The Ruby Fortress (Kingdoms Of Oz Book 1)

by Carrie Whitethorne

  She nodded. “And my sister?”

  The question was asked in a friendly, questioning tone, but I knew the meaning behind it.

  “Glinda? Haven’t seen her for… oh, about a week. I called in for tea when I arrived then came straight here. Such a lot to do…” I kept my tone casual, unknowing what her true purpose here was.

  I hadn’t expected her to laugh, it wasn’t menacing, and she seemed genuinely amused. “Got out of there fast, did you? Was it the saccharine sweetness or the constant hand-holding that pushed you?”

  Giving nothing away, I kept my expression polite and changed the subject. “I’d invite you in, but the place is a mess.” I turned to the side and looked up at the fortress, looking for a sign of Fallon. There was none. “If I’d known just how bad it was, I probably wouldn’t have taken it, but you know how they make these places sound wonderful, but you don’t realize it’s full of cracks until you move in.”

  I faced her again, not wanting to have my back to her forces any longer than absolutely necessary. Her smile was broad, revealing a row of slightly uneven teeth, and I saw her shoulders relax. I glanced past her to see the Lioneag land beyond the gates, apparently standing down. I hoped my guys would do the same. “I do. I won’t keep you. Just a flying visit to say hello, extend the hand of friendship.”

  I smiled. “I appreciate it. I’ll be in touch when I have everything settled, I promise. I’m just seeing how everything is for now, adjusting things here and there, working things out, you know?”

  Did she know? Could she? Okay, so I took a risk, but I really wanted to know what I was dealing with, and the secrecy and lies were wearing a little bit thin.

  Thankfully, she seemed placated by my answer at least. It was honest. After what I'd read the night before I had a lot of thinking to do. Her arrival had made my job much more difficult, but at least I had a face to put to the name and had broken the ice—and had killed several people who were just doing their jobs and protecting their home.

  She seemed to sense my building anger, as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and adjusted the shield on her arm. “I’m glad to hear it. Must be difficult, moving to a new area, getting to know everyone. While we’ve obviously gotten off on the wrong foot today, please let me know if you need any help. Your general knows how to get a message to me, should the need arise.”

  I nodded. “Absolutely. Thanks for dropping by.”

  She smiled and raised her helmet, but paused before putting it on. “Oh, and tell Fallon I send my regards. It’s been a while, I hoped to see him.”

  “I will. He must not have noticed your arrival, otherwise I’m sure he’d have come to say hello.”

  I mentally cringed at that. If she knew him at all then she knew he probably wouldn’t be saying a damn thing, but she showed no sign and replaced her helmet before turning and walking back up the path to the gates.

  I watched her go, and Remi stepped to my side when she was a safe distance away. “Lady?”

  I didn’t say anything until I saw her step through the gates. “Can you set a watch then bring your two colonels to Fallon’s rooms? I assume that’s where he is.”

  He bowed and walked along the path behind the retreating witch. Two monkeys, who I assumed were his colonels, fell into step at his sides, looking at him as he gave them a murmured report.

  I waited until Tatiana was airborne, leading her force northeast, before turning and opening the heavy door to the fortress, but I got the distinct feeling I was still being watched and spun around. Remi bellowed an order and the monkeys took to the skies at the same time, flocking to the west. I stood and watched, waiting for the sky to clear, keeping my eyes on the gate.

  She was still there, Sayer’s friend, staring at me.

  While I was curious, I didn’t really want to get too close to her. Not after she’d chased us over the border. She didn’t appear like she wanted to cause harm, she seemed more curious than anything, but she didn’t attempt to approach me, remaining on the other side of the gate.

  Gentle pressure on my shoulder encouraged me to turn around. I did, meeting Fallon’s concerned gaze, and he kept his hand where it was. “I’m fine. Where did you run off to?”

  He pressed his lips together and turned away, allowing his hand to drop, and I followed him inside, closing the door on my feathered spectator.

