Fallen Warrior (Fallen Trilogy book 3)

by Williams, Tess

  "That's crazy, Ellia. You were born to rule Shaundakul."

  "You don't understand how strong he was. Now I'm alone. And the only reason I have strength to go on at all is because of who he was."

  "Ellia,"

  "I'm sorry, Cole. I shouldn't tell you so much, even if you suggested that I talk about Cyric. It's not fair. But I'm afraid that on my own, I won't leave this place. Please don't let me do that. Cole?" She brought her eyes up to mine. It felt as if all the words she'd been speaking had come with her only half aware of them, her eyes distant with memories, but now they were clear, and so was her voice; we were very much just the two of us in a room in Genbu. "Will you stay with me?" she asked. "I mean, on the couch here? Or you can have the bed, and I'll sleep there. I don't want to be alone, and I don't want you to be so far away either. I promise that I won't talk more about Cyric, then we can wake up early and go see the tortoises again." She blinked her eyes hopefully at me, folding her hands together.

  I felt like my heart was breaking. She really was just a little girl, and I'd forgotten for so long. She'd seemed so brave and strong without me, and she'd had so much that I hadn't, with everyone adoring her, and being a princess, her father.

  How could I have gone so long without seeing how much she needed me?

  "Of course, I'll stay," I told her. "But forget about me taking the bed. I'm just a Kanthian, remember? And you're the princess. Don't forget what you have a right to."

  More quickly than I could have hoped, her nervous expression switched to a smile. "I should be happy enough that I have the right to ask such a thing of you. Oh, Cole, if we survive the wars, let's go to Echren. We could go to Echren, and go to Byako again. We could go even further east. We could come back here. We could go anywhere."

  I dropped a brow, frowning at her though I knew she wouldn't see it. I was thinking how, if we did survive the wars, she would be leading her people back to Shaundakul, where she would rule, and not be able to go off traveling. But I wasn't about to mention any of this. Then she jumped up, clapping her hands suddenly.

  "We could go to Kanth! You could introduce me to all of your friends, and teach me to climb as you do. I should wear robes, then shouldn't I?" She grinned at me encouragingly.

  I chuckled a little, warily. "Let's, just, worry about getting to Echren and Byako, and all that first. But as far as the robes go, I think you should keep with your own clothes. Or else the Kanthians might start to think you belonged to them—isn't that what you've been explaining to me?"

  Ellia watched me a moment, then her grin tipped. "You're perfectly sweet, sometimes, Cole. I should think no one else would have listened so well."

  I smiled, hearing her voice repeated in my head. Her memory from the cave. I think you're so very sweet, Cyric Dracla. But she didn't seem to recall this herself. Was she never going to guess? Not ever?

  She leapt up with a start, then went over to her bags across the room. "I'm to take a bath," she said, "Then you can have a turn, and I'll make up a bed for you. I don't mind sharing my blankets, but I'll need most the pillows. Say, Cole, do Kanthians sleep with their faces covered?"

  She turned back to look at me, bent over as she was, to our bags.

  Tonight I will, I thought in my mind. But for the sake of accuracy, as Silos had explained it to me. "Only if they're alone. Or, you know, with..."

  "Right," she said, cheeks turning red. "Oh, yes, I remember. Well, don't forget then," she added, then straightened up, with an armful of clothes. I couldn't help but frown at what seemed to me an obvious dis, but then watching her head towards the door, I was struck with a thought.

  "Wait, princess, if you mean to take a bath, then doesn't that?..."

  She turned to look at me, one of her hands on the door to open it. But my gaze was on her braid, looking between it and her clothes. I meant to finish my words, but then staring, I remembered nights spent in her room, climbing up and toppling through the window, then her jumping on top of me with her knife, and her hair falling all into my face.

  I grew a grin instead. And told her never mind. I couldn't help but think then that I hoped we would be staying many nights in Genbu.

  ELLIA:

  I heard a knock at the door, and I thought it was the innkeeper. Cole had gone to ask them to wake us by dawn so that we could see the weather change again, but then when I got out of bed, I couldn't hear the storm any longer outside, so that I was sure it might have been light out already. I tip-toed across the carpet, so as not to wake Cole, then carefully peaked the door open.

