A Flight of Broken Wings: Aeriel Trilogy #1

Chapter 32

"And this one," Faiz said, holding up a long blade slightly curved at one end, his eyes shining with righteous pride. "Is used to pin the bastards to one place so that they can't just fly off and throw one last energy-shell at you before they fall over dead. I mean, not many people realise this, but there are different kinds of Aeriels; some easier to kill than others. The stronger ones – those are the ones with the red markings on their wings, y'know – they can survive a couple of stabbings easy. Don't really go down until you've really driven the sif into their system nice and full, sucking every last drop of energy out of their body," he explained with evident satisfaction at the thought of scoring just such a glorious kill. Shwaan, physically incapable of feeling cold, was sure he felt a sudden chill down his spine.

They were standing in one of the smaller cabins built as an extension to the main red-brick structure, close to the backyard. It was full of ominously glinting blades in all shapes and sizes, with all kinds of peculiar quirks and designs that Shwaan would have been perfectly happy never knowing the exact uses of. As it was, he was feeling vaguely nauseated (at least that's what he thought he was feeling. Never having been sick in his life didn't give him much of a frame of reference). He wasn't sure, though, if it was from being surrounded by so much sif or from imagining the various scenarios that Faiz explained in graphic detail, with obvious relish. Beside him, Rinku looked on with wide, awestruck eyes, nodding along to Faiz's explanations with undisguised adoration in her gaze.

Shwaan was trying to think of an excuse to escape the armoury without seeming rude or suspicious, when he was saved the trouble by an emphatic, demanding 'meow' somewhere near his feet. He looked down, surprised, only to see Kitty looking up at him with an expression of annoyed exasperation that would have done his sister proud. "Meow," she elucidated again, with more emotion this time.

"Ah, she likes you," Rinku said, taking her eyes off the blade-wielding Faiz with some reluctance, to focus on the cat.

Shwaan knelt on one knee to pick the animal up into his arms. "Well, at least she has good taste."

Rinku laughed, as did Faiz, seeming to realise that they had been cooped up in the armoury for a long time. "We should head back now," Faiz said, replacing the curved blade on the shelf he had picked it out of.

"Yeah," agreed Rinku, her voice tinged with mild regret. She glanced at the cat curled up happily in Shwaan's arms. "It's time for her lunch anyway."

"Yeah.Besides, I thought I heard Simani come in," Shwaan said, turning back towardsthe main building with an armful of cat before they could ask him how he knew.