wings and frowned. Her matching dark grey eyes were sober. “Father is not embarrassed by you. He and mother love you very much.”
Anna wrapped a final tarp over her creation and looked at her sister. “I know it. And I also know that having a wingless wonder in the family brings aspersions to Father’s bloodline. If that can be avoided, I am all for it.”
“And since Nasha is coming, you need to be on your guard. I understand.” Vahsha helped her tie the tarp firmly in place. “It is odd to me that she would go in the hopes of finding someone better than Cabre, but she always was greedy.”
“We both know she hopes to marry nobility, but with her looks, settling for Cabre would be the wiser course.” They both giggled.
Nasha entered the workshop and frowned. “Are you ready? Father is waiting.”
Annanya winked at Vahsha and hauled the small cart out of the shop. Her father helped her load the whole thing into the wagon so she would be able to drag it around the exhibition.
“Come on, brainy, it is time for us to begin our journey to Morcroft.” Vorlar Fennor smiled fondly at her and waved for her to mount her horse. Nasha couldn’t ride, her wings were too fluffy and tickled the horses.
That was the reason Nasha gave anyway. Annanya suspected that her eldest sister was afraid of the beasts.
Snowflake was Anna’s favourite mount, his ebony colour and red eyes gave a charming contrast to her own paler colouring. He pranced under her as she settled in the saddle, but calmed at her touch.
With her father and sister in the wagon and her mount eager to get started, they began the eight-hour journey to Morcroft.
Her registration ticket in her hand, Anna hauled her creation into the secure area for storage before their display. The registrar gave her wingless back a strange look, then read what her invention was and smiled. “Many of your kind have tried this. I have never seen one work yet.”
She merely nodded and put her cart into the security-laden area. Anna checked and double-checked that all of her components were secure before she left them. Nothing would interfere with her part of the exhibition.
There were a dozen guards watching the dormant exhibits. This was the prime inventor faire of the year. The discoveries unleashed here could be sold throughout the stars. It was quite a moment for the inventors and investors alike.
With her duties discharged, she went to seek a meal. Everywhere around her, folk took off and landed with casual ease. The heights of the surrounding cliffs were alive with bars, taverns and hostels. The grounders had to make do with the tents pitched on the edges of the exhibition space. Food, drink and rest were not the best or most comfortable, but being on the ground meant a lower class indeed.
A large pavilion was arranged with the colours of the royal family fluttering in the breeze. She pressed a hand against her corset and felt the bag beneath the fabric. She needed only to present it to the guards and they would take her to the prince.
Her hand trembled as she thought of him and she quickly pushed those images of his black silken wings aside.
Anna tilted her head and an upward glance showed her Nasha and her father sitting on one of the lower balconies. They looked down and her father waved while Nasha pretended not to see her. Smiling to herself, she sought her own element. The grounders.
Broken and single wings filled the dining hall with a few wingless patrons sitting at well-worn tables. She sought familiar faces and grinned when she found one. When the elder with two broken grey wings waved her over, she joined him and held up two fingers followed by one fist when the barkeep looked over.
“I did it, Tenyen. I managed to come up with a workable solution.”
“Greetings to you, Anna. Are you sure?” He leaned back to let a waitress clear his plate and deposit two beers.
“Yes. I have tested it.”
“Do you think it will work in the exhibition?” His
Anna wrapped a final tarp over her creation and looked at her sister. “I know it. And I also know that having a wingless wonder in the family brings aspersions to Father’s bloodline. If that can be avoided, I am all for it.”
“And since Nasha is coming, you need to be on your guard. I understand.” Vahsha helped her tie the tarp firmly in place. “It is odd to me that she would go in the hopes of finding someone better than Cabre, but she always was greedy.”
“We both know she hopes to marry nobility, but with her looks, settling for Cabre would be the wiser course.” They both giggled.
Nasha entered the workshop and frowned. “Are you ready? Father is waiting.”
Annanya winked at Vahsha and hauled the small cart out of the shop. Her father helped her load the whole thing into the wagon so she would be able to drag it around the exhibition.
“Come on, brainy, it is time for us to begin our journey to Morcroft.” Vorlar Fennor smiled fondly at her and waved for her to mount her horse. Nasha couldn’t ride, her wings were too fluffy and tickled the horses.
That was the reason Nasha gave anyway. Annanya suspected that her eldest sister was afraid of the beasts.
Snowflake was Anna’s favourite mount, his ebony colour and red eyes gave a charming contrast to her own paler colouring. He pranced under her as she settled in the saddle, but calmed at her touch.
With her father and sister in the wagon and her mount eager to get started, they began the eight-hour journey to Morcroft.
Her registration ticket in her hand, Anna hauled her creation into the secure area for storage before their display. The registrar gave her wingless back a strange look, then read what her invention was and smiled. “Many of your kind have tried this. I have never seen one work yet.”
She merely nodded and put her cart into the security-laden area. Anna checked and double-checked that all of her components were secure before she left them. Nothing would interfere with her part of the exhibition.
There were a dozen guards watching the dormant exhibits. This was the prime inventor faire of the year. The discoveries unleashed here could be sold throughout the stars. It was quite a moment for the inventors and investors alike.
With her duties discharged, she went to seek a meal. Everywhere around her, folk took off and landed with casual ease. The heights of the surrounding cliffs were alive with bars, taverns and hostels. The grounders had to make do with the tents pitched on the edges of the exhibition space. Food, drink and rest were not the best or most comfortable, but being on the ground meant a lower class indeed.
A large pavilion was arranged with the colours of the royal family fluttering in the breeze. She pressed a hand against her corset and felt the bag beneath the fabric. She needed only to present it to the guards and they would take her to the prince.
Her hand trembled as she thought of him and she quickly pushed those images of his black silken wings aside.
Anna tilted her head and an upward glance showed her Nasha and her father sitting on one of the lower balconies. They looked down and her father waved while Nasha pretended not to see her. Smiling to herself, she sought her own element. The grounders.
Broken and single wings filled the dining hall with a few wingless patrons sitting at well-worn tables. She sought familiar faces and grinned when she found one. When the elder with two broken grey wings waved her over, she joined him and held up two fingers followed by one fist when the barkeep looked over.
“I did it, Tenyen. I managed to come up with a workable solution.”
“Greetings to you, Anna. Are you sure?” He leaned back to let a waitress clear his plate and deposit two beers.
“Yes. I have tested it.”
“Do you think it will work in the exhibition?” His
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