Lark Ascending by Meagan Spooner Read Free Book Online

the city.
    â€œUnlikely,” said Nix, trying to land on the smooth metal surface of the Wall, legs scrabbling awkwardly for a moment before the pixie gave up and buzzed off again to hover. “And even if it was a signal, the odds that anyone is still looking for it now are low. Your brother was pronounced dead years ago.”
    â€œTrue.” I wiggled the edge of the knife cautiously until the lead loosened, then slid free with a clink of metal on glass.
    Nix surged forward and landed on my hand, crowding the edge of the vial. It had no sooner stuck its head over the edge of the glass than it jerked back, stumbling and buzzing in alarm. “Some form of acid,” it said.
    â€œLet’s hope it works like they thought it would six years ago.” I stepped forward and, taking a deep breath, upended the vial along the Wall.
    The liquid hissed where it hit the metal, clouds of noxious fumes rising up and away. I dropped the vial as I jerked back, coughing, eyes streaming. The glass shattered when it hit the cobblestones.
    Oren leaned forward, waving away the fumes. The acid had left deep grooves in the metal exterior of the Wall, turning a small section of its smooth, reflective surface into a scarred, pitted mess. He shifted his weight and gave the section an experimental kick, but the metal didn’t budge—didn’t so much as creak under the blow.
    â€œI don’t understand,” I croaked, lungs still protesting the acrid chemical smell lingering in the air.
    â€œIt is six years old,” Kris pointed out. “Maybe it’s just not as strong as it was then.”
    I took a few steps away from the acid-scarred section, getting some fresh air—and a fresh stretch of iron Wall. “Well, there was always a chance I was going to have to do this the old-fashioned way.”
    Oren caught my eye, his brow furrowed, but I waved away his concern.
    Gingerly, remembering what had happened the last time I’d tried to explore the Wall by magic, I leaned forward and rested my palms against the cold iron. Closing my eyes, I let my senses flow over the Wall, searching for any weaknesses. There was nothing—even the section of the Wall I’d scarred with the acid held fast. The Wall itself was magic, but the architects had made it absolutely impervious from the outside.
    Every time I tried to push through, my magic just slipped and slid away, unable to find purchase. Sweat gathered between my shoulder blades and dripped down the small of my back, the blood pounding in my ears as I strained—for nothing. I took a few deep breaths, trying to clear my mind and start again. I pushed and pushed until spots floated in my vision, and it was only the sharp, sudden tingle of a drain on my resources that jolted me back, gasping.
    Both Oren and Kris were dragging me backward—it was Oren’s touch that had jerked me out of my concentration. One of them was saying something, but my ears were ringing so much that I could only hear his voice as a strange buzzing, like a low-frequency version of Nix’s wing vibrations.
    I shook my head, still gasping for air. My hearing cleared a little, and I could make out Kris’s voice. “—just follow the harvester machines, they have to come in from somewhere. Maybe we can sneak in that way, through the Institute’s warehouses.”
    Oren was half supporting me with a hand under my elbow, his attention on Kris. “That could work,” he said slowly. “It’ll just take more time. There’ll be shadows there, no doubt. They’ll be attracted to the noise the machines make. It’ll be risky.”
    I shook myself free, staggering away half a pace. The boys were so distracted by making their plans that they let me go, and I was grateful for the air. As I regained my breath, the Wall swam into view in front of my wavering vision again.
    Without warning, my mouth flooded with the taste of copper