Chapter 21
Twenty-One
A laire’s boots sank into the soft moss of the Valiant Vanguards grounds, morning sun bleeding gold across the arena. She grinned, anticipation sparking for her Symbiotic Synergy class.
Celestials dotted the field. Solflara’s incandescent plumage caught and refracted the light; beside her, Hadrian stood just as majestic, chest puffed. A leviathan watched Alaire through the narrow slits of its eyes.
Professor Ross strode onto the field in yet another tweed ensemble, this one a deep maroon. Did he own one in every color?
“Good morning, fliers.”
Alaire grinned. Flier .
The buzz of conversation died. Professor Ross’s presence commanded attention.
“Today, we’ll focus on aerial techniques and maneuvers.” His gaze swept the group, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Each creature has its strengths and weaknesses. We’ll work to sharpen those strengths and find ways to neutralize weaknesses before your trial.”
A groan rose from the far end of the field. Professor Ross’s eyes locked on the culprit. “To do that, our foundation must be flawless and impenetrable.”
Alaire’s stomach tightened. The trial .
“Time to mount,” Professor Ross declared.
She approached Solflara, who dimmed her flames and lowered to her knees. With practiced ease, Alaire swung onto her phoenix’s back. Solflara’s muscles shifted beneath her as she rose.
Alaire’s pulse raced. She’d looked forward to these lessons since the moment they bonded. Flying was an unquenchable thrill.
“ Ross needs to hurry this along ,” Solflara grumbled. “ I require sustenance . Perhaps incinerating his obnoxious tweed ensemble will speed things up .”
Her talons dug into the ground.
“ Solf , you can’t burn the professors .”
“ Says who ? I am not beholden to them .”
Around them, other novices mounted with varying degrees of confidence. Most had been flying for years.
Hadrian chirped, flexing his wings.
Solflara snapped her beak dangerously close to his face.
“Solflara,” Alaire warned.
“ Males . Always showing off their goods. That will teach him to keep his wings away from us .” She fluffed her feathers, wings arched wide, fire rippling along the edges. Violet embers sparked from her tail— stay away .
Hadrian only preened, lightning skittering along his feathers.
“ I don’t think that had the desired effect . Now he sees you as a challenge .”
“ He can see whatever he likes . I won’t be looking . You could stand to learn that lesson .”
“ Excuse me ?” Alaire nearly lost her grip on the handle.
“ You could at least pretend to hide your reaction to the prince .”
Heat crawled up Alaire’s neck. “ We are not talking about this . Ever .”
“ No need to talk when your stomach flips and your heart rate spikes whenever he’s near . Personally , I don’t see the appeal .”
“ Trust me . Neither do I .”
“ Liar , liar , feathers on fire .”
“ Solf , enough .” The phoenix had struck a nerve—one she’d rather not examine.
“Alright, everyone,” Professor Ross called. “Review the basics with your celestials. Discuss what feels natural, and what needs improvement.”
Novices dispersed across the field. Alaire rolled her eyes as Kole immediately began showing off, his bald head glinting in the sunlight.
“Alaire, Solflara.” Professor Ross approached, hands clasped behind his back. “A word, if you please.”
She nodded, wary.
“Most of the others have had weeks to master the basics. You’re starting from an entirely different place. For the next few classes, you’ll focus on fundamentals. Today, we’ll review takeoff and landing techniques.”
He looked between them. “Both require coordination and control—a dance between you. Sometimes your celestial will defer to your lead, but they know the skies better than you. Pay attention to their movements, the feel of their breathing, the bunch and release of their muscles.”
A ring of smoke enveloped the professor. His mouth stretched into a smile.
“ We do not require extra time .” Solflara scoffed, muscles tense beneath Alaire. “ It seems this teacher requires a lesson . Ready ?”
“ Ready ,” Alaire answered, giddy as a child tasting sweets for the first time.
Professor Ross raised his hand. “On my mark. One, two?—”
With a powerful beat of her wings, Solflara launched them skyward.
“ You didn’t wait for three .”
“ I told you , we are not beholden to him or anyone else at this academy . We’re only here because you insist it is required .”
Alaire’s retort died as the ground fell away and wind roared in their ears. She gripped the handle tightly.
