Earth Bound (17 page)

Talon wrapped his arms around Brianne’s chest, pulling her against him as he gripped her shoulders, her bow in her hand. They’d spent the night camped in the foothills, not wanting to cross the mountains in the dark. A faint hint of light filled the air as he and Conal, carrying Bellamy who held a crossbow, flew into the sky. Talon didn’t like having to leave his own crossbow slung low on his back between his wings when Bellamy was armed. It felt wrong. Conal pulled ahead and he wanted to race him. Instead he controlled the urge to win knowing he’d never reach the summit if he didn’t pace himself.

Brianne tilted her head towards him. “I love the feel of this. Flying is the best sensation in the world.”

It was easy for her to say. She didn’t have to force her way through the air. Didn’t have to make uncooperative wings tilt at the right angle to go in the correct direction. And didn’t have to worry about landing when she reached her destination. He was over halfway up the mountain when it became a struggle to keep heading skywards. The summit didn’t look any closer and muscles, that he hadn’t known existed, ached. Conal continued to head for the summit and Talon forced himself on.

Once Conal was over the top of the mountain, Talon couldn’t see him. Was he expected to fly down the other side? That wasn’t going to happen. Trees brushed against his feet as he crested the summit, barely able to maintain his height. Spotting Conal and Bellamy in a clearing on the upper slopes of the mountain, Talon forced his wings to tilt so he could reach his destination before he crashed. Bellamy would never tire of telling everyone if that happened.

Talon staggered as he landed, barely keeping his feet, his arms tightening on Brianne. When he loosened his grip, she turned to him with a grin.

“We made it.” Brianne slung her bow on her back.

Talon nodded then grinned. “You sound surprised you’re still alive.”

“Well, considering your flying skill I probably should be.”

“Then I guess it’s time to teach you how my people show we’re glad someone is still alive.” He tugged her to him, his lips meeting hers. Their lips had barely touched, when the sound of a sword being drawn caused him to jump backwards and draw his own.

Conal stood in front of him, his axe held ready. “Keep your hands off her.”

Bellamy stood between Talon and Conal, his sword drawn. “Put your axe away.”

“Everyone put their weapons away,” Brianne ordered.

Talon looked from Conal to Bellamy, surprised Bellamy had come to his defence. He took another step back and lowered his sword.

“All of you.” Brianne looked from one to the other. “Hurry up.”

Conal and Bellamy lowered their weapons.

“He had no right to do that,” Conal said. “Your grandfather told me to watch out for you.”

“If I had wanted him to stop, I’d have held a dagger at his throat. I don’t need you to interfere,” Brianne said. “Now put your weapons away.” When none of them moved, she threw her hands up in the air. “Fine. I’ll find the rebels on my own.” She strode towards the edge of the clearing.

Talon hurried after her, his sword still drawn. “You can’t go off on your own.”

Brianne turned, opening her mouth, but her words were left unsaid as she looked to the side of Talon.

Talon turned to see what had caught her attention. Flying across the top of the Feronian Mountains, towards them, were three winged men. One with white wings, one with a mixture of white and brown and one with a mixture of black and brown feathers. Talon’s sword came up again and he noticed Conal and Bellamy also raising their weapons.

Brianne drew her own sword, stepping up to Talon’s side. “Looks like the rebels might have found us.”

“Doesn’t mean they’re going to be happy they’ve found us,” Talon said.

The three men came closer, bows out, arrows aimed at them. The man with the black and brown feathers called out, “Drop your weapons.”

Talon fought the urge to step in front of Brianne. It would be a pointless effort, only annoy her and she’d step out from behind him anyway. “If we do that, you’ll probably kill us.” Talon kept his sword raised.

“Drop your weapons and we’ll let you live long enough to explain what you’re doing here,” the rebel said.

“We’re attacking the Prilonians,” Brianne said.

All three rebels laughed. The white winged one said, “Four against an entire nation. Likely story.”

“By nightfall all the garrisons will have fallen,” Bellamy said.

“I think they’re serious,” the white winged one said to his companions.

“We know who they are now. They can’t manipulate us anymore,” Brianne said.

“How could you not have known who they were?” the black and brown feathers demanded.

Talon lowered his sword and took a step towards them. “Put away your weapons and we’ll tell you everything, including all about the army headed this way.” He watched as they held a whispered conversation, before finally lowering their weapons.

Black and brown feathers spoke. “I’m Lyle Paget, that’s Sorrell Thayer.” He pointed to the man with the white and brown feathers. “And that’s Torrey Patton.” This time he pointed to the man with white feathers.

“I’m Talon Morin, this is Brianne Devin, Bellamy Allard and Conal.” He pointed to each in turn, but didn’t know Conal’s last name to be able to give it.

