Page 179 of Wings of Ash & Flame
They flew as one now, synchronized.
Tension lingered, hairline cracks waiting to splinter under pressure. Yet for the first time, a fragile sense of unity bound them. The path to trust—maybe even friendship—would be long, but small stepping stones of possibility stretched where none had before.
Gratitude swelled in her chest as her fingers twined deeper into Solflara’s feathers—her bossy, stubborn, but selfless friend.
A tearing sound echoed through the cavern. The air shimmered ahead until a swirling wormhole solidified, edges hazy.
“There!” Kaia pointed as it stabilized.
“About fucking time,” Dawson muttered, guiding Beck through first.
“Get me out of here,” Caius grumbled.
As Alaire followed through the portal, heaviness settled in her chest, an insidious thought taking root: Whatever awaited would test them in ways she couldn’t yet fathom.
Forty-One
Alaire wasn’t sure which was worse—the sweltering heat they’d escaped or the tundra sprawling endlessly in every direction. Emerging from the wormhole, she leaned against Solflara’s neck, disoriented and spent as they landed on the frozen ground.
The cold gnawed at her exposed skin, seeping into her bones through every seam and gap. Here, the cold was a living thing, a trial in itself.
Wind roared, a deafening howl that drowned out all other sounds. The frigid air, laced with the faint scent of snow, filled her nostrils.
Warmth surged before her. She nearly sagged to her knees with relief—never had she been so grateful for Solflara’s flames. The others clustered around her phoenix, soaking up what heat they could from the biting air.
After a few moments, Solflara’s glow dimmed.
“Solf?”
“Fine.” She flicked her tail, sparks snapping in the air as if to prove it. “Just depleted.Healing drains me quicker than anything else.” Her gaze slid toward the arcstorm. “Hadrian had better not use this as an excuse to fuss over me.” She huffed,smoke curling from her nostrils. “I don’t want his pity or puppy-dog eyes.”
Alaire wrapped her arms around Solflara’s neck. “Rest.Even Elithian’s greatest celestial needs a break now and then.But I make no promises about Hadrian.”
“Harumph.” Curling her tail around herself, Solflara shut her eyes. Even at rest, she radiated heat.
Alaire turned back to the group. Before them stretched a harsh expanse of ice and snow, painted in blinding white and brutal grey. Two massive peaks loomed on either horizon.
“These trials just keep getting better,” Caius muttered, breath puffing white.
“Solflara can give us respite once she’s back at full strength. But we need cover until we figure out our task.”
The icy air sliced her lungs like glass, tightening her chest. Frustration flared as her body betrayed her. Reaching for her breathbind reliquary, it slipped from her trembling fingers, clattering against the ice.
Dawson stooped, placing it back into her palm and curling her fingers over it. His hand lingered.
“Breathe with me,” he murmured, voice an unwavering anchor against her panic. His gaze held hers as she inhaled.
His warm hand traced the knobs of her spine, geometric shapes easing her tension. His shoulder brushed hers, subtly shielding her from Kaia and Caius.
“That’s it,” he whispered. “Just breathe.”
Slowly, the tightness calmed into a labored but steady rhythm.
When she finally straightened, Kaia and Caius had drifted away, giving her privacy. She offered them a small, grateful smile. It was embarrassing for anyone to see her like that.
“It is part of you,” Solflara said down the bond. “That alone should never be a source of shame.It makes you different,yes—but it makes you distinctive.No one should ever have to shy away from what makes them unique. It is those pieces of individuality that make you who you are.”
Tears burned the back of her eyes. “Thank you,Solflara.”
