When The Night Falls Book 2 of When Good Things End trilogy

CHAPTER 16

(Authors notes- I love how my characters just adopt random kids. Tide is honestly adorable, i think he's going to be like a pirate and Milo's going to be going for either the heir to the village or the guard of Irene who might become the next lady of Phoenix drop. Idk but it's definitely cute thinking of there future as siblings )

Tide.
I named the boy Tide after the color of his bright eyes as I watched his sweaty and pale smile.
"I'll be back soon. I promise."
He couldn't mumble anything and Class just made me leave after a few minutes of watching how the fevers effects were making the little boy go in and out of hot flashes.
I hate that I can't do anything.
"I'll be back," I mumbled as I finally made my way to where Asshure said he will leave his bird for me.
It almost looked like Laurents. Big body, nice wing span, but this one had a tilt upwards in its eye shape.
"I really shouldn't end up killing you," I sighed with a roll of my eyes as I got onto it. It's not the freaking birds fault Laurent got hurt. It's because of that stupid man.
No one waved me off as the bird took off and started to fly.
I can fee my mind clearing up as if the wind was sweeping away all of my worries. I'm going to come back alive and shove whatever trophy I get from this trial up Asshures nose.
The bird seemed to know what was going on and I didnt have to do much to get it to move and fly the way that was comfortable for me.
A loud skriek let me know I was travling in the right direction as the bird slowed down. Whatever chaos was going on as feathers picked up in the wind seemed to stop my bird from coming any closer to the area.
I landed a distance away from the mountain like area and started climbing the broken up piles of trees. The whole area seemed to be just a gloomy mess of broke trees and rocks shaped up into a mountain.
Large whole the size of caves were above me and I could see one of the contestants limp bodies at the entrance.
There's a storage feeling in my gut as screams kept echoing out of the dark cave as I finally found my way up.
With a quick heart race and heavy breathing I made my inside. My mouth went dry as the smell of musk and warn blood seeped from the trees.
It's like a hell hole and the feeling of unease keeps getting worse the deeper I go.
Splinters dug there way into my skin as I tried to trail my hand along the walls of broken wood.
It's a giant nest.
But what am I supposed to be doing here?
"I followed us!"
"Obviously but how do we get it out of here!"
I quitely watched from the sideline as two of the competitors ran and hid behind a dead birds body. I could feel my head start to spin along with the flight of birds circling a shadow twice its size.
The Kylander's here.
A ripped off leg flew past me in a whirl of blood.
What-
"Why is it attacking the others!" I yelled out to the others and more things started to flash by in a blur.
"That's what happens when a Kylander finds a Drakens nest! We need to get our hands on one of the birds and get out of here!" One of the men yelled. He ran out towards a fallen bird. Swung his legs around its neck and tied down its beak.
It hurt to watch the animal thrash before flying off at the man's command.
Thats all I need to do.
Just get on one and get out.
It was like the second I stepped out of my hiding area things started getting worse. The other competitors seem to take my action as competition. They ran out after whatever they could find before I could even finish looking around.
My head thrummed with the beat of the wings. Hands aching as my body moved without my consent. My mind isn't letting me breathe any thought other than the screaming screams of Cherise.
Everyone is running away.
I should do the same.
But their killing it before I can even get my hands close enough.
Its like my ear gave out as I climbed higher to the blur of birds. I can't hear anything but static as I jump.
I could feel the animal underneath me as it tried to tear apart from where the Kylander grabbed it. This time if I fall I'm going to die.
My hands scraped along the wet feathers before I dug my hands into the flesh and started to climb.
Glass was shattered all over the floor as I waited. My hand shaking as I tightened my fist around its head. My muscles are cramping in painful spasms.
The dark cast shadow above me kept my eyes from zoning out. It's dark. Even as the council opens the door.
I couldn't stand up. I could barely even keep myself sitting up.
"What the hells is going on here?"
The lights flashed on in crimson colors of red and orange. I threw down the head of Asshures bird, letting it roll and tumble to his feet. My ears are still ringing.
"I'm leaving this land crowned and I'm not forgiving you for what you have done to me unless you prepare news of a gift. One of good will that involves a large ship and supplies."
I couldn't really make out what he said.
"Ny," I called out over Asshure's anger yells.
White light filtered into the dark room as I stood up on shaking legs. Rough feathers fluttered down as an eye peaked down from the huge broken ceiling window.
I could tell things got quite the second everyone saw the Kylander. "I'll expect word form you after two days pass. No sooner no later." I gripped onto the feathers along the birds head and it gently lifted me out of the councils gathering room.
Everything is still burning along my body but I moved the Kylander underneath me and steered it to the only place that called to me.
The bird left once I stumbled off and down onto the ground. Like always there wasn't a soul in the clean white halls. I could see my drag marks as I sneered my hands and forced myself to keep pushing.
Damp skin. Aching head. Even with my vision swimming I could see his eyes are still closed and his hands are laying still.
"I'm back."
I knelt down at the side of his bed.
"So please wake up."