Page 35 of Heir of the Autumn Queen

“You can say it,” Finn says darkly.

“Like a colossal waste of life.” I shake my head.“Why would you spend ten years training a group of aengels, just to have half of them be killed at the end of it?”

“That’s a great question,” Finn agrees, obviously holding some disdain for what he, and so many others, were put through.“But we didn’t have a choice.”

“Being forced to kill someone you trained side by side with for a decade… it’s despicably cruel.” The thought makes me sick.

“If you choose not to fight, you’ll both be killed for showing weakness,” Finn says. Clearly whoever was in that ring with him was not someone he wanted to kill.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” I say, not sure if I even want to hear about his gruesome experience.

Finn shrugs, his leathery wings rustling under his cloak.“It was a long time ago.” He takes a deep breath and tells me about that fateful day.“I was matched with a male named Theo, also from the Northlands. We fought for two days straight before we started to tire. He came down on me with a dagger and cut deep enough to hit bone.” He reaches up and touches the scar at the memory.“There was so much blood dripping down from the wound that I was blinded, even though he missed my eye. He must’ve been shocked to actually land the blow because he hesitated. I used the opportunity to… to finish the fight.”

I remain silent for a long time, trying my best not to picture what he just described but failing miserably.“What happened after that?” I ask, wrapping my arms around myself.

“Those of us who were victorious were awarded the title of Skysworn, sent home to be celebrated and revered by our friends and families.” Bitterness laces every word.

“I’m so sorry, Finn,” I tell him, looking up into his indigo eyes.

“Me too.” He shrugs, the resignation in his voice breaking my heart a bit.“Theo was a good warrior. I try to honor his memory by making sure I’m as strong as I can be.”

“Strength without purpose is meaningless.” I quote Killian; he used to tell me that all the time when we would spar, encouraging me to have a plan, my next steps mapped out so that I could channel my strength into something productive.

Finn looks at me, surprise flashing over his features briefly before he smiles softly.“You’re wiser than you look, Trouble.”

I shrug, but return his smile.“Can’t take credit for that one. My brother used to say that when we would train; to remind me that I couldn’t just go around throwing punches whenever I got angry.”

“Sounds like a smart guy,” Finn says, his smile spreading.

I nod.“He is.” We remain silent for a few beats before I ask Finn.“So what’s your purpose?”

His smile disappears as he answers me seriously.“Still trying to figure it out.”

“Me too,” I tell him with a sigh.“Me too.”

Chapter Seventeen

“You sure I can’t convince you to fly the last few miles to the city?” Finn asks, flexing his wings.

We’ve spent the last week traveling together, slowly but surely getting to know one another. We’ve spent time both in smaller towns and in the woods, either sleeping in random inns or taking turns keeping watch in the forest. Any people we’ve come across have kept their distance, which I know is because of Finn. He not only looks physically intimidating, but he hasn’t exactly shown others the same kindness he’s shown me. I don’t know if he’s protecting me after what he witnessed with the two men from the card table, or if he simply doesn’t want to interact with anyone else, but I appreciate it either way, considering the time I spent traveling alone before I met him resulted in being attacked.Twice.

He’s been my travel companion, just as he suggested, and today we’ll finally be arriving in the capital of the Eastlands.

Over the last seven days, we haven’t had any other intense conversations like the one about the Training Ring, but we’ve swapped stories here and there, more so getting to know each other in the silences.

I know now that he talks in his sleep, but it’s usually unintelligible. I know how his footsteps sound on the road and how his breath changes its rhythm when he falls asleep or wakes up. I know that his presence makes me feel safe and that the unexplainable energy remains between us whenever we touch; a rare occurrence, usually an accidental brush of a hand or a bump of a shoulder when walking side by side on the road as I’ve made sure to keep my distance from him at night so we avoid any other awkward, sleep-induced snuggles.

It’s not that I don’t want to touch him, I do. It’s that I’m afraid if I let myself touch him, it will lead to other things. Things that will make parting from him much harder than I know it’s already going to be.

I take a moment to contemplate his offer. Considering the fact that I might never see him again after today, or ever meet another aengel willing to fly me, it seems like an opportunity of a lifetime. A smile spreads slowly over my face, and he matches my expression.“Why the hell not?” I say, feeling more comfortable with him now than when he originally suggested flying us a week ago.

Shadow seems to know exactly what we’re about to do because she paws the ground a few times before taking off at a gallop through the trees. In two strides, Finn is right next to me, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

“Ready, Trouble?” Before I can so much as nod in response, he picks me up under my legs as I wrap my arms around his neck with a slight squeal of surprise, that familiar surge of energy shooting through my veins like lightning.

Without any notice, Finn launches us into the air, and my stomach drops at the rapid rise in altitude. I grip his neck so tight it’s a miracle he’s still breathing. My eyes are squeezed shut, remaining that way until my stomach stops doing somersaults.

I can feel us leveling out when Finn says in my ear,“Shadow seems to be enjoying herself.”

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