“Conal Haden,” Conal said.

Lyle dropped to the ground, folding his wings so they cloaked his back. “My mother was a Morin. An old army family.”

“My family have always served in the army.” Talon didn’t bother mentioning his father was the current general. He was no longer proud of that fact.

Bellamy sheathed his sword. “How wonderful. Looks like you found a long lost cousin.” Sarcasm laced his tone. “Now the family reunion is over, think we can get to the reason we were dragged up here.”

“No one invited you,” Talon said.

“No, but I was ordered to join you.”

Brianne stepped between them, sheathing her sword. “If you children could leave your bickering till later, we need to figure out how to take back our country.”

“Iralen is our country,” Sorrell said.

“It doesn’t look that way. I’d say it’s currently the Prilonian’s country,” Bellamy pointed out. “Don’t they call it New Prilonia?”

Conal pointed a finger at Bellamy. “If you keep making comments like that dirt walker, I will be dropping you off the nearest cliff.”

“Need help finding one?” Talon asked.

“Why would your people send an argumentative bunch like you lot?” Lyle asked.

“I guess we just got lucky,” Talon said dryly.

Lyle shook his head. “Not what I’d call it. Come on, we’ll take you to our camp so we can talk. It’s only a short flight.” His wings snapped out.

Talon wanted to protest, but he wasn’t a dirt walker. He stretched his own wings, sheathing his sword as he faced Brianne. He waited for her to turn her back to him, once she’d removed her bow.

Brianne finished off the last of the sweet bread they’d been given, licking her fingers clean. She sat beside Lyle who was telling her about the fight against the Prilonians. Talon sat across from them, on the other side of a small campfire, and glared at Lyle. Conal talked with the other two rebels while Bellamy leaned against a tree by himself, not far from two tents half hidden amongst the trees.

When there was a pause in Lyle’s conversation, Brianne interrupted with the question she’d wanted to ask for a while. “Why have you got brown feathers?”

“Prilonian ancestry. My grandmother was an escaped slave. She was pregnant with my father when she got away.”

Brianne thought of Zinervie. “Do many slaves escape?”

“Some, and we help as many as possible to escape,” Lyle said.

“How long after they bring them here do they remove their wings?”

“That’s done before they bring them over the mountains.”

Brianne stared at Lyle. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I’ve been on patrol at the summit for a couple of years now. I’ve never seen them brought over with their wings intact. Seen them brought over bandaged and half dead though.”

“Then where do they do it?”

“I don’t know. It’s almost impossible to rescue first generation slaves to ask them. They keep a better eye on them since they’re more likely to escape than ones born to slavery. None of us have ever made it down the other side of the mountains. Too many patrols to avoid on foot and too many archers shooting us out of the sky if we fly down. I’m surprised you made it up here.”

Brianne wondered if that was because there were no Terstens to shoot what they thought were Caelians out of the sky. “And you’re certain my people are never brought over with wings.”

“Positive.”

“Then where-” she broke off in mid sentence. The Holy City. There was none in Terst and the only difference between Terstens and Caelians were wings. That had to be where they did it. There was nowhere else. “I think I know where they do it. The Holy City.”

“I can’t believe they managed to trick all of you for so long. Surely someone should have realised your Holy Ones were fake,” Lyle said.

“I can’t believe you have Holy Ones.” Brianne thought of the robes worn by the Holy Ones in Caelis and Terst. “Do yours cover themselves completely?”

“Yes, of course. How else can they give their identity to the gods? We also have to keep our Holy Ones well hidden because the Prilonians kill them on sight. They have their own gods and find ours offensive.”

Sorrell joined them. “We should be on patrol, keeping an eye out for Prilonian soldiers.”

“Today we should get close to one of the garrisons. I want to be there to see one taken down. It’s been a long time coming.” Lyle rose to his feet and held out a hand to help Brianne to hers.

She let him help her up, dusting her trousers off once she stood. “Will you help attack the garrison?”

“No, we wouldn’t want to be mistaken for the enemy,” Lyle said.

“Do Prilonians have wings?” Brianne asked.

“They think wings are unnatural,” Sorrell said. “They believe we’re abominations.”

Brianne thought of Elden preaching about wingless abominations. Maybe all Caelians were abominations in his eyes. “If Prilonians don’t have wings, how can you be mistaken for them? Besides, they’ll know us. We can let them know you’re on our side,” Brianne said.

“That hasn’t been decided yet.” Lyle’s wings snapped out. “You want a lift?”

Brianne shook her head, looking towards Talon who had joined them. “No.” She smiled at him. “I’ll take my chances with Talon.” She took her bow from where it hung at her back and crossed the few steps between them.

“Take your chances?” Talon asked.

