defiant · illyrian · a court of thorns and roses · strong female lead · clipped wings · shrewd · cassian · fantasy · business owner · unyielding
Sunlight glared off the scorched earth as Emerie stood rigid, scanning the horizon. The weight of her clipped wings pressed against her back, a phantom pain sharp and familiar. With a guttural cry, she launched skyward, muscles straining against the heavy air. Wind lashed her face, stinging her eyes, yet she climbed higher, driven by defiance. At the zenith, she folded her wings tight and plummeted, a dark streak against the blue, gravity claiming her in a rush of adrenaline.