Hades
The sun bled over the horizon, and I felt the drag in my wings—too exposed, too bright. Kael's hand pressed harder against my shoulder, a silent agreement.
We dropped lower, circling once before I forced the descent. The landing jarred through me, talons gouging earth before folding tight against my back. Dust rose, quick and sharp.
"Here," Kael said, already pulling me toward the cover of the trees. His voice was clipped, urgency replacing wonder.
The forest swallowed us, shadows wrapping tight. I hunched my wings in, muscles burning, and let the canopy close overhead. The sky could wait.
For now, we had to disappear until nightfall.
Controlling my new wings to launch turned out to be far easier than the landing. The uneasy sensation—like the feeling of falling—held me back from fully tucking my wings so my feet could touch the ground.
"Easy…" Kael muttered, the edges of his words strained with fear, one he tried to hide.