Brianne nearly laughed at Talon’s expression. Instead she turned away from him so he could wrap his arms around her.

When Talon landed after a short flight, nearly crashing into a tree, she began to wonder if she should have taken Lyle up on his offer. She instantly discarded that thought. There was no way she would have been able to bring herself to trust Lyle not to drop her. She didn’t know him that well.

She strode towards where Lyle had landed, her bow still in hand. “Where’s the garrison.”

“Not far. We go on foot from here so they can’t see us as easily.” Lyle began to walk. “They have weapons that cut through wings. They don’t kill, it’s the fall that does that.”

“We’re attacking first on foot and then by air,” Brianne said.

“That should work. How did you come up with that plan?” Sorrel asked.

Talon walked at her left. “From the information we gained from reading the correspondence of the House.”

“Quiet now,” Lyle said. “We’re getting close.”

They reached the end of the forested area, a large expanse of cleared land around a small, fortified two-storey tower in front of them. Atop were men with what looked like an overgrown crossbow.

Lyle moved close to Brianne. “Where’s your army?”

Brianne first searched the trees then skyward. “They shouldn’t be too far away.”

Talon came close to her other side. “We should take out the soldiers on top of the garrison.”

Lyle shook his head. “There are more soldiers inside. They’ll be outside the moment we attack.”

“Then we wait until we see our army,” Talon said.

The rebels’ bows were in their hands in seconds, arrows trained on them. Brianne brought up her own bow, aiming it at Lyle.

Talon and Bellamy drew their swords, Conal his axe. Brianne nearly sighed. Someone was going to get killed at this rate and she hoped it wasn’t one of them. A pity since the rebels were fairly likeable when they weren’t pointing weapons at them.

“What now?” Brianne demanded.

“We didn’t agree to fight. You aren’t going to involve us in a losing battle. We don’t waste soldiers in useless attacks,” Lyle said.

“It won’t be a useless attack. We’ll have at least a hundred soldiers attacking each garrison,” Brianne said.

“If your army is so big, why did you let the Prilonians enslave you for so long,” Sorrell asked.

“We weren’t enslaved,” Talon said. “We were tricked.”

“Not very bright, are you?” Torrey muttered.

Bellamy’s sword pointed towards Torrey. “We were cut off from our country and had no idea what had happened back here. Our people could only go on what the Elders told them. It isn’t our fault that the ones we left behind couldn’t protect a fortified city.”

“They got into our defensive towers and used them against us. It was a slaughter. Taeranelle fell in hours,” Torrey said.

“Guess your ancestors weren’t too bright,” Talon said.

“Enough.” Brianne’s tone was sharp. “Why are we fighting each other?” She nodded in the direction of the garrison. “The enemy is over there.”

“If you’re afraid to die, go hide somewhere else,” Conal said. “We fight when our people arrive.”

“You’re insane.” Lyle lowered his bow. “You know where our camp is when you’re running for your lives. Just don’t lead the Prilonians there. Lose them first.” He gestured to his companions and they strode away through the trees.

Talon shook his head. “And they’re the people we’re hoping will help us? No wonder they haven’t managed to beat the Prilonians in centuries. Our ancestors must have taken all the warriors with them.”

“They’re coming,” Bellamy said.

“What?” Brianne turned to see what he meant. She saw soldiers fly above the trees, carrying foot soldiers, before they dropped out of sight. There was a shout from the garrison.

“Fan out.” Conal took his bow from his back, taking an arrow from the quiver. “Time to attack.”

Brianne moved away, keeping Talon in sight. When there was several feet between them, she aimed at the soldiers on top of the garrison. “Ready.” Her word was echoed by Talon and Bellamy, who held crossbows.

Conal called out, “Fire.”

Brianne let loose her arrow, readying a second one. Noise erupted. Soldiers poured from the garrison as Terstens came out of the forest. Brianne and her companions continued to fire at the soldiers on top of the garrison. Then the air above the garrison was filled with Caelians. A noise behind her had her turning with her bow drawn.

“Don’t shoot,” Lyle said.

“Why are you here?” Talon’s crossbow was also trained on the three rebels.

Lyle grinned. “Seemed like a good day to die.”

Talon laughed. “Then what are you waiting for? Let’s take some Prilonians with us.” He spun, stepped from the trees and his wings snapped out.

Brianne wanted to call him back as he launched into the air, headed for the top of the garrison. Then she immediately wished she was flying with him. The rebels followed Talon, their bows raining arrows on the Prilonians. Brianne aimed for the soldier who stepped up to the weapon on top of the garrison, taking him out before he could kill any of her people.

Time became meaningless as she fired arrow after arrow at the Prilonians around the base of the garrison. She was down to her last few, an arrow ready, when she realised there were no more targets.