Child of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin

Author:Andy Peloquin [Peloquin, Andy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2017-01-16T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Six

Ilanna screamed as Denber plummeted from sight. Her heart stopped and she sprinted to the spot where he’d disappeared.

“Got you!” Denber crouched on a ledge just below roof level, wearing a cocky grin. He waved. “Come on down.”

“You bastard!” Ilanna leapt down and landed lightly on her feet. “Don’t scare me like that!”

His grin broadened. “You said you wanted to fly, didn’t you? Well, now’s your chance!” He levered himself over the edge, hung by his hands, and let go. He landed with a somersault and rolled to his feet.

Ilanna eyed the long drop, hesitating. That has to be at least six paces!

Denber motioned for her to follow. “Just do what I do and you’ll be fine.”

She hung from the ledge, unable to bring herself to let go. Her leather gloves creaked with the strain. It’s too far! But Denber had done it; she had to, too. Any hesitation and he’d send her back to the Aerie. She forced her fingers to release their grip. Her stomach bottomed out as she fell and she landed with a loud thud. Her knees and ankles protested at the impact. Hiding her pain, she climbed to her feet.

Denber’s face grew serious. “Tuck into that roll to cushion the impact. Land wrong and you can break something.”

Ilanna nodded. I won’t let him down again. She couldn’t face confinement to the Aerie, not after tasting the freedom of the rooftops.

Ilanna’s jaw dropped as Denber raced toward a nearby wall. The older boy seemed to run along the side of the wall, across the empty space, and landed on the far roof. “Your turn.” He beckoned.

Ilanna hesitated a moment, instinct screaming at her. This is insane! One wrong move and I’m dead.

“Come on!” His grin turned mocking. “Are you a Hawk or just a chicken?”

Her face burned at his taunt. Clenching her fists, Ilanna sprinted toward the wall and leapt. Her feet pounded against the wall and she collapsed, panting, to the far roof.

Denber grinned down at her. “Well, damn me for a pretty princess! Looks like Prynn owes me a half-drake after all.”

“What for?”

“I told him you’d get it right on the first try. He wasn’t so sure.”

She took his proffered hand and climbed to her feet. “Remind me to thank him personally.”

Denber motioned around. “You’ve made it to the rooftops of Praamis and you’re ready to fly. Up here, this is our world. None of the other Houses come up here. The Hawks rule the skies.”

Ilanna studied the cityscape around them. “I never dreamed it would be so beautiful!”

Denber placed his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “It is. But make no mistake, Ilanna, it can be just as deadly.” The furrow in his brow deepened. “One misstep, one wrong turn, and you’ll take a three-story dive. There is no safety net up here. Always look before you leap. Those are the words to live by up here. Got it?”

Ilanna nodded. “I trust you.”

Denber smiled with real warmth. For a moment, Ilanna glimpsed the boy she’d met the first day in the Aerie.

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