Page 4 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

As soon as I stand upright, my head starts to spin. Tremors kick off in my hands and feet and spread up my limbs like wildfire.

Gods save me. Not now.

I plant my feet and wait the dizzy spell out, praying our attacker is gone.

Thankfully, this spell only lasts a few seconds. Brief enough that Luke doesn’t even notice. Once it passes, I peer into the depths of the forest. Nothing moves. When I finally spot something amiss, I rub my eyes and try again. Yup. Still there.

Fear chills my skin. My heartbeat quickens. It can’t be. I swallow two times before managing a whisper. “Is that what I think it is?”

Behind the shadowy silhouette of a large man’s shoulders, I swear I see feathers. Feathers the color of burnished copper peeking between the branches. Lots of them. If the man responsible for all this has wings, then?—

“What? What are you looking at?” Confusion laces Luke’s voice.

When I gaze back into the forest, the roots and branches are still. The wings have vanished. Maybe those mutant branches whacked me upside the head and I imagined them.

After checking Luke for injuries and sitting with him until he’s calm enough to return home, we part ways. Thankfully, he never mentions my use of magic. I’m not sure how I’d explain it. Most people require eyril to access their magic, and the king and Aclaris military have complete control over the drug. Only those enlisted to fight for our kingdom have access. Legally, anyway.

My ability to use magic without eyril brands me as a freak. Mother made me swear to never reveal my secret, claiming the truth would endanger me.

I push Barney into a canter, my desire to get home safely trumping the bruised state of my poor ass. The trail and encroaching forest feel a lot less secure on the journey back. Every noise has me twisting in the saddle, dagger ready, to face the threat. I’ve never been so happy to return to the castle and slip inside. I bypass my room and sneak into Leesa’s, crawling into her bed like I’ve done in the past on the nights I miss her the most.

A scream wrenches me from sleep, pulling me from nightmares about fires and ash, falling from the sky, winged men, and being buried alive. I shoot up from the pillow with a gasp. Sunlight peeks through the gaps of the velvet curtains like a clandestine lover, painting bright patches on a bed that isn’t mine. My sleep-addled brain wastes moments reconstructing last night’s events.

The soiree. Driving Barney and the wagon to the village. Defending myself and Luke from an earth elemental. Returning home. Crawling into Leesa’s bed for comfort.

A second scream, which soon shifts into a wail, pierces the air. My pulse spikes. Mother.

Grabbing my dagger off the nightstand, I ignore my boots in favor of speed and race downstairs barefoot. I find my mother sobbing in a heap on the settee, clutching an expensive, creamy piece of paper to her breast.

A thorough inspection of her surroundings reveals no threat. Nary a grabby tree in sight. No winged man either.

My heart calms. I stuff the dagger behind a giant vase and approach, speaking in a soft voice.

“Hey. What’s going on?”

She lifts her tear-streamed face. While her throat bobs, speech seems beyond her.

I gesture toward the letter. “What does it say that’s got you so upset?”

Mother swallows again and parts her trembling lips. As soon as she speaks, I want to shove the words back inside her mouth.

“It’s a m…missive from Flighthaven. Your sister’s gone missing, and they expect you to take her place.”

I gape, certain that my fuzzy head misunderstood. Because there’s no way my sister would up and leave the kingdom’s flight academy without alerting someone.

The prospect of me attending Flighthaven in her stead is even more absurd. Strong, brave, healthy Leesa never suffered from hallucinations or struggled with frequent bouts of dizziness and muscle weakness. Not like me. “I’m sorry, can you please repeat that?”

Wordlessly, Mother hands me the thick paper embossed with Flighthaven Academy’s official seal.

Dear Lady Lynnea Axton,

With deep regret, we must inform you that your daughter, Fledgling Leesa Axton, has disappeared without leave from the Flighthaven campus. Despite thorough searches, her whereabouts remain unknown, and while we have yet to locate a body, our failure to find your daughter necessitates the consideration of her unfortunate demise. Though we offer you our sincerest sympathies, we must order your daughter, Lark Axton, to take her sister’s place as a fire wielder. In two days’ time, Lark must report at the gate of Flighthaven Academy, before sunset.

Sincerely,

Vice Commander Valaria Torno

My feet anchor me to the floor. Icy claws rake down my spine. I reread the missive twice more before lowering the message and meeting Mother’s glistening eyes. “How can this be? How can Leesa just disappear without a trace?”

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