Fallen Warrior (Fallen Trilogy book 3)

by Williams, Tess

  He didn't reply. He stayed silent as I took my steps forward, my hands held behind me as I searched above. "You know, I think I do remember now, seeing a roundish sort of peak when we came from the tunnel. It was all covered in ice, but it looked strangely clear of snow; I'm sure this is it, don't you think?"

  It was another moment, then he replied. "I noticed that to. Yes, I'm sure this is it. It's a strange way of depicting stars."

  "Oh, you should see it in Echren," I replied. "You know I told you how the buildings glow. Well, in their granted temple, the stars glow. They even have the ability—the two rulers have the ability—to make them brighter should they wish. I've seen it myself."

  I was thinking now, of course, of Cyric, and being with him in Echren. I smiled, sighing a little, thinking how grateful I was to Cole, that he had made me speak so often of Cyric so that I could now consider him happily. But then, contemplating him for a moment, and then contemplating the potential meeting with rulers ahead, my smile fell to shivering. Then Cole spoke.

  "Can you see anything, Ellia?" he asked me. "Besides the stars and fountain, I mean."

  I tried to look at him, but the direction of his voice was all blackness. He'd taken a few steps away from the fountain, and I couldn't even see his shadow any longer. I shook my head, then realized only a second later he probably wouldn't be able to tell that. "No. Why, can you?" I remembered his spotting the branch in the forest. "Your eyes work so well for the dark don't they?" I bragged for him.

  I waited for his answer, breathing in the cold. Then I spoke, quite unintentionally. "Cyric couldn't see in the dark. I don't think I've told you that. I shouldn't like to tell anyone really. Or rather: he didn't, so I don't. Do you think it's strange to want to keep such a thing a secret, Cole? If you couldn't see in the dark, would you want to hide it? I think I would tell everyone so that they could help me, but I'm not a man. So, what would you do?"

  I looked back in his direction, even though he was just blackness.

  I heard him take two steps, then he spoke. "I think I wouldn't tell anyone," he answered. There was something both plain and strained about his tone.

  I frowned. "Why not then?"

  "I wouldn't want them to think I was weak," he went on. He took another few steps. "I wouldn't want them to know that there were things they'd seen that I hadn't."

  I thought this through—adapting it to Cyric's point of view. "I suppose that does sound rather a bit like him," I admitted. "It must be men. You're very foolish, then. About hair, and dresses, and night-blindness, say Cole, you don't mean to touch me again, here in the dark do you?" I asked, sensing, rather than seeing one of his hands might be moving towards me. "You know it might sound strange, but there's this strangest sensation I'm experiencing since we came here, and I think I can tell when you mean to come close. Isn't that odd? I think it must be an effect of all your talking about souls. You haven't forgotten what I told you on the river have you?" My breath was short after going on like this, especially since, Cole hadn't shifted away at all. And now I could tell his hand in the air just between us.

  "You told me you were only a little girl," he answered. "And that I should be careful. I think you're right, Ellia," he added. "I've thought about it carefully, and you are only a little girl. So you need someone to protect you. You're not supposed to be alone."

  "You already said that, Cole," I countered, breathless, "You already told me you wouldn't leave. That's wonderful. I worry for you, but I wouldn't want you to leave."

  "I won't leave you," he said. "But that's not all I meant when I said you're not supposed to be alone." He put his fingers to me then, not on my waist, or to my hand, as I'd expected, but to my face. I could feel the scars, just like perfectly soft hardness, on my chin, only a moment, then his fingers slipped across my skin, his thumb running over my lips, then quickly followed by the touch of his own lips. It was so surprising, that I nearly squeaked. Where had his mask gone? I didn't know. His other hand came up to hold my other cheek, then I was only feeling an endless release to all that needing to be close to him. But this only went on a second, then I put my hand against him, pushing him off enough to speak. "I think about Cyric all the time, Cole," I said, "I think about him all the time—"

  He practically cut me off, kissing me again. This time holding my head in both hands first, and pulling me close, then moving his fingers through my hair, then fully around my head, so it seemed very much like he was holding it, just as I'd thought to. And that desire hadn't been any lessened now. I started crying.

