Airily by Shay Emms

Author:Shay Emms [Emms, Shay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: middle grade, fairies, fantasy
Publisher: Filles Vertes Publishing
Published: 2019-08-05T07:00:00+00:00

Outside, the morning sunlight dazzled Airily as her eyes adjusted. How strange that a summer day should be so bright and perfect while such horrible things were happening.

Josh stood under the tree with a backpack and two fire pokers hanging from the belt loops of his shorts. Airily landed on a low branch so that their eyes were level.

“I’m ready,” she said.

“Me too.” Josh rubbed the back of his neck and looked sheepish with his eyes downcast. “Um, I’ve been thinking.”

“What?”

“You could ride on my shoulder,” he blurted. “That way you could keep a lookout behind me and give me directions and stuff.”

Airily gasped, shocked by the suggestion. “I’m not a pet parrot.”

“I know,” Josh said. “I’m sorry. Burn said—”

“Burn?” Airily cut him off. “Was she smiling when she suggested I ride on your shoulder?”

“Yeah…”

“Burn likes to mess with people. According to her, being a trickster is her nature.”

“We should stay close to each other though. I don’t know where I’m going. What if the cait sidhe grabs one of us while we’re separated? Cats are stealthy ambush hunters.”

Try as she might, Airily couldn’t come up with a good argument, other than it was an insult to sit on Josh’s

shoulder. But her pride wouldn’t count for much if she was dead.

She grunted. “I hate that.”

“What?”

“That stupid logic of yours.”

Josh laughed. “Sorry, but my parents trained me.”

“Well, it’s annoying,” Airily said. “And stupid Burn is right. You’re both right. I’ll ride on your shoulder. But you better not try to pet me,” she warned.

Josh held one hand up and crossed his heart with the other. “I promise.”

“Good.”

Airily steeled herself, although she wasn’t sure what for, and flew to Josh’s shoulder. She almost expected an electric shock when she landed, but there was only the soft fabric of Josh’s T-shirt and a queasy sort of shame.

Her claws gripped the fabric. Josh’s shoulder shook, and she bounced up and down. Airily looked at him to see what was wrong. He was trying hard not to laugh.

“Don’t. You. Dare,” Airily said.

Josh unleashed a brilliant grin. “This is so cool!”

“Just start walking.” Airily pointed to the tree line beyond the unruly meadow grass. She fluffed herself, full of

indignation. Thank goodness none of her family was around to see her.

Josh took up an easy pace toward the trees. Balancing on his shoulder while standing in one place was one thing, but Airily nearly fell off twice before getting the rhythm of his stride down. She had to crouch lower but after a while held on easily.

“Owlby’s place is northeast. He lives next to a wrecking yard just off the Road. We can cut through the woods to get there.”

“I haven’t been in the woods yet.” Josh reached into his pocket, nearly upsetting Airily’s perch, and pulled out a

compass. The needle pointed into the woods. “Can you give me some landmarks?”

“Sure,” Airily said. “We’re headed north now. To the east is the Road. If we get separated, follow it home. The Road curves along the edge of the woods as far as I’ve flown.

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