  Standing there was a man dressed all in blue. Really, truly blue. He wore a long robe, all one piece of material. Wrapped around his waist, and around his wrists, were thick bands of metal, like armor. On his head, he wore a hat of a shape I'd never seen before; most easily described as something like a turtle shell that had been turned upside down, then dropped longer at the sides before touching his head; and altogether it wasn't very tall. Its material was a soft blue cloth that matched his robes. His hair was silvered brown. He carried a sack of blue velvet.

  "Would you be the visiting princess?" he asked. "The daughter of Savras Solidor, past ruler of Shaundakul?"

  His voice was crisp, and his eyes were copperish brown, hard to look away from.

  I opened my mouth to respond. "Yes, I—" But then I saw a hand. Reddish, tanned, and scarred, press against the door frame beside me, and with it a long, black-robe covered arm, stretching back where just behind me Cole had stopped, so close that I heard it when he yawned, bringing his other hand up to his mouth to cover it.

  My every inch of skin shook, whether from anger or something else, I wasn't sure. But I worked to ignore it, while I finished my sentence. He'd obviously absorbed the Genbuan's attention anyways. "Yes, I'm Ellia Solidor. I'm visiting here."

  The Genbuan pulled his eyes from Cole, back to me, with seemingly some difficulty.

  "Who's this?" Cole asked, before he could speak.

  I nudged my shoulder back into him as subtly as I could.

  The Genbuan cleared his throat. "Ah. I am Tongon, of the Vishnuites. I am one of the keepers of our sacred halls. I'm meant to come and collect the princess, to show her to our mountain."

  "Vishnuites?" Cole repeated. And then, even more skeptical. "Aren't we already on the mountain?"

  I cleared my throat. "What he means to say is that, does this have to do with the rulers of Genbu? I meant to go and see them yesterday. Could they have sent you?"

  "Yes, that's right," he confirmed. "They're pleased to hear that you went to see the Black Tortoises for yourself, now they would like to meet with you, but first, there are many more things that you must see. In Genbu our expanse for ability is fit to our expanse of knowledge, so they would prefer you to be most well-prepared before you discuss with them."

  "Like the ocean," Cole said, so arbitrarily, that I turned back to glare at him, but then I heard the Genbuan's reply, delighted:

  "So with the waves as they come and go. I can see you have already learned much of Genbu's ways. It will be that much more of a pleasure to escort you. If I may," he said, then he held a finger up, and stepped back to dig through his velvet sack. It was so large, and he was so absorbed in the task, that I took a risk in pulling Cole's arm down, and then shoving him off out of sight. But he only came back, a hand at my waist now.

  My eyes went wide, and I spun to come face to face with him, or rather face to mask, but the eyes were still there, catching blue. Either way, I didn't waste time in whispering fiercely. "Look, will you get back? What'll he think if you're here?"

  Cole blinked slow, then I was sure that he smiled. "Probably that I slept here."

  "Yes, that's it exactly. I'm the princess. Shoo."

  "But I did sleep here," he argued.

  I scowled at him, and opened my mouth to complain, then I heard the Genbuan behind me.

  "Ah, here it is."

  I twisted to face Tongon—who was holding up a map. Now I felt Cole's hand o
n my side, wrapping over around my hips—as if he possessed me fully. I reassured myself by imagining that with the cloth of my Warrior's garb, it was simply a comfortable place to rest one's hand.

  Tongon, pointed to the center of the map. "You see, here we are, outside. The path to the mountain, tracks this way, then do you see this place inside?" He traced his finger along what I could clearly guess was the same path Cole and I had ascended yesterday, then in further through the tunnel. I leaned in trying to concentrate, but then Cole was whispering in my ear. "Ask if I can come with. Let me come with this time."

  The Genbuan finished his tracing, with a final tap. "That's the entrance to our sacred halls. And where I shall be waiting for you. I only wanted to come and deliver this myself, so you wouldn't lose your way. Do you think you have it?"

