“That would make flying very difficult,” I replied. “It’s just an outer metal layer they release.”
“Huh.” He stuck the feather in his pocket. I rolled my eyes.
At the end of the training session, Laz wrote down a suggested schedule like Jenara had, leaving us with instructions and advice.
“I wish you the best with your training,” they said as I escorted them back to the dock. “I hope when this is over, you’ll come see me in Keris.”
I smiled. “Deal.”
When I turned back to the ship, Caylus stuffed his hands behind his back, but not before I caught a glimpse of something that looked suspiciously like a scone.
* * *
The next few days followed a similar pattern. We stopped in each town on Jenara’s list, seeking out the riders there and requesting their aid. Some were familiar faces, some new, and each one imparted invaluable advice for Res’s new powers.
Seveila, a retired fire crow rider, taught him how to create and extinguish flames, the latter turning out to be much more difficult. Gavilan taught him the peace of mind and patience required to heal with a sun crow’s skills. He struggled with the earth crow lessons from Esos, ending up with a long list of training activities to practice, something we did with every moment of free time we had.
Caylus’s help was invaluable. He had a way of rooting out what was stumping Res and helping him look at it in a new light. The riders understood the powers and the training, but Caylus and Res had had a connection from the beginning. Granted, it was built on cookies and scones, but between Caylus’s sugary motivations, the riders’ experience, and my bond with Res, we made steady progress.
Most of the crew watched with rapt fascination. Except Onis. I couldn’t walk past the grizzled sailor without him clutching his talismans and muttering prayers under his breath, but he didn’t confront me again like he had outside Samra’s office.
On the seventh day of our journey and with the town of Fendail and its shadow crow rider behind us, Res and I prepared for our final stop in our journey: Rosstair, home of the wind crow rider and also one of the kingdom’s most well-known flight training courses. It was barely a day’s ride from Aris, and we often funneled new recruits out to it for monthlong intensive flight training.
I scratched the top of Res’s head. “We should take a break from the other magics and work on your next level of storm magic.”
A low rumble in his throat mirrored the vibration of hunger he sent down the bond. He nudged me with his beak, and I pushed him away gently.
“You just had breakfast,” I groaned.
“What’s the next level?” Talon asked from where he clung to nearby rigging. His feet were hooked in, and he leaned back in it like a sling, his bright red hair a beacon against the blue sky.
I withdrew a piece of paper I’d scribbled a training plan on weeks ago. “Every crow has a different training program tuned to their type of magic.” I showed him the paper. “They’re broken down into beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques. Res can pretty much do everything in the beginner and intermediate one, so it’s time to start working on the next set.”
Talon skimmed the list. “I heard you tell Kiva he’s done a lot of this stuff already.” He pointed at the advanced section.
I snorted. “He’smessed upa lot of this stuff already. It’s not just about exhibiting the power; it’s about controlling it.”
Res trilled in disagreement, opening and closing his wings in short bursts.
“Well, prove it,” I replied. “Create a storm cloud. One storm cloud.”
Our bond thrummed, Res’s magic rising. The light caught the silver in his eyes, and the space around him seemed to thicken and charge. The air just above Res blurred, as if obscured by a rolling fog. It condensed, darkening into a single, puffy rain cloud.
A wave of satisfaction slid down the link, and Res flapped his wings as if to saytold you so.
The cloud shifted, sliding through the air. Before I realized what he was doing, he’d moved it over my head. A moment later, a torrential rain poured from the cloud.
It’d barely struck me before I sprang forward with a screech. Res dodged me, flapping his wings in a burst of strength that sent him fluttering a good five feet away. Laughter rocked down the cord as he beat his wings in amusement.
“Bloody chicken,” I hissed.
Talon’s distant laugh echoed. “Crow one, princess zero.”
I huffed. It was supposed to be crow and princess versus everyone else.
“The minute he can safely control lightning bolts, I’m frying you,” I called back, to which Talon only cackled.
“Can’t he just transport us to Trendell?” He snapped his fingers. “Now that he’s all shadow crowy and all.”
