My heart was
still racing, and I couldn’t stop grinning. All I could think about was flying
again, and how soon I’d be allowed back in the saddle.
“Trust
me, I know. I can feel it. We’re going to be the best riders this academy has
ever seen,” he went on.
I
laughed. “We haven’t even had our first real lesson yet, Felix,” I reminded
him.
He
didn’t seem to think that was a problem. He went on and on, talking about our
bright future, until he finally fell asleep. As soon as I heard him start to
snore, I got up and put my boots back on as quietly as I could.
The craftsmen were going to be leaving
tomorrow. All the saddles and armor had been finished, and so they would go
back to their homes and private workshops. Mr. Crookin would go with them, and
I had to get Katty’s letter into his saddlebag before
he left.
I crept out of the dormitory and into
the night. The academy was quiet, and every building was dark except for a few
rooms in the instructors’ dormitory. I slipped through the shadows, and was out
of breath by the time I reached the smithing armory.
All of Mr. Crookin’s gear was still there, packed up
and ready to move out in the morning.
I took Katty’s letter, folded it up the way Felix had shown me, and tucked it carefully into
one of his saddlebags. With a big sigh of relief, I stood up and started back
for my room. Thousands of stars twinkled overhead, and the moonlight made long,
ghostly shadows on the ground.
I’d just reached the edge of the tackmasters ’ armory, keeping out of sight as much as
possible in case there were any instructors still awake, when the sound of two
voices made me freeze in place.
A cold shiver of fear ran down my
spine. The voices were coming closer. I sucked in a sharp breath, and ducked
into the nearest workstation that was still crowded with equipment. Hiding
behind a big wooden crate, I waited.
The voices kept coming closer, and I
could hear the crunch of footsteps. I recognized one of the voices right away;
it was Lyon Cromwell. But I didn’t recognize the other one. It sounded like a
much older man, maybe even an instructor.
“You’re absolutely sure about that?
Every morning?” the man’s voice asked in a snapping tone.
“Oh yeah, we’ve all seen them,” Lyon
was quick to answer. “Trust me. He’s up there before the call to arms, running
drills with both of them like clockwork. He’s giving them all the lessons a
week ahead of time, so tomorrow they should start aerial maneuvers.”
The unknown man made a thoughtful,
growling noise. “We hadn’t anticipated on the halfbreed, but I suppose it won’t
be a problem. Fledglings wouldn’t know how to respond to such an . . .
unforeseen accident.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that
little rat,” Lyon scoffed. “He won’t last a week in real training. It’s a joke
they’ve even let him stay here this long.”
The man didn’t sound so sure.
“Lieutenant Derrick is not an idiot. If you had half a brain yourself, you’d
realize that. He’s up to something. Our best chance is to act now, before any
plan he’s cooking up has had time to be fully realized.”
“Right.” Lyon didn’t sound too happy
about being called dumb, but he didn’t argue. “Well, I held up my end, so I
expect you to hold up yours.”
It was the older man’s turn to scoff.
“Watch your mouth, boy, and remember your place. You will be compensated, as
long as everything goes according to plan.”
I ducked down, and tried to make
myself into the smallest ball I possibly could when their footsteps went past.
Their voices started to get faint then, and they moved away toward the Roost.
After a few minutes, I couldn’t hear them at all anymore.
At first, I was too afraid to even
think of moving. I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. Lyon was planning something
bad, and it sounded like it was going to be aimed at Sile .
I was so
still racing, and I couldn’t stop grinning. All I could think about was flying
again, and how soon I’d be allowed back in the saddle.
“Trust
me, I know. I can feel it. We’re going to be the best riders this academy has
ever seen,” he went on.
I
laughed. “We haven’t even had our first real lesson yet, Felix,” I reminded
him.
He
didn’t seem to think that was a problem. He went on and on, talking about our
bright future, until he finally fell asleep. As soon as I heard him start to
snore, I got up and put my boots back on as quietly as I could.
The craftsmen were going to be leaving
tomorrow. All the saddles and armor had been finished, and so they would go
back to their homes and private workshops. Mr. Crookin would go with them, and
I had to get Katty’s letter into his saddlebag before
he left.
I crept out of the dormitory and into
the night. The academy was quiet, and every building was dark except for a few
rooms in the instructors’ dormitory. I slipped through the shadows, and was out
of breath by the time I reached the smithing armory.
All of Mr. Crookin’s gear was still there, packed up
and ready to move out in the morning.
I took Katty’s letter, folded it up the way Felix had shown me, and tucked it carefully into
one of his saddlebags. With a big sigh of relief, I stood up and started back
for my room. Thousands of stars twinkled overhead, and the moonlight made long,
ghostly shadows on the ground.
I’d just reached the edge of the tackmasters ’ armory, keeping out of sight as much as
possible in case there were any instructors still awake, when the sound of two
voices made me freeze in place.
A cold shiver of fear ran down my
spine. The voices were coming closer. I sucked in a sharp breath, and ducked
into the nearest workstation that was still crowded with equipment. Hiding
behind a big wooden crate, I waited.
The voices kept coming closer, and I
could hear the crunch of footsteps. I recognized one of the voices right away;
it was Lyon Cromwell. But I didn’t recognize the other one. It sounded like a
much older man, maybe even an instructor.
“You’re absolutely sure about that?
Every morning?” the man’s voice asked in a snapping tone.
“Oh yeah, we’ve all seen them,” Lyon
was quick to answer. “Trust me. He’s up there before the call to arms, running
drills with both of them like clockwork. He’s giving them all the lessons a
week ahead of time, so tomorrow they should start aerial maneuvers.”
The unknown man made a thoughtful,
growling noise. “We hadn’t anticipated on the halfbreed, but I suppose it won’t
be a problem. Fledglings wouldn’t know how to respond to such an . . .
unforeseen accident.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that
little rat,” Lyon scoffed. “He won’t last a week in real training. It’s a joke
they’ve even let him stay here this long.”
The man didn’t sound so sure.
“Lieutenant Derrick is not an idiot. If you had half a brain yourself, you’d
realize that. He’s up to something. Our best chance is to act now, before any
plan he’s cooking up has had time to be fully realized.”
“Right.” Lyon didn’t sound too happy
about being called dumb, but he didn’t argue. “Well, I held up my end, so I
expect you to hold up yours.”
It was the older man’s turn to scoff.
“Watch your mouth, boy, and remember your place. You will be compensated, as
long as everything goes according to plan.”
I ducked down, and tried to make
myself into the smallest ball I possibly could when their footsteps went past.
Their voices started to get faint then, and they moved away toward the Roost.
After a few minutes, I couldn’t hear them at all anymore.
At first, I was too afraid to even
think of moving. I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. Lyon was planning something
bad, and it sounded like it was going to be aimed at Sile .
I was so
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