THESE HIDDEN WINGS

[1.1] FALLEN

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"We're under attack"

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LORD HANS WORTH'S LIPS hovered right above mine, our breaths mixing. His exquisite grey eyes searched mine, digging into my soul. He knew of my desire for him. His fingers trailed the hidden pathway up my skirt-

"Talanda?"

My eyes quickly snapped up, my hand instinctively slamming the book shut as I came into eye contact with my mother. My fingers trembled nervously pushing the book aside as I tried to pull off the most innocent look I could muster.

Her soft cocoa eyes studied me from the front of the jet, leaning beside one of the seats, a smirk playing across her face, watching over me like a guardian angel.

It was a description that fitted her perfectly with that loose yet flattering white Armani gown she was wearing, only paired flawlessly with our traditional green and white-colored Ekusi beads matched with some plain golden hoops. An identical fit to the one I was wearing minus the hoops.

She sent me one of her sunny smiles, her healthy midnight skin glowing even without the help of the sun, this high up in the clouds. I looked down at my hands for a second, eyes widening and heart thudding. I didn't expect her to be back so soon from the pilot's cabin.

My ears picked up the sound of her footsteps as she moved towards me, only glancing up to see her shifting her gown to the side, and taking a seat across from me.

My eyes moved to the front of the plane once more, before giving her a questioning look, my fingers curving around the thick cover of my book.

"Everything's fine, Gravis is taking care of it. You don't have to worry," she calmly eased.

On any other occasion, I would have nodded and taken this time to watch the swirling clouds that formed around our presidential lift, seeing as there was no way I could read my defiled book with my mother seated right in front of me.

Besides, it was my favorite thing about flying, knowing you were above everything, that nothing else could touch you this high above the world.

This, however, was not one of those times.

If everything was okay, then why did we have to leave Dad at the international head-of-state summit in Switzerland?  I mean, I knew that this summit was extra important, heavens forbid I ever forget my current affairs.

The summit was called after the Converts attacked Pretoria last week, but no matter the reason, we've never left Dad behind before.

I've been following him and Mom since I was in diapers, they never left anywhere without me and were rarely ever separated.

What was more alarming about the situation is that we had left in the middle of the night and I hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to Dad properly, though he had kissed me on the forehead like he always did as he hurriedly pushed me away toward the plane.

8hrs later and we were still high above the clouds speeding homeward.

I felt a gentle yet cool touch on my knee, looking up at my mother, she rubbed it softly.

"Don't overthink things Tala, we are just taking precautions, honey," she soothed. I raised an eyebrow curiously and she sighed, "Honestly, it's not a big deal..." she trailed off. Laying back in her seat, her eyes set back on me for a minute, giving me her signature confident smile, one that had provoked many a man and had never failed to make me feel safe.