Page 88 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

Understood. He doesn’t want to talk about the man. Given how his legs and arms tense against me, I figure they must have argued. Not that he’s admitting it.

The fact that Thorne has secrets shouldn’t bother me. Gods know I have plenty of my own. I don’t like it, though. I want him to feel comfortable sharing things with me, and his lack of trust in me stings. More than it should.

I want to burrow under that tough outer shell of his and discover what’s hidden underneath. Maybe years of working as a private soldier and witnessing the worst of humanity hardened him, but he managed to retain a softer, caring side. I’ve seen that part of him in action.

Zephyr veers to the left, derailing my train of thought. A timely interruption, because what in the gods am I doing? One kiss and act of kindness, and suddenly I’m imagining Thorne opening up to me like we’re in a serious relationship. Even with my inexperience, I know better.

Okay. Fine. He can keep his secrets. That won’t stop me from running scenarios through my head.

I picture the gold coins he handed Royce—two of many—and consider the possibility that he’s worried the man will rob him. Or maybe the stranger’s someone from Thorne’s past, like another private soldier with a long-standing beef. Maybe they squabbled over a lover. As soon as Celeste’s face comes to mind, I decide I no longer want to waste brainpower on the mystery man.

Now I’m the one who’s tense.

Thorne must notice because he throws me a bone. “Tell me about the food pantry. How long have you been helping with it? I bet your mother must be proud.”

I laugh. “About two years. And, um, I have no idea if she’d be proud or not because I never told her. Actually, I’m pretty sure she’d be horrified.”

“Why?”

“Because then she’d know I snuck out. I told you, she’s overprotective.”

“I remember, but surely she’s not so overprotective that she’d begrudge you leaving to do something so worthwhile.”

I scoff. “You don’t know my mother.”

He leans over my shoulder to see my face. “What does that mean? You had to leave the castle sometimes. Meetups with friends, traveling, shopping…”

“The only location I was allowed to visit with any regularity was the castle grounds, and even then I was rarely alone. My mother was always at my side or had Leesa stuck there. If possible, I think Mother would have glued us together. I’m sure she would have lost her mind if she knew Leesa helped me escape at night more than once.”

In the ensuing silence, I wonder what he’s thinking. Or if I revealed too much. The last thing I want from him is pity…or for him to view me as a naïve child.

“I was wrong about you before, Axton.”

His deep voice comes across as even more gravel-filled than usual. “Wrong how?”

“When you first arrived, I had you pegged as just another brainwashed, pampered noble whose parents doted on her and who cared more about her social status and pretty gowns than the well-being of others. I jumped to conclusions based on limited information, and that’s on me.”

The truth smarts. Even though I suspected as much already. “And now that you know me better?”

I hold my breath as I await his reply. It’s not long in coming.

“I’ve watched you work to catch up at Flighthaven. Put in extra hours without complaint. I’ve seen you jump in to defend others, even when they don’t deserve it, and refuse to let hazing hold you back. Honestly, it doesn’t surprise me that you were defying your mother to help the less fortunate in your village…especially the defying part, as I’m personally acquainted with your knack for that. Royce is right. The village is lucky to have you.”

Joy blooms inside me to the point that my chest feels like it’s about to burst. Joy and freedom. The wind, the stars twinkling overhead, the yawning expanse of open sky before us…the rush of emotions is so overpowering that I release Zephyr’s mane and throw my arms out to the sides.

“Whoa, careful.” Sterling’s tightened hold keeps me safe and molded to him. “Last I checked, you still need wings to fly.”

I blink a few times, snapping out of my daze. What the…? Heart racing, I wrap my hands around the pommel. That was beyond strange. Sure, Thorne’s praise warmed my heart, but not to the extent that I should be risking a free fall to a painful death. My emotions go out of whack at the drop of a hat lately, and I don’t like it.

As if to prove my point, another burst of euphoria swells in my chest. Some strange instinct makes me swivel my head to the right. Almost as if I sense another living entity. Far, far off in the distance, near the mountains, a tiny flare of orange cuts through the darkness. One blink and it’s gone.

I keep watching. The orange never reappears, and that sense of sharing the sky with another being gradually fades.

Thorne’s paranoia must be rubbing off on me. There was probably nothing out there to begin with.

Thorne snakes an arm around my waist and pulls me closer to his chest. “You all right?”

Not really. I’m confused and pissed at the weird reactions I keep experiencing for no reason. Since I can’t tell him that, I attempt to laugh it off.

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