Page 57 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

The moment Olive and I enter the mess hall for breakfast, we know something’s up. Instead of the usual voices and laughter greeting us, we walk into a subdued, quiet room brimming with tension.

I lean toward Olive. The abnormal hush makes this feel like a whisper type of situation. “What’s happening?”

She inclines her head toward a table by the back wall where Commander Bigley and Vice Commander Torno stand tall and dignified as they watch yawning fledglings and flyers trickle in. Instructor Dawson flanks them on one side, Thorne on the other. His wide stance and squared shoulders appear battle ready, as does the cold stare he directs straight ahead.

We hurry to fill our plates and claim our usual seats. I’m guessing they’re here to make an announcement about the dragon, but my anticipation climbs the longer they go without speaking.

I’m finishing my bowl of fruit when Bigly calls for our attention. Cutlery pings against plates and chair legs scrape the floor as every student swivels in his direction.

“As I’m sure everyone is aware by now, Flighthaven experienced a tragic incident late last night when one of our treasured dragons died. While Instructor Dawon was riding Raider, he quit responding to her commands. He fell from the sky and crashed to the Flighthaven grounds. Only quick thinking on Instructor Dawson’s part, and her affinity for air magic, spared her life. The impact crushed Raider’s legs and caused internal injuries, so Instructor Thorne made the difficult call to end his suffering.”

Inadvertently, my gaze skips to Thorne. For a fleeting moment, his eyes connect with mine before he redirects them so he’s peering straight ahead.

“Our staff is working as fast as possible to cultivate what we can so that Raider’s death isn’t completely in vain.”

I grimace. Cultivate, as in, strip his body for anything of value, like dragon scales or blood. Or fat…like the kind used to treat those fireproof cloaks for magic training purposes. My stomach roils, and I drop my half-eaten roll onto the plate.

“In the meantime, please avoid the area, and give our staff space to work. This should go without saying, but any student found attempting to steal from or deface Raider’s body will suffer severe consequences.” Bigley’s eagle-eyed gaze sweeps across the mess hall, as if he’s trying to browbeat potential rulebreakers into compliance. “Vice Commander Torno and myself, along with other staff, will be conducting interviews with students pertaining to the incident. Whether Raider’s death was the result of natural causes or a planned attack by an insider or external forces, we will get to the bottom of this.”

Whispers spread like wildfire, as do shocked expressions. Everyone in the room knows external forces is a diplomatic way of saying enemy kingdoms, and the idea of Tirene or Kamor agents sneaking onto campus to kill a dragon coats my skin with an invisible layer of dread.

“If any of you know of pertinent information involving the death, you have a duty to your kingdom to report it immediately. Now, Vice Commander Torno has a brief announcement, so give her your attention.”

Torno steps forward, her hands clasped behind her back. “Due to last night’s incident, along with other circumstances beyond our control, we will be moving up the date of the upcoming trial. It will now take place in two weeks’ time.”

Gasps and the rise of warring voices fill the mess hall. I glance at Olive in horror. I never concerned myself with the trial because I expected to be long gone by the time the event rolled around. Two weeks is cutting things close, though. Too close. How in the hells will I pass a flyer trial in such a short time period when I’ve yet to actually fly?

“Quiet, please! I know this comes as an unpleasant surprise, but I have every confidence in all of you. I know our students will rise to the occasion in the face of adversity. Between now and then, I recommend that you all dedicate yourselves to training. My office is open to you anytime. Stop by if you have questions or need a pep talk.” Is it my imagination, or do her eyes pause on me when she says that last bit? “Now, finish eating, and head to your regularly scheduled classes.”

Bigley and Torno file out, followed by Dawson and Thorne. Walking side by side, they make a gorgeous couple, with her fair skin and blond hair complimenting his darker complexion. For some reason, the observation bothers me, and I rub at the sudden burning sensation in my chest.

I try to catch Thorne’s eye as he passes our table, but he never glances in my direction. My heart sinks. Out of everyone on campus, he alone knows how well and truly screwed I am if I have to participate in that cursed trial. Maybe he’s ignoring me on purpose, worried that I’ll see his pity and panic.

Little does he know, I’m already panicking.

The second the door closes behind him, the mess hall devolves into pandemonium. Arguments break out among the fledglings about the dragon and trial. All the excitement and shouting assaults my eardrums, exacerbating my foul mood.

Olive receives more nasty glowers than usual, an observation that makes me even grumpier. “Why are so many people glaring at you today?”

Holding up a finger, Olive pops a piece of buttered brown bread into her mouth and swallows. “This happens anytime something goes wrong and they’re not sure of the cause. I’m the Kamor sympathizer, so I must be involved.”

She says this with a shrug, like the fact that people point their fingers at her whenever something bad happens doesn’t faze her. I don’t know how she stands it. I want to punch every one of those sneering mouths. Breakfast’s only saving grace comes when Theo plops down beside me and whispers in my ear.

“Tonight after dinner work for operation fuck with my roommate?”

“Sounds perfect.” I glance at the door Thorne and Dawson disappeared through and frown. ‘Do you think Instructor Dawson is pretty?”

Theo’s eyebrows shoot up to meet his hairline. “Pretty? No, I wouldn’t say she’s pretty.” His follow-up statement squashes my relief like a beetle beneath a boot. “Dawson is flat-out hot.”

On second thought, I change my mind. Theo needs to go.

With a wink, he leans over and snatches the rest of Olive’s bread off her plate while she’s chatting with Abel. Whistling, he saunters away.

Olive nods in response to something Abel says. She reaches for her bread, her fingers groping the empty plate without success. “What the…again? Curse you, Theo! You’ll be sorry when I start booby-trapping my food with wormwort!”

His laughter drifts over his shoulder as he waltzes out the door.

I mock shudder. “Remind me to never mess with your food.”

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