A lyre is plucked, and the hall falls quiet, awaiting the strings of music with bated breath. The lanky man from the tavern walks through the door, and my heart rate doubles. I shoot a glance towards Mathilda as she drags Tane my way.
The man bows his head as the music starts. He takes a deep breath, his shoulders bobbing with the exertion. When he raises his head and begins singing, the sound of his voice is so soulful and powerful, that I shiver.
The lyrics are about a man, faced with the end of his life, and his last thoughts are on his love. The words resonate deep within my soul, like he took my very fears and dreams to construct the lyrics of this song. Lachlan’s arms wrap around my waist from behind, and I lean back against his chest.
At the end of the day, at the end of our lives, the one thing that could ever possibly matter is the love we had. Some stories won’t be written in the history books, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be remembered.
Some stories are written in the history books, their endings so horrible and unjust. But the stories of battles once fought came from love. Revolutions have been started for the love of a kingdom, or the love of a daughter wronged. Lives have been lost in pursuit of saving loved ones.
What we’re doing now is no different. I look around the room at Lachlan standing beside Torin, Tane, and Matilda holding hands, Mina, Evander, and Luna. I would do anything to keep them safe, and to create a better world for them. Resolve settles into my veins.
I can do this. I can lead them to victory.
Itrudge down the path to the training grounds in the early light of the morning. A fog blankets the field of poppies and the dew still sparkles on the ground, making the cobblestones slick. The air is crisp, a slight chill brought on by the incoming fall season. My leathers fight off the nip of the chilly breeze and my wings bounce with my quickening pace.
“It’s so early,” Mina whines.
Her hair sticks up at odd angles in the back. I dragged her from her bed when I woke up this morning and forced her down here. I was inclined to keep sleeping myself, but our time is dwindling. The grains trickle through my fingers faster than I can hang on to them.
“I know.” My breath causes a puff of steam to waft from my lips. “But we don’t have a lot of time.”
Mina grumbles something under her breath, but continues to follow behind me as we make our way across the training ground and to the center. Her steps are not light like theyusually are. They grind loudly against the dirt in time with mine.
“Do you need to warm up or anything?” I ask.
My hair is unbound today except for two small braids that frame my face, and they slide across my face when I turn towards her.
She sticks out her tongue before raising me into the air without warning.
“Brat,” I hiss, pinwheeling my arms to steady myself.
I flex my shoulders and back, preparing the muscles to steady my wings.
The current swirls right above my head as Mina keeps lifting me higher and higher. My tendons snap my wings out further when I hit the current. The force of the air resistance under the feathers keeps me aloft as Mina cautiously withdraws her invisible hands.
My back tightens, and I work to keep my abs flexed to counterbalance the pull. I glide along the current, tightening and loosening my muscles to keep me steady. I’m doing it.
I’m riding the current of the wind, like a surfer rides a wave. The thought sparks memories of my dad and me in the water. And for once, the memories don’t illicit pain, but happiness.
Happiness that I got to experience that with him. My mom swims through my thoughts next. I can vividly imagine her flying these same winds, her opalescent wings casting shadows that streak across the ground. My eyes fall closed, and I inhale the cool air.
Mina screams my name.
My eyes snap open.
I hadn’t realized how close I had glided to a tree. The leaves of the maple tree have turned a brilliant shade of gold, but that doesn’t make them any softer as I crash into the nearest limb. I tuck my wings in close to my body to keep them from being pierced by branches and twigs.
The rest of my body isn’t so lucky as I fall from limb to limb. Mina’s invisible hands catch me right before I splatter on the ground, pulling me sideways and away from the tree before setting me down gently.
She rushes to my side, patting me with light fingertips. “Are you okay? Oh my gods, what happened?”
I reach up to pull a twig with leaves still attached out of my tangled hair and wince with the movement.
“I closed my eyes.”
“Why would you do that?” She shrieks, slapping my shoulder.
“Ouch!” I screech, holding my throbbing upper arm. “That hurts! And I didn’t mean to. It was a reaction.”