  Chapter 18

  Remi and his two closest men were waiting in Fallon’s living room when we got there. They each bowed when I walked in and I shook my head. “Keep that for displays with the witches, not when it’s just us. I take it Remi filled you both in?”

  The two colonels nodded, and in unison, replied, “Yes, my lady.”

  “I’m just Ella any other time, okay?”

  They nodded but didn’t look comfortable. I didn’t care. I couldn’t answer to ‘lady’ every five minutes.

  “Sit down,” I said flopping onto the couch I slept on the night before. I didn’t feel like I’d had any sleep at all after that wake-up call, and could have curled up right then and had a nap, but there was a lot to do. “I take it Tati left her fallen Lioneag?”

  “She has no fallen,” one of the colonels replied bitterly.

  He lowered his eyes when I looked at him, and asked, “What’s your name?”

  He shifted uncomfortably, his wings rustling behind him as he perched on the edge of the couch. “Marlon, my—Ella.”

  I looked at the other and he immediately answered, “Daniel.”

  It didn’t escape me that they had very my world names as I looked from one to the other, and commented, “There was no way you could have come out on top of that, and while I’m grateful you defended our fortress, you have to promise me you won’t do anything like that again.”

  They both looked confused.

  “Look,” I began, curling my feet up on the couch as Fallon sat on the arm, “I can’t have you all flying off and getting killed. I don’t want you to. I don’t want any of you getting hurt if it can be avoided. I’m not here to do damage. I was brought here to help and that’s what I intend to do.”

  “Help Glinda?” Marlon inquired, his eyes wide.

  “No. From what I’ve seen and learned since I got here, the only people I’m going to be helping are the people of Oz.”

  They were all looking at me, but one set of eyes seemed more intense than the others when I looked around the four of them. Fallon’s expression was unreadable, but his eyes were very expressive.

  “Why?” Daniel asked quietly.

  It wasn’t a tricky question to answer, but it threw me off. Why did I want to help these people? Why did I care? What did it have to do with me if their witches were completely insane? I didn’t live here. I’d been kidnapped by a guy in a suit. I then slept with said guy in the suit and let him drag me halfway around a world I thought was a fairy tale, in a bid to save his people from… I didn’t even know what from. I only had certain versions of events and I didn’t know the truth, at least not yet.

  “The way I see it, if my great grandma hadn’t dropped a house on the Witch of the East and melted the Witch of the West then you wouldn’t all be where you are now. That wasn’t my fault, but since then I’ve been dragged here, and it looks like I’m stuck here, so I may as well try to make a difference. But not for the people who have made everything worse for decades. I don’t even know how many years it’s been here since Dorothy came, but everything turned to shit with just two witches left. There are three now, and I’m not going to roll over and let this stupid war keep going.”

  Fingers brushed my back as Fallon moved his hand to my shoulder. The three monkeys looked at me with what I think was awe. I glanced to the window, and murmured, “Remi, we need to go and get them. They need to be returned to their families.”

  He tilted his head to the side, a solid ridge forming across his brows as he frowned. “Lady?”

  I ignored his mistake. “I assume they have families? Partners, children, parents…”<
br />
  “Well, yes, but—”

  “Then we should go out and recover the bodies and return them to their families for… do you bury your…?” I didn’t say it. I’d already been to one funeral that month and I didn’t really want to attend another, but it was only right to bring them home.

  Fallon moved his fingers up, so he was stroking my hair—his way of offering comfort. His gesture sent a shiver through my body I tried hard not to show.

  Remi stood up. “I shall go at once, find volunteers.”

  “I’ll come. I’ll help,” I offered, leaning forward to get up. Fallon placed his hand on my shoulder, holding me back, and I turned my head to see him frowning and shaking his head.

  “With respect, Lady, this is something we should do ourselves,” Daniel cut in. “I’ll make sure they know you sent us out.”

  “Let me know when the… well, I want to be there when… if that’s acceptable to their families, of course.”

