He whispers something in Peggy’s ear—of course he’s more civil to an animal than to me—and then, with a tight smile at Kaylie, he pushes past us and exits, not even acknowledging me.

I reach over and tentatively stroke Peggy’s neck. “How is she even possible?”

“The wind horses are one of many incredible creatures born of Maker experimentation at the original academy before the Exodus.”

My lungs feel tight as my world is turned over for another time. Almost a daily occurrence here.

“I just can’t believe I lived my life for so long without knowing about…”

Kaylie nods in understanding. But there’s no way she can possibly understand. To me, she and Peggy are impossible miracles. “How can the rest of the world just… not know?” I want to feel angry, but my awe for Peggy doesn’t leave much room for negative feelings.

“At the time of the Exodus, the wind horses and other creatures that were the result of Maker innovations were brought into hiding to prevent their destruction, and their existence was denied by the Church until it was forgotten that they were ever anything other than legends.”

This is a pattern of what I’ve been learning at Genesis, that so many stories I’d assumed were myths are actually just the vestiges of the memory of Maker science that was once part of our world.

“Come along, girl,” Kaylie says to Peggy, and I follow them out of the stable. Peggy doesn’t need a bridle or reins; she listens to Kaylie’s soft instructions.

“She’s one of the last of her kind. Most have been sent to Eden, and there are three at the Academy of Avant. The Blood Science guild is trying to breed them, but wind horses tend to have very difficult pregnancies and often die in childbirth.” She pauses and then adds, “It’s much the same for Valkyries.”

“And they can’t… make new ones the way they made the first ones?”

“The knowledge of how to create species like the wind horses is passed down through the Blood Science testament, but it’s a practice that ended long ago. These kinds of forced evolutionary practices were risky and occasionally harmed animals and humans alike.”

“How so?”

“Well, procedures often required live organ donations. There were many failed experiments that ended in deaths, and there were many side effects that weren’t anticipated.” She looks away as she says this, and I think about what she just said about Valkyrie births.