As promised, the skyscribe was nowhere to be found when they arrived at Featherlight Inn at first light.

"Why did we come… so early?" Gail was breathless from the walk, even though Zef carried all their supplies. His brother was hunched over like an old man, but had refused Zef's help walking. Gail could be prideful and stubborn when he wanted to be, but Zef let him be, seeing he was strong enough for the moment.

"So she doesn't have a chance to slip away." Zef scanned the building as he spoke, checking for likely windows. Not that Imyla seemed the type to scramble out a window.

Saunter, maybe.

"I thought you were… some special catch." Gail grinned, though Zef could see the worry in his teasing.

"She'll still be here. Don't worry."

"Not worried. Only don't want… to have walked all this way… for nothing."

Given that they might have a while yet to wait, Zef settled his brother on the inn's stoop, then set down their packs next to him to pace. He thought of ducking inside and asking after the A’avi, but he worried even a place like this wouldn't let him far past the doors. Besides, he had to look after their stuff; Gail wouldn't be chasing down thieves anytime soon, and though they didn't own much, it was all they had in the whole of Pyrea.

The sun crept up the sky like a spider up a wall, and just as unnerving with its stare. Zef paced, wiped sweat from his forehead, and glanced toward the door. Maybe he should try to ask after her. Where was her greathawk, anyway? Maybe she had just been plucking his feathers the day before. Maybe she just had a strange sense of humor. A’avi didn't live among Foundation folk, so he knew little about them.

Maybe the heavens hadn't touched him. The skyscribe had never said explicitly that they had, after all. Maybe he’d wanted it too badly and made it all up.

Zef gritted his teeth, hating his hope, yet unable to release it.

As the sun neared its zenith, and Gail's face began to pinken with sunburn, and the streets thickened with passersby, Zef lost his patience. Steeling his nerves, he told his brother his intentions, then stalked up to the doors of Featherlight Inn. Drawing a breath, he let it out, then pushed his way inside.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

He had rarely entered common rooms, only on brief occasions when sneaking a bite to eat or drink while a barkeep was looking the other way. This one, however, looked brighter than most. A mirror-silver shone above the fireplace mantle, reflecting Zef’s thin face and shock of dark hair back at himself. A wooden chandelier dangled from the center of the chamber, its wicks unlit. Exposed beams spanned the low ceiling. To one side, a bar stretched, with shelves lined with various bottles behind it. Across the floor, empty tables and chairs crowded the remaining space.

There at the far end, Imyla stood, chewing on half a grapefruit with a bored expression.

"Ah, there you are, dweller." She took another bite and puckered her lips. "Do you really eat this? More pain than pleasure."

Zef didn't know whether he was more relieved or annoyed to see her. "How long have you been here?"

"The inn? All night." She gave him a droll smile. "Or did you mean down here? Just an hour."

"An hour." He knew he had precious little wind to sail on, so he reined in his outrage. "We've been waiting for you."

"But I thought you wanted my name to ask after me?" At his silence, she only tossed her half-eaten grapefruit on the proprietor's counter, wiped her hands together, then stretched. "No need to break your wings, dweller. Just a little test."

"Test of what?" He narrowed his eyes. Had he failed by coming after her? Or somehow passed?

Imyla shrugged. "How long you would wait. Still haven't decided if sticking around this long makes you stubborn or dumb."

"Let me know when you do." Zef snapped his mouth shut, but it was too late; the words were already poisoning the air.

The skyscribe narrowed her eyes. For longer than seemed natural, she only stared at him. Then Imyla burst out laughing, and though he suspected she mocked him, the sound was too pleasant for him to resist a smile.

"A bit of both, I'd say. Good; that's what I need just now."

"In an adept?”

She smiled again. "Something like that. But come on; I'm guessing your brother has waited long enough."

Zef didn't worry much about that now that he knew Imyla was still with them. Gail had always seemed to have infinite patience, as if he were the Guardian of the Sky Isles itself, ever warding against furystorms.

The artist had reached the doors, but she paused to look at him sidelong. "Coming?"

Without waiting for an answer, she walked through.

Zef watched the doors swing closed, then sucked in a steadying breath. This was it. The beginning of their ascent into the sky, where Gail could be whole.

And Zef could be free.

Smiling, he followed his new mentor outside.