Team Southwest was sunk already. Phoenix knew it as soon as the choosing was halfway done. It wasn't just that her cousin had been chosen for the other team—without her wind powers, Erika was charismatic but useless—but that Filian's whole crew was on this team, and even as they and the other wing-blessed ordinary folk had taken off, she knew he'd be leading the team.

Telsan, the gentleman that he was, had offered to fly her to the keep, and she didn't doubt that he was capable—she didn't weigh much, and his wings were some of the strongest around—but her pride had kicked in and immediately refused.

It didn't help that her group of crippled elementalists was nearly twenty strong. Just random chance, or course, or so said the Magnates. Phoenix ran at the center of the group, winding through pillared colonnades and walls that divided the battlefield, seeming to serve no purpose other than to confuse the combatants—particularly those without wing power throughout. As she ran, the Flameborn girl ignored the crowds completely, even though their raised seating was just to their left and a stone's toss away at times. Names were being called, and some cheered loudly for sons and siblings and no one in particular.

Upon reaching the castle that Melka had raised from nothing, Phoenix noted the complexity of the branching walls that spread out from it. Were they all like this? A sheer corner jutted upwards from the mazelike lower walls some three to four stories, decorated with battlements at the top. The peak of a small roof poked up above that, a needless tower. How had Melka designed and built it all? Beyond the awe-inspiring power she'd displayed, the battlegrounds weren't exactly an architectural masterpiece, but still . . . a little impressive. Did they have castles up in the Earth? Was that where she'd taken it, or from the those she'd heard of in the northern islands?

Probably the Harbinger's doing. Melka just didn't seem that creative.

A blond head poked over the stone wall above, followed by others beside it. "Ahoy down there, peasants!" called Filian Cornel. "Best hurry and get up here so we can assign you all." A complaint followed these words, followed by sounds of disagreement.

Phoenix's group had already entered the tentacles of hallways that ran out from the main fortress, so most of them couldn't get a good glimpse of the young man's face—and his voice was soon too muffled to hear. They all knew him. Filian's family was known and liked in vastly different proportions, possessing influence and money that got them places easily around Megeth. Phoenix could hear Telsan and other winged contestants up there arguing with the boy. A few replies came from the elementalists, but most ignored him just as she did.

The group of runners split, some taking different hallways, and a few called to each other, offering to help each other navigate toward the keep. Phoenix had to double back and follow others more than once, and she couldn't be certain all of the elementalists were with them when they finally ascended the last staircase and found the Kinless winged folk. Arguing and fighting, just as she'd thought. Not only that, but Telsan was held in an arm-and-wing lock by two boys. Not Filian's friends—they were huddling behind Filian, one holding his head.

Filian, however, was arguing with a thirty-something man whom Phoenix did not recognize. Scrappy and shaggy-haired with bear-black wings, his voice was high and tinny as he shouted, "I didn't come back into these games just to play with children. You're a grown adult, so—"

"Hey! Watch your tongue, old man," Filian shot back, puffing out his chest. "I fought hard for my win last year, only to have it stolen from me."

"Yeah, you almost made it to the semifinals!" said one of his buddies helpfully, earning him a glare.

One of Phoenix's companions coughed loudly. "Um, this is nice and all, but where are our 'treasures' we're supposed to be hiding?"

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

As more of the Kinless filed up the staircase, Phoenix and those around her made room. The twenty-five odd people did not exactly crowd the room, but it was small enough to cause a lot of uncomfortable glances at unfamiliar teammates. Telsan shrugged out of his captors' grip, and they made no move to stop him. He looked about to say something when a youthful girl called from behind them, "Look what I found!"

The crowd let her push through just far enough for a large boy to snatch it from her hands, eliciting complaints from the blonde and others around them. Soon, Filian had it. His older rival—whatever his name was—eyed it suspiciously but did not take it. Phoenix could tell that multiple contestants, though she couldn't say who, were already on Filian's side.

"Let's see here . . . 'Rules of the game #1: Hello, children. Below, you will find a list of the major rules of the first game, both those stated by the announcer and those hidden at the making of the game. Yes, there are other rules, and additionally you will need to hunt down the rest of them in order to get the greatest advantage over the opposing team and understand your own roles in the game. There are ten in all.'"

