Page 13 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

Out of the handful of people I’ve met here, Theo and Olive are by far the friendliest. Down-to-earth, genial, and unpretentious, Olive is unlike any of the nobles I’ve met at my mother’s soirees and dinners.

As I finish my stew, the hair on the back of my neck prickles. I send a casual glance around the table and find cold brown eyes staring back at me.

The fledgling a few seats over from Theo was in the crowd during my humiliating encounter earlier with the gorgeous jackass of a man.

He runs a hand through thick brown hair, and I try not to gawk at his muscled arms. Even under his uniform, I can tell those massive limbs could probably snap my neck as easily as I might snap a dry twig.

Note to self. Don’t piss this guy off.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to relax. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m?—”

“I know who you are.” Underneath his narrow-eyed scrutiny, I resist the urge to squirm. “You’re Leesa’s sister, though I can’t say you look much alike.” A sneer tells me his comparison doesn’t land in my favor. “Wouldn’t surprise me if you end up like her.”

What in the hells is that supposed to mean? I straighten, my heartbeat accelerating. “End up like her? Do you know what happened? Where she is?”

His shrug kills the awakening hope in my chest. “I’ve heard different theories, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she deserted.”

Deserted? Not my sister. “What makes you say that?”

“What else could have happened to her?” He drains his cup, setting the vessel on the table with a clatter. “There were no signs of a struggle or foul play.”

Despite his arrogance, relief floods through me. Just like the letter said, my sister simply…disappeared. Which has to mean she’s still alive somewhere. I refuse to believe otherwise.

Across from the hulking fledgling, someone snorts. “I have a different theory.”

Even in drab uniform, the woman is beautiful, with ivory skin, striking features, and high cheekbones. Her shiny, braided black hair wraps around the crown of her head.

I swallow hard. “Oh?”

She nods, throwing the massive man a condescending sneer. “Don’t listen to Elijah. I heard she ran off with a Tirenese soldier.”

Tirenese? How would Leesa meet someone like that in the first place at Flighthaven? “Why would she do that?”

A memory of the winged man’s attack near the tavern steals the warmth from my bones. Leesa would never engage in a cordial exchange with a monster like that, let alone betray our kingdom by running off with one.

“How would I know? We weren’t that close.” Her haughty tone reminds me of some of my mother’s friends. “But with the way she was always sneaking around…keeping secrets…it makes the most sense.”

The flicker of emotion lighting her eyes vanishes so quickly, I wonder if I imagined the spark. My heart races as all kinds of scenarios play out in my mind. I barely notice when Elijah and the raven-haired fledgling leave the table.

“Hey,” Olive flashes me a sympathetic smile, “don’t pay any attention to those two. They’re just trying to ruffle your feathers. Besides, it’s all speculation.”

“I know. I just…” I want to find my sister, but dumping all my worries on someone I met a mere half hour ago won’t help. Toying with my half-eaten bread, I nibble my lower lip. “Who are they, anyway?”

Olive lifts an eyebrow. “Where were you when Quinnelle told you their names?”

“Apparently lost in my own head.”

“Can’t blame you there. This is a lot to take in.” She wipes her hands on her napkin. “Those are some of the other nobles. Elijah Durand and Helene Mortimer.”

That further confirms my belief that Olive is the nicest noble I’ve ever met. Leesa excluded, of course.

“Well, aren’t they a delight?” I make a face, doing my best to hide how the inhospitable reception from my peers bothers me. It’s one meeting, though. There will be plenty of chances to win them over. “I get the impression they’re not thrilled I’m here.”

“Don’t take it personally.” Olive rolls her eyes. “They’re not crazy about me either.”

I can only imagine. Life as the daughter of Kamor sympathizers can’t be easy. “Politics?”

“Something like that.”

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