Wings of Starlight

by Allison Saft

“Crawling with monsters,” Milori echoed with some wonderment in his tone. “So why did you agree to come here with me if that’s what you thought? You could have been attacked. Or I could have spirited you away.” “Could you have?” Clarion asked, unable to keep her own amusement out of her voice. “I mean no offense, but you’re not very frightening.” “No?” He tilted his head at her, and his eyes were practically aglow with something like mischief. “How do you find me, then?” Her face burned, and her heart fluttered. How infuriating, she thought, that a single look from him was all it took to fluster her. “Impertinent, for one.” Milori seemed quite delighted, judging by the tiny smirk he was clearly trying to keep off his face. “My apologies, Your Highness.” “You’re forgiven,” she said primly, with a cant of her chin. After a moment, she dropped the act and sighed. “Truthfully, I’ve always wanted to come here. I can see this very mountain from my room. Every night, I look out at it, and I’ve always thought…I don’t know. It must seem silly to you, but I thought it looked sad. I’m glad to know that it’s not.” “It’s very much not.”