Fallen Kingdom (Fallen Trilogy book 2) Read online

  FALLEN KINGDOM

  Fallen Trilogy Book 2

  by Tess Williams

  Copyright © 2012 Tess Williams

  All rights reserved.

  Distributed by Smashwords

  Second Edition

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  Check out the first book in this series!

  CONTENTS

  PART ONE

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  PART TWO

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  PART THREE

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  More Books By Tess Williams…

  An Excerpt From Fallen Warrior

  PART ONE

  Come back to me, this is inconceivable

  Breaking apart the ones you love

  Hate runs deep for what you’ve done to us

  Left alone through suicide

  —I Won’t See You Tonight Part 2, Avenged Sevenfold

  CHAPTER ONE

  ELLIA:

  Luffie breathed a stream of fire down on the nearest Akadian soldiers. I whipped out my sword and swung at as many of them as I could reach. We came arching up back through the branches, which provided for excellent shelter against the soldiers below.

  So far the battle was going well, much better than the one I’d just come from to the north. The Democedes forestland was proving to be a far better place to fight than their open, rice-fields—which made up most of their country. It also helped that there weren’t any goblins in the battle today, in other words, no wyverns, and without wyverns to attack us, chimera were veritably invincible.

  With a quick heads-up to Luffie, she swung back down below the branches to fire down through the middle of the Akadian’s war party. Other chimera warriors were using the same maneuver, while Democedian troops were cutting the Akadians off at the edges.

  Few in number, but deadly-skilled knife specialists and sorcerers, the Democedians were going to make the Akadians regret having attacked them this day.

  “Ellia, don’t let Luffie use her fire-breath so much,” Gael shouted. I spotted him a few trees away; atop his chimera Yurei with his Cirali weapon, a mace in hand. “It’ll weaken her too much, especially since she just learned. And anyways, the battle’s nearly won.”

  “Quite different from Selket, isn’t it?” I shouted, referring to the southernmost of the eastern countries, where Gael and I had most often fought. It seemed the Akadians were concentrating most of their power there, probably because the goblins were covering the north. But where the goblin’s were, the first order Warriors fought, not third orders like me, or second orders like Gael, even though he was second rank.

  Gael barely got a nod off before we heard an explosion below us. One of the Democedian sorcerers was surrounded by blue flames. He’d obviously misfired one of his spells, and from the amber light glinting on the ground beside him I didn’t wonder how.

  “I’ll get him,” I told Gael.

  “I’ll handle the soldiers,” he replied. Luffie and Yurei dived towards the flames. Democedian soldiers, in their white, cloth garb crowded around to try and save the sorcerer. Gael warned them away.

  I hovered with Luffie just above the sorcerer, flames on all sides of us. I called to him, but he was concentrated on his hands, trying to direct them to controlling the fire. I knew better than to think that he was going to be able to. The Akadians’ newest weapon was much more effective than that.

  I ducked as the closest Akadian soldiers launched more of the crystal stones towards us. I’d learned firsthand that when one of them touched you, they sucked away your powers. The fact that my ability was a birthright didn’t keep me immune. Since my vanishing power was my greatest asset in battle; I was careful now never to get hit.

  “Get the stone!” I yelled to the sorcerer.

  The sorcerer shook his head in confusion.

  I jumped down from Luffie, vanishing just enough to bolster my weight as I touched the ground. I dug through the leaves until I found the amber stone, then I threw it at the sorcerer’s feet and handed him my sword.

  “You have to break it,” I said.

  The blue flames still raged around us, but Gael had knocked down most of the nearby Akadians.

  “Go on,” I told the sorcerer.

  With uncertainty, he raised my sword in the air, then struck down. The stone crushed to pieces and a thin gold smoke leaked out. It found the sorcerer’s hands, and seeped back into his skin.

  I watched the sorcerer take a deep breath, his chest expanding with the returning power. He aimed his hands towards the blue flames and with a wave they were gone.

  Without the billowing of the fire, the sound of horns could be heard in the distance. Democedians cheered all around us, and I realized the Akadian’s must have been calling for a retreat. The sorcerer bent over the shards of broken stone, which were now the color of clear glass. An entirely unbroken one laid close to him. Having missed its target it was also clear.

  Luffie dropped down from the sky above. I immediately put my hand to her neck and started rubbing behind her ears. “You were great, Luffie,” I told her. I touched my forehead to her nose, our eyes meeting. I could see in them how exciting it had been for her to use her fire breath, but she was also panting from exhaustion. I closed my eyes tight.

  I could have stood like that forever. The wild flurry of the battles I’d faced in so little time made me long for nothing more than stillness. I had come a far distance from my first battle in Karatel; the fact that the Cirali now acknowledged me as princess meant I was allowed to assist in the leading of the attacks—usually with Gael. But there was no sign of anything ending. The Akadians seemed as determined to destroy the eastern kingdoms of Ghand, Democedes, and Selket as they had been to destroy my homeland.

