Fallen Ambitions

by Vann, Eric J.

Aziel spluttered at this sudden question, causing Celia to giggle.

  “Very soon,” the Dryad said demurely as she pulled herself even closer to Aziel. “But you might be disappointed with the baby Dryads—we are just trees when young.”

  Celia turned to Aziel with a mischievous smile. “Still, isn’t that great, Master? Soon.”

  Aziel returned the smile with an effort, giving her waist a pinch, causing the Succubus to yelp. She was such a tease at times… though his impromptu punishment may have had the opposite effect he had intended, as Celia was now watching him as if ready to pounce at any moment.

  As they reached the entrance to Soul’s Rest, it began to rain again. Aziel raised his head and let the cold drops fall on his face. Noticing his suddenly serious expression, both Niyela and Celia took a step back.

  He turned to his Captain of the Guard. “Niyela, I need you to be extra vigilant. With our faction now taking deliberate action, others will take notice. Do and use whatever you need to in order to protect the members of this faction.”

  “I will not fail you, Grove Master,” she replied.

  “Celia, I want you to speak with Kavali and Lucienne,” Aziel said as he turned to face her. “Prepare a force to secure Golan. Hopefully, you will not run into trouble, but I permit you to use force if needed. Ensure the city is secured and free of Jannatin agents. More importantly, I need you to secure the port.”

  “The port?” Celia asked.

  “Yes. Grendel said something which bothered me. It is one of the real reasons getting Maiv on board was vital. The Fallen are no longer landlocked and surrounded on three sides. With the port in Golan, we have an open trade channel with Tijar. It also makes the treaty with them more manageable, as the ships carrying supplies to the rebels in Fermont will stop in Golan to be checked, and our cut taken before they can move on.”

  “As you wish,” she said with a sly smile.

  “What is it?” Aziel asked, noticing this.

  “What would you have done if they voted against this?”

  Aziel shook his head. “There is no point in asking; they didn’t.” He stepped into Soul’s Rest, hoping to avoid further questioning.

  They had to secure their new provinces—and the faster they did it, the better. The Fallen were going to war.

  Chapter 31

  Emily sat perched atop a fence post, one finger idly tracing her eyepatch, the rustling trees and the rising moon her only companions as Ness rested in the safety of the nearby barn. They were only a few days’ ride from Arna and—from the dilapidated condition of the farmhouse—she guessed that the people who had once tended to this farm had suffered a similar fate as those in the city.

  Still, it was quiet here, peaceful.

  “Awful night,” she muttered to herself, remembering her conversation with Jaz before everything had gone wrong all those months ago. Things had settled since the Gold Serpents had lost the camp; their leadership were being more careful now, protective. Instead of occupying cities in Fermont or other rebellious provinces where they could be ambushed and harassed, they were staying close to the eastern administrative capital of Gent.

  Rumors were spreading of a war brewing in the far-off western provinces of Ejan, with the even older and even larger Nornian Empire. It was why the famed Ejani legions were not already here to crush them, some theorized. Emily had never seen a Norn; they were said to be massive creatures with large eyes and even larger ears like wrinkled skin, along with a long trunk for a nose. They sounded strange, from the description.

  She leaned forward to see the moon better—then winced at the sudden sting of the wound across her stomach and rested her hand atop the bandages there. She sighed. The western provinces were over a thousand miles from here. Any news from that far away was either muddled or outdated. Carefully, she lowered herself down from the post, and had made her way to the barn when she heard movement in the grass.

  Emily knelt, ignoring the pain as she pulled out her dagger. She took a crouched step forward, then another, closing in on the source of the sound. Just as she was about to toss a throwing knife, a small, furry animal poked its head out from the grass. It sniffed the ground with is tiny muzzle before looking up at her, its circular ears curling inward.

