Read Wings of Shadow (The Underground Trilogy) for Free Online Page B

tunnels. Meghan squelched her anxiety and began to make her way along the narrow edge, taking care not to stumble into the gap where the rails ran. Her fingers brushed against the cast iron bands which lined that section of the tunnel.
    The metallic smell of the cast iron was so similar to the scent of her blood when it had dripped into the wine glass that she closed her eyes from the sheer force of that memory. Her body trembled, and her heart raced. She pressed against the cold metal wall, trying to force her feet to move, but they remained motionless, her body resisting her mind. A light suddenly shined in her face.
    “Wish, get that lantern out of my eyes. I can’t see anything.”
    His big hand grasped hers, holding it against the wall. “I’m afraid you aren’t going to like this.” He giggled.
    The light shined more intensely, and a strong shaking sensation began, accompanied by an increasingly loud roar. A train zoomed past, so close Meghan could have touched it with a fully extended arm.
    “Wasn’t that an adventure? I always imagine a hurricane roaring by.” He planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek. “We simply must have more adventures together!”
    Wish continued to discuss new adventures, but she only caught brief snatches, as she focused her attention on not falling into the gap. Light filtered through the tunnel, and they made their way to a barely visible opening.
    Soon, she could see a platform lined with people. Wish continued spouting thoughts about sky-diving, dueling dragons, and snorkeling.
    She grabbed his arm. “Wish! Look at all the people. You can’t just appear on the other side of the tracks. Aren’t you supposed to be more secretive?”
    He scratched his head, paused for a long moment, then scrunched up his nose. The people all moved to the far end of the platform, peering at something underneath a bench, almost as if he had created some sort of illusion.
    Grabbing Meghan’s hand, Wish helped her across the gap and over the dangerous rails, while the crowd remained curiously engaged with the bench. They slipped into the station unnoticed. Wish relaxed his face, and the crowd dissipated.
    “Did you…?” Her question lingered, and she shook her head. Of course, he hadn’t. The stress of the last two days was finally catching up with her, causing her to imagine things.
    Studying the crowd, Meghan didn’t notice anyone from Kiernan’s twisted club. She hoped they had outfoxed Lord Killian.
    She turned to Wish. “What now?”
    He stretched, yawning, and sat on a nearby bench. “I think I shall take a nap.”
    “No, Shade and Chaos could show up at any moment. Where should we go?” She tugged on his arm, pulling him to his feet.
    “Train station,” he mumbled with another yawn. “Next Tube.”
    Within moments, the next train pulled into the station, and she guided him aboard. “We did it! We left that crazy place!”
    With the threat of the Underground gone, uncertainty replaced Meghan’s fear. Kiernan knew where she was staying. He could easily find her again in London. Returning home to Portland didn’t seem a good option; she needed experience abroad for her college admissions.
    A dozen questions came to her. “What should I do? Where can I go?”
    “Don’t worry. Your knight will transport you safely to the faerie village.” Mumbling about other adventures they could have, he leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes.
    “Paddington Station! End of line!” the speaker blared.
    She elbowed Wish, and he stumbled out the door and into the train station. Rays of sunshine streamed through the skylight-lined roof.
    Wish looked up. “Pretty!”
    She glanced around, peered down the platform, and looked toward the next one. Paddington was filled with people who rushed to and fro, making it impossible to watch for danger. They needed to leave—and soon.
    “Wish.” She breathed in, imagining herself filling with patience. “Where do we go next?”
    He pointed to