Page 27 of Wings of Desire

There’s a faint noise in the background and she quickly reiterates, “Do not tell them anything.”

They want me to lie and hide information from the Nocris, even though they are our only allies on this planet. My pulse hammers in my chest as my anxiety blooms anew. I’m thankful for Xakiras giving my arms a gentle reassuring squeeze even though he just heard my people ask me to deter the Nocris from knowing any of our findings.

“When will they contact me?” I ask, hoping it’s soon.

Hirana sighs heavily and goes silent for a few seconds as she considers a timeline reasonable enough to share with me. “I will send the transmission now. You should know when by the end of business,” she pauses, and I watch as she sniffles and tears trickle down her cheeks. “Keep safe, and Echo, if you find Jetta, will you—if you find her body, please keep it until we return.”

I refuse to tell her the truth, that the Krel has eaten them. It’s heartless to explain to a grieving mother that a monster consumed their child alive and that there will be no bodies to bury. Instead, I bury the lie deep inside my heart, locking it away as something I will never tell another living soul.

As the holo goes black, I slump in Xakiras’s arms, finally feeling safe enough to allow my tears to unleash from the prison I kept them in. “Nothing good will come of them coming,” I murmur against his chest. “What do I do?”

Xakiras holds me tenderly, kissing my neck gently as he leads me back to the cot. “Echo, we may only do what we can,” he says, kneeling in front of me. “We cannot control the actions of those who lead us. We can only hope that they will not lead us into war.”

Even though I know Xakiras only wants me to see something positive out of our bleak situation, it does very little to reassure me now. War is likely to come, if not with the Nocris then beside them.

“I know you’re right,” I say, gripping his hands. “I can’t help feeling like it’ll all be my fault if something happens to your people.”

“Nothing will be anyone’s fault, my love,” he kisses my exposed knee. “The Krel came here and will have to pay for what they’ve done. All we can do is hope things work the way they are intended.”

I give myself permission to grieve and find solace in his embrace for a moment until we’re interrupted by the group of hunters outside the tent urging us to leave.

For now, against orders, Xakiras and his hunters have decreed that staying here will set us up for further ambushes from the Krel. Grasping the Holo in my palm, I square my shoulders with renewed resolve. The world may be against us, but I would rather do it beside no one else.

Xakiras is my mate, the man I love, and my protector. We can face anything together.

Long live the Queen

The dark spires of the castle rise high into the swirling mist of the city. It is alive with the pulse of a thousand wings, thrumming through the air. Nocris and Volese flit between the towering buildings, going about their daily lives as though nothing is amiss. The knowledge of Echo’s people’s arrival and quick destruction must not yet have reached the general population.

My heart is heavy with dread and an unshakable sense of uncertainty makes my skin crawl. I have served the c

caliphate for many cycles, defending my people from numerous threats. My loyalty has been unshakable, but today that loyalty will be tested in a way I have never imagined.

I chose Echo as my mate regardless of her status as anUkolist. Even now, as she patiently waits back at our camp with the hunters, I feel impatient being so far from her. Leaving her was not a simple choice to make, but the bubbling uncertainty of what the caliphate might do to her kept me from allowing her to be here today.

“Ho!” Nharon’s voice calls among the buzzing. My eyes glance toward him, raising my hand as he approaches me.

Nharon is a formidable figure. His wings are broad and strong and covered in a pattern of darkened eyes. His eyes hold mine in a silent examination, glancing up and down my bruised body, scrutinizing.

“It isn’t every day one of my hunters wishes to have an audience with the caliphate,” he says coarsely. “Remember Xakiras lead not with your emotions but with facts.”

“I assure you, sire, that I will.” It isn’t a lie, though it feels just as painful as if it was. I’m uncertain how to leave my feelings out of the report I intend to give.

Nharon hums, unsure, though he begins to lead me through the throngs of Nocris toward the doors of the castle.

Once inside the grand chamber of the palace, I am shocked by the grandeur of its construction. The room is nearly empty save for the caliphate members, shrouded in thick black cloaks that hide their faces from view. All the walls are littered with illuminated crystals and grandlampfyrechandeliers that dangle from the ceiling. The floor is cold, lifeless slate, and the windows faced outward into a brilliant garden where lords and ladies prance about with no worries.

The air is cloyingly thick with nectar and theKugitarui’spheromones. It’s a reminder of her power and position within these walls. At the end of the chamber, seated upon her throne of vine and flowers, sits theKugitauri. Her wings are imposing, shimmering with an iridescence that shifts color with every subtle movement she makes. Her eyes stare at me, piercing and all knowing, though her face holds no sign of what she may be feeling about our meeting.

Nharon bows deeply, and I follow suit as my wings brush the ground in a show of deep respect. “My queen,” he says steadily.

My mind churns with unease as theKugitauri’sgaze falls on me while she assesses me with narrowed eyes. “Xakiras,” she says, her voice has a low resonant hum that vibrates through mybody. I shiver at the power behind her voice alone. “You have served the caliphate well by bringing us news. Please explain to us what you have seen.”

As I recount the events of the past few moons, I force myself to keep any mention of Echo hidden. I tell only the barest details, knowing if I speak about Echo’s rescue that her lack of presence may call into question my loyalty. With Echo’s people persuading her to remain silent, and my uneasiness with her being here today, it feels as if this is the best course of action. The searing dread of what might happen to her fragile people forms a tight lump in my throat as I lie through my teeth.

TheKugitauririses from her throne once I finish, her wings spreading behind her as she floats above the dais. I search her eyes, hoping to see clues of what she may command of me, but, disappointingly, she maintains a void expression.

Everyone holds their breath as the tension builds in the room, as if suffocating us with just her presence. “Theukolisthave become a disease, spreading their dissent and rebellion. Their defiance threatens everything we have built, and their insubordination cannot continue.”

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