Scribbled in Margins (Songs of the Amaranthine Book 9) by Forthright

Author:Forthright [Forthright]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Twinkle Press
Published: 2023-04-03T18:30:00+00:00

Valley

Revic bustled up the tower stairs, sure of the way despite the blinding snow. He found Altan draped over Batu, her wings adding to his shelter and her warmth no doubt supplementing his, but she looked stressed … and her soft chirrup was relieved.

“Let me speak to him,” he urged.

While she didn’t entirely relinquish her place, Altan did make room for Revic. Patting the blanketed man huddled beside his stove, Revic called Batu’s name.

The man’s eyes were wide. “What are you doing out in all this! Altan, make room. He’ll freeze!”

“Thank you for your hospitality, friend, but this won’t do. The leader of our community fears this storm will be long and brutal. A killer. I’m here to bring you to better shelter.” And switching his gaze to the eagle, Revic said, “Come, Altan. You, too.”

She crooned over the man and nudged his shoulder.

Batu asked, “There’s room for both of us?”

“More than enough. Hold onto my cloak. I’ll lead you to safety.”

Altan didn’t fly, probably couldn’t in these conditions. So she hopped along in their wake, scolding and creeling by turns.

“It isn’t much farther,” Revic promised. “Here’s the way in.”

“Doesn’t seem that far,” Batu half-shouted.

“It never has been.” And taking the young man’s hands, he guided Batu through the gap. The wind immediately fell silent, making it possible to hear the young man’s gasp.

“What is this miracle?”

“I’ll explain. I will. Now that you’re here, there’s no point in keeping anything from you. But I want to get you warm. Human lives are so fragile.”

Batu glanced at Altan, who spread her wings as if to push him forward. The young man dipped his head and followed Revic down the short path to his house. It was a tower, too, but snug and possessed of a hearth. Stealing Batu’s coat and boots, Revic steered him across the plush rug to one of the two chairs set before the fire.

“Welcome to my home. I’ll confess, now, yes?”

“I … okay. I’m ready.”

“I’m not a monk. Rather, I’m a scribe.” He waved to the trove of books and scrolls that lined the roof right up to the high ceiling. “Scribe Revic Nightbide, chronicler of the Taban Grove, a place that has been hidden away in this valley since the earliest of days.”

“And what you said before? About humans being fragile. Does that mean you’re not human?”

“We’re strange neighbors, but we can be good ones. I hope there can be peace between us.”

Batu tipped his head to one side in an entirely avian manner. “We’re already friends.”

Revic bowed, more grateful than he could express that the trust they’d built was strong enough to withstand this … and possibly more. “Altan, can you make do with the bed?”

She hopped up, teetering for a moment on the frame. But then she simply plopped onto its matting, tugging moodily at the blankets until she’d pulled together a kind of nest. Batu was smiling over her antics. Perhaps if Revic was wise in all he said, that smile wouldn’t fade.

“Will

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