  Feeling the tension leave her body, Emily smiled and sat heavily on the ground. Ever since the night of the attack, she had been busy taking care of Ness and organizing the resistance. When an edited and stylized version of the news of their attack and the destruction of the camp had spread, almost all the splintered groups wished to be united under the Cyclops of Fermont. This was good news, and yet it was a nightmare to manage everyone. Especially when she was not there in person and had been forced to work through messengers. Even so, she was able to organize salvaged teams to collect the myriad of Magitech devices left behind in the destroyed camp. The revolution in Fermont was enjoying a swell of strength, and with the Serpents having pulled out to regroup, Firma was now firmly within her control. It made arranging for a ship to be sailed from the port there to Arna a simple matter.

  Emily fell back into the grass and closed her eyes. How long had it been since she truly slept…? She let her consciousness wander, and just as she began to drift, a light weight pressed against her chest. Emily opened her eyes, ready to stab her dagger forward—but stopped as she was faced by the same small beast as before. It coiled itself atop her chest and settled there, a long thick tail twice its body size wrapping around it until it looked like a brown ball of fur.

  “Great,” Emily said as she dropped her head back again. “From noble to smuggler to rebel, and now a Critter bed. At least there isn’t much lower than this I can stoop to.” She closed her eyes again. Might as well get a few hours’ sleep herself, she reasoned. The ship should arrive at Arna in a few days’ time, and she didn’t want to keep Vhal’nuel waiting and tempt his wrath. As she drifted off once more, she wondered what the lich was doing right now.

  * * *

  “Emily…”

  “Emily,” a female voice called.

  “Wh… what is it?” Emily groaned, feeling someone shake her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see a young girl with short blonde hair sitting beside her. It was daylight now, confusing her. “Lisa?”

  “Made a new friend?” Lisa asked as she scratched the small beast under the neck. It made a high-pitched mewling noise, a small tongue poking from its mouth.

  Emily groaned. How long had she slept? She sat up, causing the beast to leap clear, but it stayed on the ground beside her feet. “Don’t know if I’d call it a friend,” she said as she brought her finger to its nose and it began to sniff her, then licked her finger once.

  “It likes you,” Lisa said.

  “How’s Ness?” Emily asked as she began to pet and play with the beast, enjoying the softness of its fur.

  “Better,” the girl said, glancing in the direction of the barn. “He’s still unconscious, which is a blessing. He’d be in so much pain if he wasn’t. I’m going need some proper healing potions, though, the herbal mixtures I have with me aren’t intended for burns that bad. A healing house—”

  “Not possible,” Emily interrupted. “We might be fighting for one cause, but grudges exist. Ness was the assassin for the Green Threads, our enforcer. The other members of the Syndicate will smell blood.”

  Lisa smiled as she leaned forward, her hands examining Emily’s bandages. “You should be resting too,” she said.

  “I was resting,” Emily replied with a flat look.

  “In a bed, not in a field with a keeri atop you.”

  “Is that what this is? A keeri?” Emily watched the small beast run up her arm before it nestled itself against her neck, its long tail wrapped around her as if she were a tree branch. She stood up carefully, not wanting her movements to disturb the little creature.

  “You’re treating it like a pet already,” Lisa said, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.

  Emily frowned as she plucked the creature from he
r shoulder and held it in her open palms. The keeri let out a soft mewing sound before twirling in place to form a fluffy ball again. Emily stared at it, keeping her hands steady.

  “Here,” Lisa said as she placed a thick roll of woolen bandages on the ground. “I was going to come change yours, but you’re still fine for a few more hours.” She gently held Emily’s hand and guided her to the cloth, before allowing the keeri to drop into it. “It’s just enjoying your warmth,” the girl said, still holding Emily’s hand.

  “Lisa…” Emily said as she stared at the creature. It looked so content in its little nest of bandages. “I’m sorry about Jaz. And Ness. And calling you out here.”

  “None of this is your fault,” Lisa said, and she gripped Emily’s hand more tightly. “Father was killed by the Gold Serpents, and Ness has been taking on dangerous missions since we were children. I’m surprised he’s still alive, honestly.” She glanced in the direction of the barn again with a joyless smile. “My baby brother is lucky to have you looking over him, and I’m glad you called me. Being in Gent has been nice, but listening to tidbits about what was happening around here was eating at me.”

  “Wait,” Emily said, looking up. “You’re staying? You can’t stay.”