“ Keep your body relaxed and lower yourself closer to me .”
She leaned forward, shifting her center of gravity as Solflara advised, then extended one arm, letting it skim the air above the phoenix’s wings.
The sky was dotted with fliers and their bonded, each displaying unique aerial skills.
A leviathan moved in smooth, rhythmic waves, wings taut as its immense body carved wide spirals in the sky, dorsal fins flexing.
A hunter-green beetle kept its elytra open in flight, thin membranous wings beating furiously.
Its six legs tucked tight, spiraling at unmatched speed.
“Try narrating what Solflara is doing,” Ross instructed, voice magically amplified. “Each time her muscles shift or her breathing changes. You’re learning a new language.”
As Solflara sped across the skies, Alaire called out, “She’s coiling her legs. Wings angling back slightly. Heartbeat accelerating. Tail pointed opposite our direction.”
“Excellent. Now, basic turns. Start with gentle banking to feel her responses.”
This flight was different from their first—less wonder, more precision. Alaire guided Solflara into a smooth turn, the phoenix’s muscles responding effortlessly. They moved as one, attuned to each other’s breathing, body language, and subtle cues.
Around them, Archer and his snowy owl, Aleisia, made sharp, precise cuts through the air. Kaia and Hadrian flew fast and true. Professor Ross’s gaze lingered on Alaire, offering the occasional tip.
“Test altitude control,” he advised. “Ascend and descend in measured movements. It’s crucial for navigating terrain and avoiding obstacles—a component of your next trial.”
Solflara ascended steadily, the academy shrinking below. Magic shielded Alaire’s eyes from the wind as they climbed into cooler, thinner air. The grounds stretched beneath her like a painted map. Leaning back, she signaled for descent, and Solflara glided down in a smooth arc.
When they landed, Alaire’s body tingled, her heart still racing.
“Well done,” Professor Ross said. “Impressive control—for Solflara’s chosen bonded, I’d expect nothing less.”
Solflara stood taller at the compliment. “ Perhaps I will not burn his old-fashioned attire after all .”
“ Suck-up .”
“ Hard to argue with impeccable judgment .”
Nearby, Kole executed a dramatic spiral with his owl, landing with a flourish before shooting Alaire a smug look. Overcompensating for something, she’d bet money on it.
“Alright, everyone,” Ross called. “Let’s review evasive maneuvers—rolls and dives. They’re just as important as offensive tactics, essential for avoiding attacks or obstacles during flight. Your number one priority should always be protecting your creature.”
Alaire’s stomach flipped.
“Barrel roll first,” he instructed.
Once airborne, Alaire took a deep breath and tucked close to Solflara’s side.
“ Hang on tight .”
Not to be outdone, Solflara rolled through the air—once, twice, three times—until Alaire squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the world to level out.
“ Did you not hear the singular ‘ barrel roll ’?”
“ Did you not hear him say he expects nothing less from my bonded ? Everyone will expect more because of who you are , Alaire . Beginner tricks won’t keep you alive .”
“ Fine , you have a point . But can I at least have one day to learn to walk before you make me run ?”
“ This is about as slow as you’re getting .”
“ That’s exactly what worries me .”
After a few more rolls, Solflara decided it was time for dives.
She flew them to an obstacle course that had likely been set up for the vets in the Aeriel Coliseum.
Alaire craned her head to see if anyone was there.
“ Don’t worry — your lover boy isn’t here . It’s empty .”
She almost choked. “ He is not my lover boy . I swear you’re just as bad as Kaia .”
“ She at least has some sense . I like her .”
“ Well , right now , I don’t like either of you .”
Solflara’s shoulder lifted. “ Doesn’t bother me in the slightest .”
Hoops and barriers lay across the arena in a pattern that looked more like a death trap than a training course.
Shaking her head vehemently, Alaire said, “ We are not ready for this .”
“ Yes . We . Are . Do you trust me ?”
“ Reluctantly .”
“ Follow my lead . Do you think I want the reputation of dropping my flier ? If nothing else , rely on my vanity .”
Alaire molded herself against Solflara’s feathered neck.
