Hi everyone!

Some important stuff in this A/N! Read please!

Thanks to all of your voting and commenting, something pretty cool has happened: Secret Wings has been featured in Wattpad's online magazine, Wattzymag!

There's also an interview of me that might answer some things you might be wondering. Go check it out, Wattzy Magazine, Interview with chosen Adventure Novalist, by Wattzymag.

Updates until the last week of August will most likely be late, maybe even by as much as a week late, which I know is a long time, but I really can't do otherwise. I promise I'll do my best though, so who knows!

Also, some of you seem to be under the impression that I update weeks or even months late... I update every two weeks! And I can count, and I know it hasn't been two months since my last updates because I have never been late by more than two days yet.

So please stop leaving "you're late updating I've been waiting for months!!" comments; it's usually not true, and if it does happen this month you have been warned about it, there's nothing I can do. I like writing, I like giving you good chapters, I don't put up chapters late for my own entertainment.

Sorry for wasting the time of the many of you who always wait patiently, but this needed to be said.

(Ps: I'm not talking about the "update!" kind of comment, but the ones where people practically scold me for not having a chapter up and sometimes even threaten to stop reading my story. You know who you are, and if you're going to be that way I don't really care if I lose you as a reader, like you so rudely threaten to do. Sorry, but I'm not one to take BS.)

I'll do my best to make the wait worth it, though!

^^The reason for the above delay might be my inability to write due to a very busy and long trip, but... It might also be because I'm stuck in someone's closet... You know who you are. -.- (You there, put that ducktape down! And, no, I don't care if you call it an extended sleepover or whatnot, I would rather not be kidnapped at all.) ;)

The media for this chapter is by @jmmb3709 !

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Recap:

After talking with the king and learning about attacks by an enemy they know little about, Hailey and her friends go outside where they are met with an unexpected surprise: a flying reindeer, also known as a peryton (shut up, Aiden, we got it). Also, Winged apparently don't know who Santa Claus is, poor things.

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Chapter 23

"Who is that?" Autumn said, looking out behind us where the boy in the red robes I had seen with the king earlier was mounting on the peryton.

"His name is Esmond, I think," Chase said. "He's from Sperodyfis."

"What's that?" I asked.

"This cool place where cool stuff happens," Aiden answered.

"Oh, I see exactly what you're talking about now," I said sarcastically.

"I know, right? I'm so helpful."

"Look at his peryton!" Autumn said, seemingly oblivious to our bickering.

"Oh, that's not a peryton, it's a flying reindeer of Santa-something." Aiden sniggered.

"It's Santa Claus, and technically a peryton is a flying reindeer." I countered

"Whatever you say." Aiden said in a sing-song voice.

I glared at him through narrowed eyes, and Aiden brought his hands together to form the shape of a heart. I mimicked him, but made as if to break the heart, causing Aiden to make a sad face.

"You two have issues," Chase said, an expression I didn't understand on his face.

Autumn was still watching Esmond and his peryton as they flew off.

"You look like you'd like to have a peryton, too." Aiden observed.

Autumn nodded. "Yeah, but it's not that simple."

"Why anyone would want one of those is beyond me," Chase said.

"What?" I said, "but they're so cute!"

"No, they're not. They're mean, too."

"Chase's afraid of them," Aiden explained.

"I am not! It's just that they're mean and like to hurt me."

"Well, animals can tell if you mean them harm," Autumn said.

"No, I was just minding my business, when this peryton decides to kick me in the face."

Autumn looked Chase up an down. "Was it flying or something? I mean peryton aren't that tall."

"No, Chase was just a tiny four years old." Aiden answered for his friend.

Autumn and I winced. "Okay," she said, "I kind of understand they might not be your favorite animal. Honestly, though, they're really sweet creatures."

"When he was twelve, another one bit him," Aiden supplied.

"That's awful!" I said.

"Another one stepped on his foot, too," Aiden continued. "And with the one we just saw today, Chase has only been around a grand total of five peryton."

Chase scoffed, "Do you still think they're so cute, now?"

"Well, they're cute, but a bit scary, too." I answered.

"It's not for nothing humans think they eat people and stuff."

"Chase," Aiden said, "you do know that this myth was made up so humans would leave peryton alone, right?"

"Aiden's right. Peryton are herbivores, they don't eat meat." Autumn said.

"How do you know so much about them?" I asked.

Autumn blushed and looked down. "Can I tell you guys something?"

The three of us nodded.

"I kind of found a baby peryton, and I'm taking care of it in secret." Autumn admitted.

Aiden and Chase raised their eyebrows in surprise. I almost asked if I could get one too, but if it was going to bite me like Chase said, then it might not be such a good idea.

"Okay, I know that they're not as bad as Chase said, but peryton are still wild animals, Autumn," Aiden said, looking a bit worried. "Not just anybody can train one."

"I know," Autumn said, almost pleadingly, "that's why my parents can't know, they would never let me see her anymore, but I know she would never hurt me. Plus, I've read a lot of books and learned lots of things about taking care of peryton."

Peryton honestly didn't look that dangerous to me, but then again I knew nothing about them, and Autumn looked like she really cared for hers. In fact, she had tears in her eyes just thinking about losing it. I knew it must be hard keeping it a secret from her family, too.

I put my hand on her arm comfortingly. "What's her name?" I asked.

Autumn smiled, "Juno."

"Look, Autumn, I'm sure we can convince your parents to let you keep Juno, but you can't take care of it all by yourself." Aiden said. "You know- Chase, why is Carson waving at us like a crazy person?"

Chase face-palmed. "The meeting with the king!" Without wasting anytime, he opened his large brown wings, was at Carson's side in a few seconds, and the two of them disappeared inside the castle.

"And then there were three." Aiden said. "But, Autumn, like I was saying, you have no experience with peryton, so it could be dangerous."

Autumn nodded, "You're right, I just don't want anything happen to her."

"Can I see her one day?" I asked curiously.

"You can see her now, if you want," Autumn smiled.

"Awesome! Shouldn't you be looking for Anna, though?"

She sighed. "No, I give up, I'm not going to search the whole castle for the twins only for them to disappear as soon as I have my back turned."

"Where do you keep her? Your peryton, I mean, not your sister," Aiden asked.

"It's behind the training grounds."

Aiden nodded, and laughed suddenly.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said, "I just thought about it, but if Bree, Chase, and Carson are talking with the king, then I highly doubt anyone is actually training. It wouldn't surprise me if there was a fight or two going on there."