Page 35 of Of Flame and Fury

The former filled Kel’s gut, pretzeling into a feeling she couldn’t name. From Bekn’s blank expression, Kel assumed Rahn’s words were true.

Kel had never signed a sponsorship contract before. She didn’t know what strings typically came with them. But if the Howlers didn’t perform well in CAPR races, if they didn’tplace, she’d be back on that hill, watching her aviary turn to ash, hiding from bankers, saying goodbye to Savita. To her home.

Bekn reread the contract. A few minutes later, he nodded to the Howlers, and, slowly, they each drifted around the desk. Kel picked up a pen and twirled it between her fingers, delaying the inevitable.

“Where’s Savita?” she asked.

“She’ll live in one of our larger aviaries with the other trained phoenixes, though she’ll stay in a private space while she acclimatizes. I’ll be happy to show you, but Canen will have my head if I don’t get you to sign these forms first.”

Reluctantly, they each scribbled their signatures across the papers and stood. Kel’s knees felt weak as Rahn clapped her hands. “This is perfect! Taking this job was the best decision I ever made. I was so excited when he told me the four of you would be joining us!”

Dira tilted her head. Her eyes roamed Rahn again. “You’ve heard of us?”

Rahn’s cheeks reddened. “Of course I have! You might not havecompeted in Vohre before, but you all still have a national ranking. Everyone in CAPR knows who you are, especially now you’re on the same team!”

Unease rippled through Kel. What else did this girl know about them?

“Follow me,” Rahn said with a wave. “Now the fun can really begin.”

They followed Rahn through the Cristo Research Center, past the medical center, and, finally, to their workstations.

For the second time, their jaws dropped.

It was an entire racing track.Indoors.As large as Kel’s entire farm. Adjustable netting and obstacles hung from the roof. Rows of bridles, reins and collars hung against the far-left wall above five saddles, all bearing differently shaped pommels, seats and buckles to accommodate different tracks. The ground was covered in a thin layer of dirt, but Kel spotted grains of sand and rock scattered throughout. Remnants of different terrains to practice on.

“Is thisentiretrack for us?” Kel breathed.

Rahn nodded. “Canen doesn’t develop much technology here. This compound is only used for CAPR training, phoenix research and medical studies. This is just your training track. You all have individual workstations, too.”

Coup released a disbelieving laugh. Bekn practically vibrated with excitement. Dira’s own chuckle bounced around the cavernous hall. Even Kel couldn’t hide her awe; the tension in her shoulders slipped away, and she grinned at Dira.

The Howlers had to prove their worth to Cristo. They had to win CAPR races in Vohre, a city with a reputation far more devastating than Fieror’s. But maybe… this wouldn’t be as terrible as she’d thought.

FIFTEEN

After Rahn showed the Howlers their lavish offices and rooms, she led them to a hall crowded with tables full of roast chicken, potatoes, steaming vegetables and chilled desserts. They scrambled to pile their plates and hurried toward the nearest table. Rahn sat with them at Dira’s insistence, and Rahn in turn encouraged others to join. A dark-haired girl around their age sat to Rahn’s left, and though Kel couldn’t recall her name, she was struck by the way the girl interacted with Rahn; the familiar, easy warmth in every word and expression. She hadn’t expected this kind of camaraderie here.

An hour later, the Howlers headed to their rooms, cradling full stomachs. Each cluster of suites shared a kitchen, dining area, and a small lounge; the four Howlers and, it seemed, Rahn, were in one such cluster.

The five separated with weary goodbyes and Kel stumbled into bed. Her room was decorated with the same earthy colors as the train and smelt faintly of lavender. A new, bow-tied tele-comm lay on her wooden desk. Two abstract paintings of phoenixes hungon opposite walls. It was simple, and homely, and exactly how Kel might have decorated her own room if she hadn’t spent most nights in the aviary’s office.

That fact might have unnerved Kel, if she hadn’t been too tired to care.

She slumped into the dark green sheets and willed sleep to take her. She wished it, and begged it, and ordered it, for minutes and then hours. But the longer she waited, the further away it drew, taunting her.

When the clock ticked past midnight, Kel huffed and threw her clothes back on.

There was one thing thatalwayshelped her sleep.

She tiptoed through their small kitchen and took the elevator down to the ground floor.

Kel pulled out the map Rahn had given her. The girl had pointed out the distant building where all phoenixes lived, in an array of spectacularly green aviaries, but the facilities truly were a maze; identical rooms and endlessly spiraling white corridors. It took Kel a few wrong turns, but eventually she spotted Savita’s smaller aviary, divided from a larger enclosure by a glass wall.

Savita still had plenty of room to roam—more than she’d had at home—and Kel was glad her phoenix hadn’t been thrown in with the other birds yet. Savita wasn’t prone to timidness. If she felt uncomfortable, she’d attack.

Kel scanned her new ID card and slid inside Savita’s cage. Full of trees, shrubbery and buzzing insects, it was as close to Vohre Forest as Kel imagined an aviary could be.

In a thunderouswhooshof heat, Savita appeared before her. The phoenix towered over Kel, snapping her beak.

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