  He pulled away, keeping his fingers on my face, on either side. "I'll take care of you, Ellia. Don't be sad," he said. "I promise I'll take care of you."

  "You can't."

  "I'm not going to hurt you," he said, "I'll protect you."

  "I don't even know what you look like, Cole. We can't do this."

  I felt his fingers shaking, then touching beneath my eyes, where they were wet. Cole leaned in to kiss them, one and then the other, hardly moving away to speak. "I'll show you," he said. "I'll show you my face if you ask me to, Ellia. Just ask me to show you."

  My breath hiked high. All the things he'd said about faces and souls and bodies and everything came back to me. "You can't do that," I said in a panic. "It'll mean too much."

  "I don't want anyone but you, Ellia." His voice turned strained. "Not ever. Please, let me take care of you."

  He moved his fingers further up, so that I was afraid he would kiss me again, but first there was a loud thud and then a creak as the door to the outside opened. I looked towards it instantly, blinded by its light; but in less than a second, as I felt Cole's hand jerk away from my face, I looked back at him, wide-eyed.

  His head was turned already. And just as quickly he was wrapping his face again. I narrowed, wondering how he could say such things if he meant to hide himself in such a panic. Then I wiped my own face clear, and put on my best reserved face, as I turned back to the door, expecting Tongon. Only before I could do anything, I heard a voice, and it certainly wasn't Tongon's, or our previous guides.

  "Do you know what makes the stars shine brightest?" it asked.

  I narrowed. This wasn't something I'd ever heard before, and thinking through an answer was far from me now. I saw a torch move forward, along with the figure.

  "Hello," I said. "I'm Ellia Solidor, princess of Shaundakul. Did you know I was here?" I took some steps forward to give Cole time to hide himself. As the man came on, I saw that he wasn't dressed as a Vishnuite. He wore armor, a simple sort, sporting blue. His skin was weathered, and his hair was silver. He gripped the torch with a firm hand, and smiled as he approached. "Forgive me," he said, "That was a greeting I was told to give you. I thought I'd get it over with. And yes, of course, I do know who you are. I come on behalf of the rulers."

  I narrowed, further, then glanced back at Cole, to see what state he was in. He turned around, at almost the same moment, appearing as he always did, with his eyes orange for the fire. It made my eyes prick with tears, but I blinked them off as I looked back to see the man had stopped.

  "May I ask who you are?" I asked, Cole coming up beside me, taking my waist again.

  The man's smile grew. "Certainly," he replied. "My name is Rackham Tarful. But you might know me better as Commander Tarful. Late commander of Akadia."

  CYRIC:

  I didn't need to hear him say his name to know who he was. As soon as saw him, it was like a hundred images striking my mind from the night he'd left Akadia. It should have been enough, what had just transpired with Ellia. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, past loving her; now here was Tarful, and I'd had better figure out how to think or there'd be problems.

  "Tarful?!" Ellia exclaimed, seeming in her surprise not to notice the tight grip my hand had given her side. Now I moved it off completely. The firelight was plenty to see from. So I took Tarful's face, and I took the faces of all those Genbuans I'd seen thus far and I judged them against each other. My heart started be
ating like crazy. It was good I wasn't touching Ellia or she would have noticed the shaking.

  Ellia exhaled a gasp, while Tarful stayed put with his calm, humored smile.

  "Are you truly Tarful of Akadia? What are you doing here? Nain—"

  "Ah, yes, Nain of Karatel? You've spoken with him."

  Ellia gave her head a quick nod. I looked at her between studying Tarful. She bore an eagerness reserved for me, reserved for Cyric me. I thought it was more than what she'd even expressed when I'd kissed her. In fact, she looked closer now to kissing Tarful, then letting me kiss her again. She looked as if she wanted to touch every part of him to tell that he was real. While I, I was trying to pretend the color of his armor didn't mean anything.

  "Yes, I've spoken with him," Ellia answered. "I asked him over and over where you might have gone. He didn't know. He said you parted in the desert."

  "So, we did," Tarful replied. "After leaving Akadia."

  Ellia's breath gave out.

