Sam's secret felt like a stone in their chest as they walked with Riley toward the Academy's flying practice field.
Two days had passed since the event with Alex and the notebook, and somehow Sam had managed to avoid talking about it.
But the weight of lying to their best friend was crushing them.
"Flying practice is my favorite class," Riley said, stretching her silver wings in the morning sunlight.
"There's nothing like soaring through the clouds with the wind in your feathers." Sam pulled their cloak tighter, feeling their colorful wings ache beneath the fabric.
"Yeah. Sounds great." On the practice area, students were already taking off, their wings catching the light like living jewels. Blue wings, green wings, purple wings everyone rising into the sky with ease and joy.
"Come on!" Riley grabbed Sam's hand.
"Let's fly together today. I want to show you that cool spiral dive I've been practicing." Sam's feet stayed firmly planted on the ground.
"I... I don't think I'm ready for that."
"Sam, you've been saying that for months." Riley's green eyes filled with worry.
"You barely get five feet off the ground during practice. What's wrong?" "Nothing's wrong," Sam lied, hating how the words tasted bitter on their tongue.
"I'm just not a strong flyer."
"But you are!" Riley insisted.
"Remember when we were little? You used to fly circles around me. You were brave." Sam's heart squeezed. Riley was right. Before Nana Rose had taught them to hide their wings, Sam had loved flying more than anything. B They'd zoomed through the sky like a shooting star, their rainbow wings creating trails of light that made other children gasp in surprise.
"That was different," Sam mumbled.
"I was just a kid. I didn't know better."
"Know better about what?" Riley stepped closer, her silver wings folding with worry.
"Sam, you're scaring me. What happened to you?" Around them, other students launched themselves into the sky with whoops of joy.
Alex flew overhead, their golden wings cutting through the air like liquid sunlight.
They waved at Sam and Riley, but Sam pretended not to see. "I'm just not good at flying," Sam repeated, the lie burning their throat.
"Can we please drop it?" But Riley wasn't giving up.
"No, we can't drop it. You're my best friend, and I know when something's wrong. You flinch every time someone suggests flying. You wear that robe even when it's hot.
And yesterday I saw you talking to yourself in the mirror, but you stopped when I walked in." Sam's wings shook beneath their cloak.
"Riley—" "Are you sick?" Riley's voice cracked with fear.
"Is there something wrong with your wings? Because if there is, we can fix it. My mom knows every healing spell in the land."
"I'm not sick," Sam whispered, tears stinging their eyes.
"Then what?" Riley grabbed Sam's shoulders, her silver wings spreading wide with frustration.
"Sam, we've been friends since we were five years old. We've shared everything our fears, our hopes, our secrets. Why won't you tell me this?" Sam looked into Riley's eyes and saw hurt there, deep and real.
Their best friend the person who'd stood by them through everything was in pain because of Sam's lies.
"I can't," Sam choked out.
"If I tell you, everything will change."
"Change how?"
"You'll look at me differently. You'll be scared of me. You'll "
"I would never be scared of you!" Riley's voice rang across the practice field, causing several students to look over. She lowered her voice, but the intensity stayed.
"Sam, you're the nicest, bravest person I know. Nothing you could tell me would change that." Sam's view blurred with tears.
"You don't understand. I'm not who you think I am."
"Then tell me who you are." For a moment, Sam wavered. The desire to tell Riley everything was overwhelming. They wanted to throw off their cloak, spread their colorful wings, and finally be honest with someone who loved them.
But then they remembered the Shadow King's herald, the omen, the danger that followed rainbow wings wherever they went.
"I can't put you in danger," Sam said quietly.
"Danger?" Riley's eyes widened.
"Sam, what are you talking about?" Before Sam could answer, Alex landed beside them, their golden wings folding smoothly.
"Everything okay down here? You two look upset."
"We're fine," Sam said quickly, but their voice shook. Alex's golden eyes studied Sam's face.
"You've been avoiding me since the other day. Did I do something wrong?"
"No," Sam said, but they couldn't meet Alex's eyes.
"I just... I need space."
"Space from me, or space from everyone?" Alex asked ,. Riley looked between Sam and Alex, confusion and hurt written across her features.
"What happened the other day?"
"Nothing happened," Sam said, but their wings were glowing beneath their cloak again, reacting to their emotional turmoil.
"Sam," Riley said softly, "your cloak is shimmering." Sam looked down in fear. Sure enough, rainbow light was seeping through the fabric, faint but noticeable in the bright sunlight.
"I have to go," Sam said, turning to run. But Riley caught their arm.
"No. I'm tired of watching you run away every time things get tough. I'm tired of lying I don't see how much pain you're in."
"Riley, please"
"No!" Riley's silver wings blazed with purpose.
"You're my best friend, and I love you. Whatever secret you're holding, whatever you're so afraid of I'm not going anywhere." Sam's breath caught.
"You love me?"
"Of course I love you," Riley said strongly.
"I've loved you since the day we met. You're stuck with me, colorful wings or not." The world seemed to freeze. Sam stared at Riley, whose eyes had gone wide with shock at her own words.
"Rainbow wings?" Alex whispered.
"Riley, what did you just say?" Riley's hand flew to her mouth.
"I didn't mean to—"
"You know," Sam said, their voice barely audible. "You've known all along."
"I've suspected," Riley admitted, tears streaming down her face.
"The way you hide, the way you flinch when people talk about wing colors, the way you're so careful never to let anyone see... I've suspected for months." Sam's legs gave out, and they sank to the ground.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I lied to you."
"I don't care about the lying," Riley said, kneeling beside Sam.
"I care about you. I care that you've been carrying this load alone." Alex knelt on Sam's other side, their golden wings forming a protective barrier around the three of them.
"Sam, if you really have rainbow wings"
"The prophecy," Sam whispered.
"The Shadow King. It's all real, isn't it?"
"What prophecy?" Riley asked. Sam looked at their two best friends, the people who meant everything to them.
Riley, who'd just declared her love and accepted Sam's secret without question. Alex, who'd been nothing but kind and patient despite Sam's walls.
"The Rainbow Guardian," Sam said softly.
"The one who's supposed to save the kingdom or die trying." Thunder roared overhead, even though the sky was clear.
Dark clouds were forming at the horizon, moving toward the Academy faster than any natural storm.
"He's coming," Sam whispered, their rainbow wings starting to glow brighter beneath their cloak.
"The Shadow King. He knows where I am." Riley and Alex shared worried glances.
"Then we face him together," Riley said strongly.
"All of us," Alex agreed. But as the dark clouds swirled closer, Sam could see shapes moving within them creatures with torn wings and bright red eyes. The Shadow King's army was vast, and they were headed straight for the Academy.
"You don't understand," Sam said, their voice filled with fear.
"Everyone I care about is in danger because of me. Everyone I love could die."
The first shadow thing broke through the clouds, its horrible shriek echoing across the practice field.
Students screamed and scattered, their colored wings flashing as they fled. Sam's cloak finally tore apart, unable to contain the bright rainbow light that blazed from their wings.
They stood, their amazing wings spread wide, every color imaginable shimmering in the dark air.
"There," Sam said, tears running down their face.
"Now you know the truth. I'm the Rainbow Guardian, and I'm going to get you all killed."
But Riley and Alex didn't run. Instead, they stood beside Sam, their silver and golden wings shining in harmony with Sam's rainbow light.
"Then we'll die protecting our kingdom," Riley said.
"And protecting each other," Alex added. Above them, the Shadow King's laughter echoed through the storm, and Sam realized the final fight was about to begin.