  “Ellia,” Gael called, drawing my attention above. “I’m going back to speak with the leaders. If you’re ready, you should come. Perhaps we’ll have better luck persuading them.”

  With a quick breath, I nodded. I fit my boot into the strap of Luffie’s harness, then she took off to the skies after Gael.

  #

  The nearest palace of the Democedian rulers (of which there were many) belonged to Prince Kais, third in line for the Democedian throne. Of the six princes of Democedes, our paths had crossed most often. This was because he resided closest to the Akadian battlefront, and the way the Democedian’s lived, each prince looked after his own land.

  Of course since the princes were also brothers, they helped each other as often as not. Today, his eldest brother was present, and as a happy surprise, Prince Nain of Karatel with his wife, Selkie. Nain and Selkie had been saved by the Warriors in the battle of Karatel. Since then, they’d worked to travel the eastern kingdoms and try to convince the rulers to band against Akadia. This I did as well, but to pointless
ness, for they refused to believe who I was.

  “You ask the preposterous,” Prince Vartus was saying, “To join with the Ghaunds? The Selkets? Democedes has always stood alone, and we will last out Akadia.”

  “Akadia isn’t sparing a quarter of its solders on you,” Nain said. “Most their men are in Selket, and their wyverns to the north. What will you do if the other kingdoms fall and you’re forced to feel the full weight of Akadia?”

  “We did well enough in this battle,” Vartus said.

  As he had most the discussion, Prince Kais simply rubbed his chin in contemplation.

  “You had the help of the Warriors,” Gael pointed out. He was calm as anyone, his arms crossed. “You would not have lasted otherwise. You neglected to inform your sorcerers of the Akadian’s dispel-stones as we warned you to.”

  “As always, we appreciate the help of the chimera,” Kais said. “But it does not indebt us to help the other kingdoms, and least of all to wage battle against the Akadian’s in Karatel. That is not our fight.”

  “But their base in Karatel is what allows them to strike at you so easily,” I said; I did not want Nain to have to defend on such a sensitive point. I knew what it was like to lose a country, but I couldn’t begin to imagine how it would be to have your enemy then using it for further harm. “If they lost their position in Karatel, they would have to march their soldiers half-way across the lands to reach you. Akadia is a week’s march at least.”

  “We do not fear Akadia,” Vartus said.

  “Then hear us out on behalf of the Princess, and Prince Nain,” Gael said, “The Warriors, all of us. We are your allies.”

  “Last I recall, the Warriors kept themselves apart on their Isle, scarcely allowing foreigners to visit let alone playing the ally,” Vartus said, “And as for Karatel, its not been around long enough to call itself a proper country. On top of that, they have no granted animals.”

  “We’ve no granted animals, brother,” Kais said, with some exhaustion. He’d fought today in the battle and showed clear signs of it.

  “Democedes is one of the ancient kingdoms,” Vartus boasted, “That we have survived so long without granted animals is only to our credit. Karatel came and went. Admit your time is done, Prince Nain.”

  “Insult me if you like,” Nain said, “and dismiss the Warriors who protect you, but Ellia is the heir of Shaundakul. I am at least ruler enough to know that royalty of Shaundakul is not to be dismissed. As for granted animals, none compare to the dragons. Even Akadia knew this.”

  “And it is why they are now gone. Does the royal weight of Shaundakul truly still apply?”

  “Brother,” Kais objected, his look reprimanding.

  “Look,” I broke in, keeping a steady voice, “I care nothing of the ranks of rulers. Princes, not a century ago, my people helped yours to defeat the flame giants which besieged you from the west. We sent our finest dragons and would have done so again if you called. All I ask now is that you fight for your own sakes. Can you not honor my title simply for the bond of our past?”

  The table grew silent, then Prince Vartus spoke.

  “Convenient as ever: that one of the Cirali Warriors just happens to be the heir to the Dragon throne.”

  “Keep your respect,” Gael warned.

  And so here it was; we always came back around to this. Just when my title might actually do us some good, they called it into question completely.

  “Vartus, how could you of all doubt me?” I argued. “Your very namesake was the reason I was able to join the Warriors. Vartus was a prince, but he chose to join the Cirali, just as I have. That does not mean I’m any less likely to be the Princess of Shaundakul.”

  “I don’t see what there is to make it likely at all,” he countered.

  Prince Kais broke in calmly. “This is the beginning and end of this subject,” he said. He addressed the table. “Our father does not acknowledge her, we do not acknowledge her. She cannot be the reason we got to war. We are servants to the throne.”

  “Think for yourselves,” Nain exploded, tossing both his hands in front of him, “I’m a prince, but I wouldn’t have needed more than one glance at Ellia to believe she was Savras’ daughter. How can you hide behind the decisions of your father when your country is on the line?”

  “This coming from the Prince who lost his entire kingdom before his father’s body had even settled in its' grave,” Vartus pointed out. “Perhaps you should have questioned your decisions more often.”

  “You go too far,” I told Vartus.

