It would be days before he was strong enough to move, and he’d likely sleep all of today and that night. Come morning, he’d be all hunger and caws. Keeping up with his appetite would be a challenge; crows grew incredibly fast.

I’d slept most of the morning and afternoon away, and though I longed to see Res, I wouldn’t have enough time to get to Caylus’s and back again before dinner.

Needing something to occupy the nervous energy inside me, I dressed to train. I pulled my flying leathers out of my trunk, simply staring at them at first. They hadn’t left my drawer in months. When I’d shoved them in there so long ago, stained with soot and smelling of smoke, I’d thought I’d never wear them again. Now, it felt right. People would notice; they’d recognize the armor. But I wanted them to. I wanted them to know that the legacy they’d tried to stamp out still smoldered in the ashes.

I slipped on the upper piece of my leathers, which combined the pauldron, vambraces, and chest plate of normal armor into a single lightweight, flexible piece. The leather was a multitude of small pleats shaped like feathers, creating the illusion of two great wings draped protectively around my shoulders.

The belt fit securely around my waist, lined with two pouches, and the light leather pants were still flexible and strong. As I stared at myself in the mirror, I could almost imagine being a rider again.

The thought made my chest ache. Not because it hurt but because that dream was possible again.

I braided my hair back and went to meet Kiva in the training arena, checking the connection with Res along the way. I couldn’t dismiss the fear the link would disappear. His sleepy contentment floated back to me like drifting clouds across a summer sky.

In the courtyard, rain fell gently, sliding off my leathers in droplets. I’d just joined Kiva at the edge of the archery section, my black-gold bow in hand, when a familiar drawling voice said, “Cute outfit.”

I spun to face Shearen, two Vykryn at his back, including the one whose ribs I’d broken. The boy looked like a jungle cat about to tear apart his dinner.

“Those went out of style in Rhodaire a while ago.” Shearen grinned, and the soldiers with him laughed.

My free hand tightened into a fist, the wound from the night before twinging. Kiva touched my shoulder, but it wasn’t necessary. Being around Razel had helped me learn how to keep my mouth shut when necessary, like when we were faced with three highly trained Illucian warriors clearly trying to cause trouble.

Trouble was the last thing I could afford now.

I turned around and pulled an arrow from my quiver. Kiva stayed angled toward the men, watching my back.