The Stillness of the Sky: A Flipped Fairy Tale (Flipped Fairy Tales) by Huchton Starla

Author:Huchton, Starla [Huchton, Starla]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2015-02-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“I don’t know how long I’ll be here,” I said, adjusting my pack. “The festival runs the whole week, and I have to take advantage of there being other Bards in the city.”

“I cannot stay close,” Ro said as he shifted his weight. “Too many people and nowhere to hide.”

I nodded. “I understand. Where will you go?”

He cocked his head to one side, thinking. “The dark forest keeps humans away. I will be there by sundown.”

“Two hours then,” I said. “I’ll be mindful of that. If I need to, I’ll leave the city and head that way.” I wrapped my arms around his neck for a last hug. “Please be safe. I’ll miss you.”

“And I you, Lady.”

With that, he stretched his wings and took to the air, circling once before heading due south.

The days of travel saw no further incident for Prince Willem’s carriage, for which I was grateful. I still hadn’t made peace with his confession about his dreams and wasn’t sure what to think. If someone planted them in his mind, what did that mean for me? Was I meant to trust him, or had a dark force crossed our paths?

Pulling the compass from my pocket, I mulled it over. I’d taken it for granted that Crilla told me truthfully when she said it was from my mother. What if it was a distraction from whatever I was meant to do? The arrow pointed steadily southeast, towards Torell and the prince’s company, as they were nearly there when Ro and I strayed to keep out of sight. All told, it mattered little whether or not I believed he would somehow lead me to my mother. I had no other leads on her whereabouts, and Lord DeBauch had said other Bards would be at the festival, so where better to start the search? If nothing else, I could learn more about my abilities from whatever Bards did attend.

The two-mile walk to the main gate of Torell afforded me time to think, though the occasional distraction in the form of rats dashing across the road gave me pause from time to time. My first stop would be at the Minkov home, though I didn’t assume they’d offer to house me. After speaking with them, I’d see about where I might find employment. With the festival going on, there’d be no short supply of musicians, but Bards were rare from what I knew of them. Likely as not, I’d still be able to find something on my own. Though I’d rather not accept it, if I had no other recourse, Lady Jacinda had extended an offer to house me, so there was that as well.

The closer I got to Torell, the more crowded the road became, both with people and, curiously, more rats. When the towering walls surrounding the heart of the city came into view, I was engulfed by carriages, carts, single riders, and travelers on foot. A small platoon of royal guards, their gray-green capes flowing behind their

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