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1
Run,Hayliel.
I push my legs as fast as they’ll go, rushing past fancy stalls with decadent aromas and the angry merchants that run them, pivoting to avoid their grabby hands before turning left down an alley. I mentally pat myself on the back for stuffing my long brown hair into a hat. It means there’s one less feature for them to identify me by if this goes sideways and one less thing they can grab hold of. Footsteps pound on the cobblestones behind me, followed by shouts of “Stop her!” but I won’t let them stop me.
Change is a scary thing. It doesn’t care about fear or denial, it just is. It’s a sentient being you can try to fight off but, in the end, it’s inevitable. Things can’t stay the same forever, no matter how much we may want them to.
That’s why I’ve been reckless. If change wants to take me, well … I’ll serve up some of that myself. There’s a market a few blocks away from our apartment, one that sells delicious pastries, silken gowns, and all the baubles a Pure-born girl could dream of. Despite living so close, I’ve never ventured inside. I’ve always been too afraid of what might happen.
But today, with all its change glaring me in the face, I put aside my fear. If they’re going to force us from our home, then I’m not leaving without a taste of their decadent desserts. Too bad someone figured out I didn’t belong. The market is only for the Pure, after all. And I’m anything but.
I press on, my shoes splashing through murky puddles as I make it to the end of the alley and pull myself up on top of the massive trash can. Gone are the sweet and savory scents of the market, replaced by moldy food and the stench of the poor. I could have just unfurled my wings and flown, avoided the grimy, filth-covered bin, but that’s too dangerous. There are too many watchful eyes out here, and my discolored wings aren’t exactly something people fail to notice. Instead, I jump high, grab the metal drainpipe on the side of the building, and climb.
Despite the warm day, the metal is cold beneath my fingers. Bits of rust stick to my hands as I make my ascent, but I’m at the top quickly, even with my short stature.
“She went down there. Don’t let her get away!”
I hold my breath, trying to focus on the task at hand instead of the approaching guards. Not bothering to look down, I use every ounce of strength I have to pull myself up one last time and collapse on the roof. I just lie there. Tiny tendrils of brown hair have escaped my hat and now stick to my face, but I’m too scared to fix them.Deep breaths, Hayles.
Sound echoes from the alley as multiple angels rush in. If any of them saw me climb up here, I’ll be so fucking screwed. All it will take is one of them flying up to check the roof and they’ll find me. My overconfidence from earlier turns to ash in my mouth.Fuck! What had I been thinking?
An argument breaks out below, and I move, taking advantage of the noise to muffle my own. With only a few steps between me and the far side of the roof, hope flares bright in my stomach.
Then comes the flap of wings.
The rustle of feathers.
My heartbeat skyrockets, pumping wildly until the tingling in my chest extends to my hands and feet. If they find me, what will they do to me and my family? I can’t let them get caught up in this mess, not on our last day together.
I jump.
Thankfully, I’ve spent enough time up here to know the drop from one roof to the next won’t cause any damage, but it isn’t exactly pleasant either. I’m close enough to the safety of my room that, if I were lucky, I’d make it. But I know better than to rely on Lady Luck. That fickle bitch has never once shown up for me.
I press close to the wall, my pale olive skin helping me to blend with the shadow of the building, and listen intently to the angels in the sky. Their boots thump down above me — the sound amplified by stone — and I suck in a sharp breath. Covering my mouth, I wait. And wait. And wait some more.
Shit. How much longer are they going to look for me? My limbs stiffen, urging me to move from this spot, but I stay put.Just a little longer.
Finally I hear, “Clear! Our little flier is long gone.”
Relief floods my system, and I can breathe a little easier now that my pursuers are gone, but I still wait a few more minutes before allowing myself to move. I can’t wait to see the look on my parents’ faces when they see what I brought them. Giddy with excitement, I grin as I squeeze through a narrow passage between buildings.
Once I make it through, I lower myself off the side until my feet find the solid bar of my window.Almost home free, Hayles.
Reality crashes into me as I tug my window up and slip into my now-empty room. The boxes I’d packed earlier are gone, and only the faint scent of lemon lingers. Mom must have cleaned it while I was out. Turning my back on the room, I blink away the tears threatening to spill over. When I open them again, my determined blue gaze stares back at me from the reflection in the window.
A month ago we’d found an eviction notice pinned to our apartment door, notifying us that in thirty days we’d have to find somewhere else to live. A Pure family now needs the home I’ve lived in for my entire life, and we had no choice but to give it up.
As much as I want to, we can’t fight it. At least, not without making things worse. So, my parents packed up their belongings and prepared to make a new home.
I pull the strap of my bag from my shoulders, wincing at the ache running through them. I consider giving in to the need to stretch my wings, but I’m so used to hiding them, I easily shake it off and settle for inspecting the goodies inside my bag instead before heading to find my parents.
Mom’s in the kitchen, scrubbing the now-empty cupboards. “Where have you been, Haylie-bear?” She uses the nickname I’ve always hated, but now I fear I’ll never hear it again after today.
Shrugging off the sadness, I force a smile. “Well, we hadn’t really celebrated the move or my enrollment yet, so …”
Dad walks in, securing a fresh roll of tape to the dispenser. When he finishes, he musses up my hair and I roll my eyes.
“You’re always going on about how things happen for a reason and there’s always a silver lining, so I’mtryingto embrace it. Here!“ I pull three massive pastries from my bag and hand them each one.
