Page 3 of Stealing Samantha

Jaess forced himself to step forward. The lights grew even brighter. He jumped to the left, forgoing the ramp so he could allow his wings to partially extend. It’d been a long journey, and he’d had to keep them tucked down aboard the flyer. It felt good to have air beneath his feathers again. Wings were not meant to be kept locked tightly against one’s back. As he drifted down with his eyes closed, he could almost forget where he was.

His feet hit the ground. It was harder than a platform, and far less forgiving than the forest floor. Jaess frowned again as he felt the jolt of that small landing rock through his body. When he looked down, he saw that instead of healthy ground, the surface below his boots was completely flat and smooth. He hit his heel against the dark material, and it didn’t give at all.

He blinked again as he lifted his head and looked out at his surroundings. He could no longer stop his crown feathers from rising or his wings from tensing. This place—the transportation center as it was called—was like nothing he’d ever imagined. He’d seen a few vids showing Verkissat and some of the other regions of his planet, but they hadn’t prepared him for the reality of standing in this strange, sterile space.

No plants or trees could be seen. It didn’t matter which direction he faced. On every side he was surrounded by a similar hard, artificial ground or tall, solid buildings, their color so bright they seemed designed expressly to call attention to themselves. Shimmering, shining—they were a painfully bright white. Far, far in the distance, he could see the comforting dark green of a forest. Verkissat was as awful a place as the elders had told him.

He heard the hatch closing behind him. He turned as a soft beep came from the flyer, a warning to step back. He’d already engaged the autopilot system to send the craft back to his people’s landing circle. Now it would leave him behind, and he would have to hope his cousin was easily accessible, because the capital city was far worse than he’d ever anticipated. He looked out doubtfully at those countless buildings and a shiver overtook his body, rippling outwards to his feathers. This was no familiar village. A few simple questions wouldn’t have someone leading him to T’xith.

Before he could let his mind convince him he’d just made the worst mistake of his life, he thought of her.Sam. Shining, dark, fluid human hair pressing softly against his scales, its fragrance still lingering on his chest hours later. Sharp-tongued words in the most enchanting voice he’d ever heard. A lovely woman the goddess had marked just for him.Any trial is worth it, he reminded himself.

The flyer began to lift from the ground, and he hopped away to give it room for takeoff. Then he turned back to face his first challenge—leaving this cursed place and finding T’xith.

“Are you lost, landsman?” An amused voice caught his attention as he watched the flyer lift away and turn back towards Lisseethi—towards Vastiss.

“Maybe. Perhaps you can assist me,” he said as he shifted his feet and pivoted to the side. A tall, winged man was staring at him. When he saw that Jaess was looking back, he smiled and held out his arm.

“Well met, brother. Is this your first time out of the forest?” he asked.

Jaess took a hesitant step forward before he placed his arm over the other man’s. Unlike a v’ith of Lisseethi, this man wore dull black pants and a shirt of the same color that covered his entire chest and the top of his arms. Jaess could see the man’s birthchain, but nothing else. He had wings. Had the man forgotten all else that made him a son of the forest?

He pulled back his hand. “Well met. I am Jaess of Vastiss. I have left my settlement to seek out my cousin, T’xith of Vastiss, Captain of the Fleet. Can you tell me where I might find him?” Jaess asked.

“Your kinsman is a Fleet captain?” The man laughed lightly. “He has flown high, indeed.” He looked down at his strange shirt with a little twist of his lips. “I’m only an enforcer, but I can take you to Fleet Headquarters if you’re willing to wait until my shift is over. It isn’t much longer, and I can tell you a bit about the city while we watch.”

“What are we watching?” Jaess asked. “What is it, exactly, that you do as an enforcer?”

“Here? I make sure there are no disputes over takeoff protocols that could endanger other passengers’ and pilots’ safety. Sometimes I help those who are lost, as you seem to be. In general, I do my best to assist our people, in whichever manner that may be.”

Jaess inclined his head towards the man. “What was your name, v’ith? You never told me.”

“I’m Yanish of Fassalthi. I’ve never heard the place name Vastiss before. Where’s it located?” asked the man.

“We live in the far south near Lake V’issa,” Jaess replied.

Yanish’s feathers snapped. “Truly? I thought that region was deserted.”

“Ours is a private settlement. We enjoy our homeland’s beauty.”

“And you don’t wish to share it, if I’m understanding you correctly.”

“We simply value our peace,” Jaess replied. “I would appreciate the assistance you offer, Yanish of Fassalthi. Finding my cousin is of the utmost importance.”

“Do you know anyone else in the city?” the other man asked.

“No. He was the only one of us to leave. I have traveled within Lisseethi, of course, for clan meets and the like, but I’m unfamiliar with Verkissat. I did not expect it to be quite so…” Jaess paused, not knowing how best to express himself.

“So large? So impressive?” Yanish prompted.

“So lifeless,” Jaess replied instead. “How can you live in such a place?”

He let his wings stretch out to the sides and extend. The breeze catching on his feathers was at least a small reminder that despite its unpleasant appearance, the Xithilene here hadn’t been able to rid the land of all of its elements. The wind still swept past those hideous buildings the same way it could rip through a wide clearing. He’d been to some of the coastal areas before, where the winds off the water were powerful enough to let a man glide the currents with his wings.

“It is strange at first, but you soon grow accustomed to the differences. I like it here now, although at times I do miss our great forests. It is much better now after the discovery of the Lady’s Temple in Lisseethi. Most no longer expect us to hide our wings, except for a few of the bronze-scaled, but they are in the minority now,” Yanish told him, just as if the words made sense.Hide their wings?He’d never heard of such a thing. Had his brethren truly obeyed such insulting rules? “You appear outraged, but I promise you that in the past it was so—there are far less of us here than the wingless ones.”

Jaess inclined his head. “It is simply difficult to believe. Our wings are our glory. Do the women here not judge a v’ith by his display?” he asked.

Yanish tilted his head. “In private, perhaps, or in the dancehalls, yes.” The man’s expression brightened. “You should have your cousin take you to dance. There the Lisseethi always lead our wingless brethren, and all who come are eager to see our abilities.”

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