Page 9 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

My stomach roils. No puking. If I show weakness so soon, I’ll be eaten alive.

“Fledgling Lark Axton.”

Whirling, I face the owner of the clipped voice.

The woman standing before me reminds me of a marble statue with her stiff posture and rigid spine. Her facial expression is a mask. Although intelligence burns in her light gray eyes, they’re devoid of emotion. Her short wheat-colored hair barely brushes her ears, and she’s dressed in the same spotless uniform as everyone else. The garments skim her figure like a second layer of skin, without one wrinkle or crease. The gold emblem below her left shoulder marks her as a flyer, the rank above fledglings indicating graduates of Flighthaven’s initial training program.

With an almost imperceptible nod, she directs her unsettling gaze at me. “Welcome to Flighthaven. I’m Flyer Quinnelle. Follow me.”

She pivots, taking off before I can protest. “Wait. My bag.”

I shoulder my satchel and hurry after Flyer Quinnelle.

Lugging my heavy satchel, I struggle to keep up with the woman’s long strides. I attempt to come up with something—anything—to break the ice. “This place is…massive.”

No comment. I wonder if Flyer Quinnelle hates everyone at first, or if I’ve just managed to piss her off.

I clear my throat and try again. “Have you been here long?”

She stops, spinning back around to face me. “‘Have you been here long,Flyer Quinnelle?’”

I guess that answers my earlier question. I’m barely out of the carriage and someone at Flighthaven already despises me. Off to an excellent start.

Working to maintain my smile, I drop the burdensome satchel to the ground. “Right, sorry. Flyer Quinnelle.”

Sweat dribbles down my back, and my shoulder already aches. I hope my cheeks aren’t as flushed as they feel. Quinnelle won’t like me any better if she witnesses my weaknesses.

The faint wrinkle over her nose as she inspects my face tells me she doesn’t miss a thing. “Although you’ve come to us late in training, Fledgling Axton, you’ll be required to start where your sister left off.” Quinnelle pins me with her frigid stare. “Her flight unit’s been together for six weeks, and your sister’s absence means they’re missing a fire elemental. You’re expected to catch up.”

Catch up? How in Valk’s name am I supposed to do that? My startled laugh carries a high-pitched, hysterical note. “There must be some mistake. I know Leesa was likely an exemplary student and excelled here at Flighthaven, but I’m not like her. In fact, we should consider me the opposite. There’s no way I can jump right in and fill her place after missing the first six weeks.”

Flyer Quinnelle stares down her nose at me. “I suggest you figure out a way quickly. Flighthaven doesn’t have time to cater to pampered nobles who lounge around stuffing their faces and dancing when they should have been preparing themselves.”

Frustration squeezes my throat. I’m not an oracle. I didn’t predict Leesa’s disappearance. Until we received the missive, I never dreamed of attending Flighthaven. How could I? I failed all my magic tests, save for the most recent one, and even then, my performance was dismal.

I dig my fingernails into my palms and bite back a sharp retort. I’d like to see Quinnelle prepare for the king’s royal flight academy in two gods-cursed days. Oh, excuse me. Make thatFlyer Quinnelle. If that rod up her ass gets any longer, she’s liable to poke a hole through her heart.

Careful. Best not to annoy the first person you meet.

“Will I receive extra training?”

She casts a sidelong glance at my dress, her eyebrows lifting in disapproval. “Your instructors will make that decision.”

I nod, fighting the urge to hunch my shoulders and make myself smaller.

She starts walking again. “Grab your belongings. I’ll give you a brief tour of Flighthaven.”

She points out the main building, a towering structure hosting offices and classrooms, then moves on to the rectangular, three-story structures with evenly spaced windows that make up the dorms. Beyond them is an armory housing various weapons and equipment and a storage facility.

To the right of the main building is an impressive expanse of land divided into multiple sections where exercises and practical lessons are conducted. In the distance, by a cliff, is the magic training area. Then she points out the dragon aerie and the stable I spotted earlier. Like I guessed, the single-story structure houses alicorns.

As I take everything in, she indicates several more buildings, including the commissary, infirmary, and mess hall, as well as an eyril production center.

A moment later, I realize I’m alone, with Quinnelle headed toward the stable. The last thing I want to do is piss her off more, so I gather my dress in one hand and jog to catch up.

Inside one of the fenced structures, a solid black alicorn’s nostrils widen from its quickened breaths. I swear the majestic beast’s obsidian eyes are boring into my soul.

The creature stamps its hoof against the ground, sending bits of dirt and pebbles flying.

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