Page 16 of Court of Twisted Angels

Strong arms wrap around me, solid and steady against the chaos of my spiral. Magic crackles where we touch, his power a tangible force that cuts through my panic like sunlight through storm clouds. My back presses against his chest, and I feel the thunder of his heartbeat even through the warm tunics that are meant to keep out the chill.

"Breathe with me." His voice rumbles close to my ear, surprisingly gentle for a creature I've only known to bring pain. "Feel the rhythm of my wings. Match it."

The powerful sweep of his feathers creates a cocoon around us, blocking out the dizzying view of ground and sky. Purple streams of magic weave between the white feathers, forming a protective barrier that slows our descent.

"That's it. Small breaths." His arms adjust, one hand splaying across my sternum while the other steadies my waist. "Focus on the magic current. It's still there, waiting. You can feel it."

My racing heart begins to slow, falling into sync with the steady beat of his wings. The ones on my back start to relax, responding to his guidance as he helps me extend them properly.

"The fear is natural," he murmurs, his breath stirring my hair. "But you can't let it control you. Feel how the current flows – like water around stone. Don't fight it. Move with it."

Magic swirls around us in visible streams now, and I realize he's manipulating the energy to show me its pattern. The purple ribbons dance and weave, creating paths I can actually see. My breathing steadies further as I watch their hypnotic flow.

"There you are, little bird." His voice holds a note of approval as my wings finally catch the current properly. "Stay with me. We'll take this slowly."

The magic current flows steadier now, a visible river of purple light that carries us through the dawn-painted sky. But awareness creeps back like ice through my veins – I'm wrapped in the arms of a xaphan. The same creatures who scarred me. Who keep my people in poverty. Who watch humans die in their trials for entertainment.

My muscles tense. The wings feel like they pull at my back as I shift, trying to put distance between us. His arms loosen immediately, allowing me to drift a few feet away, though he maintains a hovering presence close enough to catch me if I falter again.

"I don't need your help anymore." The words come out sharper than intended, brittle with remembered pain. The scar tissue along my neck burns, a physical reminder of why I shouldn't trust him.

But my body betrays me, missing the steady anchor of his presence. The magical current feels more elusive now, slipping through my grasp like smoke. My body wobbles uncertainly as I try to maintain altitude alone.

His ice-blue eyes study me, unblinking. "Pride will get you killed faster than fear in these trials."

Purple energy dances between us, responding to his power. The dawn light catches his wings, sending ripples of color across the light feathers. He's beautiful in the way all xaphan are beautiful – deadly and distant as winter stars.

Yet moments ago, those same wings had sheltered me from panic. Those hands, capable of such destruction, had steadied me with surprising gentleness. The contradiction twists in my chest like a knife.

"I can't trust you." The words taste like truth and ashes. "No matter how helpful you seem."

His lips curve into that dangerous almost-smile. "I'm not asking for trust, little bird. Only cooperation."

The magic streams coil around us both, purple light reflecting in his winter-pale eyes. My heart pounds an uneven rhythm, caught between instinctive fear and something else – something I refuse to name.

I'm here to survive. And I won't let this xaphan stop me from that.

10

AZRAEL

Through narrowed eyes, I track the little bird's movements as she weaves between shimmering barriers of pure magic. Her auburn hair whips behind her like a battle standard, determination etched into every line of her face. The other candidates fumble and hesitate, but she moves with purpose.

"Faster." My voice cuts through the chamber. "Your enemies won't wait while you dance around."

She shoots me a venomous glare but picks up her pace. The magical barriers pulse with increasing intensity, their ethereal light casting strange shadows across the stone walls. Several crystalline orbs hover at different heights, each one a potential stepping stone - or a deadly trap.

"Three steps left, then jump." I bark out the command, watching her muscles tense. "Now."

She follows my instruction perfectly, launching herself into the air just as a wave of crackling energy sweeps beneath her feet. Her landing is graceful, practiced. Too practiced.

"Again," I say as she comes up to a stop before me. "This time blindfolded."

The other instructors exchange concerned glances, but I ignore them. She's stronger than they realize. I've seen it in the way she carries herself, in the steel behind those green eyes.

I tie a length of black silk to cover her vision, and I reset the course with a wave of my hand. The magical barriers shift and realign, their patterns more treacherous than before. Crystal orbs pulse with deadly intent, the barriers set to react to her. I want to see if she can feel them like she did in the void.

"Five paces forward," I command. "Feel for the traps."

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