  I tried to nod. Cole moved his fingers up to my back, tapping me repeatedly as if to prod me on to ask his question.

  "Yes," I answered, breathless.

  Then the Genbuan went on.

  "I took the liberty of instructing the innkeeper not to wake you so that the weather might be clear for your ascent. I expect you shall be able to meet me there, within the hour."

  "Yes," I replied.

  Cole's tapping increased.

  "Say, do you think my Kanthian could come?" I added quickly.

  Tongon looked from me to behind me. Cole's tapping had stopped.

  "He's sort of my guardsmen," I added.

  Tongon's brows lifted. "Yes, I can see. Well, I can't speak for the rulers, but since I am to be your guide through the halls, I should think it's fine then. Be sure, though, you'll be in no danger there."

  "Of course not," I said, distracted. Tongon narrowed slightly, smiling, then brought the map back up, showing me the route again, seemingly skeptical that I'd gotten it. I followed his tracing, and mentioning of left and right, thinking that I was free of Cole's interruptions, when then I felt, undeniably I felt, my hair being tugged at. One of his hands was still on my waist, and he was close enough to be watching Tongon point out the route—though I didn't know if he was. But the other hand must have without doubt, have been in my hair, where it hung loose at my back. Either that, or it had gotten trapped somehow.

  "Yes, I've got it perfectly," I announced to Tongon, having watched him go through it for a third time. "There, there, then there. We shall make it by within the hour."

  "Good then," he said. "Oh, and this is for you to keep." He held out the map for me.

  Cole moved his hand off my waist to take it, not that it meant the tugging stopped.

  Tongon seemed to think nothing of anything. He bowed his head, shrugging his sack tight. "Well, then, I will look forward to being your guide. Be sure to have a full breakfast, and dress in layers. It was my pleasure to meet you daughter of Savras."

  "Yes, and mine as well," I replied. "Thank you Tongon."

  He lifted a hand up in parting, moved his gaze to Cole and added a wave. Cole waved his map hand in response.

  As soon as Tongon had gone off, feet pattering and robes trailing behind him, I shut the door, then turned on Cole. Unfortunately this had a negative affect with my hair.

  "Ow, ouch," I said, twisting my head, then ducking so it wouldn't pull. "Look, Cole, are you touching my hair?" I demanded. Then I managed to twist clear of his grip, and take a step back. He was still holding the map in one hand, the other held out, and his only response had nothing to do with answering me.

  "You called me your Kanthian," he said.

  "What? Cole,"

  "Don't you remember," he interrupted. Then mimicked. "'Say, do you think my Kanthian can come.' I think I like it even better than the princess's shadow." His voice was completely humored. He glanced down at his map.

  I furrowed my brow. "You kept tapping me incessantly. I wasn't thinking clearly."

  He shrugged. "I'm glad you asked, princess. Will you ask if I can go with you to meet the rulers as well?"

  "Cole, you've gone quite out of bounds with everything. I think Genbu has gotten to you as badly if not worse than it did me."

  "Princess, can I tell you honestly that I'm disappointed they came already? I hoped that we would have more days here. But look at the size of these tunnels," he held the map up, pointing, then trailing his finger all along it. His eyes turned to me directly and his voice was sincere. "It looks big, doesn't it? I think it might take a few days to tour. If we do stay another night... we'll sleep in the same room again, won't we?"

  I looked him up and down with wide eyes. And then I narrowed, reaching my hands up straightway to the back of my head, and looping my hair in a knot, thinking Cyric should have warned me of the effect of hair as well as dresses.

  If Cole's stance showed disappointment, I pretended not to notice as I walked past him. "At this precise moment, I mean never to risk it again," I replied honestly.

  And since I felt I knew Cole so well, whether I had ever seen his face or not, I was sure he frowned at this.

  Chapter Twenty

  ELLIA:

  The first hince that the halls of Genbu were to be as large as Cole had suggested was a little ways past the front entrance. I'd been as far as that the day before, and it had been so large, open right into the air that I had thought it would stand as the Genbuans great hall. But, we learned it wasn't.