  “Oh?” Lisa’s eyes narrowed. “Are you going to stop me, Madam Cyclops?”

  “Ah, no?” Emily bit her lip. “But I thought you moved to Gent to get away from all of this. Also, you’re married! What’s your husband going to say about this?”

  “Who do you think is getting that ship of yours to Arna?” Lisa asked sweetly.

  “Oh,” Emily said, realizing her mistake.

  “You’ve forgotten my husband’s name, haven’t you? You were in our wedding!” Lisa complained as she leaned back in an exaggerated pantomime of hurt.

  “No! I know his name. Uhh… mm… mee—Meerin?”

  “Marin,” Lisa corrected with a shake of her head. “Good try, though.”

  “Marin can sail?”

  “And you’re back in the hole,” Lisa said with sigh. “I’d hope he can sail, he does run a ship up and down Lake Gent when he isn’t operating a Magitech Wind Speak device in the city.” Lisa stood. “Let’s get you back to the barn before you decide to humiliate yourself by trying to guess any more family history. I still need to change those bandages.”

  “Alright,” Emily said as she accepted Lisa’s hand, wincing as she stood. Then she stiffened at the feeling of something run up her back and wrapping itself around her neck like a scarf.

  Lisa frowned as the keeri mewled into Emily’s ear. “Why don’t I get cute creatures running up to me when I go looking for herbs?” she complained as Emily chuckled, one finger tickling the keeri as they returned to the barn.

  * * *

  The barn smelled of hay, its sweet scent enveloping them as Emily pushed open the door. All was completely dark inside, apart from a single lantern in one corner. Ness lay in its light, resting on a bed of hay.

  And there was a large white bird sitting atop him.

  Lisa cried out as she pushed past Emily and began shouting at the bird. She pulled off a sandal and made threatening movements with it, as if to toss it.

  “Lisa, stop!” Emily said as she tried to grab the frantic woman. The keeri, panicked, jumped from her shoulder and disappeared into a dark corner of the barn.

  “What do you mean? It’s a damn geela—a scavenger. Ness isn’t dead yet!” Lisa was terribly upset and threw her sandal, but the bird skillfully dodged it, ruffling its feathers as it did. It squawked angrily at Lisa, then unfurled its long wings in a threatening gesture.

  “Lisa, it’s a messenger bird. Look,” Emily said soothingly, pointing at the cylinder mounted on its back.

  “Oh,” Lisa said in a small voice as Emily took a step closer. She raised one arm, bent at the elbow, before making a series of clicking noises.

  The geela watched her attentively, then leapt lightly onto her outstretched arm. Emily winced as its sharp talons gripped her. Normally, she would be wearing thick leather gloves, but she had none here.

  “How did it find us?” Lisa asked as she began to hunt for her missing sandal.

  “There are a few people I left in charge in Firma who know where we’re going,” Emily replied as she unpacked the container. “Two letters, one sealed, one not,” she said as she jerked her arm sharply, causing the geela to open its wings and flap away, out through the open door of the barn. Emily unfolded the letter unsealed with wax, and her eyes went to the signature at the bottom. “Hmmm. I guess we now know how Ness got a message to Tijar.”

  Lisa looked at Emily questioningly before accepting the letter to read it herself. A frown formed as she did so. “Marin?” She turned to the unconscious Ness and scowled. “You’d better get better. I’m going to be the one to kill you for getting my husband involved without me knowing.”

  Emily chuckled, but stopped when Lisa glared at her. Not wanting to be the person Lisa unloaded her frustration on, she glanced at the next document and the wax seal. “It’s unmarked,” she said.

  “Marin’s letter says that it was passed to him by a Tijarii merchant in Firma before he boarded the ship. He warns that it’s enchanted to burn up shortly after breaking the wax seal.”

  “Tijar?” Emily asked, before turning over the letter again. It made sense for the faction to want no evidence that they had communicated with her.

  “Aren’t you going to open it?” Lisa asked.

  Emily held the letter in both hands, staring at it. “What if they don’t help us?” she said quietly before looking up to Lisa. “Our movement has grown stronger, but we aren’t equipped to fight a war. The only reason we escaped from that camp was because of the lich. The Gold Serpents were hurt, but not because of anything I did.”

