Hawk Witch by Ashley McLeo

Author:Ashley McLeo [McLeo, Ashley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781947245068
Publisher: Meraki Press
Published: 2019-05-06T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning I awoke much earlier than usual, intending to take Naela on a walk. After my scare yesterday, I wanted to put in the effort to spend more time with her. Afterward, I’d check out the castle library as my father had suggested before breakfast—which at Phoenix Castle was really more of a brunch.

Kate and Kumar had invited me to join them in the library every day, claiming it was one of the best they’d ever seen, filled with books on fae medicine, history, and religion. Their obsession hadn’t resonated with me until yesterday, when I realized that I didn’t want Crystal lording over me as she’d threatened to do—or threatening Naela again. To avoid that, I’d have to win the Successional—or at least beat Crystal, who was a contender for first place. With my new access to infrared light, I finally had a real shot. Maybe in the library I could find information to hone my new competitive edge.

Opening the door to my room, I heard a frantic shuffle and peered down the hall just in time to see Garret fall out of his chair, pick himself up, and run toward my door.

“Everything all right, Lana?” Garret asked, sword already drawn from its scabbard.

“Fine, just taking Naela on a stroll.”

Garret stopped mid-stride, confusion washing over his face. “But . . . I only just took up my post . . . the sun just rose.”

I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing, which only intensified Garret’s expression. The fae were creatures of the afternoon and night, and every day in the castle started slowly. Or, if you glanced outside, one would think it never started at all. Here the sun’s apex resembled something more akin to a particularly bright twilight rather than high noon in the Old Land. Between the odd sun cycle and my general exhaustion since arriving, poor Garret had served as my alarm clock every day. He probably hadn’t realized I could even wake up so early on my own.

“I’m sorry, Garret. I’m not laughing at you. More with you, if you know what I mean?”

He cocked his head.

“Never mind,” I said. “It’s just that I had an epiphany last night. I want to maximize my training. You know, put more effort in. I only have a week left to do so. I figured I’d take Naela for a stroll on the grounds, so she doesn’t claw my eyes out for neglecting her, and then hit the library. Wanna come?”

It was a stupid question. Garret was my guard. He had to come, no matter what. Still, the invitation lit up his face, and he nodded.

“It’d be a pleasure to get out of the castle for a while,” he said, his stance loosening.

I cocked my head to the side, taking in Garret’s uncharacteristically relaxed posture. I supposed being one of our guards must be pretty boring. Especially if you were Garret, who seemed to take his job more seriously than the rest of them,

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