Briar purses her lips, pouting. “You give me wrinkles,” she mutters.
At her words, the back door slams open and Willem jogs down the steps. “A heavy bag of gold bought silence from the Madame,” Willem says. He tosses his long blond hair over his shoulder and glowers at Aiden. “Though I had to pay extra for the damages from our dear friend.”
Aiden grins smugly. “What can I say? I’m a voracious lover.”
“Aiden, are you coming?” I ask, ignoring his lewd remarks.
“No, I think I need a vacation from all this seriousness and responsibility,” Aiden says, stretching. “It’s exhausting.”
“If you aren’t used to it.” I roll my eyes.
Aiden salutes casually walks back to the entrance of the alley. "I'll bring souvenirs next time," Aiden says.
I wave him away and summon my magic. I wrap it around Willem and Briar and myself, preparing to teleport us into the Underworld. “Ready?” I ask, voice distorted by the magic.
Briar nods sharply and Willem yawns. “I couldn’t be more ready to leave this shit-hole,” Willem says.
“Briar,” Aiden says as the magic takes effect. “Don’t forget our promise.”
Before I can register the meaning of his words, the world tips upside down and we slip into cold, velvety air. The chill melts away as the world rights itself. Warmth blasts over my face, rustling my hair over my forehead. I breathe in deeply before opening my eyes, taking in the familiar scent of the Underworld: jasmine and night air. When I open my eyes, I see an orange sky streaked with purple clouds. My muscles feel invigorated by the energy in the air of the Underworld and I can already feel my strength returning.
I teleported us to the center of the castle courtyard. Behind us, the gates leading to the city are closed but the bustling noises of life filter towards us. In front of us, my home rises strikingly into the sky. The dark stones of the castle are a stark contrast to the vibrant sky. I can pinpoint my office window from here, halfway up the main structure of the castle. The roofs of the tall, spindly showers are lost in the clouds.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Willem asks with a rare smile.
“It does,” I agree.
Willem stretches, his wings flaring out from between his shoulders. “I think I’ll take a spin,” he says. He lifts a brow at me. “Your office later?”
I nod, and Willem launches himself into the air with a powerful beat of his wings. He rolls overhead, hair streaming out around his face, before angling himself towards the city. In seconds, Willem is out of sight, darting between the towers and rooftops of the city. Briar watches him go with fascination, and I think of the wings I saw on her only two days ago.
“Have you ever wanted to fly?” I ask.
Briar bites her bottom lip and then smiles. “Yes,” she admits.
I release my own wings, tearing through the fabric of my jacket as the magic builds them up. The black, fleshy wings span a length twice my height. Briar’s eyes widen at the sight and I feel a thrill of fear course through her at the sight of them. I lap it up, pleased at her reaction. She reaches out a hand and trails her finger over the thin membrane, tracing the veins. I shiver at the sensation, a pleasant tingle flitting up my wings and down my spine.
“Let me show you the freedom of flight,” I murmur, pulling her towards me with my good arm.
Briar gasps when I pull her into my chest. She's careful not to brush up against my arm in the sling, instead sticking closely to my side. With one arm, I hoist her up, so her feet dangle in the air. I hear her swallow audibly, apprehension making her heart beat faster. I feel it pounding against my ribs and I welcome the rhythm. Carefully, I leap into the air, wings thumping loudly. Briar's yelp is lost to the beating of my wings and the rush of air around us. Her hair flies around her face wildly. I smile at the sight of her gaping mouth and wide eyes.
She screams as I lean forward, flying towards the castle. Almost horizontal, Briar clings tightly to me, as if trying to climb up my own body. Not that I wouldn’t welcome it. I close my eyes, losing myself in the sensation of the wind on my face. When I open them again, Briar is quiet, staring like a child at the scenery below us. From this height, she can see the obsidian mountains in the distance and the size of the city. Below us, servants and guards bustle through the courtyard, as small as ants.
I carry her towards my office windows. She wraps her legs around my waist instinctively as we get closer and I feel her body stiffen. Easily, I land on the sill of the window. With a flick of my wrist, the window flies open, curtains fluttering. Briar crawls from my arms onto the window seats, breathing hard with excitement. I send my wings away, and they dematerialize, pieces of them drifting away on the wind. Sighing, I climb into my office after Briar, taking care to avoid jostling my arm on the window.
Briar rubs her arms and turns bright eyes on me. “That was amazing,” she breathes.
“It is exciting, isn’t it?” I smile.
“If I had wings, I would fly all over the world,” Briar sighs wistfully.
Her attention drifts away to her fantasies as I stride towards one of my bookshelves. I run my tongue over my teeth, fighting the temptation to reveal her powers to her. I don't know how she would react to the knowledge, and I won't take any risks – not now that we're closer than we ever have been before. Clicking my tongue, I pull a rolled map from the shelf and toss it onto the desk.
“Come here,” I say, waving Briar towards my desk.
“What is it?” She asks as she
