Rise of the Dragon Star by Jess E Owen

Author:Jess E Owen [Owen, Jess E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780996767682
Publisher: Five Elements Press
Published: 2020-02-04T22:00:00+00:00

~13~

Balrenik’s Secret

FOR REN, THE FINAL DAYS of the Greatmeet passed in a blur of wind and seawater as she and Halla and the other gryfons of the Dawn Spire who planned to fly to the Silver Isles trained with Keta and other Vanir. A pair of Lakelanders and a few Vanhar also took up the king on the exchange, but most were gryfons from Kjorn’s pride.

Oslar, Rorik, Daavi, even Ara all accepted the kings’ offer to live a year in a different place. Rorik, half Vanhar and already familiar with swimming, spent most of his time with Sigrun and Idunn, the two healers from the Silver Isles, to learn what he could before he left. The rest of them learned what to expect from the flight over the sea.

Under alternating drizzly and muggy hot days, they gorged themselves on fish to help add the water-resistant, life-saving oils to their feathers. They flew long, long stretches out over the water, Ren exuberant and shouting encouragement to Halla, who shuddered with every glance to the waves.

Their whole life it had been Halla encouraging Ren, so she enjoyed the switch, though she disliked seeing her wingsister uncomfortable.

During the hotter afternoons they practiced learning to fly out of the water.

Keta said it was not only necessary in case someone grew tired and fell, or there was an accident or a storm, but well worth it to be able to rest in the water, to float, and fly out again. There were only three bits of land to stop and rest between the Winderost and the Silver Isles, so they would have to make do.

Ren stood in the shallows with salt waves slapping her chest and face, trying to get used to the feel, and shivered at the thought of the long, long flight, of monsters in the sea, of drinking saltwater and sneezing the bitter salt as Keta said they would.

What was I thinking?

The call of adventure, of learning new things, and perhaps finding a place where gryfons appreciated her interests, drew her on. That, and Ara’s sideways looks as they all learned their new skills kept her motivated to do well.

At night, aching and exhausted, she curled up with Halla and sometimes Suijen, who would drape a warm wing over both of them, and tell stories of his flight from the Sunland, and all the creatures of the deep sea he had seen.

Somehow, hearing stories about whales the size of dragons and sharks more ferocious than lions did not make Ren feel calmer. But at least she could take pleasure in knowing she had the queen’s personal invitation, and enjoy a sliver of pride that she excelled where the rest of her talented and admired friends struggled.

“You really should say goodbye to your parents,” Halla said as they waded out into the waves on the second to last day of the Greatmeet.

“Of course I will.” Though at the mention of her parents, Ren’s wings tensed tight against her sides. She had not even told them she was going.

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