And then her tail twitched twice.
‘That’s hardly comforting,’ Ezer said.
But then Six set her heavy beak down on Ezer’s shoulder, the weight so much more than it had been just months ago. And another vision came.
The dark feather soared towards the Sawteeth. And even in the wind, even in the snow, it did not falter.
It fought like hell to reach the other side.
When she stepped into the Aviary halls, Izill was waiting for her, an enormous box in her hands.
It was wrapped with a delicate golden bow.
‘From the prince,’ Izill said. ‘Kinlear,’she added, when Ezer’s eyes widened as she unwrapped the box.
A weapon. A short sword with raven’s wings for a hilt.
The very same one from her labyrinth.
‘Where is this from?’ Ezer asked.
Izill pursed her lips in thought. ‘They gather many weapons on the battlefield. It could have been forged by anyone in Lordach for all I know.’
Ezer gasped as she lifted the blade and found it nearly weightless, a far cry from the training sword she’d begrudgingly used. This one … this was a work of art. It felt like it was made for her.
Black diamonds shimmered on the pommel, embedded into whatever substance the sword was made of. She held it to the light, and it sparkled like it was spun with stars.
Some part of her wanted to place it back in the box, because it was yet another part of her dreams coming true.
And she knew – oh gods, sheknewhow it would end for her.
I’ll change that part,she promised herself.I will not fall to Kinlear’s blade.
Izill led her to one of the many countless rooms inside the Aviary and braided her hair while Ezer ate breakfast.
The food tasted stale today.
Even the water felt dry on her tongue.
‘A warrior’s braid,’ Izill said as she worked with careful hands. ‘So everyone can see how strong you are.’
Ezer had never spent much time looking at herself, not wanting to see the ugliness of her scars. But when Izill was done, and she’d guided her towards a mirror …
‘Look at you,’ Izill said. ‘You areradiant.’
She’d braided her hair back away from her face … the better for others to see her shadow wolf marks.
They stood out, stark raised black lines against her pale face. In the past, she would have winced at the sight of them. But today, she did not see her smallness, nor her scars.
She saw strength staring back at her.
She saw who she really was for the very first time.
‘Thank you,’ Ezer whispered as she took Izill’s hand and squeezed it tight.
‘Don’t thank me,’ Izill said, and led Ezer from the room. ‘It’s you who is about to give everything for us. Just … kick the Descent’s ass.’
Then Izill gasped like she was surprised she’d uttered the word.