  Lisa went to her, and Emily—expecting an embrace—let out a squeal of pain when Lisa suddenly pressed a finger against her stomach wound.

  Taking a quick step back and shielding her injury with one hand, Emily glared at the healer. “What was that for?”

  “Since when did you become so indecisive?” Lisa asked, hands on her hips. “I mean, you were so into being the smuggler assassin, you caught his eye.” She pointed at Ness. “Think about it: if they weren’t interested, why go through the trouble of responding? They could’ve just ignored your message and forgot you even existed.”

  Emily pulled her hand away from her wound. A small patch of blood stained the bandage.

  “Now look what you’ve done,” Lisa admonished as she pulled out a leather bag and began unrolling a fresh bandage.

  “I’ve done? You did this!” Emily retorted sourly.

  “Your stupidity did this. Now hands up and let me reseal it and wrap it up. As a punishment, I won’t use any night-piper this time,” she added, pulling the old bandage off.

  “What do you mean you won’t—ow!” Emily cried as Lisa began stitching her wound again. She yelped and winced with every stitch.

  “There, all done,” Lisa finally said as she wiped the area with a damp cloth and applied a new bandage.

  “Are you sure you’re a healer?” Emily complained, her entire abdomen throbbing.

  Lisa ignored her and instead placed the sealed letter in her hand. Emily hadn’t noticed she’d dropped it. “Now, go read that outside. I don’t want something burning in here,” she instructed with a shooing motion.

  Shaking her head, but smiling despite herself, Emily left the barn and stood in the morning sunshine for a moment. Then she gathered herself and cracked open the wax seal. She quickly read the letter’s contents, not knowing how long she had before the enchantment would activate. As she did, a relieved grin spread across her face. They were getting everything they asked for—more than that, even.

  But there was something wrong, she realized, as she reached the bottom of the letter. It wasn’t from Tijar.

  “Duren Killien, Foreign Minister of the Fallen?” she said aloud. As if responding to this, the letter ignited, an
d Emily let go as with a single whoosh, the whole thing disintegrated into ash.

  Emily ran back inside. “Lisa!” she called, then paused when she noticed Ness was lying naked on the straw as Lisa applied an ointment to his burns. She turned around, her face suddenly hot.

  “What are you so embarrassed about?” Lisa snorted.

  Emily didn’t turn around. Her back still facing them, she asked, “The Fallen, aren’t they the new faction?”

  “Fallen?” Lisa asked. “Yes… There was a notification a while back. Don’t know much about them, though. Why?”

  Emily stayed silent as she tried to make sense of this. Why would a new faction help her? More concerning, how could a new faction help her when she was fighting a foe as old and entrenched as the Ejani Empire? Their name didn’t give any positive assurances, either.

  “Emily?” Lisa said.

  “Hm?”

  “Why are you asking?” Though Emily was still facing away from her, she could practically feel the scowl in the healer’s voice.

  “The letter, it’s from their Foreign Minister,” Emily said slowly, still puzzled. “A man named Duren Killien.”

  “So, it’s not from Tijar? But Tijar must know about it, since they gave Marin the letter,” Lisa mused before adding, “He’s decent now.”

  Emily turned, her eyes opening wide before turning back again. “Lisa!”

  “What?” she replied with a laugh. “You two were together before. Still should be, if you ask me. I see the way you look at him, and he’s certainly still in love with you.”

  “What?” Emily snapped, her cheeks hot. “Don’t be ridiculous. He was the one who ended things.” The memory came back, sharp and painful. At first, she had thought it was some elaborate joke. But it wasn’t.

  “Well,” Lisa said thoughtfully, all her laughter gone, “father kept sending Ness on more dangerous and suicidal missions. Maybe he advised Ness to break things off, or maybe Ness did it to keep you safe.”

  Emily remained silent for a few moments. It was Ness who had taught her how to use blades and all the other skills she now made use of. She had been so excited to join his team—to be part of the adventure alongside him. But then it had all ended, and she couldn’t bear being so close to him. So she had returned to helping Jaz with the smuggling routes.