Kaye stared into the mist until Bryant cleared his throat. “Do you want to go or not?”

It was pointless either way—the wings were ruined—but if this Celeste could help with the pain, that would be worth it. Kaye had grown accustomed to the pain, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

“Yes, of course.” She glanced around at the trees. “Where…um…where is your village?”

He pointed into the mist.

“Oh.” Her heart sank. “I don’t think I’m up to the climb yet.”

He held out his arms grudgingly. “My job is to carry heavy things up to the village, so…”

“Oh,” she repeated awkwardly. “I suppose if you don’t mind.”

“The Lady commanded; I have no choice.”

Well, that wasn’t promising. At least if he dropped her, she wouldn’t have to worry about the Gaerloms discovering what she was. “Let’s go see this Celeste then.” She scooped her cloak from the ground and stepped to him. When they catapulted into the air she gripped his shoulders, hard, but relaxed as they broke through the mist and the Faye lands came into view.

A large, village-size cliff jutted out from the mountain. There were no huts or tents that she could see—just bushes and grasses and a few small trees. The mountainside behind the cliff was covered in thick vines that stretched to the clouds above. Openings in the wall were dark against the dying greenery. Water from the clouds condensed on the vines and trickled down to collect in a shallow pool before flowing in a small stream over the cliff edge to the north. And everywhere there were Faye.

Small, winged children ran and flew around the cliff. One disappeared into a dark opening between the vines only to be followed out by two others. They squealed and flew circles around another group of children who took up chase until they all disappeared into the mountainside again. A few adults watched with indulgent smiles before continuing their conversations and chores. There was movement everywhere—even the Faye who stood talking did so with their wings moving, adding to their expressions in an almost comical way. For a girl taught to hide her wings from birth the sight was unsettling.

Bryant landed softly in the second-highest cave and released Kaye. It wasn’t exactly dropping her, but it wasn’t exactly as soft a landing as his feet had made.

Two Faye turned to them: a woman around Kaye’s age, or slightly older, and a little girl. The woman looked traditionally Faye—tall, thin, broad shoulders to support the wings on her back. Golden hair, hazel eyes, an aura of power about her that clearly marked her as a priestess. The Second Daughter then.

The little girl looked almost Gaerlom with her black hair and brown eyes. Silkie-kin, as Timin would say, but her wings fluttered in excitement when her gaze landed on them. “Bryant!” She took a hopping-step forward, then pulled up short and squared her shoulders while puffing out her chest and lifting her chin. “Hello.”

His wings straightened in salute. “Daughter Elett.”

A grin split her face and she turned to Kaye. “Who is your friend?”

“Kaye Odion, of Fie Eoin,” Kaye replied before he could. “Forgive me, Daughter Elett, for I can’t salute.” She turned a shoulder to show one bandaged wing and the girl’s eyes widened.

The Second Daughter put down the herbs she was separating. “You’re the Aledan Priestess?” She glanced from Kaye to Bryant.

“I am,” Kaye said, then, “well, priestess-apprentice. How did you…”

“We’ve been expecting you. Please,” the woman motioned them further in.

Kaye stepped forward gratefully—standing on a ledge with no working wings made her nervous. “You’ve been expecting me?”

The woman motioned her forward. “You’ve injured your wings?”

She wasn’t going to answer questions then. “Yes. Lady Sara said you were up to the challenge, Second Daughter.”

“Celeste.” The priestess stepped behind Kaye, and while she didn’t touch the wings, Kaye could sense her energy prodding them.

“Bryant,” Celeste said as he shifted his feet, “stay. I will need your help.”

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“Celeste—”

“That was not a request.” She turned to Elett. “Fresh bandages. Boil water. Salve and the sharpest knife.”

Kaye spun her back to the wall, fingers spread. “Sharpest knife? I just need something for the pain.”

“You need more than that.” Celeste took the knife from Elett. “We need to remove the old bandages and the damaged parts of the wings. They’ll turn septic otherwise. The salve will help them grow back.”

Kaye’s knees gave out and she sank to the ground. “Grow…grow back?”

“Of course. Did you think I would lop half your wings off and leave them?”

Kaye glanced at all three of them. “I thought…I haven’t had time to think about it. I didn’t think they could be…regrown.”

Regrown. Her wings could be regrown. If her legs hadn’t already given out, they would have now.

Celeste knelt before her and spoke softly. “Only if you want them to. It would be safer in Gaerlom without them, and I can do that too.”

“No,” Kaye whispered quickly. “No. I don’t need them, I don’t use them, but…if you can.”

The second nodded and motioned Kaye to a spot on the floor. “Sit here then, and let’s take a look.”

