Wingborn (Wingborn 1)

Chapter 8: Family Feelings, Part 3

"YOU ASKED TO see me, sir?" Mhysra entered her father's study and tugged at the riding skirt Milluqua had bullied her into wearing. She still had her breeches on underneath but, as her sister had pointed out, their father didn't know that. It was better all round if he didn't know she routinely paraded around the eyries in a flying coat and breeches, with no thought to so-called modesty or propriety.

Lord Kilpapan looked up from his account books and nodded approvingly at her outfit. The skirt was overlong and overfull, all the better for modest maidens to mount horsats without unseemly displays of ankles. It was a compromise, since it allowed women to ride astride without any loss of reputation. Side-saddles had an unfortunate habit of unbalancing all but the biggest horsat stallions, and all agreed that they were no mount for a delicate lady.

Mhysra hated riding skirts. Her long flying coat, reaching almost to her knees with a split vent at the back, was a different story. It didn't surprise her that the earl wrinkled his nose at the coat's condition – she wore it every day.

"You spend too much time at the eyries."

Straightening her spine, Mhysra stared over his left shoulder. "It's Starday, sir. I am permitted to spend this day how I wish, according to the agreement Milluqua and I drew up. Which you approved."

Lord Kilpapan made a noncommittal noise. "I would prefer you spent less time there."

And Mhysra would have preferred him not to be such a narrow-minded bigot, but few got what they wanted in life. If he thought she would give up Cumulo on his command, he was doomed to disappointment.

"Your sister should not have to track you down in such places. It is to her credit that she chooses to go herself rather than send a servant, but it casts shadows on both your reputations."

Then don't ask for me when you know I'm there, Mhysra thought, but stayed silent. After the scene she'd just witnessed between her sister and Captain Stirla, Mhysra knew the real reason why Milluqua chose not to send a servant. She also had to concede that her father might have a point about eyries and reputations, but she would rather cut out her tongue than admit it. What Milluqua got up to was her own business.

At her silence, the earl nodded as though something had been decided. It had, though Mhysra doubted they'd reached the same conclusion. Silence was a valuable tool when talking with her father. The less she said the happier he was, leaving her free to carry on as before without making false promises.

Putting his quill aside, Lord Kilpapan looked at her over the ledger. "You have been studying under your sister's supervision for two months now. From both her reports and our meetings, I have decided that it's time your new skills were put into practise."

Mhysra tightened her hands, hoping her father didn't notice her white knuckles. He wanted her to enter society? To become a useless butterfly like so many others? When pyreflies hatched kittens!