Out of the current completely.
I’m in a free fall. The ground rises up to meet me.
Time slows, my heart falls into my stomach, and I raise my hands in front of my face to save it from slamming into the dirt.
But invisible hands coil around me, stopping me a mere foot from colliding head-first with the ground.
“Oof!” Air is pushed out of my lungs as my body sags hard in her grip before crumpling to the ground when she drops me.
“Sorry!” she cries. “I thought you’d get your legs underneath you when I caught you!”
Dirt sticks to my cheek as I lay sprawled on my stomach.
“Ugh.” I groan, vanishing my wings away and rolling onto my back.
Lachlan and Mina peer at me from where I lay on the ground.
“That was nae a bad first try,” Lachlan says. He squats down, wiping the dirt off my cheek with tender strokes.
“Yeah, you glided for a while!” Mina replies, encouragement beaming from her smile.
A slow clap sounds from underneath the archway.
I push up onto my elbows to see Luna leaning against the wooden beam.
“Very nice. Just drop her from a tree next time,” she says. Sarcasm dripped from each word.
“Do ye ha’ any better ideas?” Lachlan drawls, squaring up for what will undoubtedly be the first of many verbal spars between them today.
“Yeah. Make sure she has her bearing before you drop her on the ground.” She looks at Mina as she says the words.
“It was an accident.” Mina pouts. She looks down at her boots as she answers.
“We can’t afford accidents. Especially with our queen.” Luna’s words turn sharp, and while I agree with the sentiment, we can’t afford to waste time that we don’t have.
“Thank you, Luna. But I agreed to this. And we’re out of time.”
“Your time will come to an even sooner end if you keep getting dropped like that,” she replies, rolling her eyes heavenward.
“Enough.” I take Lachlan’s outstretched hand and stand. “I got it.”
Dirt crunches behind us, and I turn in time to see Harald, Evander, Mathilda, Tane, and Piominko walking our way.
“Looks like we’re all here then.” I dust the dust off my leathers and bring my wings back out.
A gentle wind floats across the grounds, rustling my silver feathers and cooling the burn of the sun. It’s going to be a hot one today.
Gathered in a circle, I glance at each one of my friends. We have so little time, and I don’t even know where to start. Lachlan shifts on his feet beside me, and I glance to the side, catching his stern expression. Right. I need to be in training mode.
“If you’re not already warm, run a few laps. If you are warm, let’s stretch out and start with sparring.” My order is met with nods. Mathilda, Tane, and Evander jog while the rest of us spread and stretch.
Before long, we’re partnered up and sparring.
Evander and Luna.
Mathilda and Mina.
Tane and Piominko.