Without warning, the ground dropped away. The pair weaved through hoops and barriers of varying heights, Alaire’s hands tightening on the braid, her body moving instinctively with Solflara’s motions. A rush of pride surged through her as they navigated the course.
Already, she was beginning to anticipate some of Solflara’s movements—reading the shift of her muscles, the minute changes in position—before they happened.
The final stretch was a series of tight turns around glowing blue pillars. Briefly, the light caught her attention; she leaned forward.
Her grip slipped.
In a split second, the world tilted. She scrambled for Solflara’s braid but found only smooth feathers beneath her fingers.
The glow of the pillar pulsed closer, almost reaching for her, as her body twisted in free fall. Wind roared in her ears. The sky and ground blurred into a dizzying vortex. Panic surged. She opened her mouth to scream, but the wind tore the sound from her throat.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
I’m going to splatter across the arena ? —
Talons grasped her—firm but careful—as Solflara descended. Alaire’s body jerked from the sudden change in momentum.
When Solflara deposited her safely, Alaire sagged to the ground sticking her head between her knees. Gritting her teeth against the light-headedness, she forced herself to breathe, trying to calm her heart’s frantic pounding.
“ What happened ?”
“ I don’t know ,” Alaire replied through their bond. “ One minute I was looking at the pulsing pillars , and the next I was falling . It was as though the blue light was reaching for me .” She shook her head. “ Probably just the change in altitude .”
The phoenix’s amber eyes narrowed at the pillars. “ Odd .”
“ Let’s go again .” Alaire brushed the sand off her leathers as she stood, her stubbornness refusing to let that be the last lap of the day.
“ This is why I chose you .” Solflara clucked her tongue. “ Though it appears I may have overestimated your ability to stay conscious during flight . Should I get you a helmet ?”
“ Bite me .”
“ I’d rather not . Humans are quite fleshy. You don’t suit my elevated palate .”
Rolling her eyes, Alaire climbed onto Solflara’s back—no dizziness this time.
Once resettled, she locked her legs around Solflara’s sides, using every ounce of muscle to keep her seat.
“ Hold tight ,” Solflara warned before launching into the turns again, wings adjusting minutely to match the varying angles and distances between each pillar.
Crossing the finish line, Alaire couldn’t resist letting out a big, “ Woot woot ! We did it !”
“ Once we can do that without anyone falling off , you can do your unattractive victory dance .”
Her face fell. “ Again ?”
“ Did you think that would be the only time ?”
“ Yes ,” Alaire whined.
“ We’ll try again tomorrow .”
“ Great . Can’t wait . I’ll be counting down the seconds . We should get back to the rest of the cla ?—”
A familiar tingling crawled along her scalp. She felt him before she even saw him.
Her gaze snapped to the wide arch that connected the Aeriel Coliseum to the training grounds.
There.
Dressed in impeccably fitting leathers that showcased every sharp definition of muscle, Dawson leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets—the epitome of indifference. And yet she drank him in like someone parched after weeks in the desert.
Her body responded to him of its own accord, every nerve ending suddenly alive, as though she existed solely in his presence. She hated it.
His turquoise eyes were hard, swirling tattoos stark against olive skin.
Beautiful. Cold. Lethal. Dickhead.
He wasn’t worth it. She didn’t even like him—she reminded herself.
He tilted his head, as if hearing her denial.
Fuck this. Fuck him. Why did he have to be so gods-damned attractive?
“ Please do not engage in any form of coitus in front of me ,” Solflara drawled.
Alaire’s gaze whipped to the phoenix. “ Ew , Solf , that is never happening between us .”
“ Then why are you still here ? You shouldn’t have trouble talking to him if he means nothing to you .” Solflara nodded toward Dawson.
Lifting her chin, Alaire turned back—only to find the spot empty. Gone. Disappeared into thin air. Again.
Twice now, he’d appeared from the shadows, pinning her with those damn eyes, only to vanish. Coward.
Her hands curled into fists. What was his game? Dawson Knox was playing with her, and her treacherous body was practically purring for more. She hated him for it.
But the heat pooling low in her belly called her a liar. She wanted to track him down and demand answers, to grab him by those dark locks and?—
She wasn’t ready to finish that thought. Not yet.