Page 9 of Angel of Ruin

"Damn it," I mutter, standing up to pace. My wings twitch with irritation.

It's... admirable, in a way. Her resilience. Her spirit. Most humans break at the first sign of difficulty, but not her. She's got fight in her.

For a fleeting moment, I wonder what she could accomplish if she actually became xaphan. If she had wings of her own.

I freeze, horrified at my own thoughts.What am I doing?This is dangerous territory.

"Get it together, Sariel," I snap at myself. "She's human. Nothing more."

I force myself to remember my duty. The impossibility of a human truly becoming xaphan. The natural order of things. We are superior for a reason.

But still... that fire in her eyes. It's rare. Special, even.

I shake my head violently, trying to dislodge these traitorous thoughts. It doesn't matter how determined she is. She'll fail like all the rest. She has to.

Yet a small part of me, a part I desperately try to silence, wonders what it would be like if she didn't.

I retreat from my office, my mind still churning with conflicting thoughts. The walk to my quarters feels longer than usual, each step echoing in the empty hallway. Finally, I reach my door and push it open, eager for some peace.

My quarters are a sanctuary of luxury. When juxtaposed with how the humans are living, the differences are clear. They deserve squalor. The xaphan deserve the best of the best.

Sinking into the plush couch, I let out a deep sigh. But as I try to relax, an unbidden image floods my mind.

Lyra. Here. In my quarters.

I grit my teeth, my hands clenching into fists. I'm starting to believe there's seriously something wrong with me. She'snothing but a human, a pathetic creature unworthy of my attention. And yet...

I can't shake the image of her standing before me, those fierce blue eyes challenging me. In my mind, I see myself rising from the couch, towering over her. She'd have to crane her neck to meet my gaze, and I'd relish every second of it.

"Fuck," I growl, running a hand through my hair. This is insane. I shouldn't be thinking about her at all, let alone like this. But the thoughts keep coming, relentless and maddening.

I imagine grabbing her chin, forcing her to look at me. Making her acknowledge my power, my superiority. The way she'd tremble under my touch, with a twinge of fear and... something else.

My wings twitch. I want to see her again, to watch her squirm under my gaze. To make her bend to my will.

It doesn't make any sense. She's a human. So why am I drawn to her? Why does the thought of her consume me?

I stand up abruptly, pacing the room. I'm an overseer, tasked with making these trials as difficult and lethal as possible. I can't afford to be distracted by some human girl, no matter how intriguing she might be.

But even as I try to push the thoughts away, I find myself craving another encounter with her. I want to see that fire in her eyes again, to test how far I can push her before she breaks.

5

LYRA

Ican't believe my luck. Or lack thereof. As I scan the list of trial overseers posted on the bulletin board, my heart sinks when I spot a familiar name: Sariel.

"Shit," I mutter under my breath, earning a few curious glances from nearby candidates.

Of course, it had to be him. The xaphan I embarrassed myself in front of just days ago. The one who looked at me like I was less than dirt beneath his pristine boots. Now he'll be overseeing my cohort's wing trials.

I step away from the board, my mind racing. Maybe I can switch cohorts? But as soon as the thought crosses my mind, I know it's impossible. The xaphan would never allow it, and I'd probably be disqualified for even asking.

"Looks like we're stuck with the asshole," a voice beside me says.

I turn to see Mira, surprised she's talking to me outside of our rooms. She's eyeing the board with a mixture of disgust and resignation.

"You know him?" I ask.