Page 79 of Shadow Wings

I wiped my eyes and saw he was right. I pushed the branch out of the way and let it fling back. This time when Tyrrik grunted, I knew he’d let me tree-whip him on purpose, and the thought struck me that he might’ve been letting me fling branches at him allmorning.

Holy pancakes, he sure knew how to treat a woman. I couldn’t completely stop the smile tugging on my lips or the tickle of warmth spreading through myheart.

We started up a grassy hill, and the trees grewsparse.

I glanced ahead to where Dyter strode through the knee-length grass of a clearing in front ofme.

For months, I’d been struggling to understand my mother. In many ways, the person revealed on the night she died had been a stranger to me, and deep down, I’d been left wondering if I’d known her at all. Dyter’s story erased my fears. My mother was happy. I was just one of the few people to witness her that way. I might not have known she was Drae and running from the emperor, or I was Phaetyn and Drae, but I understoodwhyshe’d lied. I didn’t just understand; I knew the fierce loyalty and love it took to protect those I loved—after my dungeon time, especially. She’d protected mebecauseshe loved me, and my heart beat easier for seeing Ihadknown mymother.

Dyter didn’t look back, and I didn’t expect him to. I’d seen him cry once, not too long ago, but he would hide his tears from me if at all possible. I raised my voice so he would hear. “Thank you for telling me about her,Dyter.”

“Any time, my girl,” he saidgruffly.

I looked at the sky, to the hidden stars where my mother now resided.I miss you, Mum, I thought, not caring that Tyrrik would hear me.Thank you for protectingme.

I pushed into the long grass, feeling more at peace than I had in a long time. My mother had been enslaved and learned to trustagain.

That meant Tyrrik could,too.

My mother had been broken, and in time she’d found herself andhappiness.

That meant I would beokay.

29

Iaccepteda charred bit of rabbit from Tyrrik the next morning, sighing when he didn’t say a word. Didn’t he realize he was supposed to talk first? As the first offender, he should extend the olive branch and all that. I heaved another sigh as I shouldered the responsibility of being Ryn the Peacemaker. “Thanks.”

His brow quirked. “You’rewelcome.”

Was that an I-admit-I’m-sulking quirk? Or an I’m-surprised-you’re-speaking-to-me-because-you’re-sulking quirk? Somehow, I doubted the former. Ryn the Peacemaker pursed her lips but saidnothing.

Dyter licked the grease from his fingers as I wolfed down myportion.

“Are you strong enough to fly today?” Dyter asked when hefinished.

Tyrrik’s face was turned upward as he scanned the skies, his eyes narrowed and reptilian. “I am strong enough to fly and carry you for a time, but I doubt the entire way. At least, not withouthelp.”

I stiffened. Did he mean help from me? Like pushing my female Drae mojo intohim?

“Definitely stay hydrated,” I said,deflecting.

I stood and imagined Tyrrik’s touch on my wings, and then shivered as scales erupted over my skin. My neck, tail, and fangs lengthened, and I shifted. In a handful of days, turning into my Drae form felt so natural and soright.

I stood on the side of the mountain, a magnificent lapis lazuli Drae. Dyter had only seen my Drae form on the run in Phaetynville, but he now had a chance to openly gape. Which he did in an awed way appropriate for a creature possessing my grace. Did he think all Drae had such vibrant, opulent scales? Such powerful tails? Such a deadly curve to their talons. I preened, reveling in his openadmiration.

You are truly beautiful,Ryn.

I sniffed, trying to ignore Tyrrik, and stretched my neck to look in the oppositedirection.

But when the shimmering of Tyrrik’s transformation caught the corner of my eye, I couldn’t not look. I turned back and gazed upward at the massive onyx Drae. Even after seeing him in this form many times, the ferocity of his talons, fangs, the lethal edges to his body and tail, took my breathaway.

Dyter’s, too, apparently, who hastily backedaway.

You’re bigger than me, I grumbled to Tyrrik as I compared our Draeforms.

Tyrrik swung his head toward me, white fangs gleaming.You are much faster,Princess.

I huffed. That was probably true, given my streamlined frame. I bet I could beat him in arace.

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