Hiraeth: Blackout (I)

Chapter Fifteen

"I can't do it," I said with a sigh as I fell back onto my butt.

My wings ached, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get myself more than a foot off the ground.

Bexley helped me up, laughing. "You'll get it eventually."

"Hopefully," I corrected.

We were outside of the diamond mansion, in a beautifully-vegetated courtyard protected from the snow by magic. Bexley and a few others had been trying to teach me to fly for quite some time, since early in the morning. The Sun was high in the cloudy sky, but it still wasn't noon.

Suddenly, my ears picked up distant footsteps. They sounded angry, hurried. I whirled around towards where they were coming from, but saw no one.

"Focus, Mike. Try it again," Bexley instructed.

I nodded, flapping my wings with determination.

Just as my feet left the ground, the footsteps returned, closer. "My queen!" a strangely familiar voice shouted.

I looked behind me, losing focus and stumbling as I had before.

"Darn it, July!" Bexley shouted in frustration, running to help me up. "I told you not to bother me to-Day!"

I staggered back to my feet and finally saw the boy a ways from me.

He had half-buzzed silvery white hair, purple-and-red slitted eyes, dark skin, and sharp teeth. In his earlobes were strange rings, big enough to stick my finger through. His eyes looked tired and angry, even though he was smiling.

"My sincerest apologies, your highness. I would have followed your orders, except there's a problem in the soldiers' quarters."

The voice from last Night!

Bexley sighed. "I see. What's going on?"

"The, uh..." July started, then paused and looked at me warily. "That one recruit caused another accident."

Bexley's face changed from annoyed to what could be apprehension. "I'll be right there, give me a moment."

"Sure thing, your majesty." July turned to walk away, but not before shooting me a look of pure hatred. I widened my eyes in confusion.

"Come with me, Mike," Bexley commanded, grabbing hold of my arm and leading me back inside.

We rushed through the halls and to my room, where Bexley told me to wait until she returned.

"What's happening?" I asked myself once Bexley's footsteps were gone.

She had closed the door behind her, which made me feel like I shouldn't leave. Even so, I desperately wanted to see what was going on. There was so much about her I didn't know, so much I didn't understand in general.

I leaned against the door, pressing my ear close to its surface. I could still hear her footsteps, but they were almost gone.

I have to know...

I cracked the door open, looking around to make sure no one was there. Then I slipped into the hall and quickly began following the distant sound of Bexley's feet. I chased them down many halls and corridors, through a door I'd not yet seen, up some stairs, and into a higher level of diamond passages.

Staying alert, I eventually came upon a pair of huge doors that were just closing. My ears picked up a ton of chatter through its surface, angry voices and frenzied movements.

I could hear Bexley most of all.

"You'd better have a good explanation!" she was scolding.

"I swear it was an accident!" a small, shaky voice replied in a panic.