Central by Raine Thomas Read Free Book Online Page B

cursed loudly and cast his hands out toward the roiling water and jagged rocks below. Gabriel ran, his wings emerging as he reached the edge of the cliff. Then he dove. Olivia watched incredulously as Amber came into contact with some kind of invisible trampoline only a few feet from the water. She was barely visible from the top of the cliff, but she bounced up quite a distance from the barrier. Gabriel caught her before she could fall again and carried her back to the top.
    “This sucks,” she said grumpily as Gabriel returned her to her feet. “I’m going to be the only Estilorian who can’t fly.”
    Ini-herit returned her glower. “For all holy sake, Ambryl! Have you no sense of self-preservation at all?”
    Olivia’s eyes widened in realization. “No, she doesn’t.” When everyone turned to look at her, she explained, “Amber’s protective instincts are engaged toward others, not herself.”
    There were a few nods, and Ini-herit raised an eyebrow as he stared consideringly at Olivia. Then without a word, he turned and flew away.
    Amber huffed. “Well, I was never a very good student. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I ran the teacher off.”
    Gabriel swung an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. His dark, wavy hair blew in the strong wind as he turned and pointed. “See? He’s coming back.”
    This time, Ini-herit carried a couple of items in his hands. Olivia figured he must have gone back to the cloth sack he had brought with them that morning. She had been dying of curiosity when she’d seen it, wondering what mysteries it contained. Now, all she saw was black fabric.
    “It would seem, Gabriel, that you will have to assist your avowed in this lesson, after all.”
    His eyebrows rising, Gabriel said, “Yeah?”
    Inclining his head to urge Amber and Gabriel to follow him, Ini-herit again stopped at the cliff’s edge. He handed Gabriel the black fabric he held. “Put this shirt on.”
    Giving Ini-herit a suspicious look, Gabriel did so. Amber reached out to finger it. “This is made of that special armor I wore to the Becoming ceremony,” she said.
    “A very similar material, though not it exactly,” Ini-herit replied, moving behind Gabriel. “It will prevent your avowed from extending his wings.” Then he pulled Gabriel’s hands behind his back and bound them faster than Olivia had ever seen such an action. “And this will prevent him from pulling the shirt off.”
    Before Amber could say another word, Ini-herit turned and shoved Gabriel off the cliff. He glanced at Amber as he did and said, “There is no safety net this time.”
    Olivia froze in shock. Thank goodness her sister did not. Amber followed Gabriel over the edge without a thought. In the span of a minute, during which time Olivia’s heart throttled into her throat, Amber suddenly reappeared, holding Gabriel awkwardly under his arms with his legs wrapped around her waist. But all Olivia could focus on was the glorious expanse of Amber’s golden wings. As she studied the blue-gray flames flickering within the shimmering gold, she easily saw how humans had developed stories about avenging and guardian angels from their memories of Estilorians.
    “I should beat you senseless for that,” Gabriel snapped at Ini-herit when Amber set him down.
    Ini-herit looked unfazed by the threat. He glanced at Amber.
    “Congratulations, Ambryl. You passed.”
     

Chapter Five
     
    The sisters spent the next week learning everything they could about flying. James knew Olivia found it absolutely amazing. She told him if she had a choice, she would fly everywhere instead of walking. Ini-herit had quickly nipped that idea in the bud, explaining that she wouldn’t be exercising her body that way, and growing fat and weak wasn’t a good trade-off for being airborne. But James saw her seriously weighing the option.
    Over the course of their training, they all learned that each of the girls had something unique about their