Page 75 of Swift Wings Shadowed Heart
Fragor’s curled horns are so beautiful.
No reaction from Zephyros. I remove the barrier once more.
—Fragor’s curled horns are so beautiful.
—Pshaw, his head looks like a gnarled tree.
I snicker, then notice the dilapidated fountain that sits in the middle of my neighborhood.
—We’re here. My house is in the next block, but how am I going to get down there? I haven’t learned how to descend on my own.
Zephyros would flatten all the houses if we landed.
—Trust.
33
Rhea
—Leap,Zephyros says as he circles around my house.
—Leap? I think you’re taking thistrustthing a little too far.
He sighs, then I feel something brushing my ankles. I glance down to find air swirling around my feet. It quickly gains in speed and climbs further up my body. When the current reaches my thighs, it has built into a small tornado.
—What are you doing?I demand.
—Trust.
I come off my feet, the force of Zephyros’s tornado carrying me with it. Slowly, he pushes me away until I’m hovering midair, several feet away from him. My ears roar with my own heartbeat. This isVortex Drop, the maneuver Skysingers use to descend from their dragons.
—You are entirely safe,he says, his tone annoyed.
—I know I’m supposed to trust you, but this is terrifying.
—Not terrifying in the least.
I can’t answer. I’m too focused on the ground below. I’m going to die. Humans can’t fly. Except…
“I’m flying!”I exclaim.
—Flying? Do not be ridiculous. Humans cannot fly. You can plummet, however.
—You willnotuse the word plummet while I’mnotflying.
He chuckles, then asks,—Where should I set you down, little one?
—That ledge on the second floor. Next to the window.
He brings me to within inches of the ledge. I step onto it, then grab the windowsill. This is my bedroom, and the window through which I sneaked out more times than I care to count. One night, my father discovered what I was doing and locked me out. The next day, I broke the latch, knowing he wouldn’t care enough to fix it. This window has remained unlocked since then.
With practiced movements, I push the lower pane open and climb inside. Enough moonlight spills in to illuminate the interior. I stand silently for a long moment, steeping in the darkness.
“It’s time for bed, sweet princess,”my mother’s ghost enters the room, a gas lamp in her hand. The room fills with warmth, both from her and the light. She wears a white, long-sleeve nightgown, her black hair pinned up, letting only a few locks frame her face. She’s beautiful. With gentle hands, she tucks the blanket around me and caresses my cheek.“Your dreams will take you to the moon on a dragon’s back, and tomorrow night the moon will beg for your return. But guess what?”She puts a finger on my nose.“Not even the moon can love you more than mama does.”
The memory shatters, dragging me back to the present. Gray shadows, cobwebs, and dust choke the happiness of the long-ago echoes. My heart aches.
—If you ask me, I will take you to the moon, little one.
