Page 48 of Wings of Starlight

“Much better,” she said. “A little cold.”

“We should get you home.”

Home.More and more, she dreaded leaving Winter. “Right. Good idea.”

Outside, Noctua waited for them, her white feathers fluffed and gleaming coldly in the moonlight. The two of them climbed on, and this time, when Milori hooked an arm around her, Clarion found herself grateful for the close contact. Her bare forearm stung in the cold, and the wind slipping beneath the tattered half sleeve chilled her to the very bone. Noctua took flight toward Spring, and the thickening flurries swirled around them. Even in darkness, Winter was breathtakingly beautiful. Endless forests of pine dusted in snow reached toward them.

Clarion tipped her face toward Milori’s until she could see his profile limned by starlight. Like this, unguarded and lost in thought, he looked so serious.

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen him so hopeful.

She couldn’t believe she’d had that effect on him. And yet, if it was true, she wanted to pull him out of his gloom as much as she could. “Well, that didn’t go entirely as planned.”

She startled a laugh out of him. It was a nice sound, made sweeter for how rare it was. “No, it certainly didn’t.”

“But we’ll find a way,” she said. “Next time will be better.”

“Next time,” he echoed, as solemn as a promise.

“I’ll need to get my coat repaired first.” She plucked at a loose thread on her sleeve. “I’m not sure how long it will take. It took a few days for her to make it the first time.”

“I don’t mind,” he said. “I’ll wait for you.”

Clarion frowned as he fixed his gaze straight ahead. There was something terribly vulnerable on his face.Loneliness.How could he not be? He spent his time poring over unreadable books or standing at the border or patrolling a prison he could not guard. He was so duty bound—and forever bound to fail.

“I could come visit you,” she said—and immediately wished she could rephrase. It sounded far too eager to her own ears. She cleared her throat and added, “If you’re going to be there waiting anyway. We can strategize on what our next steps are.”

Matching her feigned nonchalance, he replied, “As you wish.”

She gave him a look that said,AsIwish?

Apparently unable to maintain the façade, he relented. “I would like that.”

She did not mistake the faint pink burning on the tips of his ears. “Well, then,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

His lips curled into a soft smile. “Tomorrow.”

A strange lightness—a sort ofgiddiness—filled her up inside. Even though they soared high above the Winter Woods, Clarion had the distinct sensation of free-falling. Between the Nightmares and Milori, she’d landed herself in far more trouble than she’d bargained for.

The next morning, Clarion and Artemis stood outside Petra’s door at first light. Despite the danger she’d found herself in, Clarion had awoken in a strangely good mood. That was, of course, until she processed that she was about to ruin Petra’s day, if not her entire month. In her pack was the ripped, bloodstained coat Petra had so generously sewn for her. If there was any good news to be taken from the entire ordeal, it was that the boots had escaped the scuffle with little more than a scratch.

“Are you going to knock?” Artemis asked.

Clarion realized she had been staring at the door—and that she’d been clenching her jaw. She willed her face to relax. “I’m mentally preparing myself.”

Artemis shot her a look that landed somewhere between sympathetic and pitying. “Surely she’ll understand.”

“We’ll see,” Clarion replied skeptically. Even Artemis didn’t sound fully convinced by her own words. “You may have to intervene.”

“I stand at the ready.”

“Good.” With a sigh, she knocked. “Petra, it’s me.”

Barely a second passed before Petra flung open the door. She looked weary—but like she had been up for quite some time. Her face was already streaked with grease, and the heat of her forge emanated steadily from within. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

Clarion smiled innocently. “Dawn?”

“Exact—” She cut herself off with a strangled squeak when she spied Artemis. “Oh. Good morning.”