Page 54 of Gates of Rapture (The Guardians of Ascension #6)
“Fine,” Thorne said. He whipped his Droid Ascender from his slacks and started hitting the screen.
A moment later, he said, “Hey, Carla, we need Horace at my position at Apache Junction Two, and, no, no one is hurt, and, yes, I do know he’s probably asleep, but get him to me anyway as quick as you can, at this position. I’ll let security here know.”
He tapped again and spoke to security. “Horace is coming to my position.”
Grace wasn’t surprised when about two minutes later, Horace materialized next to Thorne. He squinted against the bright sunshine.
“Sorry to disturb,” Thorne said.
But Horace bowed slightly. “No problem, duhuro .”
Thorne opened his mouth as though to say something then simply shrugged, smiled, and clapped the tall, thin healer on the shoulder. “Thanks for coming.” He then explained what they were doing.
Horace’s eyes grew wide. “I’m ready if you need me, but I really hope you don’t.” A fold could trash a pair of wings, even the strongest wings.
Leto removed his shirt, which caused Grace to put a hand to her chest and to weave on her feet. She didn’t think she’d ever get over what the man looked like.
He met her gaze but shook his head. He looked so serious, just as he should given the circumstances. And she knew she wasn’t helping because she knew that he could feel all the desire she was presently experiencing. The next moment, she felt his mental shields slam into place.
At the same time, she started setting up her own blocks like mad because all she could think about was what it had been like the night before with Leto at the villa, his body slamming into her from behind and both sets of wings mounted.
As he turned away from her, however, she was lost all over again as his wings unfurled. They arrived in a blue flurry of movement and suddenly all four panels of his unusual, exquisite wings were just there. He drew them in to close-mount and shot into the air.
Thirty feet up, he unfurled and flew above them, turning in a slow arc and flying over them once more.
She put her hand to her chest. In flight, he was, as Endelle might have said, fucking magnificent.
He began to plow through the air, even making another full loop that must have been a hundred yards in diameter.
She didn’t move as she watched him, and she sure as hell couldn’t have looked away. She wanted to be up there with him.
A hand gripped her arm. “Hey.” Thorne’s voice broke through, and she turned to him startled.
“What?” she asked.
His stern expression softened. “Didn’t you hear me calling to you?”
She shook her head and pointed into the sky. Thorne’s gaze followed. “He’s your breh .”
Grace turned once more to watch Leto make another pass. His cadroen had come loose, and his long black hair flowed behind him. “Yes,” she said. “He’s my man.”
She heard Thorne chuckle, though she wasn’t sure what he found amusing. “Shall we see what happens when the triad folds him out of the sky?”
Oh, that. “Yes, of course.”
She turned to Grace and Marguerite. The latter sent the word scorpion into Grace’s mind, the telepathic link formed, and the obsidian power flowed.
Thorne’s thoughts were suddenly present as well. Leto’s ready. Fold at will. Bring him next to Horace .
Grace went into split-self mode, took possession of Fiona, then focused on Leto, now a hundred yards above the triad. She thought the thought.
She could feel the fold happen. The next moment she separated from Fiona, returning to herself. She wasn’t surprised when Leto appeared beside Horace, smiling, his hair wild, his blue eyes shining with pleasure and triumph, and his full-mount wings completely intact.
He met her gaze. “The fold felt like being wrapped in cotton and just set on my feet on the ground. Beautiful.”
Grace went to him, unable to contain all that she felt.
She slid her arms carefully around his waist, and like a dream, his wings enfolded her.
What a miracle all of this was, being here with Leto and her brother and with obsidian flame, feeling Leto’s arms around her. She felt overwhelmed and blessed.
She remained like that for a long time, just savoring him, savoring life, savoring the love she felt for him, the soft movement of his feathers over her skin. He was safe and uninjured, and he was hers.
Of course, the practice had to continue, but she thanked Thorne for letting her have that moment with Leto.
The rest of the morning involved practice and more practice, folding individual Militia Warriors in flight, then groups of them just to make sure that if the triad had to fold the spectacle handlers out of the air, it could be done safely.
After that, Grace took to the air and worked with Marguerite and Fiona doing the same thing all over again, but bringing their obsidian power online while in flight, then folding more Militia Warriors also while in flight.
The success of the venture was mind boggling.
