The Chimera's Apprentice by Roslyn Muir

Author:Roslyn Muir
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rainscape Media Inc.
Published: 2020-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

A bitter wind howled in my face and I could barely catch my breath as the ground shrank beneath me. Mercy and Coyne were nowhere to be seen in the sunny meadow below. My eyes darted around, trying to find them. Above me, a giant shadowy creature pumped its wings faster and faster. Higher and higher. The Corvie. I was helpless in the immense bird’s grasp and could only imagine plummeting to my death if it let me go. Panicked, I grabbed its gigantic claw and held on tight. The wrinkled black flesh was surprisingly soft and warm.

Soon we rose above the snowy mountains and the air around me grew cold. In a matter of minutes, we had flown far over the vast mountain range and were headed for the highest snow-covered peak. My heart thudded in my chest. The Corvie could get us closer to Murch and Mom, but they could also gulp us down whole. At least we’d be safe from the Raturro, but what new trouble would we find?

Before I knew it, the huge bird hovered over a rocky outcrop. It loosened its grasp, gently setting me down on a smooth rock shelf carved out of glossy black obsidian. The shelf was worn from years of wind and snow, and it was bitter cold. The bird steadied me as I got my footing and then rose into the sky, its black wings became iridescent in the sun before disappearing into a cloud. Two more birds appeared out of the clouds and set Mercy and Coyne on the ledge. We instinctively grabbed onto each other as a huge gust of freezing wind came around the mountain and threatened to knock us over. Coyne’s strong hand gripped my arm and Mercy’s pink tail wrapped tightly around my leg.

“Now what?” I yelled over the howling wind, still trembling from the wildest ride of my life.

“This is good. This is very good,” Mercy shouted back as the wind carried our voices away.

“Good? How can you possibly say this is—” Coyne stopped mid-sentence and I could see from his face that something had landed behind me. His grip on my arm tightened. The air was suddenly still and much warmer. The Corvie had stopped the wind.

“Get down!” Mercy pulled us both to our knees and then we were facedown on the hard rock. Prostrate.

“You never said these birds would be taking us for a ride!” Coyne shouted at Mercy.

“I never said they wouldn’t,” Mercy replied.

“What do we do now?” I asked.

“Treat them with utmost respect and do exactly as I say,” she whispered as our faces met the cold rock. Seeing the look of worry on Coyne’s face, I gripped his hand so hard I was sure I drew blood. Not a good thing when you’re surrounded by huge flesh-eating creatures.

“RAWK!” The Corvie behind me let out a raucous call. It was followed by another. Then another. The giant birds had silently descended and created a circle around us. Peeking under my shoulder, I could make out a forest of black bird legs as thick as trees.

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