  I stayed narrowed on Tarful. Now it seemed as if Ellia would go straight on to talking of me, I could see it how she would ask, so I spoke first. "You didn't answer her, about why you're here," I said. "You're Akadian, aren't you? Why are you here?"

  Ellia half turned, to look at me, in a glaring sort of fashion, but I kept my gaze on Tarful. He wasn't Akadian. I knew that already. I just didn't know what he was; I'd never asked when I'd had the chance. Now I was afraid that I was about to find out.

  "I am not Akadian," Tarful replied. "I went there when I was very young, but it was not the land of my birth."

  I gripped my jaw, impatient with the repeated information. Then I felt Ellia's hand on my wrist, perfect soft hands; she was all mine and I just wanted her, that was all. "Forgive my friend, Commander," she said. "He's my guard. He only worries. But I wouldn't mind an answer, anyway. You see, I've been terribly worried after you. I—"

  It felt like my heart was breaking, hearing her tone. I knew what she meant to say. Tarful, like Nain, and the behemoths, she practically adored. From Tarful's expression, he looked as if he understood as well. But that was my own fault, telling him how I would go to save the dragon, giving him the reason for it. "I'm so sorry, Princess Solidor," he said. "I would have found a way to speak with you, but I had a very short time to make it to Genbu before the pass closed. And since, I've not been able to leave for the same reason."

  He stood holding his torch, but perfectly calm and stable; as a statue. Ellia still had my wrist, and she was ringing it tight, though I doubted she could tell. She was staring, obviously waiting for the answer to her original question. Even though I'd been the one to make sure it was asked, now I was having second thoughts. I almost wanted to interrupt him. But I didn't, and then he spoke, so lightly, like it didn't mean anything.

  "I'm here, because this is my homeland. I haven't been since I was a young boy, but when I couldn't remain in Akadia..." He chuckled. "For obvious reasons, I thought it was as good a place as any. Besides, it's far off from danger."

  Tarful, I repeated in my head. Tarful. Just as Ellia had said, Tongon had been reminding me of someone in the worst way. How had she put it? Old, but acting young. Finding the strangest things humorous. Just thinking about moving below Akadia with him, how many jokes he'd made to Nain or I in the midst of total danger; and certainly he hadn't acted old, I'd realized that when I'd seen him run. But when Ellia had mentioned Scholar Padril, I'd really thought that had been it. I'd been too distracted, as a whole anyways, by being close to her, by too many other important things to care who Tongon reminded me of, but I should have.

  We were in Tarful's homeland, and I wasn't standing well upright any longer. I moved my hand from Ellia's grip so I could look past Tarful, towards the doorway, but there was no one there.

  If Ellia glanced at me, I didn't see, before she went on talking.

  "You're from Genbu?" she questioned. "But then, how did you ever become an Akadian Commander? I don't understand."

  I came in the time of Molec's father. I was a Sergeant for a very long time. I became a close friend to the Commander before me. Before he died, he made me successor. I was old by then. These were all things Tarful had told me at different points, those days before we freed the behemoths. Why hadn't I ever asked him where he was born; it would have been simple.

  Tarful smiled for Ellia. "In Akadia, it doesn't matter much what place you're from. All have been welcome to join the army, even since before Malatos Lox began forcing them to." There was acid in his tone as he spoke Lox's name. It reminded me so much of our camaraderie in Akadia, that I had the urge to take him off and speak with him alone. This was Tarful; I could speak to him. But what would Ellia think? And what would it help? He didn't even know me; I had no power.

  "Many in the Akadian army, even its officers, are from distant lands," he finished calmly.

  I'd begun to pace now; not trying to, it was just that I kept looking back at the door behind Tarful, then coming back to Ellia wanting to kiss her again—no matter who was there, or what she might see—then going to the door again.

  "I shouldn't have thought," Ellia began to say, and her voice was so strained, that I stopped so I could look at her, bright in the torchlight. "I shouldn't have thought I would ever see you," she said, "Certainly not here. There's so much that, I wish..." Ellia cut off, actually turning (to my surprise) her gaze to me. It was such a sad, reluctant look, that it made me frown, and for a moment I forgot everything I was terrified of.

