by Cheree Alsop
—Stephanie Roberts, Amazon Reviewer
“This was a heart-warming tale of rags to riches. It was also wonderfully described and the characters were vivid and vibrant; a story that teaches of love defying boundaries and of people finding acceptance.”
—Sara Phillip, Book Reviewer
“This is the best book I have ever had the pleasure of reading. . . It literally has everything, drama, action, fighting, romance, adventure, & suspense. . . Nexa is one of the most incredible female protagonists ever written. . .It literally had me on pins & needles the ENTIRE time. . . I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Please give yourself a wonderful treat & read this book… you will NOT be disappointed!!!”
—Jess- Goodreads Reviewer
“Took my breath away; excitement, adventure and suspense. . . This author has extracted a tender subject and created a supernatural fantasy about seeing beyond the surface of an individual. . . Also the romantic scenes would make a girl swoon. . . The fights between allies and foes and blood lust would attract the male readers. . .The conclusion was so powerful and scary this reader was sitting on the edge of her seat.”
—Susan Mahoney, Book Blogger
“Adventure, incredible amounts of imagination and description go into this world! It is a buy now, don't leave the couch until the last chapter has reached an end kind of read!”
—Malcay- Amazon Reviewer
“The high action tale with the underlying love story that unfolds makes you want to keep reading and not put it down. I can't wait until the next book in the Shadows Series comes out.”
—Karen- Amazon Reviewer
“Really enjoyed this book. A modern fairy tale complete with Kings and Queens, Princesses and Princes, castles and the damsel is not quite in distress. LOVE IT.”
—Braine, Talk Supe- Book Blogger
“. . . It’s refreshing to see a female character portrayed without the girly cliches most writers fall into. She is someone I would like to meet in real life, and it is nice to read the first person POV of a character who is so well-round that she is brave, but still has the softer feminine side that defines her character. A definite must read.”
—S. Teppen- Goodreads Reviewer
“I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. . . This premise is interesting and the world building was intriguing. The author infused the tale with the feeling of suspicion and fear . . . The author does a great job with characterization and you grow to really feel for the characters throughout especially as they change and begin to see Nexa's point of view. . . I did enjoy the book and the originality. I would recommend this for young adult fantasy lovers. It's more of a mild dark fantasy, but it would definitely fall more in the traditional fantasy genre . ”
—Jill- Goodreads Reviewer
To my husband who is my sun,
My moon, and my stars.
To my children for bringing
Light wherever they go.
I love your laughter,
Your smiles, and the joy
That fills every day.
Chapter One
I tipped my wings into the wind and smiled when it drove me higher through the clouds. Lost amid the white fog, I could pretend that nothing existed below. I loved the wind. I closed my eyes and let it push me at its whim. The wind had so many different temperaments. It could fight like the fiercest warrior, whisper its tantalizing thoughts of freedom, or make grown men seek shelter against its rage. The wind could make its way through the smallest crack or cause the tallest building to groan with its force. I wanted to be the wind.
My location nudged at the back of my thoughts. I sighed. Despite the clouds, I could feel that I was close to the school. The animal side of me rebelled at being a prisoner inside its impassive gray walls, while the Galdoni side flooded me with memories of the Academy. Regardless of my trepidation, I had to go.
I gritted my teeth and pulled my wings tight against my back, slicing through the cloud cover. A building loomed inches to my right, so close that the blue feathers of my wing brushed it. I used my wings to turn me just enough that I cleared the buildings. At the last second, I spread them. The force jerked me back. I landed with a grin on the empty street.
The grin faded when I saw where I was. Because of the drug-free zone, the school boundaries started at the edge of the block where I stood. It was the no-fly zone, thanks to the Galdoni integration laws. Though it was unlawful for a Galdoni student to hide their wings from view with a coat or other clothing, we were unable to use them on school property. The irony never failed to frustrate me. I couldn’t decide if it was to protect the students or continually remind them of how different I was. It felt like the same thing to me.
The sound of voices deepened my trepidation. I could have landed on the other side of the school. It would have been easier. Yet I was a Galdoni. I didn’t avoid a fight even if I wasn’t allowed to participate in it.
“Nice of you to join us, cur,” Brayce said in a forced pleasant tone.
I lifted my lips in more of a snarl than a smile.
“Get it, cur,” Tavin, once of Brayce’s cronies, piped in. “It means mixed-breed mongrel. So it’s like you, because you’re part animal, part human, like, well, a cur!”
“Shut up, Tavin,” Brayce snapped.
Tavin closed his mouth, but continued to bounce from one foot to the other. In all the time I’ve known the kid, he had never been able to hold still. The prospects of a fight made it worse. His parents should probably get him looked at.
“How long did you spend reading the dictionary to come up with that one, Brayce?” I asked, keeping my tone light.
“Long enough to know they still haven’t classified Galdoni as a member of the human race,” Brayce replied, his dark eyes glittering at the sore spot. “So really, you’re just an animal allowed to go to school, like a service pet.”
“Whose service is to tear off your arms and shove them down your throat,” I replied, unable to keep my composure any longer.
