Keeper of the Phoenix (13 page)

“I was.” Taine popped his head out of the hole. “I had to stop for something.” He offered them a bowl filled with bread, cheese and roast chicken.

“That’s stealing,” Rhyll said.

“I won’t tell if you don’t.” Taine devoured a square of cheese then offered Gwaam some. “Here you go. I bet you’re as hungry as me.”

The phoenix gobbled the food down then burped loudly, causing everyone to laugh.

“That bird’s legs are as hollow as yours,” Ash said.

“My legs aren’t hollow,” Gwaam said, completely missing the joke. “But my stomach is still empty. More please!”

Taine groaned. “Here you go, greedy-guts.” He handed Gwaam some bread.

Rhyll hugged her brother. “Where were you?”

“I went to find some food, but I got lost, didn’t I?”

“Silly boy,” Rhyll said. “If you weren’t my brother, I’d strangle you.”

“Thanks for leaving me behind, by the way,” Taine said.

“We didn’t leave you,” Ash said. “You left us. You took all your stuff and disappeared. How were we meant to know where you were?”

“I took my pack so I could fill it with food,” Taine explained. “I wanted to make up for being an idiot by fixing us a good, hearty breakfast. But I messed up. I didn’t catch any food, I got lost and when I finally found my way back to camp you guys had taken off.”

“Trust me, I searched for you for ages,” Ash said. “When I couldn’t find you we had to move on. You know we do have a village frozen under black snow to save.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Taine said. “I’m just glad I saw you being hauled off by the trogs so I could follow you down here.”

“And I’m glad you saved our lives,” Ash said. “Thanks, Taine.”

“You did well solving the riddle,” Rhyll said. “I was completely stumped. I never knew you were that smart.”

“Hey!” Taine protested. “You know I’ve always been good at riddles, although trying to solve the trog chief’s one did make my head hurt a bit.” He laughed for a moment. “But seriously, the clues were pretty easy to solve if you thought about them.”

“Maybe for you.” Rhyll gave her brother another hug. “Thanks for saving us.”

“All right, all right.” Taine pushed his sister away. “Enough of the gushing and hugging. We’re all good, all square. So where to now?”

“Gwaam, where are we heading?” Ash asked.

“East,” Gwaam said. “We need to go east.”

“Aha! I have precisely the thing for that,” Taine said. “While you two were getting ready to become worm servants, I was being my usual resourceful self and found a boat for us to travel in. It’s tied up at the river.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my brother?” Rhyll demanded.

“Very funny. Come on, I’ll show you the boat.”

Ash and Rhyll followed Taine across the grasslands, making sure they stayed close together in the dim light. As they reached the riverbank Ash halted suddenly.

“Wait,” he said. “I thought I saw something.”

“Where?” Taine asked.

Before Ash could reply, out from the shadows stepped an enormous griffin, its long lion tail flicking menacingly from side to side. On the ground behind it lay the remnants of a shattered timber boat.

Ash’s breath caught in his throat. The creature looked deadly. Its eyes were glassy and cold, its talons long, sharp and cruel. It could easily have ripped them to shreds if it wanted to. Ash glanced at Rhyll to gauge her reaction. One look at her face told him they were in trouble. He pushed Gwaam down to the bottom of the basket and shifted it behind him, hoping the griffin hadn’t spotted the phoenix.

Taine saw what Ash was doing. “Hey,” he whined loudly, addressing the griffin to distract him, “you’ve destroyed my boat. Why would you do that?”

Ash tugged Taine’s arm. “It’s fine. Leave it.”

The griffin snarled as he leaned forwards menacingly. “You should think yourself lucky you weren’t in it at the time.”

Taine gulped, his momentary bravado evaporating. He stared at his feet. “Um, yes, yes, you’re right. Of course. Forgive me.”

“Wh-who are you?” Ash asked the griffin, his shaking voice revealing his terror.

“I am Savage. Sent to do my master’s bidding.”

“Who is your master?” Rhyll said.

“Wizard Zadoc, but I’m sure you know that already.”

Ash’s grip on the basket tightened.

“We have been on your trail for some time,” Savage said, looking at Taine. “You, foolish boy, led us to your friends.”

Taine looked ill.

“And now we have found you,” Savage continued, “we will take what belongs to our master, for that is what we seek. That is what we have sensed and tracked and will soon seize from you to return to its rightful owner.”

Taine sniffed the air. “What
is
that stench?”

“Hold your tongue!” Savage roared. “I do not need your snide remarks about how we griffins smell.”

Taine quailed, stumbling backwards. “Sorry. I didn’t realise it was a sore point.”

