Her hand flew to her throat, as if to call forth her magic, but it did not answer to her. Neither did her wings—they stayed locked tightly against her back like a feathered cage.
This was foolish. She was a fool for coming this far out alone. But she hadn’t realized how far she had ventured. Beyond the shadows of the trees, she spied the glimmer of lights from the palace.
Luella quickened her steps. Her heart hammered in her chest, and low-hanging branches brushed against her calves, sweeping out of her way as if to guide her path.
Above the pressing howl of the wind, a familiar sound filled the air.
Her eyes widened.Wings.
Dark feathers flashed, and two Fallen dropped from the bridges above, landing expertly on either side of her. One at her front, blocking the view of the inviting candlelight, and one at her back, trapping her.
Her breaths were ragged, but she tried to quell her panic. It wouldn’t aid her here.
"Princess Luella of Solis," said the Fallen before her. A male with long dark hair and tanned skin. His companion at her back was shorter, but thick with muscle, his wings spanning wide and menacing.
Luella turned so she could keep both males in her line of sight, which put her back to the darkness at her side. Air whispered through her wings, drawing both of their eyes.
"H-hello," she stammered. "Why are you here?" She tried to make her voice strong.
"To help the Queen with a little problem." The shorter one stepped forward, and they both worked to herd her away from the sight of the palace. "The Queen has a kind heart. She is not willing to do what it takes to keep us safe. But we will."
No.
It was clear their intentions were nothing but wicked. There was no more time for niceties.
Each breath pressed Luella’s chest against the bodice of her gown. She raised her chin. "Queen Samil declared I am to have safety here. If you harm me, you will be cast out."
They laughed. "That’s if she finds out."
With dark hair falling over his shoulder, the taller one pulled a dagger from his pocket, twirling it before him. "I believe she would bless us if she knew we ridded our Isles of an angel. The Prince belongs here." His smile turned menacing, blue eyes narrowing in on her. "The rest of you do not."
They lunged.
Luella opened her mouth to scream—her last saving grace—but she was tackled, her wings shoved against a tree as she was pinned to it, a hand pressed over her mouth to stifle the sound of her warning cries.
She struggled, kicking and hitting. Every cry was muffled by the sweaty palm against her lower face.
She wouldn’t go down without a fight. Never again.
Her knee landed right between the legs of the Fallen pinning her, and he groaned, hands going slack against her. Just enough for her to break free.
Luella made a fist and weakly punched out at his stomach, tearing away from his grip. The tree bark lanced against her wings and exposed back, burning as it scraped the entirety of it.
They blocked the way to the castle. She was forced to run in the other direction.
Her breaths were loud and ragged, drowned out by the wind.
No crunch of leaves behind her, or thundering footsteps. It was silent.
That meant nothing for beings who could take to the skies.
A stitch in her side made her grimace and gasp for breath, but she pushed on. Where was her magic when she needed it most?
Shehatedthis helplessness.
A loud thump sounded behind her, in time with the descent of one of the Fallen as he landed right before her. She stumbled, narrowly missing running right into him.
The flash of the dagger was her only warning.
