Wings of Fire • Journey of Metamorphosis [Book 2]

scene xiv.

Only one chapter left after this one!!!! CAN YOU BELEIVE IT!???

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Hawker would have cursed. As it was, he and Demi had to peel away and hide behind a flying buttress as a swarm of HiveWings lifted off from the prisons. Four dragons to a prisoner each, Hawker watched as the paralyzed AntWings, FlashWings, and SilkWing were carried past. He frantically searched for Eight, but all the AntWings were the same size and they were passing by so quickly.

     He wanted to scream and punch the air. I should have given Demi the antidote last night! She and Eight could be halfway to the jungle by now! Arrrgh, why couldn't I think?

     Or worse, he thought, we shouldn't have wasted so much time earlier!

     "I'm sorry," said Jewel as she landed above them. The two DartWings were hanging off the side of the buttress as she perched on the top, which was difficult as it had no proper holds and they had to use their claws.

     It would be so easy to slip off and give chase. Hawker wanted to follow, to find Eight and wrest her away from the HiveWings, but they were outnumbered. They could drop her and he shuddered at the thought of her falling to death. They couldn't leave until the dragons were gone, either, because then someone could spot Demi's wings and their cover would be blown. Even Lady Jewel sitting on the buttress was suspicious, though slightly less so if her husband was the warden.

     "What do we do now?" Demi asked, breaking through his thoughts.

     "I should have given it to you last night," Hawker growled, "you could have been long gone by the time I woke up..."

     "What's done is done," Demi said quickly, although he could hear the disappointment in her voice, too, as she hadn't thought of it either. Hawker at least had the excuse of the concussion. "And I won't leave without you."

     "If it can win the war, you should have."

     Demi flicked him with her wing. "Stop talking like that! You insult me by thinking I would ever abandon you." Hawker was about to mention the argument over his former prejudices against the AntWings, and Demi seemed ready to retort before he even accused her, but they were stopped by soft swats from golden yellow wings.

     "Stop bickering, both of you," chided Lady Jewel. "This isn't over yet. Climb up and get your heads straight." They did, glaring at each other like dragonets the entire time.

     "Thank you for your help," said Demi, restraint in her voice. She sent Hawker a look that promised a stern lecture later. "If you have to go, we'll figure something else out."

     The yellow dragoness frowned. "You mean buying her wasn't your Plan B?" The two DartWings stared at her blankly. Lady Jewel's jaw dropped. "Are you joking? You didn't have a Plan B?"

     "...I didn't think my grandfather would try to kill me last night," growled Hawker.

     Demi stared at him. "You mean we could have avoided this morning's chaos and just flown off with her instead? And here I thought you hadn't mentioned that because Gomphus would never agree to it!"

     "I won't be able to look her in the eyes after my grandfather considers her his property so no, I didn't!"

     "But it's the best option," said Jewel, trying to stop the fight. Both DartWings regarded her closely as she listed the benefits. "You won't have to fight any guards with your speed if you make your escape right before you take off. It would actually be ideal, as you have an excuse to be close to her. That is, assuming your grandfather plans on leaving as soon as the auction is over..."