“What the fuck, Starling?” Raven thunders, storming farther into the room. “Where were you last night?”
Realization dawns on me as his question penetrates the morning fog of my mind. The memories of last night’s journey with Titaia through the tunnels crash through my thoughts. I bolt upright again, an unrestrained smile taking over my face. “I found it.”
“What do you mean?” Raven crosses his arms over his broad chest as he continues to glare at me. “You found what?”
“The weapon,” I say with a casual shrug.
Nyssa’s jaw drops, and Raven’s eyes sharpen on me, the muscles in his jaw flexing, words clawing at his throat, but nothing comes. His fists tighten at his sides, and for a fleeting second, I think he might explode. Instead, his voice is low, taut, almost breaking. “Do you think this was worth it? Risking yourself? Do you have any idea—” He cuts himself off, his chest rising sharply like he’s swallowing something bitter.
I slip out of bed, stretching my arms above my head, and saunter over to the closet. I grab the first gown I see and retreat into the bathing room to change. When I turn back, neither of them has moved an inch. Both still look incredulous and furious. Raven narrows his eyes at me before spinning on his heel and stalking off.
“Meeting,” he barks. “Now!”
Nyssa shakes her head at me. “You are in so much trouble.”
I wince. “How bad is it?”
She doesn’t respond at first, a contemplative look on her face. “He was really worried, Aella—so was I—but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him act that way before.”
“I don’t understand,” I say, but foolish little butterflies take flight in my stomach, beating their wings in time with the pounding of my heart.
I smother them—holding my breath captive as I hunt down and extinguish each flicker from existence. Once it’s done, my chest aches with the new emptiness.
Much better.
She scowls at me, grabbing my arm and towing me toward the sitting room.
I freeze when every pair of eyes turns toward me. Anger and irritation radiate from each of the Nightwings, making the atmosphere stifling.
“Uhhh, good morning?” I say, folding my hands in front of my body as I shift beneath the heavy weight of their gazes.
Heron scoffs, shaking his head and looking around at the others with frustration written on his face. “What did you all expect, taking Fledglings on a mission like this?”
“Songbirds,” I correct, collapsing onto the sofa.
“Enough,” Raven snaps, pinching the bridge of his nose as he squeezes his eyes shut. “Starling, why don’t you enlighten us all about your revelation this morning?”
I narrow my eyes and sit up straighter at his tone, irritation coiling through me. “First, let me preface this by saying I tried to find someone last night. But this is an enormous palace to search for trained spies and assassins.”
Raven’s jaw tenses, but he nods. “Go on.”
“I believe I found the location of the weapon.”
“You believe,” he presses, “or you know?”
“I know,” I say, the words steady as I hold his gaze. We stare at each other, unblinking, neither of us willing to back down.
A throat clears.
“How did you find it?” Lory asks, and I tear my eyes away from Raven to study the frowning faces of my Flight around me.
I hadn’t seen anyone watching the hallway, but I’d assumed one of them was nearby—just out of sight. Judging by the matching echoes of curiosity on their faces, they were needed elsewhere. Maybe they have their own missions here. Just as I have mine.
“The hidden passage we were monitoring,” I say evenly. “I found the key to open it.”
Silence stretches, taut and charged.
“And the key?” Myna prompts.
