White light curled between Jiang's toes.
Runoff slid across the cradle, passed beneath the family carrier, and vanished through a crack in the far rail. Wherever the water touched his feathers, it shone like a fresh knife edge.
Beside him, the injured male smelled it too. His beak shifted against the hide. No strength followed.
Hest leaned over the rail and watched the light spill into the shaft. "Please tell me Red Aeries does that for honored guests."
"Red Aeries ate its honored guests," Mottle called from above. "That is why the lift was available."
"I continue to regret asking questions."
Jiang lifted his sound foot from the water. The glow went out around his toes, but the stream below kept its pale rim. Something scraped wet stone above them.
Above them, the wakehound had reached the shaft.
