“Yes, sir.” She knew he wasn’t just talking about the flight. Feeling giddy, Mina ran across the field to her friends. Other students and teachers were taking to the air, beginning their day’s lessons. A few matches of lightning relay were already in progress. She shot a look back over her shoulder to see Professor Dano striding purposefully across the field to intercept Vira.

“Mount up!” Jyx said, glee in her voice.

All four of them climbed onto their storm beasts. Mina felt Pixit rumble beneath her as he ran forward, flapping his wings, and a moment later they were airborne. He flew up toward the blue sky and then out across the blackened hills.

Her friends flanked her, Jyx on one side and Ferro and Zek on the other. They caught the same airstream and soared away from the towers of Mytris. Behind them, the shouts and cries from the lightning relays faded into the distance. The only sound Mina heard was the steady roar of the wind.

Flying with friends, as far as they could fly, felt wonderful. She felt as if her heart were roaring to match the wind. The sky was clear, as always, and the morning sun was soft and sweet. Below, the hills were a beautiful mix of textures, like black silk and black velvet. A few birds flew on an airstream below them.

“Bet I can reach the mountains first!” Ferro called into the wind.

“Oh, I don’t think so!” Jyx shouted back, and urged Chauda faster.

Pixit propelled himself and Mina forward, shooting past Ragit and Brindle. Laughing, Jyx and Chauda raced her, and then Ferro was in the lead, quickly matched by Zek. Mina and Pixit soared higher, catching a faster stream of wind, and soon they were ahead. The others steered upward, and they chased one another all the way to the mountains.

She knew once they crossed them, everything would change. None of them would see the world the same way ever again. If what she thought proved to be true, none of them would be able to continue to live blithely in the cocoon of ignorance. As they flew north, the mountains grew larger. She loved how wild and untamed they looked.

«Kind of like Beon’s hair,» Pixit commented.

Mina was startled into a laugh, because it was a little bit true. Hey, I was having a serious moment.

«Serious as “the cocoon of ignorance”?» He giggled beneath her.

That was poetic! She then sobered. She’d always done things her own way, but this was the first time she’d deliberately broken a clear rule: Don’t leave the barren lands. Don’t cross the border. She’d never thought of herself as a rule breaker.

«You said we’d find our own way.»

You’re right. I did say that.

A few more wing beats and they’d be across.