Caprion's Wings by T. L. Shreffler Read Free Book Online

no longer practiced.
No one except the Madrigal really knew what the shadestones were
supposed to do, but the old man never talked about them.
    Caprion and Talarin landed just
outside the circle of stones, clinging to the tree line at the base
of the high cliff. They stared up the length of Fury Rock. Caprion
stood stiffly in the shadows, his expression grim. He tried to stay
focused on his goal, but the thought of facing his brother
intimidated him—what if he ran across Sumas in the dungeons? He
would have to tread softly and remain well hidden.
    "There," Talarin murmured. Specks of
light appeared on the horizon. They rapidly grew larger until a
band of Harpies appeared overhead, flying smoothly toward the top
of Fury Rock. They spoke animatedly, unconcerned that others might
overhear.
    "Remember last week when that blind
one kept coming at me and I struck her twice in the jaw, but she
just kept standing up? Remember?"
    "With the gash on her cheek? She's a
fierce one...."
    "Are they very strong?” a third chimed
in. “Do we use our weapons? I was told only to bring my
saber…."
    "We use our wings, feather-head! Don't
you pay attention?"
    "Easy on the baby bird,” the first one
laughed. “He will find out soon enough!”
    The Harpies moved out of earshot
toward the top of Fury Rock. Then, one by one, they dove out of
sight below the cliff, toward the pounding surf of the
ocean.
    "There must be a cave entrance along
the cliff face," Talarin murmured to his left. She adjusted her
helmet firmly, watching the Harpy soldiers with eager eyes. "Looks
like they’ve mixed the group with some more advanced soldiers. I
should fit in easily."
    Caprion nodded. He hoped she was
right, for her own sake. He would have to stay unseen in the
shadows. Easy to do in his case, since he had no wings to emit a
glow, and Harpies didn't see well in the dark.
    "I'm just going to have a look
around," he murmured. "I'll make it quick. An hour at most, then we
can leave."
    "Stay away from Sumas," she
cautioned.
    "Don't worry about that,"
he replied stiffly. As Captain, his brother would most likely stand
in charge of the practice. Sumas hadn't arrived with the rest of
the soldiers; he was probably already on site. Part of Caprion
relished the thought of a confrontation—a chance to draw swords and
face his brother in the dark underground where their footing might
be more even, but his wiser self knew it wouldn’t end well. I'm doing this to find my wings, he reminded himself. Nothing else matters.
    "Ready?" Talarin asked, as the last of
the soldiers disappeared over the cliff.
    Caprion nodded.
    Talarin took his hand again. Silver
light encased Caprion's skin as the power of her wings enveloped
him. They floated up through the trees, above the shadestones, and
along the steep hill to the edge of Fury Rock. They dropped over
the cliff, plummeting away from the stars and into the dark abyss
between ocean and air.

Chapter 4
     
     
    The entrance to the prison was barely
visible along the cliff face. A long, narrow tunnel split through
the rock with hardly any landing space outside of it. They hovered
at its edge, a half-dozen yards above the turbulent ocean.
Fifteen-foot swells crashed against the cliff face, climbing the
rocks, then gasping and sinking back into the midnight
sea.
    Caprion and Talarin landed
precariously inside the tunnel. A woven basket of sunstones
illuminated the rocky entrance. After that, the way became steeped
in moonless shadow.
    He glanced at Talarin, then started
forward cautiously. Her wings cast a halo of light around her
shoulders and she tightened them against her back to fit through
the narrow passage. They traveled deeper into the crevice until the
tunnel widened and they entered a long series of maze-like
corridors. They walked in silence for several minutes.
    Suddenly, Talarin pulled back. She put
out her arm, blocking him from moving forward. “Hush,” she
murmured.
    Caprion came to a halt. A low-pitched
voice