Fugitive of the Sky

Chapter Twenty-Three: Remember How to Fly

It took a moment to remember how to fly and Aqie lurched downward for a terrifying second before turning sideways to careen around a wall. She swung upwards and hastily tumbled onto a roof, panting. Had anyone seen her?

She huddled quietly, trying not to let her shadow show above the edge of the little barrier. Don't show yourself when you're on the high ground. The hunters will see your silhouette against the sky and shoot at you. Dad's words seemed to fit here, too, even if it was hunters and Mongors she was hiding from. With a start, she remembered her glowing kaprae and flipped over so it'd be more hidden too.

Now what?

Aqie stared up at the night sky, drinking in the stars she hadn't seen in so long. They looked even prettier than she remembered. The constellations were still there, too, the Cub and the Scrolls and the pot all together in the sky, just a little sideways. Spring must be almost finished. The moon was big and full like a white bowl of soup, but the light it poured down wasn't close enough to her identiae to eat. Her skin pulled at it painfully for a little bit before subsiding.

Right now, she just wanted to close her eyes and wait for the sun to come up and eat and eat until she could hold no more. She very nearly dozed off just imagining how good the sunlight'd feel. Aqie blinked and peeked over the edge of the roof. It wasn't safe in the city. What if Mongors came onto their roofs all the time? If one found her asleep they'd kill her and take her kaprae.

It seemed everyone wanted her kaprae, even her hunter. That's why she had to run away.

Aqie looked back to the window she'd escaped from. It was still dark. Maybe she hadn't woken anyone up? Or had they gone to sleep? They couldn't have found out she was gone, otherwise there'd be noise and shouting and lights setting the whole city on fire.

She could go back. If she waited long enough, maybe the sun would come up before the Mongors woke up and she could eat and then slip back inside. She wouldn't be alone. Her hunter would take care of her. He'd protect her somehow from his wife. She wouldn't be an orphan.

Aqie's lip trembled as she stared at the dark, tantalizing square of safety. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to have to survive on her own. She had no idea what to do or where to go, or even how to escape the city. Would giving up her kaprae be so hard?

Her fingers felt the clasp and she held it against her chest. Yes. Yes it would be that hard. And she'd be betraying her parents and Adonai. She couldn't do it. She had to run away.

But where to?

When her hunter had carried her to his house, they'd come in through a big gate in a bigger wall, she remembered that much. There'd been a lot of pushing and shoving and more than once someone had bonked her head. It must've been busy. Or were there always so many Mongors around? And they were all trying to get into just one city? Mom had said there were many different cities in the East. Did all cities have that many people, or even more? Aqie couldn't imagine how many people that would be.

Focus. However many people there were, they'd all want to kill her and take her kaprae. She needed to get out of the city before they all woke up, or find somewhere to hide all day. Preferably with full exposure to sunlight.

Hesitantly, Aqie stood, bunching her cape behind her and turning in a slow circle. Houses, houses, and more houses. Some were stacked on top of each other. Aqie winced. What would happen if the top house fell over? Where would the people live?

Laughter drifted from far away, making her spin around in panic, but all she could see was light in a window far away. Why were people still awake at this hour? The moon was way past being high in the sky! It was only a couple of hours before dawn! She wouldn't be going that way then. But did that mean there were other people awake too? Anywhere? How could she avoid them all.