Page 138 of Psycho Gods

Orion Malum

Listening to you two make out right now is driving me insane.

Aran Alis Egan

Same.

Chapter 22

Aran

MORE FAILURE

Aliferous (adjective): having wings.

DAY 12, HOUR 11

“Bend your knees and pinch your shoulder blades together.” Knox pulled his shoulders back and shook his wings to demonstrate. “Your power comes from your wings. First, you must learn to fly. Once you’ve mastered your wings, then you’ll be able to use the energy of your feathers to create an ice sword. However—flying is the crucial first step.”

His crystalline feathers were so pale they were almost silver and were streaked in black. They clattered loudly in the quiet forest.

Knox bent his knees, flared his wings wide, then flapped downward with a whoosh as he said, “Without flying, we are nothing.”

He hovered a few feet off the forest floor.

Snow whirled around his levitating body and the frosted forest floor. Gray branches clattered together on a chilly breeze that carried the scent of pine.

The wintry forest was eerie with no animal life.

It was steeped in shadows.

Tones of blue-gray distorted my vision even worse than usual, and a preternatural chill froze my bones from the inside out.

I shivered uncontrollably as Knox hovered gracefully among the trees.

His shoulder-length brown hair defied gravity; it floated around the crown of his head like a halo as the rapid beat of his wings created wind.

His face was ethereal.

Contorted in pure bliss.

One black and one yellow eye were opened wide and staring up at the sky as if he’d found his life’s purpose and there was nowhere else he’d rather be, nothing he’d rather do.

He was built to fly.

I’d never known such rapture.

The angel captain folded his wings against his back and dropped to his feet. He smirked at me.

Sadie clapped loudly in the silence, and I glared over at the traitor.

Rina put her pointer finger to her red lips in an exaggerated shushing motion.

Sadie made an obscene gesture back, and Cobra smirked down at her. Jax rubbed at his face like he was exhausted, while Ascher and Xerxes stood behind Sadie, making similar gestures in solidarity.

No one would ever say they didn’t support their mate.

The twins sat on the ground in front of the shifters, watching me silently. I made eye contact with John, and he gave me a thumbs-up.