The Last Feather by Shameez Patel Papathanasiou

Author:Shameez Patel Papathanasiou
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gothic fantasy; flame tree press; fantasy; modern fantasy; epic fantasy; Hunger Games
Publisher: Flame Tree Publishing
Published: 2022-06-23T12:42:38+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Lucas

Lucas approached Brie in the library with caution. He had accidentally given her a fright once before and it had nearly cost him an eye.

“What do you want, Lucas?” Brie asked softly without turning around as she leaned over a desk in the corner. He hadn’t spent much time with her since they had lost Jean. He knew she was still hurting, but he had no idea how to help.

“I’m coming to see how Calla’s suppressant is getting along. Cass lost another feather…. She’s a bit worried for time,” he said, throwing himself down onto one of the old couches. A cloud of dust escaped from underneath him and Brie sneezed dramatically.

She turned to look at him, her eyes red. Whether it was from crying or her extreme dust allergy, he couldn’t tell. “About that…. We’re down to the worst of the ingredients, the shell of a ring-tailed snail and the feather of a phoenix.”

“It’s a snail, how bad can it be?” he asked, knowing exactly how bad things could be when magic was involved, but he never wanted to believe it.

“It’s not the snail that’s the problem. It’s where you find them…. They’re in Black Hole territory,” she explained, walking toward him with a map nearly longer than she was. She sat next to him and opened the map across their laps. “We’re here, Thistle. Dandelion is over there,” she said, gesturing across the map. “The Black Hole is over there to the far east of where we are. At least it’s still on the southern side of the Selli.”

“Bit of an ominous name…. Surely it’s not that bad?” he asked. It didn’t seem very far away. Ruq could get there in a few hours.

“It didn’t get the name accidentally, Lucas. Lots of Reborns who go in don’t come out,” she said.

“And it’s the only place where I can get this snail for Calla?” he asked as he scanned the map.

Brie nodded. “According to my books, they like loud, rushing water and are often found near waterfalls, and the Vega Falls is rumored to be the biggest one in Selene.”

“Well, then I’m going. Can I take this?” he asked, gesturing to the map.

She sighed, walked over to the desk and brought back a smaller map. “I prepared this for you. I figured you would want to go anyway. I made a few notes about the things that I’ve heard and marked out the best route in green and the worst route in red. So even if you don’t stay on green, don’t go on red. Go there and come straight back. Don’t stop anywhere, especially not once you enter unfamiliar territory.”

“Okay, mother hen, I’ve survived this long.”

“It’s truly shocking,” she snapped playfully.

“I’ll be okay,” he said. He stood and touched her wrist gently. “Thank you for this.” He walked toward the exit, stretching his arms to loosen the muscles. “Well, I’ll be off, then.”

“Who’ll be going with you?” she called out.

“I’ll go by myself.”

She ran up to him, her blond curls flung around her face.

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