The Sky King by Polly Holyoke

Author:Polly Holyoke [Holyoke, Polly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2024-05-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Along with the rest of her companions, Kie stared at N’Rah in astonishment. “So you’re saying the Sky King was born a wild skysteed,” she said, “but he chose to bind with a skyrider?”

Yes, he was born wild. Like me, as a young skysteed, he was not content to stay in the High Valley. But this a tale my mother Silvercloud should tell you. I believe…I hope she will come to see me. Now I think we should fly to the Binding Cave, the place where Mage Sian worked her great magic, and we can talk more there.

“After all, we are here to renew the Great Alliance,” Prince Shayn agreed. “It can’t hurt to see where it and the Great Binding that made it possible took place.”

As the party remounted, N’Poda approached Kie. Nexara, please, oh please, may we leave my pack saddle here? I—I do not wish to meet more skysteeds with it on. The wild ones might think there is some honor in bearing a skyrider, but I doubt there is much in serving as a beast of burden.

“Of course, I will take it off. But please remember, you are no beast of burden, and we never could have made it here without the supplies you carried for us. I still hope we may have a chance to present our gifts to the wild ones.”

After she unsaddled N’Poda, they flew back up the pass, and this time N’Rah led them through it until they saw the four sullen Sky Guard skysteeds again. Ignoring them, N’Rah turned east, along the natural rim of the great mountain bowl that sheltered the High Valley. They soared along, riding warm updrafts from the valley floor while the four Sky Guard stallions followed behind.

Kie noticed N’Rah’s nostrils kept flaring as they flew.

“Does something smell bad to you?” she asked him curiously.

No, I am catching the scents of alpine clover, wild timothy, dandelions, marshmallow, and so many more plants growing in the park below us. They are the sweet smell of home.

A tear rolled down her cheek. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have to leave her home, Uncle Dugs, and her orchard, never to return. Her heart ached for her friend and all he had given up. Had the magic of the Great Binding somehow called him away from the High Valley to find her? She shivered to think a spell woven three hundred years ago could have been guiding his actions and made him lose so much.

N’Rah landed nimbly on a rock shelf. It wasn’t really a cave so much as a long, deep, sheltered ledge overlooking the High Valley. Kie blinked as she looked out at the glorious grassy park surrounded by snow-crowned peaks. The tapestry back in the Imperial Palace had definitely depicted the valley from this perspective. The artist had tried to convey its beauty, but even the most brilliant threads couldn’t capture its splendor. Kie smiled when she noticed dozens of skysteed mares grazing while yearlings and foals flew and frisked above them in the bright sunlight.

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