Wrath of the Forgotten: Descendants of the Fall Book II by Hodges, Aaron (best romance books of all time txt) 📕

turned ahead, to the distant mountains. A sharp V between the soaring peaks marked the valley through which the Illmoor passed. Beyond, the plateaus of Gemaho waited. “But at least I can still help the lass.”

Romaine chuckled at that. “Can hardly call her a lass now, you know.”

Lorene grinned. “Nah, maybe that’s the real reason I’m coming. Didn’t get a chance to see her before her untimely departure. Wouldn’t mind a glimpse though. Something to tell the grandkids about, you know?”

“The Gemaho might have something to say about that.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”

They fell silent at that, each pointedly turning his eyes from the distant mountains. Before anyone could reach the plateaus of Gemaho, they first had to pass the granite walls of the Illmoor Fortress. And the defenders wouldn’t let the queen’s army pass without a fight.

Reaching the bottom of the hill, Lorene nodded a farewell and mounted up again to set off around the perimeter of the camp. Romaine watched him go, then led his horse on through a gap that had been left in the fortifications for the arriving army.

With no tasks of his own to occupy him, Romaine wandered through the camp. The vanguard had staked out areas for the army’s tents, which would soon arrive in the wagons. Watching the men work, Romaine found himself thinking of the coming conflict. Again, doubt touched him. The Tangata were massing beyond the Illmoor. With an attack imminent, was now really time for the queen to start a war between the kingdoms of man, the first in more than a generation?

Yet…neither could Romaine bring himself to disagree with the queen’s decision. After all, it was his only chance of rescuing Cara. And perhaps the dispute could be ended without bloodshed. After all, surely the King of Gemaho did not intend to hold one of the Gods against her will. The eastern peoples were not known for their devotion, but not even they could deny Cara’s divinity.

Though Romaine had to admit, he still hadn’t entirely come around to that truth. It seemed impossible the innocent young woman that had spent so many weeks at his side was one of the Divine. What had a God been doing here anyway, sparring with the Perfugians, eating with the other soldiers in the mess hall, even befriending Romaine? But then, that was the way of the Gods, was it not, that mere mortals could not understand their motives?

Shaking his head, Romaine returned his attention to his surroundings. The queen had been riding with the vanguard and now he saw her ahead, supervising the last touches on the camp fortifications. Romaine’s horse gave a soft whinny, announcing his approach. A smile lit the woman’s face and she waved a greeting.

“Romaine, come, join me,” she called. “I trust the ride was comfortable?”

Romaine nodded. Thankfully, Amina did not call him out on the lie, though he feared the truth was written on his face.

“What do you think?” she asked, gesturing to the men at work.

Romaine cast a professional eye over the fortifications. The ditch was a good four feet deep, the mound rising behind it almost the same. Enough to stop the most determined of cavalry charges, but against the Tangata…the creatures could easily leap the width of the trench, and a mound of dirt was not likely to slow them.

Turning to the queen, he shrugged. “Good work.”

A smile tugged at the queen’s lips and there was a hint of laughter in her eyes as she drew him away from the working men. “You may speak truthfully with me, Calafe,” she said. “You think such measures inadequate against the threat of the Tangata?”

Romaine glanced over his shoulder at the soldiers. They were out of earshot now, but several had broken away to follow the queen. Her personal guard. Shaking his head, he regarded the woman.

“You are no fool, Your Majesty,” Romaine replied. “And the fortifications will at least provide a line for your men to hold, should the Tangata strike. But…if the creatures were to attack in any force, there is little a mound of dirt will do to stop them.”

The queen nodded and they continued away from the boundaries of the camp, heading towards the centre. The supply wagons had arrived now and many were hard at work setting the tents for the night. One of the queen’s grooms approached as they walked, eyes on Romaine’s horse. He handed over the reins with reluctance—a man should always care for his own horse.

“You are right, of course,” the queen said as the groom led his mare away, “but a leader must think not only of the day at hand, but those to come. Would you believe I had my soldiers perform this ritual every night we spent camped between Mildeth and Fogmore?”

Romaine frowned. There would have been little risk of attack by man or Tangata in those lands. “No wonder you travelled so slowly.”

The queen gave a throaty chuckle. “Of course, without such precautions, we might have reached the city a day sooner.” She gestured to the soldiers moving past. “However, in a matter of days, we will be faced not by Tangata, but men. My soldiers must be ready to repel any attack. I thought it prudent that they have some practice at setting a war camp before we marched into enemy territory.”

“You truly think it will come to that?”

“This is war, Romaine. I discount no possibility when it comes to my enemies. Especially one so wily as King Nguyen.”

She came to a stop at that, and Romaine realised they were now standing in front of a canvas tent at least five times the size of the others that were being set up around the campsite. Two of the queen’s personal guard already stood outside, spears held upright, eyes fixed on Romaine.

Romaine shook his head. “What does that man want with Cara?” he murmured, more to himself than the queen.

“There are several possibilities that come to mind,” the queen mused. “However, I had hoped you