The NexttGenns Trilogy: Season 1: THE CORRUPTION SERIES

The Diamond Locke || 17

Traple frowns. "Sorry, but I'm drawing a blank.." I open my mouth to ask, when metal bangs loudly behind us. Traple frowns.

"PEPPER-RIIA!" Shouts a regal voice. My eyes widen and I scoot backwards instinctively.

Genie!

Traple set off down the vent. "It's the Irisquedor! Go!" She whispers.

I crawl forward, making it an effort to keep my wings on my back and not dragging. Traple follows close behind. Genie continues banging her fists against the vent door.

I hesitate at an intersection of wide vent ways, and crawl straight. "What are you doing?" Traple whispers loudly. I stop and look at her. "I don't know!"

Traple scoffs and crawls up next to me. "Move aside, and back up."

I do as she says, and fight the urge to make noise as my wings rub the raw, exposed parts; while the fluids have stopped flowing, it still hurts like hell. We turn to the right, and down aways, Traple pops open a vent into a room. She jumps down first and lands on the ground with her hands out in front of her. She turns, and reaches for my hands to help me jump down, with my wounded wings. I slide down from the vent, and my wings scrape the bottom. As my ashy feet hit the floor, something heavy lands behind me..

Oh shit.. Traple raises a brow, and looks at the ground. "What-.." She moves me to the side. She frowns at the books spilling onto the floor. "You're a bookworm?" She says. I bite my lip. Traple picks up the books, when one catches her eye and she stops dead. She picks up the book by Sainkra and stares at its cover. She flips through the pages and then looks at me with a mixed scared and uncertain expression on her face.

"Pepper-Riia, where did you find this?" She asks hastily. I raise my wings to my shoulders. "Th-The Cordianian library. You can just call me Pepper, by the way. " I stutter, worry tainting my voice. "Why? Does it mean something?"

Traple frowns. "I-I don't know. Maybe? It's the author's name; it's saying something to my subconscious, but I have no clue what it means. I know it's important, and it has to do with this book." I let my wings rest below my shoulder blades. "So we have a lead?" Traple shakes her head, but there's something in those spirals, and her eyes glow. "No," She grins mischievously. "We may have a cheating advantage."