With the most critical issues settled, the final trial run had been set up. The entire obsidian flame triad, including their brehs, was now in flight, and Grace would perform her final feat before tackling the spectacle review at eight.
It was now three o’clock in the afternoon, and Grace flew beside Marguerite and Fiona. Leto, Jean-Pierre, and Thorne flew behind each of them, for protection and for support. Thorne was taking no chances with this part of the practice.
Grace felt very connected to her obsidian sisters.
Leto’s voice penetrated her mind. You can’t believe what your combined wings look like. The flames of all three are exquisite. The colors are bold. You’ll get to see when we land because there’s a video-bot flying above us.
For herself, Grace had forgotten the joys of flight.
She didn’t fly often enough. It was important to mount the wings at least once every two weeks to keep them fit and healthy.
Ten days was even better. But flying was a different experience altogether, one of the real benefits of ascended life.
She could see the various regiments below her, some receiving instruction over loudspeakers, some practicing marching.
All wore flight battle gear, which gave a formidable unified appearance—and of course the black leather kilts were a great look.
She flapped her wings steadily, moving forward in an easterly direction along the parade route.
Endelle’s beautiful graded administrative building, with terraces of hanging plants, was off to the south, Camelback Mountain to the north.
A thousand tanks anchored the route, and stands were lined up in set intervals.
The spectators, however, had been strictly limited to Militia Warriors in casual dress, no civilians allowed.
All along the route, the video cameras were in place, with their operators, everyone testing and retesting their equipment.
She was amazed at all that Marcus, Havily, and their teams had created within a brief twenty-four hours.
Large stands of stadium lights were already part of what was a traditional parade grounds.
Landing platforms had been set up at both the east and west ends of the route. It was strange to watch hundreds of warriors arrive then literally run off the platforms so that the next squadrons could fold in right behind them.
Leto, she sent telepathically, avoiding the com.
I’m here.
The organization is phenomenal. Have the hidden colonies sent their regiments ?
No, they’ve remained within the colonies to protect the citizens. We’re still acting as if Greaves intends to attack at any given moment.
Thorne’s voice came over the com. “Grace, do you see the warriors at attention?”
Grace glanced down and to her left. There they were, in massive blocks of five hundred each, ten blocks total. “I see them.”
“That’s your mass-fold target. We’ve gathered ten thousand for practice.”
“Copy.” It was so strange to use such formal com-speak.
Marguerite’s voice broke over the com. “Banking left.”
Grace could feel the other two women turn just as she turned, their movements functioning as a solid group. They were a triad now. Maybe there were a lot of bumps yet to overcome, but for now they were obsidian flame.
Traveling up Scottsdale Boulevard Two, Marguerite happened to pull forward from her center position. Right afterward, Thorne recommended they keep the stronger, arrow-like formation because it would allow for greater visibility from the wing position.
He was right. Grace could see Fiona straight across from her now and could even catch her eye.
Fiona nodded and smiled. The woman looked euphoric, but then she had only been flying for a few months.
Nothing was more exhilarating. She flew like a pro, using her arms constantly to help make slight wing adjustments with every current of air that whipped over her or hit her broadside.
Two more miles and Marguerite spoke into the com, “Bank right. Folding endpoint site in one mile.”
Now heading east, Grace saw the massive area cordoned off with more rows of tanks. The tanks were Thorne’s idea to help substantiate the rumors Marcus had sent around on the web that Endelle had a bigger army than anyone knew about.
Grace’s heart began to hammer in her ears. Thorne came on the com. “Is ‘the flame’ ready?”
“Ready,” Grace responded. The flame was Thorne’s idea for abbreviated radio-speak.
Both Marguerite and Fiona called out, “Ready.”
“Execute at will,” Thorne ordered.
Still in flight, Grace didn’t hesitate. She took possession of Fiona, and as the shared obsidian flame power vibrated heavily through her, she focused on the mass of troops back at the parade grounds.
Grace pictured the formation square containing ten thousand warriors, and she simply thought the thought.
She felt a tremendous vibration through the air as well as movement, very swift. The next moment, the entire force appeared below the triad, next to the tanks.
She glanced at Thorne. He smiled at her and winked. Yep, ten thousand Militia Warriors, all in perfect formation, were shouting, punching the air with strong fists, and whooping it up.
Grace’s smile was so broad her cheeks hurt.