Wrath of the Forgotten by Aaron Hodges

Author:Aaron Hodges [Hodges, Aaron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780995136533
Publisher: The National Library of New Zealand
Published: 2020-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

19

The Fallen

The light was fading as Yasin directed their ship ashore, the sun dipping towards the mountains towering to the west. Watching the peaks turn scarlet, Romaine couldn’t help but think how strange it was to find himself this side of the mythical mountains. They stretched up overhead, at once the familiar points he had known all his life, yet also different, the stark slopes and escarpments leading to a snowline that was unfamiliar to him.

And how different they were. Where in Calafe, pine and fir trees would have stretched from the river almost to the snow, here in Gemaho the foothills were practically bare, rolling and elongated where those in his homeland were jagged.

Aboard the ship, the sailors hurried to prepare for their disembarking, eager to be rid of Yasin and his soldiers. Throughout the journey, it had become clear their presence did not sit well with all the crew. Romaine couldn’t blame them—just a few days ago, Flumeer had declared war on their kingdom. The queen’s power could only buy so much loyalty. He wondered whether these sailors would report their passage to the king when they reached the next port—or if prudence would win out. After all, every Gemaho sailor on the ship had committed treason by granting them passage. Romaine doubted Nguyen was the kind of king to forgive such a transgression, however hard they might try to redeem themselves.

Shouldering his pack and readjusting the sword on his belt, Romaine followed the others down the gangplank. The weight hung heavy on his shoulders and there was still an ache in his chest, but three days of rest on the ship had helped to ease the pain. His injuries were healing.

Romaine hesitated as he reached the shore, taking a moment to look around. Why had they chosen here to come ashore? There had been no obvious signs of another ship disembarking here, and in the dying light it was impossible to tell whether others had passed this way recently.

He looked up as the crunch of footsteps announced Yasin’s approach. “I won’t be able to track them in the darkness,” Romaine said softly. The moon had been growing larger these last nights, but it would not be enough to find footprints in the rocky earth. “Even if this is the right place…”

Yasin laughed. “Don’t sweat it, Calafe,” he said, slapping Romaine on the shoulder. “I know where we’re going.”

Romaine frowned, but at a gesture from Yasin, the others in their group were already forming up. Anger touched him at being so easily dismissed, but he said nothing. Lorene came alongside him as the leader took his place at the front.

“What do you make of that?” he asked quietly, eyes on the man.

Clenching his fists, one phantom, the other real, Romaine tried to repress his rage. “I told the queen back in camp that Erika would eventually seek out the home of the Gods.” His gaze lifted to the mountains, where the last of the day still lit the icy peaks.

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