Page 139 of Psycho Gods

Scorpius was the only king present, and he’d announced that Orion and Malum had to do “secret High Court business.”

He’d sounded angry that he hadn’t been included with his mates and had been left behind to babysit me.

A part of me was upset that two of the kings had disappeared again.

The blue-tinted forest darkened to gray.

All pigment disappeared.

The cold intensified.

The kings were keeping secrets and lying.

“Now you try.” Knox pointed at me as he demonstrated the motion with his shoulders.

I took a deep breath even though I knew it was pointless. I’d already tried and failed plenty of times.

Standing up straight, I tried to ignore the crushing weight that pulled my spine toward the ground as sweat streaked down the sides of my face and dripped off my chin.

Wild curls were itchy where they stuck to my neck and forehead.

Discomfort radiated down my spine.

Bent knees shaking, I flared my wings wide, flexed my arms, and pushed my shoulder muscles downward with every ounce of strength I possessed.

My muscles strained, and I grunted through gritted teeth. Groaning, I tried to replicate Knox’s smooth flapping.

Unfamiliar appendages ached with pain.

My wings flapped like they were in molasses.

Time morphed and expanded until each second lasted an eternity.

I didn’t fly.

Again.

Mother would have loved this moment, too bad I ate her heart.

Back buckling under the weight of my wings, I gave up and rested my hands on my knees, gasping loudly while cold air whistled through my teeth and burned my gums. I tasted copper in my mouth even though there was no blood.

My teeth ached from inhaling harshly.

Freezing temperatures were a miserable bitch.

“Good job. You’re doing it.” Sadie clapped loudly, and I shot her a glare because I clearly was not doing it.

She stopped clapping when she saw my facial expression. “I swear I saw you hover a few inches.” Her face was earnest and shone with pride.

“Did I really?” I asked doubtfully.

She crossed her arms over her chest and made the symbol of the sun god with her fingers. “I swear on Cobra’s life that I saw you rise off the ground.”

“Excuse me?” Cobra hissed.

Across the clearing, Vegar mouthed, “No, you didn’t fly. You suck,” while Zenith gave me a thumbs-up.

I exhaled exhaustion.