Women in the small kingdom of Aeriana are disappearing.
Iris Daniels, a budding painter in the East Territory, is trying to keep her head down. In a kingdom filled with abilities, music, and Destined love, Iris is determined to build a career out of...
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"Bodies of two agents found along the side of Highway 87. Requesting backup immediately."
"Copy. Backup routed your way. You know what to do, Agent."
"Understood."
—conversation between Kit Garrick and Agent Houlihan, encrypted line.
Everything went wrong when the sun set behind the waters of the Aetlenic Ocean.
Once the natural light of day disappeared and the hazy glow of the moon settled among the low set clouds, Iris had a hard time keeping her eyes open. Her sleep schedule was all over the place over the last week and right now she would take any amount of sleep she could get.
When her eyelids felt weighted, she let them drop. Caught in the heavy lull of the beginnings of sleep, she didn't feel the first tap on her knee.
Maybe I imagined it.
Tap.
Tap. Tap.
Bleary, she blinked awake and glanced over at Wylan.
Wylan had his seatbelt off and perched on the front half of his chair.
Iris' senses came alert. He tapped away at his phone and had his attention divided between the device, Iris, the window, and Marisol & Thad up front.
"Wylan?"
He shook his head at her and kept tapping at his phone. After a second, he showed her the screen.
It was a text conversation between him and an unknown number.
Your flight path just changed. The other number said.
By how much? Wylan asked.
15 degrees. Just slightly. No concerning weather patterns or reason to alter course.
Keep an eye out. Wylan said.
Be careful. The other number said. It had to be Kit.
Their flight pattern changed? What did that mean? Iris opened her mouth to ask, then thought better. They didn't know how much Marisol could hear.
Wylan got up and gave Iris a signal to stay here.
Swallowing past a sudden rock in her throat, Iris nodded.
Wylan went up to the front and tapped two fingers on Thad's shoulder, getting his attention. Thad glanced back and slid one ear of his headphone off.
It was hard to hear through the filtered air and engines droning just outside. She thought she heard him say, "Kay says they're picking us up 15 minutes after we land."