Brayce’s hands clenched. He walked close enough that I had to back up to keep from letting his nose touch mine. “You think you’re so tough?” he growled, his face inches away.
Spit hit my cheek. He flinched when I lifted a hand to wipe it away; the small token of his fear gave me brief satisfaction. “I think you have bad breath,” I replied.
Tavin and Manny, Tavin’s twin, snickered. Brayce glared at them and they stopped. He leaned closer to me. “You don’t deserve to be here, cur. You’re nothing but a talking animal playing circus to the amusement of the school board.” He lifted his hands, beckoning me on. “Come on, mongrel. One punch. That’s all I need.”
One punch and I would be permanently expelled from high school. The Galdoni integration laws were extremely unforgiving on that point. Kale had seen to it that I knew the consequences of such an action. One punch and I could ruin it for all Galdoni.
“Are you afraid?” Brayce pressed. He threw a punch at my face.
I ducked and had to fight back the impulse to answer it with one of my own in his ample gut.
“Don’t be a coward,” Brayce continued. He tipped his head at Chad, the last member of his gang who stood with his hands in his pockets and his back against the far wall. Chad was a few years older than the average high school student; his answers in class let me know that academics weren’t his strong point. The boy’s eyes carried no emotion as he crossed to Brayce’s side. It was like looking at a shark. His shaved head and stocky build added to the impression.
“Hit him, Chad!” Tavin said, bouncing up and down.
“Make him bleed,” Manny encouraged, his fists clenched and excitement on his face despite the fact that I could snap the beanpole kid in two. He kept his distance for a very good reason.
When Chad swung, I dodged to the left. His fist slammed into the brick wall behind me. A roar of rage left the boy’s mouth. Brayce tried to kick me in the stomach. I caught his leg and used his body to bloc
k Chad’s angry bull rush. Both students fell against the wall. They charged me with fists flying. I blocked three punches. The next grazed my cheekbone. I blocked a kick with my forearms and fought the impulse to slug Chad in the groin.
I ducked under a haymaker, grabbed Brayce’s arm, and used his momentum to send him into Chad. Both charged me. I caught one of Chad’s hammer punches with a forearm, but paid for it when Brayce’s fist caught me in the ribs. I knocked aside his chop aimed at my throat. I was about to block Chad’s fist in the ribs again when Brayce landed a knee to my groin. Red flared in my vision. My hands clenched. I brought a fist back, intent on laying Brayce out on the ground.
“What’s going on here?”
Saro’s voice deflated my rage as quickly as if he had thrown ice cold water in my face. I blinked and focused on the gold-winged Galdoni who had just landed at the mouth of the alley. He looked from me to Brayce’s gang. The line of his jaw was tight despite his pleasant tone as if he was fully aware of what he had just interrupted.
“N-nothing, sir,” Brayce stuttered.
Tavin and Manny were already running down the alley toward the school.
Chad held up his hands and backed away, still with the emotionless expression in his eyes.
“Shouldn’t you guys be in class?” Saro suggested.
“Y-yes, sir,” Brayce agreed. He picked up his backpack and glanced at Chad. The pair jogged down the alley after Tavin and Manny.
“What was that?” Saro asked quietly when they were out of earshot.
“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” I replied, willing my muscles to relax.
“It looked to me like you were ready to tear off his legs and beat him with them.”
I couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “It had crossed my mind.”
Saro nodded. “Do I need to remind you that we’re walking a fine line here?”
I shook my head, frustration filling my chest. “No. It just doesn’t seem right that they can do whatever they want and at the first punch, I’m the one expelled.”
Saro cracked a smile. “That’s because your first punch will be their last.”
I shrugged. “It only takes one to remind them.”
“And then they’re dead.”
“One less Galdoni problem,” I said with an edge of hopefulness.
Saro let out a breath. “You know that’s not how it works.”
“What if I ask Kale to let Goliath give me defensive combat training so that I can hone my skill in avoiding punches?”
Saro shook his head. “You know the rules, Reece.”
I kicked at a clump of debris that turned out to be a half-eaten apple covered in dirt. It squished when my shoe made contact. I scraped the toe of my sneaker on the cement to clean it off. “I know. Galdoni integration rules deny Galdoni students from training for fear that it will increase our aggression and lead to more fights with the human students.”
“I know it’s hard.”
I would have argued the point, but I knew it was true. Saro had been my mentor since I started at Crosby High. He had never hidden his history from me. I knew how hard he had fought to live a life of peace. The blood on his hands sometimes showed in his eyes when he didn’t think anyone was looking. Regrets hung on his shoulders, but he carried them without complaint. I respected him for that.
“What if I drop out?” I asked, testing the waters. At his surprised look, I rushed on, “Then you wouldn’t need to worry about me messing up.”
“You can’t drop out,” he said. “You’re sixteen. You should be in school.”
“Skylar did, and she’s fine,” I pointed out.
“She’d be graduated by now, and she had to do it to support her family. She would have rather been in school, trust me,” Saro replied.
“I can support the Galdoni. I’ll get a job.”
