The Firebird Song by Arnée Flores

Author:Arnée Flores
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781547605132
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2021-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

16

“This is your last chance, boy.”

An enormous man glared down at Prewitt, his wild red mane rippling in the low breeze. He was larger than any man Prewitt had ever seen before, and there was a presence about him that was not human at all. There was no forgetting that the Halcyon Glade was a place meant for spirits, and a scrawny human boy who couldn’t read and knew nothing about the world did not belong.

“I am Ardal,” the man had said when the Glade Girls had deposited Prewitt at his feet between the elms. “The Guardian of the Halcyon Glade, and these are my sons.” An orange fox stood on high alert at Ardal’s heel, hackles raised.

A row of green eyes had glared down at him. The sons were nearly identical copies of the man, younger but equally hirsute. They wore vests of brown leather, open at the chest, and on their backs hung heavy bronze shields that flashed in the fading light.

The questioning had begun at once. Except the questions didn’t feel like questions. Every movement, every word exploded with a force of blame without any room for innocence, and Prewitt knew that it didn’t matter how he answered. His guilt had already been determined. He had come to a place where humans were not allowed.

“You? How could you pilot the Queen’s Barge all alone? The truth now, boy, or you will be taken before the Wild Woman and she will determine your fate.”

Prewitt had tensed. The Wild Woman? The memory of the words on the wall swam before his eyes.

Ardal had nodded. “I see you’ve heard of her. You’re wise to be afraid.”

But Prewitt hadn’t been afraid. He’d been so elated, he hadn’t even realized that he’d let out a whoop until he caught the confusion on Ardal’s face.

He and the other Guardians had looked at one another, unnerved by Prewitt’s lack of fear, and the questions had continued. But this time, Prewitt hadn’t even pretended to cooperate.

He knew what he had to do. He had to find out if the Wild Woman really was the woman from the clues. But he also had to be certain that Cal was safe before anything he said could give her away.

The men had grown more and more frustrated, and finally their patience was spent. Ardal had dragged him across the knolls toward a glassy pond, threatening with each step, detailing all the ways the Wild Woman would torture and maim him if he did not give in and tell them what they wanted to know.

But now, standing at the edge of the pond, the evening breeze cool off the water, Ardal’s manner suddenly changed.

“All right, boy, it is not too late. Even now, we will show mercy. Just tell us the truth.” His new tone made Prewitt nervous. It was clear that Ardal had not wanted it to come to this, that he had hoped Prewitt would break before they reached the pond’s edge.

Prewitt glanced back over his shoulder.

Even the girls had not been allowed to come near the pond.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.