The Hawk Lord by Amy Sumida

Chapter Thirty-Four

The Hawk Lord sent out his spies, and we waited anxiously for their return. I trained every day and my belief failed me every time. But Dal always took me out to explore the city afterward, like a consolation prize for not getting my wings. We strolled through parks with views of the valleys far below, dined in expensive restaurants where I always got dessert, and shopped in all the fancy stores that I would never have gone into alone. And the citizens of Kestria treated us like royalty. No whispers, no scorn, only deep respect. I was quickly falling in love with Dal's home. If only I could become one of them truly.

“Just relax,” Dalsharan said.

He was in Hawk form again, standing before me to give me a reference while I tried to convince myself that I could be him. Greskal stood to the side, leaving me on the mat alone in the vast training room, with the cries of young Hawks coming in from the balcony. I sighed and closed my eyes, picturing Dal again. And then I prayed.

I know I wasn't born one of your people, but you claimed me. You helped me. Please, let me be a Hawk. You've given me this chance, help me succeed. Help me, and I'm yours forever.

A gasp came. The sound of ruffled feathers.

I opened my eyes and realized that I wasn't sitting anymore. I was standing on two strange legs with claws poking out of my feet. My feathers fluffed in response to my shock, and the odd sensation rolled over my entire body. Feathers? I stretched out an arm and stared instead at my wing. Joy burst up my throat and emerged as a shriek—a hawk shriek.

“Yes!” Greskal shouted and pumped his fist into the air. “Take that, Tigers! He did it in five days! That's a new record.”

“It is?” I asked. My voice sounded weird coming out of a beak.

“It is,” Dal's voice had a pleased tone to it. “And now, Consort, it's time to set another record.”

Dalsharan came at me and something in his manner made me back up. His chest was puffed and his wings spread. I backed up faster.

“No, wait!” Greskal shouted. “He's not a born Hawk, this isn't the way!”

But Dal had already bullied me to the edge of the balcony and even as he looked back at Greskal with a tinge of fear in his eyes, I lost my footing and fell.

I shrieked as I stared up at Dal's dwindling form. My wings flapped upward but not by will. It was the wind tearing at them and gravity pulling at me. Bent, not flapping as they should. More shrieks came as Hawks dove around me, formations breaking as I fell through them like a stone. Then the Hawk Lord was there, his head just above mine, his body streamlined in a dive.

“Stretch your wings!” Dal shouted. “Catch the air, Ravyn! You're a Hawk! Fly!”

The wind whistled. I pulled my arms down. My wings, I mean. I spun into a tumble and lost sight of Dalsharan. Now facing downward, my vision filled with the rapidly approaching ground. But just fifty feet out from the Academy was the edge where the plateau dropped away. I rolled, taking myself further from the side of the building, and cleared the plateau's edge just in time. Hawk shrieks came from everywhere. My own cries echoed off the side of the mountain as it surged past me. The ground was now far, far below me, but in those brief glimpses I got as I tumbled, I saw jagged rocks looming at the base of the mountain.

I couldn't die like this! Not after all I'd gone through to get there. She wouldn't let me die, would she? Their goddess. My goddess! Faith suddenly burst inside my chest, and I went calm. My hawk eyes focused on the horizon and my body moved instinctively to right itself. My wings stretched wide and air struck them like fists. I embraced the punch, cupped it, and rode it upward.

A triumphant shriek came from below me. I looked down to see Dalsharan circle back up. Had he gone beneath me to attempt to catch me? To slow my fall somehow? It didn't matter. Because she hadn't failed me. The Goddess' love bloomed inside me and all around me. A warmth I'd never felt before—unconditional, unwavering, and unfailing. The Goddess had me now; I was hers. I had vowed forever, and I'd gladly give it to her for giving me this—the sky. I shrieked with joy.

