Page 7 of Wingless Crow: Part 1

“Who are you and what are you doing in the Sky Kingdom?”

At the sight of the weapon, Trez paled a little and spread his hands in a pacifying gesture. “Easy, my lord. Goddess Ghata sent me. I came to settle her debt with King Aigel.”

The newcomer turned his head toward the four people that had landed behind him, all of them wearing identical gray coats with silver embroidery, and ordered, “Let the High General know about this. He should be close.”

One of the group nodded and spread his wide, feathery wings. I watched, mesmerized as the wings beat the air, lifting the man off the ground. He soared in a graceful arch, taking off toward the palace. The movement of his wings was so fluid, it looked natural, as if they were simply an extension of his body.

But how could that be? Even with my mind floating in the invisible pink cloud, I had a hard time believing any of this was real.

Maybe I was sleeping, and all of it was just a dream?

That would actually explain everything.

The green-eyed man turned his attention back to Trez. “King Aigel has been dead for centuries.”

“Has he?” Trez shrugged and deadpanned, “Time flies. So, who’s in there now?” He jerked his chin toward the magnificent sparkling structure in the distance—the royal palace.

“King Tiane is on the throne of Sky Kingdom, the grandson of King Aigel.”

“And who are you?”

The man slid a measuring glance down Trez’s burly frame, as if assessing whether he was worthy of an introduction.

“I’m Lord Alcon, the Head of the Palace Guard,” he finally said. His eyes then paused on Trez’s arm tattoo. “And you are one of Ghata’s slaves, by the look of it. Abrack.”

“Right. Like I said, I’m here to settle the deal she’s made with your late king.” Trez shoved me toward Lord Alcon. “Take her to your new king, then, and my business here is done.”

Takeme?What business?

How dare they?

I opened my mouth, but not a word came out. Trez had told me not to ask questions. They burned on my tongue, pounding against my skull from the inside, but could not come out, no matter how hard I tried.

Lord Alcon kept his sword trained at Trez’s throat.

“It’ll be up to the High General to decide what to do with you both.”

Trez huffed, visibly annoyed. “Where is he, then? I don’t have all day.”

“Then turn around and leave.”

“I’m not leaving the human here without your promise to deliver her to the king.”

“I’m not giving you any promises,brack.” Lord Alcon spat the last word out like an insult. “Take her with you if you’re in a hurry.”

Leaving clearly wasn’t Trez’s plan. He didn’t move, his boots rooted in place. The fight came to a standstill. And neither of the two asked for my input in the argument that was ultimately deciding my fate.

A winged figure appeared in the sky, rounding a nearby hill. The man Lord Alcon had sent to inform the High General was returning. He flew low to the ground, following a lone rider on a horse that rode along the road. The horse was dark as night, as were the rider’s clothes and the large bird that flew above them. The only pale spot was the rider’s face.

As the horseman approached, Lord Alcon lowered his sword and stepped aside.

“High General,” he greeted the horseman with a brief but respectful nod.

The newcomer ran his gaze over Trez’s tattoos. He didn’t look baffled by them as I was. On the contrary, he appeared to easily read the tattooed lines and images, the meaning of which was hidden from me.

Whatever he saw in Trez’s body art didn’t seem to please him. His dark eyebrows shifted close together on his already stern face.

“You’re one of Ghata’sbracks,” the High General stated in a deep, calm voice. He sounded bored or tired, like someone who had a lot on his plate and didn’t appreciate wasting his time on something so insignificant as my future. “I’ve no business with your goddess. Leave. And take the human with you.”

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