  Daniel bowed in response, and I watched the three of them file out of the room, Marlon being the last to leave and closing the door behind him. Fallon had moved his hand from my hair to my shoulder, his hand squeezing reassuringly.

  I closed my eyes and dropped my chin to my chest. “I should be helping.”

  Fallon didn’t respond.

  I got up, his hand falling from my shoulder as I did, and went to the window. “Why did they do that? Why did she come here like that? After last night, I was starting to think maybe she wasn’t all bad then she… what am I supposed to do now?”

  He moved behind me, looking over my shoulder as the first monkeys flew toward their fallen companions, and we watched for over an hour as Remi, Marlon, and Daniel supervised their retrieval.

  It was after midday by the time they were finished. They didn’t come to tell me they were done, I assumed they were busy with their families, and still I looked out the window, lost in my thoughts.

  The feel of the backs of Fallon’s fingers brushing down my arms pulled me back, and a trail of tingles followed where his skin touched mine.

  “I can’t believe I went out there and faced her,” I said, trying to ignore the sensation of his fingertips moving slowly up and down my arms. “That could have gone badly.”

  He huffed a small laugh in my ear and a shiver ran down my spine. I hadn’t realized he was so close.

  “What?” I asked, turning to face him. “I didn’t have the first clue what I was doing out there. She could have slaughtered me. Where the hell did you go?”

  He wrinkled his nose and smiled. I was trying to ignore it before, too wrapped up in Sayer disappearing I suppose, but he was very good looking. Those amber eyes were studying my face again, but more carefully than usual, waiting for my response.

  “No? You aren’t going to tell me? What if she’d decided to attack me?”

  He shook his head, just once. He looked certain it wouldn’t have happened.

  “Then why did she let those things kill…” I swallowed hard. “Why would she kill them and not me?”

  He sighed and looked out the window, then back to me, cupping my cheek in his left hand. He looked into my eyes, then down at my lips.

  “I—”

  His kiss was soft, tentative, as though he expected rejection. I should have turned away, I should have made an excuse and gone back to my room, or down to the kitchen, wherever that was, to make lunch. But I couldn’t. I needed what he was giving me. His acceptance. His reassurance that I’d done the right thing. His affection. It wasn’t something I was used to, I chose the single life for a reason, but I realized I needed it. It helped me.

  When he was sure I wasn’t going to back off, he increased the pressure of his lips against mine and allowed his other hand to circle my waist, pulling me close. I hadn’t expected him to be so strong, or his body to be so hard when I pressed against it. I ran my right hand over his shoulder, feeling the taut muscles beneath his thin tunic. He still cupped my cheek, but he slid his hand back, lacing his fingers in my hair and used it to tilt my head back. With my neck exposed, he trailed small kisses from my lips, along my jaw, and up to the sensitive spot just beneath my ear. I groaned involuntarily and arched my back to press our bodies together as he pulled his lips away. His breath was hot on my earlobe and I shivered at the sensation, making him laugh quietly under his breath.

  Pulling away, he met my eyes again and smiled before tilting his head to the side. What was I going to say?

  I blushed. “I can’t remember.”

  Hips lips parted, as though he was going to say something, but I leaned forward and kissed him softly. “Thank you.”

  He inclined his head and stepped away, removing his hands from my body as he looked me up and down, and bit his lower lip.

  I was breathless with anticipation. I know I’d been with Sayer just days before, but honestly, if he kissed me again I wouldn’t be able to say no. For all he was mute, he was expressive, and I was beginning to feel a connection with him I’d never experienced with anyone in such a short space of time. A trust in him just as strong as the trust I had in Sayer.

  Sayer had made me believe Fallon was somehow distant, but that was far from true. He accepted who I was. He believed in me, judging by his willingness to help me claim the fortress, and seemed to appreciate what I’d tried to do.

  It looked like he was coming back. Like he was going to kiss me again, and I was more than ready for more. But it was long after noon and I hadn’t eaten. My stomach interrupted us by letting out a loud growl.

