threat, then turned the point of my sword closer, right to his neck, stopping his advance at once. "Now, that's enough," I said. "You won't come any closer. And I want your name. Why are you dressed like that? Is it because you're from Kanth, or are you just hiding yourself?"

  He'd dropped back as soon as I'd lifted my sword, and now he was shifting on his feet, like he couldn't stand to be still. "I'm..." He cut off, still shifting. It was making me nervous.

  "If you are, just say it. I'd rather know. I've nothing against them, but I don't like being lied to." The reason I wanted to know, which I wasn't about to tell him, was because if he wasn't a Kanthian, the first thing I was going to do was make him take his wraps off. It was a matter of sacred importance to them, and I wouldn't be able to bring myself to defile that, even for such a person, but for anyone else, I just didn't like the idea of not being able to see who I was talking to—especially when I already didn't know their name. It was as if I couldn't determine how to behave at all.

  "They are," he said suddenly—not so suddenly because it had taken him forever to decide to. "I mean, they're Kanthian. I..."

  "Now your name," I interrupted, irritated by the response. "Give me your name, and stop trying to lift your hands up."

  "I'm not—"