  It was amazing, how abandoned these majestic places were as we followed Tongon's map to the entrance of the sacred halls. Wide chambers, so tall that I felt the need to back up against Cole only to keep from falling, so strangely large that it seemed we had shrunk, and the lack of Genbuans only added to this feeling. We took a path through halls, and doors, and even through spaces that only seemed like rooms, made of stones painted gold, or red, but lit with blue, so that they seemed rather unreal.

  When we stopped at the head of a tunnel with glowing blue markings drawn over the top, there was a distracting amount of yellow light glowing off from some hall to our side.

  "This is it then," I said to Cole, facing the tunnel. A steady coolness seemed to be tugging inwards from it. The path just within led smoothly downwards, stone without steps. Yet the tunnel was clearly man-made. "He'll be just at the bottom."

  "It's rather ominous with the words over the top," he replied.

  "Do you think that's lettering?" I asked.

  He stepped past me, causing my foot to shift forward, but I ignored this and simply watched as he moved his hand up to touch the words; stretching his body tall. He pulled his fingers back, looked at them, then held them up. They were glowing blue. "They've got some great paint in Genbu," he said.

  "Wow, it's so bright."

  He glanced at it again, then wiped it off. "I've seen brighter." Then instead of looking to the tunnel, he headed back towards me, sticking close.

  "Should we go?" he asked, eventually.

  "Yes, I think. Only I'm curious. What do you think of the light there? The yellow bit. It's flickering quite wildly."

  Cole looked beside us, to the hall from which the light was coming. The walls there were painted maroon and lined with round gems shaped as turtles.

  "Let's find out," he said, ducking towards it.

  I followed straight-shot, nearly tripping over my own two feet to stay at his side. There was a strange sensation come over me. Ever since we'd left the inn, maybe before. It was something like what I'd experienced riding Luffie. The need, the irresistible need to be as close to Cole as I could manage, to cling to him; and nearly try to press myself inside of him. Now it was something rather like adhesive. Glue, or perhaps two shreds of garments once they were threaded together, and with the needle pulled tight, forced to stay contacted. If they were stretched apart, the needle could be pulled again to tighten them together, and so they'd slip, quick as you liked.

  So it felt for me with Cole now. He would take two steps ahead, and my foot would slide an inch forward on its own. He would pause to watch something, and when I realized, my body would come to a stop with a jolt, forcing me back
as if I'd hit a glass wall. If his hand came close, my skin would be set to shiver, even if he was only passing. And when he did, every so often, bring his head close to mine to look at something past me, I would have every urge to wrap my arms clear around his head and not release it—though to what purpose, I couldn't tell, for I'd never heard, even in the most extravagant of tales, of someone grasping onto someone's head as a proper sign of affection.

  Anyways, it was too foolish to think on; for now I only stepped lightly behind him as he crept into the yellow flickering room.

  "Must be fire, cause it's warm," he whispered, to me, pausing.

  I bumped into him for this, but he paid it no mind as he trailed his hands against the wall, moving on, until he came around a bend, then he peeked his head around.

  "What's it then?" I whispered.

  His head was out of view. He responded by flicking two of his fingers, towards him; then as soon as I'd come closer, he took me and moved me in front of him, so that I was pressed against the wall with my head peeked around the corner as well—his head just above me, and his body behind.

  "By the stars," I exclaimed.

  I only told Cole's response of a short laugh by the quick drop of his chest.

  Ahead of us, it was what must have been the real great hall of Genbu. It was so tall and wide, and even deep that it seemed it could have fit the entire complex of Yanartas. Its floor tiles, of carved rock, simple square, were so wide they would have taken my height twice if I'd laid down across them, but the room was such that they appeared proper scale—the same as stone tiles in any great hall. Every bit of the room was flickering yellow, and at the far wall was a hearth of such massive size, the chimera could have used it as a home, should the volcano ever fail them. Above it was a shell—black, and lit with blue and turquoise—that didn't in any way look minute in comparison with the rest of the room.