  Fallon frowned, then smiled and took my hand.

  “Lunch?”

  He gave a curt nod and pulled me toward the door. I assumed we were heading to the kitchen.

  It turned out the kitchen was in ruins and I realized we were in what was left of the west tower. Fallon led me to the large room with the fireplace and then through another door to what looked to be a storeroom.

  “How do you cook with no kitchen?” I asked, holding open the door.

  He began piling things into a box, I didn’t see what, then turned around and grabbed what looked like tin plates and cutlery and stacked them on top. When he was done, he faced me and flicked up his chin. I obediently backed up, held the door open with one hand, and let him out. He stopped in the doorway for a moment and looked around the ruined kitchen. I wondered what had happened for it to be in that sort of state.

  “What happened here?” I inquired, nudging some rubble with my foot.

  He pressed his lips together in a firm line and shook his head sadly, then looked up. I followed his gaze up the walls of the ruined tower.

  “What’s up there?”

  He shook his head and tapped the box.

  “Right…” He started walking and I followed him to his room. There was so much I needed to learn about the place, and Fallon wasn’t able to tell me.

  I watched him light the fire, using tinder and flint to ignite the kindling, and once the flames were hot, he patted the floor beside him and looked at the box.

  I took items out—bread, cheese, and meat—and sat them on the tin plates, while he pulled a sharp knife from his belt and cut the meat and cheese into chunks. Another nod to the box and I pulled out two long forks. He nodded at the plate.

  “Roast them on the fire?”

  Another nod. He watched me roast mine, then handed me a large earthenware bottle, after pulling out the cork for me. I took a sniff, it was heady but sweet, and I took a small sip. “Is that ale?”

  He shook his head.

  I tasted it again and thought hard. “Mead?”

  He smiled and turned his attention to his plate. We sat together and ate. I had nothing to say but lots to think about, and Fallon gave me the time and space to do just that. His presence was comforting, but he wasn’t imposing, and I found myself wondering how long he’d lived there alone. He seemed happy enough with my company, if the way he kissed me was anything to go by, and I wondered why he’d done that. It was clear he’d read Sayer’s
note and he knew something had happened there. I knew he’d seen Sayer kiss me, which couldn’t have been something he was expecting to witness. But not knowing what had been said between them, I supposed it was clear Sayer had left me. Gone back to Glinda. What was odd was that I didn’t feel guilty for kissing Fallon. I wasn’t in a relationship with Sayer. I wasn’t anything to Sayer. He’d delivered me there and walked away. Until I was in his arms again…

  I sat on the floor and watched the flames, drinking and thinking, not finding any answers to the many questions going around in my head.

  When the mead was gone, Fallon offered me another bottle then left the room to get more. He wasn’t gone long when there was a knock on the door.

  “Come in.”

  “Ella. The fallen have been returned to their families. They have requested private ceremonies, but asked that I deliver their thanks and ask if they may visit you afterward to thank you in person.”

  I stood up and found myself a little unsteady, I assumed from the mead. Quickly sitting on the couch, I nodded. “Yeah that’s fine, whatever they want. You should probably go and get some rest, Remi. It’s been a long day.”

  He bowed. “I have set watches, as you ordered. Three shifts. Daniel took first watch, I shall take second in a moment, and Marlon third. We each chose teams. I wondered, if it is not too much trouble, if you could reinstate the protective charms around the fortress that fell when you took charge. It would help immensely with the security of the fortress.”

  Just then, Fallon came back with another two bottles of mead. He stopped in the doorway and looked at Remi.

  “He’s asking if I can get the protective charms back up. Is that the same as the protection thing I did using the shoes with Glinda, or is it something different?”

  Fallon shrugged and sat beside me, placing his hand on my knee. Of course he wouldn’t know what I was talking about, but he gave a small squeeze of encouragement, and I looked out of the window, trying to visualize the outer rim of the volcano we were nestled within, and concentrated on protecting us. All of us.