Chapter 64: Ancient Entities
Flying still wasn’t Grace’s strong suit.
She tried to keep up, though, moving behind Petriel and Willow, the two more experienced angels pushing ahead of her.
"This part of Linaria can get a bit treacherous," Willow called out while Grace was trying not to accidentally start a dive-bomb. "The line between the Dominion and Linaria is thin. Both demonic and angelic energy has twisted the wildlife. Try to keep your guard up."
As they flew through a red sky, villagers halted, mouths agape, a few hesitantly raising their hands in greeting before Grace and her companions landed. The thin air carried voices to them before faces, murmurs of "Star-fallen" and "Celestial." Grace fumbled to fold her wings neatly behind her, tucking them close to avoid appearing too showy.
"Welcome," an older man shouted over the wary silence. His eyes darted as if gauging their intent. "You... come looking for the one who speaks in riddles, yes? The outcast?"
"We seek the scholar," Willow replied, her voice carrying authority and assurance.
"They say she lives inside stone," Petriel added, gesturing toward the jagged cliffs rising like tombstones behind the village. He seemed to just take that as confirmation.
The man nodded.
"Be careful," he warned. "Roads have teeth."
Grace exchanged a somewhat worried glance with Petriel before following Willow along a narrow path that snaked toward the hills. The roads "having teeth" didn’t sound too good, but oh well. Her feet skidded on loose gravel as they climbed, each step taking them deeper into shadow.
A chill clung to the air, stark against the blistering sky.