Wings of Fire • Journey of Metamorphosis [Book 2]

scene viii.

Hello everyone!

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE Y'ALLS REACTIONS TODAY

I also have an important question: after this book is done, would y'all mind if I took a small break to write and draw? I've been doing a lot of character art recently for the first book and I would like to finish all of them for QFA and JOM. I was thinking of making new chapters in between each part with the character art collected on it, as well as including them for their respective chapter appearances. What do y'all think? While I'd be doing that I would be preparing and working on the next book so that as soon as I'm done I can start posting.

Also, idiot author here to say that she should have renamed the Tree Wars the Fire Wars, or something. Sigh, it's too late now... unless you guys would allow it? (Update: I have since seen the error of my ways, thanks to an amazing reader. Thank you!)

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The Dirt-lickers can't be innocent. If they are, that means that I...

     Hawker sat where Demi had left him, trying to avoid the turn his thoughts had taken. It seemed impossible as they circled him like hungry vultures. Coward... hypocrite... bigot... they hissed at him until he was so angry that he took off toward Bloodworm Hive.

     I'll show her, he thought. I'll prove that the Dirt-lickers were lying.

     He soared through the Spires at top speed, only realizing halfway that he had no travel papers. He could deal without them at the border, but he couldn't enter the Hive without causing a fiasco. And he couldn't just skip it, either – Hawker's idea required him to know exactly when the prisoners were scheduled for transport.

     Curse it! He snarled and turned back.

     Gomphus was even angrier than before, his wrist snapping left and right as he wrote a letter to the Travel Bureau for new papers. Doubling back was good for another reason, and that was so that he could eat. Once he landed on the terrace and smelled the fish on the dining level Hawker's stomach roared. Gomphus' fury came from being interrupted during his meal to settle this for his grandson, only serving to deepen his mistrust. Hawker could see it in the way he glared at him as he snagged a pair of herring.

     No matter. It will all be fixed after the auction.

     He almost decided to leave Demi's letter in his room, but he couldn't seem to remove it from his papers box. He shoved the backup copy of his travel papers on top of her letter and set out. Hawker began forming his plan.

     I need to visit Bloodworm Hive before I try to investigate. I need to know when the prisoners are scheduled to arrive at Wasp Hive so I can arrive at the same time. He didn't want to push his luck with Gomphus any further than he already had.

     Passing the border was just as easy as getting in. Hawker made an effort to fly off course to pick the same checkpoint as when he entered so he could prove to the guards he hadn't been lying.

     He arrived at Bloodworm Hive an hour after the sun had set. The guards checked his papers by the light of flamesilk and Hawker was happy to see the Hive lit up. Seeing it appear on the horizon had been magical as Hawker had never seen anything like it. In the sections where the wall was thin enough they glowed with a soft orange light, and what felt like nearly every window was illuminated by a strand of silk. Like a beacon in the night, Bloodworm Hive shone as proof of how important fire was. Hawker felt pride knowing he'd lived to witness the dawn of a new era.

     The Dirt-lickers have been hoarding this for far too long. As soon as he thought that, his subconscious corrected him with a memory of the Invasion, where their forces had stumbled through the pitch-black tunnels of the Fortress.