Chapter 19
Roya
The murder sped through the night with clear instructions to find Seren and Kalon, the last two Rising members.
They had flown through the magical dome that was now far behind them, heading south toward the Camp.
They kept their eyes peeled for any signs of campfires or movement hidden among the trees.
To the west, the Jotnar thundered through, grabbing large rocks and throwing them down to shatter into many pieces, searching for precious crystals inside.
They had several campsites set up around the giant willows, where some sat and cooked animals or humans over the flames.
Their heavy footsteps echoed through the night sky.
The murder flew swiftly, helped by the wind to carry them further south, past the Willow Grove, where the dome was no longer visible and the warm desert air began to seep through their feathers.
The Camp gradually came into view, with its massive stone walls rising high into the sky, topped with metal blades to prevent escape.
Rozzers and Dragors patrolled around the walls and watched the exits.
The three birds swooped down and landed on a palm tree to observe.
“Why are we helping these people? Let’s go in and get her out ourselves,” Feich said to his sisters.
“We can’t do this alone, and Seda has to travel north. She’ll need more protection than just us for that journey,” Roya replied.
The desert was dry and sandy, with dunes rising tall and proud to the east. Beyond the dunes, to the northeast, the massive oak trees of the Heath Forest were barely visible.
“Let’s head that way and look for them,” Roya said. “We didn’t spot them through the Willow Grove. It’s also unlikely they’re in the willows with the Jotnar, anyway. We should check the Heath Forest.”
The three took off into the air and flew past the dunes, the bright moonlight casting their raven shadows on the ground.
As they approached the Heath Forest, they saw several small plumes of smoke rising from within. Roya led the way into the trees, passing ghostly creatures who looked up at them with hostility, transforming into replicas of Seda and hissing toward the sky.
Stupid creatures. Their magic would never lure her.
They landed in a tree near the first smokestack and looked down. The campsite was empty. They took off again and headed toward the second plume of smoke.
Camping below were two men.
“That’s got to be Seren,” Ferona said, eyeing a tall, slender middle-aged brunette man setting up traps around their campsite, his wrist bearing the same matching tattoo as the other Rising members.
“And that looks like how Benny described Kalon.” She nodded toward a large man in his late thirties with a hulking frame and long, dark hair tied back into a braid with a leather tie at the end. Both men were armed with swords.
Kalon looked up at the dark trees where the three Corvids hid, his bright eyes studying the area.
“Let’s make ourselves known. Kalon senses us already,” Roya said as she took off from the branch, diving deep into the oak forest. Feich and Ferona followed. Roya cawed loudly and swooped into the middle of the men’s camp, immediately shifting into her human form.
Kalon and Seren quickly lunged at her with their swords, trying to slice through her. Roya laughed as she danced out of the way, twirling like a wind goddess as she avoided their strikes. Her long hair twirled through the air, flowing like water.
Ferona and Feich landed nearby, shifted into humans, and watched the two men pursue their sister, chuckling.
“You will not catch her like that, boys,” Ferona called out as she played with her long, blue claws.
The men stopped and stared at them, seeing them for the first time.
“What the fuck do you troublemakers want?” Kalon shouted as he held his sword up, ready for a strike at any moment.
“We’re apparently friends,” Feich said with a roll of his eyes. “Benny sent us to find you.”
“What the hell are you?” Seren asked with his sword held high, untrusting of their words.
“We’re Corvids, and we have a message for you and a plan. The Rising needs your help. More has happened in the last couple of days, and they need to escape Joro to find Benny’s sister, Seda,” Roya said as she gracefully walked around the men.
“Why’re you walking around us like we’re food, then?” snarled Seren.
“It is in my nature,” Roya said with a small smile and a shrug. “But alas, we’re not here to harm you two. The Camp now has Seda, and we must get her out. Benny has requested our help to find you two and bring you back to the south end of the Murkway so they can meet you there.”
“When?” asked Kalon. “We’re on our way to the Camp now.”
“Tomorrow night,” Roya answered. “We will help meet Benny and the others. We saw some Hailecs in these woods as we looked for you.”
“Crap. We thought we lured them away for the night with some traps and false fires, but there must be more out there,” Seren replied.
“We leave now,” Roya commanded.
The men packed up their belongings, threw large logs onto the fire, creating a visible plume of smoke for any monsters who might be interested, and headed northwest through the oaks.
The screeching sounds of distant monsters traveled through the cool night air.