Phoenix Gift

Chapter Twenty

He turned to see Alexis running up to him. Kneeling, he caught her and lifted her up as he stood. Kissing her forehead, he held her in a secure embrace. Thank the Phoenix.

Alexis happily buried her face into her father’s neck, enjoying his familiar smell and touch. The journey up the stair and to the valley had been an adventure that quickly lost its luster the next morning, which lacked the comforts to which she was accustomed.

Alexis wrapped her arms around his neck, asking, “Are you all right, abu?”

“Alexis, where have you been? Are you all right?”

“I went to Centaur Valley. Miss Raven took care of me.”

“Miss Raven?” Xavier wondered aloud.

“Centaur Valley?” Park repeated. “But Aldous searched and found nothing.”

“That is because the stair is hidden,” a voice answered.

A wooden box floated into the circle, settling on the ground in front of the royals. A hoarse call startled them. They turned to see a raven perched on a stone near the fire. It stretched its wings, before folding them smoothly along its back and watched the group with an intelligent gleam in its eyes.

“Miss Raven, I presume,” Xavier said, setting Alexis down as the knights reached for their swords.

“Correct, Your Majesty,” the raven answered. “As I was saying, the sunlit stair was made to be imperceptible. Chance or fate directed the young Princess’s footsteps. I assure you she has come to no harm.”

“Ebony?” Tavel stepped forward.

The raven inclined its head toward the wizard as if startled to hear its name.

“You know this bird?” M’zuzi looked at the younger wizard. It was rare for a familiar to speak to any but its companion, yet the raven spoke openly to them all.

“Ebony is my sister’s familiar,” Tavel nodded. “Where is Merrille, Ebony?”

“Here,” the raven moved so that the talisman around its neck caught the suns’ light, though it seemed reluctant to admit it.

“Impossible,” the wizard muttered.

“The Dark One nearly destroyed her,” the raven continued. “Seeking to protect her, the Talon’s Eye absorbed her soul within itself. There she remains, in timeless keep.”

The Talon’s Eye glowed with the raven’s words, as if to confirm its testimony.

“The Talon’s Eye is more powerful than I imagined,” M’zuzi stepped back, “if it can absorb the soul of a mortal.”

“Not any mortal,” the raven corrected. “Only its master.”

“Is my sister alive?”

“I feel her presence. At times, I almost hear her voice. If that is any comfort,” the raven answered, though it did not seem comforted by its own words.

“Why are you still here, Ebony?” Tavel asked. Most familiars returned from whence they came after their masters’ deaths or were otherwise abandoned. Familiars were an unknown variable in the Phoenix’s creation. No one knew how or why they existed or how they chose their companions.

“Merrille is my mistress,” the raven perched straighter. “I will always serve as her familiar: eternally her helper, friend and guardian. We are forever bound to one another.”

“You serve my sister well.”

“Are you telling us that the sorceress we are searching for is in that gem?” a knight asked. The other knights fidgeted, considering the unusual possibility. They were both surprised and grateful that their quest seemed so easily concluded.

“Aren’t you a wise one,” the raven sighed, spreading its wings. “Now, if you will excuse me.”

“Wait, Ebony,” Tavel pleaded. “Please, come with us to Milagros. Let my father see where his daughter lies. We may yet be able to help my sister.”

The raven flapped her wings and reluctantly answered, “Oh, all right. The least I can do is ensure the box reaches its rightful place. But I doubt you will be able to help my mistress.”

“What of Centaur Valley?” Park asked.

“We have retrieved what we came for,” Xavier answered. Though he wondered what the valley looked like, Artac’s warning still echoed in his mind. “We leave presently.”

Natalia hovered around Alexis and the dragons while they ate and the camp packed. The box, which Ebony insisted on bringing, was stowed under the seat. When all was ready, Xavier lifted Alexis onto the wagon before climbing into the saddle of his destrier.

“But I want to ride with abu,” Alexis whined as Natalia climbed up beside her.

“Shh, Alexis. You remember the journey across the desert. It’s too dangerous for you to ride with him.”

“Aleronborak Hinum won’t let anything happen to me.”

“It’s best if you ride with me,” Natalia said and took up the reins.

“How will we find our way across the desert?” Park asked. “The dragon fires are gone.”

As if to answer, Cadmus barked and ran into the desert, flaming a patch of sand. He sniffed the ground around it as if searching for a scent. Eja joined him. Together the dragons ran and flamed. Steeling themselves for a long ride across the desert, they followed the reptiles. Clouds gathered and the drizzle began. Ebony rode beside Alexis, tolerating the rain without a word. Water soaked her feathers and dripped from her beak.

They camped beside the old stump again without the benefit of a fire and were eager to continue after a brief rest. Whether it was enchantment or simply their eagerness to quit the dreary plain, the journey back was much shorter.

The dark, misty trees on the other side of the desert were a welcome sight as the rain ceased and the clouds parted. Above, the night sky sparkled with stars and exhaustion weighed down their enthusiasm for their escape. The horses browsed on what they could find, but there was little to satisfy their appetites.

In the morning, they continued. Alexis prevailed on her father to allow her to ride with him in the saddle. Ebony flew above the company, avoiding further conversation regarding her mistress. At the crossroads, Xavier turned north and led them into deeper mist, following the same path Akina had taken some twenty years earlier. The others wondered about his choice, but no one questioned it.

The mist condensed and the trees disappeared. Magic hummed in the air. Their hair stood on end. Cadmus whined from his perch on the stallion’s neck. They perceived an odd voice in the deceptive mist. It was like an echo of her mother’s voice. Alexis hummed a melody she had never heard before. At length, she half-sang, half-whispered:

From wood paths to hills of green

Children follow the way unseen

Against the wind away from the wood

Mountains fade to rivers below

Unicorn paws in the soft, soft sand

Disappear into water beyond

What now Mother, shall we do?

The unicorns have gone to the sea

Yes, my child they have gone to the sea

And you must wait on the shore

Until the unicorns return

“Did your mother teach you that song?” Xavier asked as Alexis’s voice faded.

“No,” Alexis answered. “Did maya know it too?”

“She sang it once, a long time ago.”

“She did? You heard her?”

“I did. It was the night I fell in love with her,” Xavier whispered, remembering.

The melody Alexis heard grew louder, until all believed they heard it. Their exhaustion and pain evaporated, and a sense of well-being settled over them. The air thickened, as if compressed. The mist cleared. They found themselves in a small beach cove. In front of them was an expanse of clear water. Behind them were tall, seaside cliffs.

“How did we get here?” a knight asked, looking around in disbelief.

“The same way Akina did, after rescuing us. Remember Park?”

“I remember,” he nodded. “So, this is how she did it. I never knew.”

“We’ll camp here tonight and rest,” Xavier said. “The Reen Dorema is only a few days’ ride from here.”

Pegasus Wind snorted, as if the idea of requiring rest was beneath him. Pawing the soft earth, the stallion surveyed the shore and sea. Xavier wondered if it remembered this place as well.

The group dismounted, pitching camp in a sheltered area alongside the high cliffs. In the same area, long seagrass grew, which the horses savored. It was the first time they had a chance to graze since the journey across the desert. As the men rested, Alexis ran around the camp with the dragons trailing behind. The bright suns were welcome relief to both girl and reptiles.

Xavier watched as M’zuzi sent Aldous to the castle, bearing a letter to Harrod with instructions to meet at the docks. With the quest nearly over, his mind turned to his friend’s plight.

What of Harrod? How can I help him? Walking among the horses, Xavier considered the possibilities.