Last Line of Defense

Chapter 1

Kiani

I'm about to become a statistic. I can't believe that after being careful for fifteen tedious years, I failed at doing the one thing I thought I would never fail at.

Falling.

The old ladies that live down my street are going to be telling their grandchildren "Don't be like Kiani, she didn't listen, didn't pass the test, and she fell off the edge. She was such a bright kid, had so much potential too."

That's a lie. Those old ladies hate me, especially Mrs. Mabel. I'm too much of a nonconformist in her mind.

Oh, woe is me. My clumsiness has finally led to my demise. Yeah right. I wouldn't be in this situation if the kid I was taking care of would just stay where he was supposed to. I told the kid to stay away from the edge of the balcony. Who decides they're going to look over the edge of an island that is over 40,000 feet from the ground when his babysitter doesn't even have her wings yet, let alone him. If I survive and can pull myself up, the parents had better pay me extra for what the little shit did.

I can tell I'm about to fall, my arms begin to feel weak and shake from the effort. My breath is shallow as if I've run across all of Hawa. My heart is pounding so loudly that I'm certain that the people in the Jur can hear it beat. I try not to look down because I know that as soon as I do I'll fall. But it doesn't help. My arms give out and I'm plummeting towards my unavoidable death. I can feel the wind in my face and my legs feel heavy.

Is this how it feels to fly? Is the closest I'm going to get to the feeling the rush of flying? Is this how death is supposed to feel like, endless? All of a sudden I'm grabbed by someone else. As I'm pulled up, I realize the monochromatic pink suit and golden cane head is familiar. Only one person in the entirety of Hawa is snotty enough to wear a pink suit with a useless cane around the kingdom.

Council Member Titantre. Personally I have no problem with the upper class but this might just be the exception. It's so painstakingly obvious he thinks he is above everyone else, never allowing anyone to hand him things. People must put whatever it is on the surface in front of him so he can pick it up himself. He always needs the very best. Even the Royal family doesn't act like that. The royal family had the decency to dress like the middle-class citizens. When their children grew too old for their toys or clothes, they would be sent to different orphanages for the children there to have. But the councilmember was too good to donate or to even dress like the rest of us. At least that's how he seemed to think.

"Well hello there Kiani, what a surprise seeing you here."

Why would it be a surprise, do I not live here on Hawa. Wait, how does he even know my name? I've never met him before.

"Council Member Titantre, it's nice to see you. I hope I find you in good health." I say, almost gagging at the false sweetness of my voice.

Well If he knows my name then I had better make sure he likes me. After all, he is the one who signs my wings license. Might be the only way I can get it.

I've taken that darn test three times and each time my score gets worse and worse. What's strange is the fact that I'm not one to fail. In fact, I'm known for my good grades and knowledge, and yet this wings test has become the bane of my existence. The fact that I study hard and excel in all of my courses yet cannot pass something as measly as the wings test infuriates me to no ends. I've come to accept my failure with this test.

Wings are only given out when a fairy turns 14 to keep the younger fairies from terrorizing the Djinns. They do this in an attempt to put the Djinns in danger so the young fairies can save their life and have them indebted to them. Even after passing a test to make sure they understand the laws of the Djinn bindings, the fairies continue with the terror. At least if they're of age, the courts don't have to wait to try them.