Page 89 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

“Yup. Guess I’m just responding to feeling the freest I’ve felt in my life.”

His grip tightens. “It’s sad…no, a crime…that your mother cooped you up like she did. I understand wanting to protect a child, but keeping them imprisoned, even if the prison is a spectacular castle? That’s wrong.”

“It’s not all her fault.”

His arm loosens around me. “You’re saying you wanted her to treat you like?—”

“A living, breathing doll? No. Of course not. But after my father died and I was hurt in the accident, my mother lost it. She’s always been afraid I’m going to die or disappear. I’m certain she’s shocked I’ve survived Flighthaven this long. She’s… No, I don’t want to revisit my past. It’s over, and I plan to never feel trapped like that again.”

He eases closer. I risk covering his hand with mine and love it a little too much when he doesn’t pull away.

I wish these moments could last forever. Our easy banter continues as he banks Zephyr to the left, toward Flighthaven.

“Take over the reins.” When I hesitate, he leans forward until his warm breath caresses my ear. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”

A moment of that old panic rears its head. I acknowledge the feeling and then reason my way past it. I’ve been training for this moment. We’re already in the air. Thorne is behind me and won’t let anything happen to me.

That last reason pushes me to grab hold of the reins.

To my delight, taking the reins is the toughest part. I fly Zephyr solo without needing any help from Thorne. Soon, Flighthaven appears in the distance. Despite the King’s Moon illuminating everything, fire burns in metal barrels and stone pits, increasing the brightness almost as much as day, an atypical sight at this hour.

Shouts ring out. People race across campus like little ants. Dragons and their riders launch into the sky, fanning out in different directions.

I struggle to decipher what’s going on through all the confusion. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know.”

After relieving me of the reins, Thorne lands Zephyr in a small clearing behind a stand of trees, a short distance from the alicorn stable. With all the commotion, no guards stop to check our credentials.

He dismounts before helping me off. “Join your flight unit, Axton.”

Without another word, he dashes toward the dragon aerie.

Panicked and breathless, I run, Zephyr trotting next to me. With all the people scrambling around, it’s hard to find my unit, but eventually I spot them near the paddock. None of them have their alicorns yet, their gazes still riveted to the sky.

“Olive!”

She startles, whirling around to fling her arms around me. “Oh my gods, you’re alright! I was so worried something terrible happened to you.” Her voice sounds choked, as if she’s fighting back tears. “What’s Zephyr doing here? Where were you?”

Hesitantly, I pat her on the back. I get how waking up to a campus alarm and finding me gone could be a little concerning. Even so, her reaction strikes me as a little over-the-top. “I’m fine.”

She squeezes me until my ribs start to complain, only relenting when Zephyr rubs his muzzle against Olive’s ear and nickers. I send the alicorn a silentthank youas Olive steps back and stares. “Why is Zephyr with you?”

I pat the alicorn’s neck. “I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to take Zephyr for a stroll. Olive, what’s going on? Why are you so freaked out?”

She starts to tell me, but something else seizes her attention. I turn to see Bigley and Torno barreling toward us. “We better get in formation.”

I do what she says, doing my best to act like having an alicorn attached to my arm is the most natural thing in the world.

Though Torno frowns at Zephyr, Bigley ignores the alicorn.

Excitement ripples through the crowd.

“Quiet everyone.” Torno lifts her hands.

The fledglings quit talking. My heart beats hard against my throat as I sneak glances in search of Thorne.

He’s nowhere to be found.

---