Above World - By Jenn Reese Page 0,24

the murkiness of the water. In the clean, crisp air of the mountain, she could make out details for kilometers in every direction. The flurry of brightly colored wings and a constant breeze made the whole place feel perched on the edge of chaos.

She heard Hoku suck in his breath. She imagined him trying to look in every direction at once, his eyes wide. She didn’t blame him.

“Hoku,” she whispered.

“Yes?”

“Do you think they’ll let us explore before they eat us?”

He chuckled. “They’ll need more than wings and pointy spears to stop us.”

Aluna watched a blue-winged Aviar fly straight up and out of the colony’s open roof.

“Did you see the pulleys?” Hoku said. “Over there, where the water runs down the wall. They can lift things from the ground all the way to the sky! I wonder where they get the power.”

Aluna wasn’t entirely sure what a pulley was, but she loved the way the water fell from the edge, splashed hundreds of meters down the side of the bowl, and pooled in a glistening circle around the center spire. A variety of four-legged animals stood drinking from its edges.

The Aviars carrying them flew toward the central building. The pain in Aluna’s head pulsed with each wing flap. She shut her eyes and swallowed, trying not to be sick. In the ocean you had to be careful how fast you went up to the surface or back down to the city. Was the same true for the sky?

She kept her mouth shut as the Aviar flew into one of the tower’s wider windows and dropped the net to the floor. Hoku’s bag slammed into her shoulder, followed by Hoku himself. She yelped, more from the pounding in her head than from their weight.

Winged women with spears surrounded them and yanked them to their feet. Aluna gasped again. Without her breathing shell, she just couldn’t get enough air.

“Welcome to Skyfeather’s Landing,” a tall Aviar said. “You are in the Palace of Wings, and I am High Senator Electra.” She stood like a leader, relaxed and strong at the same time. The gold bands wrapped around her muscled arms were more elaborate than the bands the other Aviars wore. Her brown-and-tan feathers reminded Aluna of the hawks that flew over the coral reef, but her face was much like a Kampii’s. If she’d had a tail instead of wings, she could have been one of the Elders.

“Quickly, are either of you feeling ill?” High Senator Electra asked.

Aluna ground her teeth together and refused to answer. Never let your opponent see your weaknesses, Anadar always said. Usually right before he knocked the weapon out of her hands.

“Answer me!” the Aviar yelled.

Aluna clutched her head from the pain. Black spots swam in her eyes. Anadar would be so disappointed.

“Fetch a breather,” Electra said to one of the Aviars. Then to Aluna she said, “Listen to me carefully. You have sky sickness. The air here is thin, and your body is not adjusting. You need more oxygen.”

Aluna could hear her words, but only partially understand them. The whole world felt blurry, like the moon when viewed from beneath the waves. She breathed faster, but her lungs never seemed satisfied.

An Aviar with white feathers covered in symbols spoke. “I’m sorry, High Senator. We rose too quickly. I wasn’t thinking.”

“No, you weren’t,” Electra said. “We’ll discuss it later.”

“Help her,” Hoku said. Even through her haze, Aluna could hear the panic in his voice. Why was he worried? “You did this to her. You have to save her!”

With a rustle of wings, the Aviar who had been sent for the breather returned. A moment later, High Senator Electra shoved something into Aluna’s mouth. She tried to resist, but her body felt heavy, as if her arms were filled with sand instead of muscle. The artifact was the size of a clam and covered in tubes and blinking lights. It emitted a low hum that she found strangely soothing.

“Breathe through the device,” the high senator said.

Aluna shook her head and tried to spit the machine out of her mouth. Another hand grabbed her arm. A smaller one. She looked over and saw freckles.

“Do it, Aluna,” Hoku said quietly. “If you don’t trust them, at least trust me.”

She inhaled. Air rushed into her body. The invisible hand crushing her chest released its grip slightly. She breathed again, and again.

“Good,” Electra said. “Now I’m going to stick something to your skin. Do not pull it off. It will instruct your body to