Page 96 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

I climb to my feet and help her to hers. “Let’s try over there first.” I point at a spot where the beach rounds a corner.

We walk in that direction, Abel’s teasing following on our heels. “Hey, is looking for seashells code for hooking up? If so, can we come watch? I promise we’ll be really quiet.”

“Pig!” Olive flips him off behind her back, triggering his burst of laughter.

Once we disappear from sight, she slows her pace. “Okay, but seriously, why did we really come over here? Is it something to do with Theo?”

My jaw drops. “How did you know?”

She bumps her shoulder against mine. “I was watching you guys walk up to us. I saw him play with your hair, and you were blushing when you first jogged up.”

I shake my head. “If Flighthaven doesn’t work out, I think you could have a lucrative spying career.”

She makes a funny noise. “Yeah…if I had a choice, I’d pass on both of those. But we’re getting off topic. Theo. What are you thinking? He’s super cute. And funny.”

I nibble on my lower lip. “Yeah. He is…”

“But let me guess…he’s not a grumpy flight instructor.”

“Ugh. Am I that obvious?” I rub my hands down my face. “I’m so pathetic.”

“Hey, stop. I would never say that. Sometimes, the heart wants what the heart wants, and there’s not much we can do about it.”

“Yeah, well, the grumpy instructor all but told my heart to take a hike and look for someone else.”

She stops to give me a hug. “I know, and he’s an idiot for that. You’re good people, Lark. If he can’t see that, it’s his loss. Besides, do you really want to sneak around? At least with Theo, you can have a relationship out in the open.”

I lean my head on her shoulder, digging my toes into the wet sand while watching a big wave curl in the distance. “Yeah. I guess.”

Something thumps behind us. Olive rolls her eyes. “Abel, I swear to the gods, if you—” As she whirls, her tone changes. “What are you doing here?”

I spin, and my muscles clench. Elijah, Mark, and the stocky blond fledgling with a buzz cut and wide nose who I recognize as another member of their flight unit all stand too close for comfort. Notable in her absence is Helene. I wonder if we can expect a late arrival to this delightful gathering or if she had better things to do.

Elijah and Mark fan out to each side, working with the third fledgling to surround us. Edging backward to remain out of reach, the frigid tide rushes over my feet and ankles. The icy water bites at my skin.

Mark sneers. “We’re here to do what Torno and Bigley are too chicken to do.”

Olive widens her stance and rolls her shoulders back. The top of her head barely reaches his collarbone and he’s double her weight, but my courageous friend refuses to be cowed. “Oh, yeah? And what’s that?”

“Weed out the traitors.”

Olive and I exchange an uneasy glance before she faces off with them again, curling her lip. “Are you sure? Or is it that you’re worried about our flight unit beating you in the trial rankings now that you’ve seen that Lark isn’t dead weight?”

Despite the tense situation, I can’t help but protest. “Hey!”

Olive directs a tiny, apologetic smile my way. “Sorry, but you can’t blame us for worrying.”

The blond fledgling shuffles his feet. “So what? I’m not afraid to admit I want that first pick of assignments. My best friend’s older sister’s flight unit placed second to last her year and got sent far north during winter. A blizzard hit, and she and two others in her unit froze to death in the mountains.”

Elijah glowers at his friend. “Don’t be a wuss, Trevor. We don’t need any help kicking these losers’ asses in the trial. That’s not why we’re here.”

I’m tempted to ask the obvious question—whyarethey here—but self-preservation silences my tongue. Somehow, I doubt hearing their plan to “weed out the traitors” will do much to tame my rampaging nerves. “This is stupid. Abel, Nick, and Theo are just around the corner. One shout and they come running, and then it’s five to three in our favor.”

Mark’s soft chuckle sends a chill zinging down my spine. “Go ahead. See that?” He gestures at something overhead. “We planned ahead. Trevor’s been working on his air shield just for this. We tested it until we were sure it was soundproof.”

Trevor’s focused on the translucent dome that engulfs the five of us. If not for the sun glimmering off the shield in spots, the barrier would almost be invisible.

Olive tries anyway. “Nick! Theo! Get your butts over here. It’s an emergency!”

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