A Speck of Dawn: (A Speck of Darkness, # 2) by C.K. Franziska

Author:C.K. Franziska [Franziska, C.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2022-11-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

My body ached when I stepped through the entrance door of the Transitioning Quarter onto the walking path. I followed my siblings closely, trying to spot any other trainees that cut curfew. But there was no one beside us.

“Quickly, before someone sees us,” Draven whispered, picking up pace.

What was it about breaking curfew and lying to the instructors? The rush? The excitement of having something to show if the mission succeeded? We should have let Mrs. Nerol handle it, but we didn’t.

We rushed over the walking path on tiptoes, and I bounced into Niam’s broad shoulder when he halted in front of the staircase. He pushed me between the railing leading up to Teviena and the wall holding the lake in place. I sucked in my breath to make more room for the little niche.

“Can you guys see anyone?” Amara whispered, and I scanned the buildings with my night vision for curious eyes.

I shook my head and before anyone could give a sign, Draven vaporized into a thick, black smoky mass. He hovered in front of us and disappeared into a small gap between the rock facade and the streaming waterfall.

My hands began to tingle as we waited for him. I pressed my palms together and sweat built up between them.

My heart couldn’t handle another disappointment. It was the last straw; the last lead. And the longer Draven took, the louder my heart pounded in my chest.

“He should be back by now,” Lex said, driving his eyes over the moonlit lake, looking for a movement.

My ears rang.

If there was an entrance, it shouldn’t take Draven this long.

What if he got caught?

My knees threatened to buckle as I swallowed the defeat.

That was it. The last sliver of hope ran through my fingers like a single strand of hair.

“There,” Rowan said, pointing at the same spot Draven had disappeared.

I forced my head up and saw Draven, in his Shadow form, floating between water and rock.

“Come,” his voice whispered, and Niam jumped out of our formation. He shifted right before our eyes and his wings sonated in the air.

There was no command needed. I jumped onto the wall and onto his back first. The sharp scales cut into my fingers, but I didn’t care. I held onto him for dear life.

Viera had supported me the last and only time I had flown on Niam’s back. She had made it look so easy. But holding onto this scaly back with just my legs was way harder than I wanted to admit.

The quiet shuffling noise of feet sounded below me. A pair of arms wrapped around me, and I curled my fingers around the unknown hands. They were warm and my size.

“We’re so close,” Amara whispered into my ear, and I closed my eyes. I had expected it to be Rowan, but was relieved it was my sister. I should have known. Rowan’s hands were always cold. It was a side effect of being a Shadow.

Niam almost tripled in size, making it even harder to get a good grip using my weak thighs.

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