  Selkie put one of her hands on Nain, though he hadn’t looked at all intimidated by the jibe, then she held the other out towards the center of the table. “Please, isn’t it enough to war with Akadia. Let us not war amongst ourselves.”

  “There is only war to be made when men won’t listen to reason,” Nain said. But at Selkie’s frown, he looked as if he regretted the words. He put his hand over hers, she leaned to rest her chin against his shoulder. Their silent exchange put my stomach in knots; it brought too much reality to everything we were truly fighting for. I turned my attention back to the two Democedian Princes.

  “Will you at least consider our advice to gather your people together? We’re better suited to protect you this way. You’re better suited to withstand Akadia yourselves.”

  The two princes exchanged a glance. Their answer was the same as it always was.

  CYRIC:

  Tosch ran with blinding speed through a row of Ghaundian warriors. Thanks to the narrow ledge they’d collected on, he and I were able to knock half of them into the gorges on either side.

  Gray stone mountains, caverns, and gorges made up the land all around us. Even though half of Ghaund was like this, the natives had a habit of forcing us to attack them in the highest and tightest mountain trails—all this so that our numbers couldn’t overwhelm them.

  But that wasn’t going to help them today.

  One of the soldiers Tosch had trampled past teetered on the edge of the gorge. I pulled my metal boot out of its strap, kicking the soldier in the chest; he toppled down with a loud scream. A wyvern caught him mid-air, then proceeded to clamp down with its teeth and feast on the meal. It screeched and dived for its prize.

  Without any chimera to fight—and thus no fear of death—the wyverns had gone wild with blood-lust this battle, treating it as little more than a game, and their goblins riders weren’t doing much to stop them.

  As my division poured in behind me to attack, one of the smallest wyverns mounted the only remaining open space on our platform. It sunk its talons into the rock, then began to snap at the final huddle of Ghaundian soldiers. The Ghaundians’ native spears did little to fend the wyvern off. They backed into the cliff-face; this didn’t keep the wyvern from pursuing them, my men close behind.

  Of the Akadians’ I could see, fighting across chasms on further passes and platforms, it seemed the battle was as good as done. Few Ghaundians remained; I doubted Artoras’ division had allowed many to live.

  “Leave them!” I shouted, to both my men and the wyvern, raising my sword towards the last of the Ghaudians. Tosch paced anxiously in place, unaware of anything but my instructions thanks to his blindness. While my men obeyed, the Wyvern didn’t stop. He swatted a pair of the cringing Ghaundians out into the gorge.

  The next time he tried to hit them, I was on the ground to block it, swiping against his claw with my sword. It coiled back with a hiss.

  “I said, leave them!” I repeated.

  I got a glare from the goblin rider, hissing much like his wyvern had, he turned and led the creature off.

  I regarded the Ghaundians, pressed as they were against the rock wall. They were dressed in their crude armors of animal skins or leather; there were women as well as men fighting.

  My second came to stand before me.

  “Have the survivors chained up and taken back to camp,” I ordered. “If they resist, kill them.” I said this loud enough that the Ghaundians would hear
me.

  He nodded acknowledgement, then went about commanding men to do as I’d said. I mounted Tosch, and led him to the edge of the platform. I was on nearly the highest peak around. I could see well what was happening with the rest of the soldiers. Most of the wyverns were already headed towards the Peaks of Geryon, many carrying live prey in their claws. It was their homeland and while we were fighting close to it, the goblin riders used it as a base. It kept the wyverns strongest, and from their time fighting in the southern kingdoms, it was a necessary precaution. Too long away from their native land would and had made them weak. This was the reason they were currently allocated to Ghaund.

  The largest of the wyverns, clad in gems of every shade from sapphire to ruby, dropped down from the clouds to land on the mountain peak beside me. The goblin commander, Garagos, sat atop him, the grey of our surroundings glowing in his pure-black eyes.

  “We fight for you,” he said. “We defeat the Ghaundians. None have escaped.”

  “I can see that for myself,” I replied, keeping my eyes on the crags. “Why don’t you make yourself useful and tell the other divisions.”

  Garagos mocked a gag. “Goblin King does not speak with plain mortal man. He knows who rules. Goblin King speaks with you. We fight for you.”

  I gave him a terse glance. “Goblin King” was the title Garagos had recently adapted for himself; it sounded as ridiculous as the idea of goblin royalty was. “In that case take your pack and scout ahead for more Ghaundian encampments,” I instructed. “Patrol the entire south border before you come back to report. If you run across any chimera, deal with them. I don’t want them getting through while you’re away like before. Be thorough.”

  Garagos gurgled, the natural goblin reaction to chimera. “What of spoils?” he said. “Great war-lord will give us much? We need foods for wyverns.”

  “Your wyverns got more than their share, Garagos. If they’re hungry, find them chimera to feast on.

  Garagos grimaced at my shout, but then grew a satisfied grin. “Great Akadian is always wise,” he said. Then he bowed to me and led his wyvern back into the sky.