"Oh come on!" complained a white-haired girl.

The blonde who'd found the paper had retreated in humiliation after getting it ripped from her small hands, but now stepped forward timidly. "There's more than that. Read the rest."

Filian glared at her for a moment before adjusting his blond mop and twitching his nose. "I suppose. Or we could just tear it up. No? No."

Tension gripped the area, and a silent contest persisted for a few moments, until the rich heir finally sighed and continued. "Very well: 'For starters, the two items you will be hiding are located in the fortresses on the northwest and southeast wings, one in each. Best get to it.'"

Everyone stared at him.

"All right, all right. You and you, go northwest. You and you, go southeast. Sound good?"

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CHARACTERS

* Solis Lightwing (SOLE-iss)—The main character, a white-winged boy of unceasing curiosity who longs to see inside the forbidden Earth.

* Telsan (TELL-suhn)—Solis’ best friend, a young man of the Bird Tribe.

* Phoenix Dolce (DOLE-chay)—Friend of Solis and Telsan, a Flameborn girl of sixteen years. Daughter of Falla Dolce.

* Pim Lightwing—Daughter of Fey of Longfell and mother of Solis and Floris.

* Arthur Lightwing—An exterior miner, husband of Pim, head of the Lightwing household.

* Faridi (fuh-RID-ee)—A Tapiq man who frequently volunteers for lookout duty.

* Colla—A female Tapiq; often works with Faridi.

* Melka—One of the three living Tapiq Magnates.

* Donnor—Said to be the eldest of the three living Magnates.

* Spore—One of the three living Magnates. Doesn’t say much.

* Fey—Solis’ deceased grandmother, a former Magnate.

* Floris—Solis' younger sister. 11 years old; aspires to be a physician.

* Caris—Eldest of the three Lightwing children, now married and residing in the neighboring Tapiq village of Dram.

* Falla Dolce—Phoenix's mother, a Dustborn from a powerful elementalist family of Fenaback. Kept her family name due to unfortunate events she'd rather leave buried.

TERMS

* Earth, The—An immeasurable continent that looms over the entire sky. Forbidden to all save those whom the Magnates choose each year.

* Tapiq (tuh-PEEK)—The tribe of winged men who dwell in Ameros and the surrounding islands. As with most tribes, they have adopted some from other tribes and races as their own, while others are visitors.

* Ornis—Also called the Bird Tribe, though this isn’t entirely accurate, as there are multiple; most simply live farther north.

* Hiding, The—The six hours in the middle of the day when the Sun’s low-angled course takes it behind the infinite cloud layer that looms beneath the sky world.

* Magnate—One of the three living souls of the Tapiq tribe who have ascended to the Earth and returned, bearing supposedly infinite knowledge that they choose to keep hidden.

* Ameros (AM-uh-ros)—Largest island in the southeastern quadrant of the sky, where the Tapiq village of Megeth lies.

* Megeth (Meh-GETH)—Capital city of the Tapiq people.

* Grimstaf VI (GRIM-stahf six)—An artificial island created west of Ameros by the Harbinger.

* Elementalist—One born with a Kinship to an elemental force. They usually lack wings.

KINSHIPS

* Kinless—Possessing no element.

* Flameborn—Kin of flame. They form their own wings as needed from tongues of fire that sprout from their backs.

* Dustborn—Artists of soil and dust. They fly with wings created from nearby dust particles.

* Windborn—Wind kin. Unlike other elementalists, these often grow wings just like any other, though some possess heightened abilities allowing them to fly without wings—and thus lacking them.

* Waveborn (aka Watchers)—Keepers of the invisible wards that protect the sky islands from falling hazards. Also, those with the rare ability of sound manipulation.

* Dewborn—These control moisture and redirect water.

* Stormborn—Creators of small storms and electrical currents.

* Snowborn—Bringers of frost and snow on a small scale.

* Sunborn—Manipulators of light.

* Beastborn—These rare kind, seen largely in the northwestern isles, come in different orders according to a certain class of living creature.

* Cragborn—Manipulators of stone.