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He stood suddenly to pace across the clearing. He ran a concerned hand through his white hair as he considered my words. “Damn,” he said. “If they already found them, then things are even worse than we realized.” He turned back to face me. “We don’t have much time, I need to get you to the council as soon as possible. Arya, I know you’re tired, but do you think you can hold on to me for a few more hours?”
I stood to my feet and met him just paces away, my body finding new energy from the hope of seeing Loren again. Besides, there were worse things than being embraced by a handsome, flying man while we soared over the world. “I suppose I can manage if you can keep your claws to yourself.”
His lips twitched as he stretched out an arm, inviting me closer. “I’ll take your constant bird remarks as a compliment.”
I folded into the arm he held out for me, falling into the bend with startling ease. My body tucked neatly into his side as I waited for his wings to unfold, feeling hard lines beneath the careful exploration of my fingers. “And I’ll take the peck in your pants as one as well.”
The whites of his eyes widened, appearing more like moons with every stroke of my brashness. “I’m glad you decided to wing it and fly to our side, darling. I have a feeling you’ll keep me on my…talons.”
“Don’t make this hawkward.” I jeered, feeling clever. He threw his head back and laughed loudly into the night sky, and I couldn’t contain the bubbling laughter from my own chest.
I would see where this took me, this feeling I followed. Something I’d never felt before, something exciting and terrifying all at once. There was only one way to discover the truth about my world, and if this man had Loren, if his kind saved my brother from the wastes as he did me, then I, perhaps, trusted him for now.
The sound of his laugh, so genuine and sincere, lifted my spirits even higher, and it seemed there was no peak to the joy I experienced in that moment. Something had been set free inside of me, and whether it was from this stranger or the adventure in his eyes, I clung tightly to the delicious feeling of freedom.
The moment my feet left the earth, I traded my long-awaited title as Chosen for something better.
I became Dishonored.
7
The flight was long,but not long enough. I found myself growing more comfortable in Azriel’s arms, enjoying the way he entangled his limbs with my own and carried me through the night. He held me in such a way I didn’t have to cling as much, and I was able to close my eyes for a time and rest in his embrace.
Gods, I was tired. And he was the only source of heat against the frigid night air whipping around us. Perhaps that’s why I was so disappointed to feel his wings shift against the wind and adjust their pace.
“You might want to open your eyes, Arya. This is the best part,” he whispered gently to rouse me from my drowsy state. His arms loosened around my waist. I replied with a groan and nuzzled my face deeper into his shoulder, away from the bend in his elbow that was cradling my neck.
“Can we take another lap? Just ten more minutes.”
A low rumble rolled in his chest. “I promise, the view is worth it.”
I cracked open my left eye and found him staring at me. “You better not be talking about yourself.” He blew a hot breath in reply and pinched my side with his other hand teasingly, making me squirm in the small space between us. I reluctantly opened both eyes, curious to see what he was making a fuss about.
“Gods above,” I said, my voice hushed in wonder. “What is that?”
“That, my sharp-tongued maiden, is the sixth kingdom of Valdihr. They call it Estelles, the city fallen from the stars.”
The fortress was built on a huge rock drifting high above the realm. Spires peaked behind a gateless wall, piercing the canvas of night. Beneath the kingdom, the earth it was built upon jutted harshly, mirroring the staggered appearance of the towers. With no entrance in sight, there left only one way in and one way out. Only those with access to the wind and sky could make their entrance here, and I had my ticket wrapped around my waist.
I dared myself to look down, and my stomach lurched at the sight. We were so far elevated above the world, the landmarks were undetectable other than the River Damather, which interrupted the worn hillside transitioning into marshland. Great chunks of earth floated around us, and Azriel dodged them with ease, flying side to side and silently boasting his skill in the air.
“Does flying ever get boring to you?” I asked him, casting out an arm to feel the wind whip around my fingers. The night smelled different up here, the air thinner, almost lighter. Definitely colder.
“Never,” he replied. “Though it is refreshing to witness someone discover the wonders of the sky for the first time.”
My attention tore from my fingers to his face, and I noticed the strange look in his eyes as he watched me. Only the moons themselves could compete with the dusty glow inside them, and their intensity focused on me made all the stars above grow slightly dimmer.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, not bothering to hide the caution in my voice.
“I’m just trying to figure out what you’re thinking.” He cocked a thick eyebrow at me before returning his attention ahead of us. “You’re…different than the other runners.
I looked back at my hand, floating freely in the crisp, night air. The chilling breeze made my fingers numb as I let them wiggle in the gust our acceleration created. “I’m wishing I could trade my running leathers for wings and feathers. Flying is so much better than running.”
“You weren’t saying that two days ago.”
“You’ve handled me much more gently than last time,” I pointed out.
He shrugged under my hold. “You’re much nicer than last time.”
