Page 54 of Shadow Wings

I slowly got to my feet. Maybe I could slip away before things got tootense.

“Dark does not belong with light,” another male Phaetynshouted.

“No,” the man beside me said, standing. “That’s exactly where it belongs. Where there is dark, light must always exist. Drae and Phaetyn have always balanced each other as is our responsibility.” He gazed out over the crowd, and then his attention landed back on me. “This young woman is that same balance, just asone.”

“You’ve always been a fool,” Erthashouted.

“Look,” I said, raising my hands to stop the shouting. “I’m not here to take your queen’s job.”Though I think you’d be interested to know a few things about her.“I came here with Kamoi, thinking your people could help me understand my Phaetyn side. That’s it. Whatever trouble you’ve got going on here has nothing to do withme.”

The young Phaetyn from earlier crossed his arms. “You saw something at the treesearlier.”

I began striding through the crowd. I would not get involved, not yet. I wanted a clear path. I wanted an exit plan. I wanted to know those I loved would still be safe when this was over. I was not going to put anyone else in danger everagain.

“What did you see?” hepressed.

The tension in the air overwhelmed my frayed nerves, and the pressure to do something consumed me. Scales erupted up my arms, and my eyes blazed. I whirled on the young Phaetyn, and the watching crowd rearedback.

“You do not want to know the horrible things I saw.” My growl was menacing and filled the surrounding space. They didn’t know how this would end, but tensions would escalate, and people, Phaetyn, would get hurt. I took a deep breath, staring at the young man. He blinked but refused to look away. With a shake of my head, I broke the locked gaze, and then pushing through the last few rows, I strode back in the direction of the PinkHouse.

“See,” the woman Ertha called. “Anatrocity.”

21

The urgeto shift was nearly overwhelming, and I rushed through the hallways of the queen’s quartz house, feet tripping in my haste to get to the privacy of our quarters. I all but fell into our room and slammed the door shut behind me, my heart jumping against my ribs, trying toescape.

Dyterjumped.

“Sorry,” I said through my Drae teeth, dropping my head into myhands.

“Are you okay?” heasked.

I sighed and paced the room, my blue scales climbing up my neck. The breathing wasn’t working. I paced a moment longer, but when my talons began to push from between my fingers, I sat down by Tyrrik and pushed the back of my hand on his bare chest and tried to match my breathing tohis.

Dyter must’ve washed him again, this time more thoroughly. Tyrrik wore new trousers, tied at his waist. Something about them bothered me, and figuring out just what took a moment. The trousers weren’t black; they were green.Ha!I’d never seen Tyrrik in anything but blackclothing.

“Looks like your day was about as good as mine,” Dyter said. The contents of his pack were strewn everywhere. He held up the leather case and wrapped it in an aketon before shoving it back in the bag. He continued re-packing.

I didn’t want to talk about my day yet. This room wasn’t big enough for a Drae transformation. “The queen doesn’t want to form analliance?”

Dyter sighed. “No, they most definitely don’t. I can’t think of any other angle to push from either. I pulled out all the stops today. The queen wasn’t interested, and then she fell into wearinessagain.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, her weariness isawfullyconvenient.”

Dyter tugged on his ear, a gentle reminder of potential listeners, and I closed my eyes. I was still in touch with my Drae senses, and after only a moment, I was able to block out Dyter and Tyrrik’s breathing and focus outside thedoorway.

“We’re clear,” Isaid.

I watched the old man pack his bag again and tuck the worn bag under the foot of hisbed.

He looked at meexpectantly.

I’d regained enough control, so I filled him in on myday.

Dyter sat completely still after my recount. He scratched at his stubble with his single hand. “Right.”

I nodded, waiting for hisinsight.

“There’s a child, yousay?”

---