The Hidden (Shadowed Wings #1)(59)

Here’s to hoping I can get that gate to open for me and that nothing scary tries to eat me before I can.

And with that, I leap off the balcony and fly out into the night.





21





I stare up at a massive red-purple boulder that feels like it’s laughing at me. That could be the exhaustion talking, but even Pigeon is giving it the side-eye. I lie underneath its shadow and watch the sun wake up and kiss the rock good morning. It took us all night long to touch down in the foothills of the Amaranthine Mountains, and now that we’re here, it’s clear that there was one seriously important detail that I didn’t factor in. The mountain range is huge. It’s way bigger than it looked on the map, and I have no idea where the gate is located amidst the rolling hills and bald peaks. Pigeon seems confident that she’ll recognize where we were flying when we first crossed over when she sees it, but I’m skeptical to say the least.

I sit up on a groan and dig through the backpack for the waterskin I stole. I take a deep pull and let Pigeon know we need to keep an eye out for a water source soon. My hand brushes the turquoise football shaped fruit I have hidden in my bag, and I shove away the thoughts of Zeph that suddenly bombard me. An image of Ryn pops up in my mind, and I release a weary huff.

“I know, Pidge, but what are we supposed to do? Zeph told us to leave, and even if I wanted to say goodbye to Ryn, I have no idea where he is. We’ll just have to cross our fingers that there are some hot eligible gryphon shifters back home,” I tell Pigeon, hoping it will reassure her, but I can feel her pout and longing.

I rub at my chest and hope for my sake that Pigeon can let Zeph and Ryn go. I don’t want to spend my future mourning the loss of guys who probably don’t give two fucks about our absence. An odd chirping sounds off to my left, and I scan the area as I cinch the backpack and haul my tired body to its feet. I don’t sense a threat, but I’m reminded that I’m in a strange land I know nothing about and should probably get back up in the air where it’s safer.

Ebony wings thrust out of my back, and with more effort than it should take, I’m up in the air and looking for the best current to use as Pigeon and I start our search for the gate. Wind fills my wings, and I’m guided along into a leisurely glide as Pigeon and I look for any familiar landmarks. We fly like that for hours until my neck and back are aching, and we’ve both come to the conclusion that scouring these mountains could take weeks, if not months.

Pigeon flashes an image of a stream into my mind, and I look around our surroundings for the water that she’s spotted. “Fuck yes, Pidge,” I cheer and mentally wing five her as I spot the same stream snaking through the rocks and trees. We make our way over to it and trace the water’s path in the air for a while until I spot a clearing in the distance that the stream borders.

“That looks like a decent place to land. Gives us some space to spot anything that might come at us.” I show Pigeon, who fills my chest with warm agreement.

I drop down toward the trees, eager to land, tuck my wings into my back, and hopefully get some rest and refreshment, but just as I get closer to the clearing, I can suddenly make out some kind of makeshift camp that’s tucked into the side and hidden by the trees until you’re practically on top of it like I am.

Motherfucker!

I pull up, panic slamming through me and thankfully shoving away some of my exhaustion. I try to change directions and hope to fuck whoever is down there didn’t just spot me, but a telltale screech sounds off behind me, and with a sinking feeling in my stomach, I know I’ve been spotted.

Pigeon nudges me, and I open up to her and let her take control. We shift mid-wing-flap and then look behind us to gauge what kind of threat we’re dealing with. Five gryphons are now in the air and closing in. Zeph’s final threat to me rings loudly in my ear, and I don’t want to find out if he’d follow through on it. Pigeon angles us for speed and flashes through the sky, looking for a place that offers cover. We need somewhere we can lose them, because with all the flying we’ve been doing, there’s no way we can outmaneuver them for long.

Warning growls and screeches reach out from behind us, making it clear that we’re being hunted. We zip through the sky, but I can feel on the wind that one of our pursuers is gaining on the left. We veer to the right to avoid contact for as long as possible. The evasive maneuver seems to work, and Pigeon and I maintain our lead and continue to search for something that helps us get these fuckers off our tail. We round a mountain, and the bright flash of sun on water beams up at us. It’s momentarily blinding and keeps us from seeing the webbed mass that comes shooting up into the sky until it’s almost on us.

Pigeon shrieks and barely avoids the net, and I realize too late that we weren’t outmaneuvering the gryphons chasing us, we were letting ourselves be herded by them. Fuck! Another net comes screaming up into the sky, and by some miracle, Pigeon does this crazy tuck roll thing that keeps us out of its clutches. But as we recover from the epic dodge we just executed, a third net comes speeding for us, and this one hits its mark.

The net slams into us and wraps around us like a snake does its prey. Pigeon can’t extend her wings to catch the current, and we start to fall out of the sky, careening toward the water. We’re spinning as we fall, and the torque of it leaves me completely disoriented. One second I’m staring at the sky, the next I can spot the water we’re about to crash into any minute now. We’re rolling with such force that it steals all ability to make any sounds, and we can’t even scream as the water’s surface looms even closer, bringing with it promises of pain.