Page 58 of Enchanted Crown
I spun to the side, reaching back to feel my own damn wings. They were surprisingly smooth and leathery. Just like Esta’s felt.
I had wings. Wings.
“Where’s the rest of my dragon traits?” I asked. “Am I going to pop out a tail any minute now?”
Malachi shrugged. “If Esta took a lesser form of your Enchantment, it seems you might only have the ability to shift forth wings. Dragon wings.”
I rolled my shoulders back, feeling that pinch between my shoulder blades. “I thought I was just sore. How do I use these things?”
“We should go find Esta,” Malachi said. “I know wings and can teach you the basics, but not dragon wings. Mine are far lighter. Built differently.”
Lighter? My wings didn’t feel heavy. Just that pinching between my shoulder blades. I sent Owen a look and took off for the door.
“Keir,” Owen called, chasing after me.
The faster he moved, the faster I moved, until I was running.
“What are we doing?” Malachi asked, adding into the chase.
“Donotdo what I think you are about to do,” Owen yelled after me.
It was too late; I was up a set of stairs and heading straight for the nearest balcony. As I ran, I pinched my elbows in and noted that my wings followed the motion, tucking in closer to my body.
I was hoping that if I threw my arms out wide, my wings would too, or instinct would take over. And if not, I always had my first Enchantment to catch me.
With that thought, I hurled myself over the balcony and began falling toward the gardens.
I threwmy arms out wide and though my wings also followed suit, I learned that was it. I had no idea how to beat the things.
“Dammit Keir,” I heard Owen state from above me.
I maybe should have waited for Esta. Or let Malachi explain the basics to me. I had wings and was too excited not to try them out. Rash decision? Likely. Regrettable one? Not yet anyway.
I sent my magic to the ground to catch me, a safety net of sorts.
Beat,I willed my wings. And then sure enough, as I was becoming way too close to smashing into the ground, my wings beat. Once. Twice. I found it not all that different from having to will my magic. I had to will the wings to do what I wanted in the same manner. It felt foreign, my head and arms jerking backward with every beat, but hopefully over time flying would become as easy as using my own Enchantment. Less flailing was certainly needed.
Malachi let out a victory yell and then was flying next to me.
I flew in the direction of Esta, knowing where she was down our bond.
She must have sensed something was off or wrong, as she was already almost back to the castle, her and Jorah crossing the meadow quickly. They both stilled as they saw us.
“Any landing tips?” I asked Malachi.
Oh, so now you want tips?
“Yes please?”
Wings out wide as you land, when your feet hit the ground, you can tuck them in.
How hard could it be? “Got it.”
I put my wings out wide—this time without my arms mimicking—by will alone and was pleased to find they did as I directed. I began heading toward the ground far slower than Malachi who landed and shifted.
Apparently, I did not wait long enough for my feet to hit the ground, as I fell to the ground in a rush. I quickly rolled, tucking my wings in even tighter so to not get scraped, some sort of instinct at work in knowing how important they were.
And then I was back on my feet, brushing the dirt off my hands. “That could have gone smoother,” I told Malachi.
