Wings of Fire as Humans: Jade Preparatory Academy

Chapter Forty-One: Peril Cinder

Peril stood next to the door, her ear at the crack. Her heart was beating in her chest, and she wondered why she was so nervous. She was only eavesdropping on her friends. That wasn't very hard, and the worst thing that would happen was they would get mad. They probably wouldn't even stay mad, a fact that so exasperated Peril about her friends. What was the point of life if you didn't hold grudges?

"Shhh!" Fatespeaker hissed loudly. She had her ear against the crack on the other side of the door.

Peril rolled her eyes. "You shush. I'm not making any noise."

"And neither are the rest of us," Tsunami pointed out, just as loud as Starflight. Stealth was not her strong suit, unlike Glory, who was currently standing invisible between Fatespeaker and Peril.

"Be quiet," Glory whispered, her words barely audible.

"We are," Tsunami replied, not very quietly.

Glory sighed. "Listen."

"So, you're telling me that Cricket needs to deliver a note to her mother, and for some reason you need me to tell you how best to do that? Can't she just mail it? Also why isn't she here now?" Starflight's voice carried audibly through the door.

"She wanted to finish her work before she focused on something else," Willow answered, only replying to the last question.

"Like a smart person," Starflight interjected.

Both Willow and Sundew ignored him, much to Peril's amusement. He had academic smarts, but he wasn't particularly emotionally aware.

"Just answer the question," Sundew said tiredly, and Peril wished her friends had been quieter so she could hear what the question was.

"But it's a stupid question!" Starflight protested. "You don't need help."

"Starflight!" Sunny said, sounding shocked by her friend's words. "This is a genuine concern. We should be worried!"

"But it's probably just something normal. Come on, Sunny, what kind of mother wouldn't want to renew contact with her daughter?"

Peril winced. Mine? she wanted to say. Kestrel had, but only barely. And her stepmother, Scarlet . . .

"Many of your friend's mothers," Sunny said quietly.

Starflight stayed silent, and Peril was glad. She almost didn't want to know how he would say, but the fact that he didn't respond almost made it worse.

"We've resolved to send the note," Willow told Starflight and Sunny, and again Peril was confused. "But we don't think we should open it first, and we don't want to ask Katydid what's in it. Cricket thinks she would try to protect her."

"That makes sense," Starflight agreed. Peril imagined Sunny nodding.

"Any advice on how best to find out what it says?" Sundew asked, more calmly than she usually spoke. "Also ideas on who else we should tell? We'll probably want backup."

"Yes, backup," Starflight said, sounding relieved. "But not me."

"We weren't asking you," Sundew informed him, her voice back to its usual snobby tone.

"Good," Starflight told her. He didn't seem to get that that was an insult. Peril almost felt a little offended for him, but he wasn't Clay. He didn't deserve her offense.

"Who should we ask for help with this?" Sundew reiterated.

"I'd say Tsunami, 'cause she's strong, but she might be a bit too irrational for this," Sunny said. Next to Peril's ear, Tsunami huffed. "Take Glory. She's strong and . . . not irrational?"

Starflight huffed a laugh. "Part of me wishes they could hear you right now."

"Me too," Sundew said.

"But it would be so mean to tell Tsunami that!" Sunny protested. "Ugh, I'd have to hear the taunting. Glory would gloat for hours."

"Let's get back on topic," Willow chided in a tone that sounded like one a teacher would use. "We'll talk to Glory. Tomorrow, though. We'll bring Cricket over here for breakfast."

"We will?" Sundew asked, surprised. Willow must have given her a look, because she said, "Uh, yes, we are, definitely."

"And then from your class?" Sunny asked. The silence that followed almost seemed pondering. "Oh! I forgot about Qibli. Yes, Qibli would be the best person by far to go to with this. He knows sneaking around and uncovering secrets better than anyone."

"Oh, that makes sense," Willow agreed. "I can't believe we didn't think of this before. Qibli would be most useful."

"Great," Starflight said, still sounding incredibly relieved. "Can we go now?"

"I suppose," Sundew acquiesced. "Yes, go back to your oh-so-important schoolwork."

"Great!" Feet hurried towards the door, and Peril, Glory, Fatespeaker, and Tsunami weren't able to hurry out of the way. The door opened and hit Glory.

She appeared in a flash, her nose bleeding. "Hey!"

"Sorry," Starflight said, looking horrified - until he noticed the rest of the girls standing around the door. Then his frown turned from guilty to angry. "You were spying? Even though they told me this was secret?"

Peril and the others exchanged a glance. This was going to be a loooong night.