Chapter Fifty-ThreeHigh up on the observatory deck of the Empire State, I leaned against the railing and watched the city. Zantry nudged at the bond, concerned. He'd let me be for a while, and now he too was unsettled. I sent him a reassuring pulse, but in truth, I was a wreck. I didn't want him to see me like this.
I wasn't hiding from him, I didn't want him to worry about me. Not for me. The fierce wind stung my eyes, whipped my hair free, and ruffled my wings. I spread them wider, leaned harder against the rail. From up here, I couldn't make the sound of the traffic below, or smell the traffic plume. There was nothing but the sound of the wind beating at me from all sides, choking me with fresh air.
For a long time, I stood and watched the blinking lights, hoping to mute my thoughts–a