My wings came down and I surged upward. Flocks of Hawks drew back to watch my rapid ascent. They cried and it sounded like cheering to my new ears. It sounded like happiness. Like home. I flew straight up toward the sun, clearing the edge of Kestria's plateau, surging alongside the Academy, and finally, past it. Into bright blue. Into Heaven. Freedom as I'd never known before.

Dalsharan shrieked as he chased me, then spun around me in excited circles. I dove and danced with him. Our wings brushed and my Hawk heart filled with love. The sky was ours. There were no limits now. Land couldn't hold me—couldn't hurt me if I fell. Fear vanished. I felt like a god. But the pulse inside me reminded me that I wasn't. I belonged to the Goddess and the Hawk Lord. And I was good with that. So very good.

But my wings started to ache and my breast fluttered.

“Come down!” Dal shouted. “It's too much for your first flight. Your wings will fail! Come back with me, Ravyn!”

I pulled in my wings and dove. Dal dove beside me, then surpassed me to show me where and how to land. I watched how he opened his wings and caught a draft just before a ledge came even with him. I watched with my sharp stare and mirrored him, making a perfect landing. Okay, so I tumbled beak over tail into the room. But I landed.

“Well done, my boy!” Greskal applauded despite my embarrassing return. “Well done! Now remember your Sidhe body and let the bird go.”

I imagined myself—my new Sidhe self—and a tingling rush enveloped me. My eyes closed and when they opened again, I was staring down at my bare legs. Yep, I was naked. The remnants of my clothing were scattered across the mats. But I didn't care. I shoved my fists in the air and shouted in joy.

Dalsharan shifted back to Sidhe and rushed forward to yank me into an embrace. “Are you all right? I'm so sorry. Dear Goddess, I'm sorry.”

“Why?” I asked in shock as I pulled back. “I'm fine.”

“I nearly killed you.” His eyes were wide. “I didn't know it would be different for you. That's the way a Hawk learns to fly; we are pushed off a ledge and our hawk takes over. I didn't know it would be different for you.”

“Hey.” I grabbed him by the back of his neck and pulled his face down to mine. “I'm okay. I'm glad you did it. It was... a revelation.”

“A revelation?” He frowned.

I laughed and kissed him.

The kiss went on for a while. Finally, Greskal cleared his throat, and we broke apart.

“Your robe, Valorian.” Greskal held out a black robe embroidered with gold feathers.

I stared at it as a goofy smile split my face. “I get a war robe?”

“You get a Valorian's robe,” Dal corrected as he took the garment from Greskal and helped me into it. His arms came around me from behind as he tied the belt around my waist. “It looks good on you.”

“Thank you.” I grinned at him.

“Perhaps, you'd like to put yours on as well, Hawk Lord?” Greskal prompted.

Dal chuckled and went to pick up his robe, where he'd discarded it at the edge of the training mat. “You will fly every day now, Ravyn. We'll start with half an hour and work up to three.”

“Why did I get tired so quickly?”

“Your hawk body is new,” Greskal explained. “It's like a baby. Your muscles need time to strengthen.”

“But I feel great.” I stretched my shoulders.

“That's because your two bodies haven't harmonized yet,” Greskal said. “Once your hawk body is fully matured, it will connect to your Sidhe body. Then anything felt by one will transfer to the other. Conversely, your Sidhe body will be enhanced by your hawk; your sight and stamina will improve. This means that despite feeling strong now, your hawk is winded. You need to rest. Take him for a meal, Dal. Tea and cookies won't be enough this time.”

Dalsharan nodded and went to shake Greskal's hand. “Congratulations, Master Greskal. You just trained a Valorian.”

“Got him flying in a day!” Greskal exclaimed. “Though that wasn't my doing,” he settled into a glower. “Don't bypass my instructions again, Dalsharan.”

“No, Sir, I won't,” he said gravely.

“Good. Now feed the hatchling before he passes out.”

“Yes, Sir.” Dal and I strode out of the room in only our robes, smiling at each other like idiots.