Standing near the edge of the plinth, Tristan felt the warm rush of air that signaled Rex’s approach. Nyk stopped next to him just as the phoenix burst from the depths of the Eyrie; a gust of wind rippled through Tristan’s hair, and streaks of light momentarily marred his vision.
Arcing above, Rex burst into full flame at the peak of his ascent, then dove downward into the darkness below. Nyk crouched in alarm as Rex hurtled toward them, then he leaned over the edge to watch the bird’s descent. It was part of the solstice dance, the display Rex and the other phoenixes would put on the following evening.
Again Rex flew high into the air, only to turn around and soar in a fiery coil toward the earth. As Tristan had hoped, soon other phoenixes joined in, ruffling their feathers in puffs of sparks before igniting. Sometimes Tristan thought phoenixes were natural performers, always game for a bit of theater, a bit of the dramatic—especially if it involved showing off their elegant flight and brilliant flame.
Seeing them like this was surprisingly easy—their fire was a faraway spectacle, not a dangerous threat. He could appreciate the beauty of it in a detached way, as distant and otherworldly as the sun and stars.
While watching one phoenix fly into the sky and then come careening back down was beautiful, watching half a dozen was spectacular. Nyk gripped Tristan’s arm, his mouth hanging open as the firebirds twisted and spiraled, leaving flaming tracks in the air. The moon hung in the sky behind them, fat and bone white, and dull in comparison.
Now that they had begun, Tristan knew the phoenixes would be at it for a while. He nudged Nyk, whose large round eyes reflected the fiery performance, and returned to sitting against the wall near the entrance. Nyk followed, walking backward so he didn’t miss a single second of the show.
Tristan didn’t know if it was guilt over how he’d first treated Nyk or gratitude for the help he had given Tristan since, but for some reason—he didn’t want to think too hard on it—making Nyk smile made Tristan’s own heart lighter. Nyk had a way of bringing out a happier, more positive side of him. Barely an hour ago he’d been ready to deem his long-desired promotion to patrol leader a failure just because it wasn’t happening as quickly as he’d hoped. But Nyk had made him truly appreciate the success for what it was: a step in the right direction. And before that, when Tristan had blurted out his fear of fire, Nyk hadn’t laughed or ridiculed him. He hadn’t even batted an eye, instead listing off famous Riders with issues of their own so he wouldn’t feel alone and then providing Tristan with a life-changing solution.
It wasn’t that their friendship was all fun and laughter—in fact, Nyk was one of the few people, besides his father, who called him on his arrogance and bad temper. But unlike his father, who held Tristan’s every bad decision against him, Nyk never seemed to hold a grudge. After their rocky start, Nyk had been steadfast and loyal, a constant friend in a place where Tristan didn’t really have any. He’d never fit in much with the other apprentices, and he wasn’t yet a Master Rider. He was stuck somewhere between, which was often a hard place to be.
But then he’d look at Nyk, and his endless hope would make Tristan want to hope too, just like Nyk’s faith in Tristan made Tristan want to have faith in himself. He wanted to be the person Nyk seemed to think he could be, and he needed Nyk by his side to remind him of that.
He needed Nyk by his side because he never felt more himself than when they were together.
They continued to watch in silence as the phoenixes painted the night sky. At one point Nyk’s head drooped onto Tristan’s shoulder, and Tristan let his own head fall back against the rough-hewn wall.
Eventually the birds gave up the dance and returned to their roost. The night around them grew darker, until only Rex remained. With a last flash of light, he took his final descent into the shadows.
Tristan bade him good night and thanked him before moving to get to his feet. Nyk slumped against the wall, fast asleep. Tristan prodded him with a foot, then gave him a gentle shake with his hand, but Nyk was dead to the world. Everything about