Page 37 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

No matter how much I wriggle and struggle, I can’t hold them off. Vines wind around my wrists and ankles and cut into my skin. With a grunt, I’m lifted off the ground and hefted over a shoulder. The force slams my nose into my captor’s back, and I choke on the stench of stale sweat.

The man I assume to be the ringleader of my abduction speaks. “Keep quiet. None of us can afford to get caught.”

We start to move. After wiggling my hands and feet to check the bindings, I remain still, preserving my strength. Panic would drown me if I let it, because I no longer know if this is hazing or something much, much worse. These people might have kidnapped Leesa. Maybe even killed her. I need to keep my wits and prepare to fight if the opportunity presents itself.

When.When the opportunity presents itself. I refuse to go down easily. Mother wouldn’t survive a second missing daughter.

A door creaks. Cold air brushes my damp gown, and the realization that we’re outside extinguishes any hope that they’re taking me to an empty room in the building to perform some silly initiation.

After a short walk that smashes my nose against my captor’s back with every step, we stop. I’m lifted off his shoulder, only to be flopped over another object in much the same way. A firm surface supports my stomach, while my arms and legs dangle. A musty animal scent tickles my nose.

“Stay still if you want to remain alive.”

There’s a clicking noise. A snort. The surface beneath my stomach lurches, followed by rhythmic thuds. Hoofbeats.

Dread tightens a noose around my neck. Horse? Or alicorn?

The beast beneath speeds up, jarring my body and rattling my teeth with each stride. I hold the terror at bay until thewhoosh whooshof flapping wings assaults my ears. The world tilts, and I pray to any god who might listen when we take off into the night sky.

Alicorn. These bastards put me on an alicorn. What in the hells are they planning to do? Fly me up to dizzying heights so they can toss me off and watch me fall to my death?

My head swims. Buzzing fills my ears. Memories flash behind my eyes, sucking me under.

My joyful giggle. My father’s strong arms around me. Soaring in the air, the wind tugging at my hair and the alicorn’s mane.

Shouts. An agonized shriek.

My stomach bottoming out as the alicorn plummets toward the ground. Falling, falling, falling…

The hooves clatter to a stop. With a gasp, I surface from the past, covered in cold sweat. Someone grabs me beneath my arms and lifts, setting me on my feet.

“Listen carefully. I’m going to cut the binding on your hands and feet. Once I do that, count to fifty. Then you can remove the gag and bag over your head. Nod if you understand.”

I give a desperate nod. Now that I’m off the alicorn, my knees ache to buckle in relief, but it’s too early for celebrating. Unless they flew us in a big circle back to the dorms for shits and giggles, I’m certain the worst is yet to come.

“A little birdy told me you were afraid of flying, and if you can’t fly, you have no business being here. We’ll give you one chance. Agree to leave and let someone more qualified fill your spot, and we’ll take you back to your room right now.”

And abandon Leesa? No. Not happening.

He chuckles. “Okay, then. Guess we’ll find out if you’re scared come morning, because you’ll either get down on your own or you’ll still be rotting up here. Or you’ll be dead.”

He states the three options like they’re all the same to him. And how does he know about my fear of flying? Someone must have seen through my dizzy routine, but who?

A sawing motion yanks at my ankle restraints until my legs are free. My hands are next. “Remember, count to fifty.”

Teeth chattering, I count.

One, two, three…

Wings flap, the noise growing fainter every second.

Four, five, six…

When I reach fifty, I rip the bag off my head and fumble with the gag. The cloth loosens enough for me to yank the foul object from my mouth, and I gulp fresh air while taking stock of my surroundings. Combined with the faint firelights emitting around campus, the moon cuts the darkness just enough for me to see where I am…or rather, where I’m not.

“Son of a dragon’s ass.”

Barely daring to breathe, I peer over the edge of the rooftop. The very, very tall rooftop. The ground is a steep drop—the kind of fall that would snap my bones into pieces and crack my skull like a ripe melon.

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