Page 69 of Crown of Wings and Whispers

A War Of Wings

December days in Finland were two hours of sunrise and two hours of sunset with nothing in between. So, when we noticed light finally coming through the round window, we weren’t surprised it had an orange cast to it. We were amused, though, to find ourselves socked in. We’d been ready for some fresh air, sunshine, and the next adventure. Instead, we were greeted by an opaque wall of fog.

I felt sheepish and was grateful for the cover. Maybe I was just shy because I was fully dressed again. But whatever it was, Griffon seemed to be suffering from the same self-awareness.

I was well covered with my parka, hat, and gloves. The goggles were in my pocket. Though we could keep ourselves warm, the idea of riding a dragon over the Arctic Circle demanded I wear an extra layer, just in case. Poor Griffon couldn’t if he planned to follow.

“This is eerie,” I said, to test my voice. The fog swallowed my words, and with the white stuff swirling around my feet as I walked down the steps, our little mökki could have been relocated to the top of a cloud and I would have believed it.

Griffon grabbed my mittened hand and we struck out toward the currently hidden lake. Our boots sank into fresh snow that showed no signs we’d been there before. We had to guess where to stop.

I closed my eyes, reached into my left coat sleeve, and thought clearly to my dragon while I rubbed my fingers across my armband.Kivi, can you hear me?Then I opened my eyes and waited. “Maybe she won’t be able to—"

The snort of a giant horse, near my ear, made me jump. Looking over my shoulder, I expected Kivi in her colorful glory, but she was still in her spirit form, barely visible, and had no effect on the thick mist. The pale green and blue of her only showed where the fog allowed.

You must touch me.

Happily, I reached out and felt her jawbone turn solid beneath my hand. “Good morning, Jalokivi.”

She closed her eyes and the corner of her mouth curled slightly. She either enjoyed my touch, approved of her name, or she appreciated being real again.

All of it.

Aware of our telepathic link, Griffon cleared his throat as if worried he was interrupting a conversation. “Good morning, Kivi.”

Her massive head, like a scoop on a front loader, swung in his direction. The ridges of her forehead pushed together, though her slight smile remained. “Son of Fae, why do you linger?” Her eyes widened slightly, then she sniffed him—inhaling so forcefully, it nearly sucked him off his feet. When she was finished, she blinked at him a few times before inclining her head.

Griffon grinned and winked at me. “I think she understands that I’ve finally claimed you.”

My face heated again. “Youclaimedme?I thought it was the other way around.”

Though her smile was gone, I heard Kivi chuckling in my head. She inhaled deeply again, then blew away the fog hanging between us. “No need for hiding today,” she said. “Perfect weather for learning to fly.”

“Fine,” I said. “But I’m terrified.”

“I know this.”

“Don’t worry,” Griffon said, stripping off his coat. “If she drops you, I’ll be there to catch you.”

Kivi laughed outright and the ground vibrated in unison with the kettle drum in her throat. “You presume to keep up?”

My arms shot out. “Whoa! Wait a minute. Let’s get one thing straight. I need to go slow here. The two of you can race each other another time, without me. It’s been years since I’ve ridden a horse—”

“Horse?” Kivi rolled her eyes. “This is no ride. I am no horse.” She flicked a claw at Griffon. “I am no little bird.Weshall become the sky.” She stomped her hand on the snow in front of me. “Come.”

“Wait a minute. I have to know how this is going to work.”

“No,” she said. “Doing is learning. Doing is trusting. Time to spin a plate, Marka.” She looked pointedly at her foot that was anything but flat. “Step here.”

Spin a plate? Could she readallmy thoughts? She couldn’t have overheard my private debate about trust. I’d never said anything to Griffon about spinning plates, had I?

Our thoughts, Marka. Step now.

Griffon offered his arm to steady me. I climbed onto the flat back of Kivi’s hand and worried the heels of my boots might hurt her.

We cannot hurt us.

She lifted me into the air. Griffon had to let go. Kivi turned her head away to expose her lower neck to me. I put my hands on her smooth skin and leaned while I threw my right leg over and balanced myself. The span of her neck was similar to the girth of a horse, but there was no mane, no saddle horn to hang onto. Riding bareback had never been fun for me, and I knew if she started walking, I would fall off. Flying was out of the question!

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