  "I think I can guess what you'd like to know," Tarful said, seeming undaunted by Ellia's pause, "But I do have a task. The rulers of Genbu," he explained, "Those in control of our forces and the Black Tortoises, to be more precise. They'd like to finally meet with you. I won't try to hide that I didn't have a hand in promoting chances at an audience with them. It wasn't that they wouldn't want to meet with you; they would have eventually. It's only that here in Genbu, things can be done so very slowly.... Between the two of us, perhaps it's because they haven't fought in a war for too long. I explained how some procedures can't wait. The Vishnuites, also, were on my side."

  Ellia's eyes widened at this, blinking as if surprised, and I knew in her heart that she was pleased. Staring at her, as she was, reacting to Tarful, even though I kept glancing back at the door, the rest almost didn't matter; or maybe it mattered more. All I knew was I loved her and I didn't want her to leave.

  "Truly?" she said.

  Tarful nodded. "You have many here in Genbu on your side," he went on, "Even with as little as we know of the state of the war. Until your friend came, we didn't even know Karatel had been reclaimed from Akadia, but then... we'll have time to discuss all of this. For now, I should escort you to the rulers; it's something I fervently requested that I be given the privilege to do. On the way," he added, then he dropped his brow and tone seriously, "I'll tell you anything you'd like to know of the man who saved me.... Nain did tell you, yes?"

  Ellia bit her lip, stuffing in the whole bottom part, while her eyes turned glistening. I dropped my brow, looking at her, hardly believing it was a real sight. She nodded her head.

  Tarful matched it, though his nod was slow and decided, while hers had been a quick little bobbing. He turned and held his arm out for her, or his elbow rather, like something she could link to. I narrowed at it, thinking of its inevitable side-effect. (Let's just say, I couldn't picture us walking arm and arm and arm, the three of us). And sure enough, as she stepped forward, she walked right past me, untouching. She did pause a step, I noticed, she even glanced at me, making her cheeks turn red. But then she took Tarful's arm, clearing her throat before nodding back to me. "This is my guardsmen, Commander," she said. "His name is Cole. He's from Kanth... He could come with us, yes? I mean, I wish him to."

  Tarful turned his head, just enough to look at me. Ellia's words, and her blushing, had made me want to stare at her, but I made sure to meet Tarful's gaze.

  His brows went up, casually. "I think, for the meeting, that
he won't be able to. But he certainly can't live down here, can he? He's welcome to walk with us. There's somewhere he can wait outside for you once we get there."

  I probably should have been grateful about this, but I wasn't. Then when Ellia nodded, I outright glared at the two of them.

  Tarful bowed, and then they started walking. I locked my jaw, then followed in step, staying close to the torch to make sure I wouldn't be consumed by the total darkness again. Yes, it had been black for me, but for once I'd appreciated the fact. That wouldn't remain true though once Ellia had left it.

  "Oh," Tarful remarked, as they emerged from the door, "I was meant to tell you, on Tongon's behalf, that he was glad to have escorted you. He reported to us on your touring of the sacred halls. He had only good things to say about your enthusiasm."

  Ellia smiled at this, though it was a sad smile.

  Coming out behind them, then having the door taken from me by our second guide (the one who'd said he was a keeper of the star chamber), I took account of the entire space ahead. It was the same space, which held the golden walls of histories, and there were men and women in robes roaming about the edges. Vishnuite, Vishnuite, Vishnuite, my mind tallied as I glanced them over. I didn't see any other sorts.

  "We'll walk along a shorter path," Tarful explained, still holding Ellia's arm, but now with his other hand over it, as he'd given the torch to a Vishnuite.

  I stuffed my hands in my pockets, then followed after, ignoring Ellia's back so I wouldn't touch it.

  "Commander, may I ask you something then," Ellia requested, carefully.

  "That's what I mean by escorting you, dear, but please call me Tarful, or even Rackham, should you like. I have not been a commander, for what feels like a very long time now."

  Ellia nodded, clearing her throat. I could just see her chin, fire-lit and delicate; I could have touched it more; why hadn't I? I felt almost exhausted by how badly I wanted to be closer to her, and there were so many other things to concern myself with.