Kaye sat, back to Celeste, and winced as the Daughter began to untie the bandages Abigail had applied. As the last of the wrapping stuck to the dried blood on the wing, Kaye rubbed the spot on her chin that still held the ghost of an ache.

“Wait,” Kaye gasped out as Celeste took the knife to the stubborn bandages. The knife stayed, and Kaye grasped her cloak tight.

The young girl moved into her line of sight. “You don’t have to be scared,” she said softly. “It will only hurt for a moment.”

“It’s not…I’m not scared of my own pain,” Kaye said. “I share a soul with my sister. She’ll feel this, and stop at nothing to find me if she thinks someone’s hurt me so badly.” Which meant she’d head to Fie Obsid, and they’d kill her in Kaye’s place.

Bryant, silent and brooding so far, spoke. “What do you mean, you share a soul?”

She met his gaze. “We were born together. Two bodies, one soul. We can feel each other.” She rubbed again at her chin—not her own injury. Neither was the difficulty breathing, or the twinge of pain in Kaye’s ankle. Kindra had been hurt—badly—but she wasn’t scared, which meant she wasn’t hurt by Obsidians. It was probably an accident at home. She probably hadn’t felt Kaye’s injuries over her own, but she’d definitely feel it if someone cut Kaye’s wings in half today.

“Ahh,” Celeste said and set the knife down with a click on the stone floor. “I see. You know how to manipulate energy—how to give it—but not how to hold it in.”

“I know how—”

“Superficially,” Celeste cut her off. “Not where it matters. Bryant,” she motioned him over. “Hold her shoulders. Keep her still, no matter what.” She looked at Kaye. “Hold it in. If you can’t, give it to Bryant, he can take it.”

“What?” Bryant said.

“What?” Kaye echoed an octave higher. “I can’t hurt—”

“Then hold it in.” Celeste moved behind her and finished cutting away the bandages. For a long moment the cave was silent, the three Faye taking in the damage.

“For the Mother,” Bryant whispered, the crease between his eyes even deeper than it had been.

“What happened?” Elett asked.

Kaye’s throat closed tight as the memories she’d been holding at bay came rushing back. Corbin dragging her from the great house. Her mother’s scream cut short. The cold water crashing over her head as she plunged into the river. She closed her eyes and shuddered.

“Elett,” Celeste chided, “not now. The water, please?”

Bryant’s hands returned to Kaye’s shoulders. She bowed her head, grip tight on her cloak, and focused on the energy rushing up through the ground. When Celeste made the first cut, Kaye curled into herself, leaning against the pressure on her shoulders. She wrapped herself in energy so no pain could leave, and felt the entirety of it for the first time in her life.

As another searing cut burned through her wing, she screamed in the back of her throat, letting the sound out so she could swallow the pain.

Everything became a ball of pain and energy and more pain until warmth spread from the middle of her back between her shoulder blades. Where her muscles had tightened, they released, and she collapsed into the force holding her up, body shaking.

She was still grasping the cloak, shudders wracking her body head to toe, when a small hand touched her cheek. “Did it work?” Elett whispered.

“Our part did,” Celeste answered softly.

Kaye sat up, vision blurry. Her stomach heaved, then again, and a bin appeared below her just before her meager breakfast returned to the world.

“I think it worked,” Celeste’s voice broke through the heaving. Her warm hand rubbed the spine between Kaye’s wings, healing energy radiating out. “You did well, apprentice.”

Kaye couldn’t speak; only nod as her muscles continued to shudder and she let the energy bleed back into the ground. Had Kindra felt the absence of Kaye’s energy? Was she too injured to care?

“Thank you,” Bryant’s gruff voice said softly, “for not giving that pain to me instead.”

She lifted her head to look at him, but found she couldn’t speak. She nodded instead, and he abruptly stood and saluted to the priestess.

“If you no longer need me…”

“I will whistle.”

With that he flew off.

The young Faye scampered after him, two half-wings in her hands. “Wait,” Kaye said, still nearly breathless.

Elett turned, a quizzical look on her face, and Kaye held out a shaking hand.

“Please, can I…”

The girl looked from the wings in her hand to her mentor before handing them over.

It was like being handed a hand or foot, and Kaye’s empty stomach lurched again as her fingers grasped the thin, transparent tissue. She had never seen her own wings up close—or any wings. The High Priestess had never been forthcoming with her wings, probably because they were tucked out of the way. Always.

Kaye ran a finger along the stiff tissue. Everything that had happened since the Obsidians showed up in Fie Eoin was because of these. All the fear, all the pain. All for this semi-transparent, stiff tissue that allowed her to fly. Her fingertips traced the veins, still pink with blood.

“Kaye,” Elett said and held out her hands. Kaye handed the wings over and watch the girl jump out the door and disappear below to dispose of the wings.