“Doing what?”
I smirked. “Delivery boy. Think of how fast the pizza could get to someone’s house? I could make records.”
Saro grinned at me. “That’s for sure.” The bell rang in the distance. “You better get going.”
I sighed. “Fine, but pizza sounds good right about now.”
“Go,” Saro urged with a laugh.
I waved at him and jogged up the alley where Brayce’s gang had gone. At least I didn’t have to worry about them jumping me before I got to the doors. They were too afraid of Saro for that; but I knew I would pay for his interference.
I pushed the set of double doors open.
“You’re late!” Seth’s always present smile lit his wide cheeks. He held out my algebra book. “I almost thought you weren’t coming, but that wouldn’t be like you. I had to hide when Brayce’s bouncers came through, so I figured they were the reason you were delayed.” He looked at me, expecting an answer. He always spoke in a rush when he was excited or nervous.
“You know hanging out with me keeps you on their radar,” I pointed out for the hundredth time.
Seth shrugged. “It’s worth a trashcan or two to hang out with a Galdoni.”
The reverence with which he said Galdoni made it sound like I was a hero or something. I snorted and took the math book he held out. “You know you don’t have to go to my locker.”
He grinned. “I like to help.” His red hair stuck up at the front of his head, something he was constantly trying to smooth down. He patted it with one hand, but to no avail. The cowlick refused to obey.
I walked down the hall toward our classroom and he chatted happily at my side. “I did some research into the color of birds’ wings, more specifically, the Bluejay and Indigo Bunting. Did you know that your wings are blue only because your feathers have barbs with cells filled with air that scatter the blue light and trap the red wavelengths? Your feathers would actually be black if it wasn’t for that!”
I nodded, because he expected it. I was so used to his ramblings that I rarely bothered with paying strict attention to them anymore. He was generally just happy talking when there was someone listening.
“On a secondary note, did you know that the Galdoni with white wings have weaker feathers and if they ate carotenoids, their feathers could turn pink like a flamingo’s?”
I paused and glanced at him. “Where could I get carotenoids?”
His eyebrows rose as if he was surprised I had actually been listening. “Well, flamingos eat algae and other organisms that are high in alpha and beta carotenoid pigments from the mud at the bottom of shallow pools. Maybe we could get some of that?”
“I’m not sure I’d be able to sneak mud into their meals at the Center. We may have to look for other options.”
Seth laughed. He pulled open the door to algebra. “See you at gym!”
All heads in the classroom turned in our direction. Seth’s face blushed as red as his hair. “Uh, sorry about that,” he whispered. He pushed his backpack strap higher onto his shoulder and ran down the hall at breakneck speed toward his English class.
“Thank you for joining us, Reece,” Mr. Bennett said in a dry tone.
I ignored his eye roll and made my way down the middle row. My seat was at the back, which usually appealed to me, except it meant walking past classmates who didn’t take kindly to my presence.
That fact was emphasized when someone yanked out one of my feathers. I spun, ready to take them down as my instincts commanded.
“Something wrong, Reece?” Mr. Bennett asked. His usually monotone voice contained a hint of warning.
I let out a slow breath to calm my pounding heart. My eyes searched the hands of the students around me. Nobody met my gaze. A few had apologetic looks on their faces as if sorry the game had gotten out of hand, yet the blue feather was nowhere to be seen.
“Everything’s fine, Mr. Bennett,” I replied tightly. I let my textbook fall with a bang loud enough to cause several students to jump before I slid onto the hard seat.
Chapter Two
I turned my attention to the window as I did every day during class. It was the only way
to stay sane.
The black birds sat on the telephone wire as they always did. I could almost hear their chattering through the window. A few more birds landed. Disgruntled at the suddenly cramped space, a bird in the middle took flight.
I watched him soar over the trees that lined the school’s soccer field. He pushed his wings hard, flapping so that he rose above the stands before catching the breeze. His wings opened wide, feathers lifting as they filled with the wind, the fickle, carefree wind nobody could control. It had a mind of its own; nobody trapped it in a box or told it to be something it wasn’t. It wouldn’t listen anyway.
“Reece?”
Giggles brought me back to the present.
“Don’t mind him,” Dennis said from the front row. “He’s out there with the birds where he belongs.”
“I’ll have none of that talk in my classroom.” Mr. Bennett snapped. His eyes flashed behind his glasses. The student’s comment had angered the teacher even more than me. He met Dennis’ gaze. “I’ll see you for detention after school.”
“Why?” Dennis asked, appalled. “What did I do?”
“Prejudice isn’t acceptable, Mr. Hansen. If you choose to be made an example of, then I must follow through,” Mr. Bennett answered.
Dennis slammed his algebra book shut and crossed his arms to stare moodily at the wall.
Mr. Bennett ignored him. “I asked if you have the answer to the problem, Reece.”
I studied the numbers on the board. Luckily, I had been taught math since I could walk. Numbers were easy; they didn’t care who you were or where you fit into the scheme of things. As long as you lined them up right, they would always fall into place.
“A is negative three over five and B is thirteen fifths,” I answered.