Page 171 of Wings of Ash & Flame
Alaire reached out to run her hands through Solflara’s familiar feathers, no longer fearing the flames. They’d come so far from those first uncertain days after she hatched.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.Let’s speed this up,shall we?Also,has no one mentioned the dark,puffy circles under your eyes?”
Or not.
“It’s called exhaustion.That’s what happens when you’re drugged then dragged into a gods-forsaken trial at a school you never planned on attending.” Alaire crossed her arms with a huff.
“I’d have to disagree.Kaia doesn’t have the same problem.”
“The bags under my eyes are not important right now.Can we get out of here?”
“Fine.But if you’re still trying to woo the prince, the least you can do is look presentable.”
“Thank you,but for the millionth time,I amnottrying to woo the prince.I’m trying to survive this creepy academy.Does that work for you?”
“What’s got your underwear twisted?”
Before Alaire could respond, the barrier rippled as her teammates pushed through. Dawson emerged first, expression thunderous. “Not even two minutes into this challenge, and you’re already galloping off alone. What is it going to take for you to understand we need to work together as a team?” His voice was even, but she knew him well enough to catalog the tension in his shoulders and patented scowl.
Swallowing down a snarky response, she said, “I saw her and just?—”
“I know.” His expression softened. Beck gave his wings a gentle flap, tail swishing in circles around Dawson. The bond between them was evident in their mutual care.
“But you’re right,” Alaire admitted.
Dawson raised his brows.
“Don’t look at me like that. I can be capable of logic and reason.”
Solflara snorted down the bond. “Doubtful.”
Kaia scratched a spot behind Hadrian’s ears. He nuzzled the top of her hair with the curve of his beak before she mounted the arcstorm.
“See?Why can’t you act like that?”
“Ugh,that lovesick puppy.Never.”
She bet Hadrian didn’t give Kaia this much attitude.
Dawson’s voice cut into her thoughts. “Next time, we move as a unit, okay?” He shot her a pointed look.
She placed a hand over her heart. “You have my word, Knox.”
Grabbing Solflara’s braid, she mounted her celestial.
Caius climbed onto his sleek griffin, Onyx, with practiced ease.
A sound like tearing fabric ripped through the silence. North of the clearing, a swirling wormhole appeared, its edges crackling.
“That’s our exit,” Dawson said. Sitting tall on his celestial, shoulders squared, he surveyed them. “Once we’re through, we stay in formation. We don’t know what’s waiting on the other side.”
His gaze lingered on her.
The challenges ahead would only get more difficult. She pushed the fear from her mind. Would they all survive?
“Everyone ready?” Dawson asked, eyes sweeping over their unit. The heir to House Aetheris was born to lead.