“Forget the smell,” Savage said. “Hand over the phoenix.”

Ash feigned innocence. “What phoenix?”

“Enough chatter,” Savage snapped. “I can recognise the dull creature’s heartbeat anywhere. Now give it to me.”

“Never.” As Ash clutched the basket to his chest, Taine and Rhyll stepped protectively in front of him.

“As you wish.” Savage twisted his great head and shrieked into the twilight behind him. Two more griffins appeared. “Meet Farand and Ebrel,” said Savage. Before Ash knew what was happening, Farand clamped his beak around Rhyll’s throat, holding her.

“Hand over Gwaam,” Savage repeated. “Or we will kill her.”

Rhyll tried to struggle free but Farand’s grip was too tight.

“Be still,” Ebrel ordered.

“Ash, do as he says.” Taine watched his sister with a stricken look on his face.

Tears of pain streamed down Rhyll’s cheeks. “Don’t, Ash.”

“Do it!” Savage roared.

“I’m sorry,” Ash told Gwaam. “I can’t, I don’t …”

“It’s fine,” Gwaam whispered. “Follow the river east, always east. You will find me soon enough.”

Ash reluctantly held the basket out. Ebrel seized it in her beak and flew off. Farand released his grip on Rhyll’s neck and with a rough shove, sent her sprawling to the ground. She lay there, gasping for breath.

“Our work is done here,” Savage said. “Home!”

The mighty griffins crouched low then sprang into the air and flew away.

Ash watched them go, fury burning inside him.

I have to get him back, he seethed. Otherwise I’ve failed as a Keeper.

Taine rushed over to Rhyll. “Are you all right?” he asked, helping her up.

“I’m fine.” She rubbed her neck. “What do we do now?”

Ash was glad Rhyll was so tough. He picked up her pack, which she’d dropped when Farand had grabbed her. “We keep going,” he said, handing the pack to her.

“But how can we find Zadoc without Gwaam?” Taine said.

“Gwaam said to head east,” Ash said. “So that’s what we’ll do.”

“What hope have we got against those beasts
and
Zadoc?” Taine asked.

“I don’t know,” Ash said. “But we can’t give up. Gwaam is depending on us. So is everyone back home.”

The three friends walked all night, only stopping before dawn to catch some fish and cook it for breakfast. Ash was especially quiet. He deeply regretted handing over Gwaam to the griffins, though he’d seen no way around it at the time.

If only I was big and strong like Duncan, Ash thought. I could have put up a fight to save Gwaam. Why he would ever choose me as his Keeper is a mystery. I must be the worst Keeper ever.

After breakfast, Ash got them moving again. “No time to sit around,” he said. “It’s been almost four full days since the black snow.”

The others agreed and quickly set out. Around midmorning, a stillness settled upon the air. The birds ceased twittering. All grew quiet.

Rhyll noticed it first. “That’s strange. Can you hear that?”

“What?” Ash and Taine said together.

“The silence.”

In the distance came a rumbling, like the beating of a thousand drums. The wind rose into a howling frenzy, whipping around them and pushing them this way and that.

“Quick! To the trees!” Ash shouted.

Rain descended, hard and icy cold. Lightning flashed all around while thunder roared with pent-up fury. By the time they reached shelter they were soaked.

“What sort of storm is this anyway?” Rhyll shouted above the crash of thunder. “There aren’t any clouds.”

A bolt of lightning slashed the blue sky, shattering a tree nearby. Rhyll screamed and ran deeper into the forest. Ash and Taine followed. At last, they stopped to catch their breath, under a silky oak tree. They didn’t notice the branches forming into rough woody hands that lowered silently and wrapped around their waists. Then it was too late.

“Help!” they cried as they were reeled skywards.

The friends were lifted high into the air then deposited onto a timber platform spanning the branches of several trees. The tree’s hands released their grip and became ordinary branches once more.

“Weary travellers, welcome to our tree house.” A fairy no taller than Ash’s waist stepped forwards. She had large pointed ears, green eyes and long white hair. “I am Galiena of the Tree House Fairies. These are my sisters: Yon, Neysa and Tansy.”

Ash noticed that up here the intensity of the storm was lessened, almost muffled. Although it still rained above the forest canopy, it was dry on the platform.

“Hello,” he said warily.

“Why have you brought us here?” Rhyll asked. Ash saw she had one hand on her bow, ready to use it.

Galiena fixed her with a dazzling smile. “To protect you from the storm, of course. Travellers, what are your names?”

Ash made the introductions.

Galiena smiled. “You are welcome to stay as long as you like,” she said. “You are safe here and we mean you no harm.”

“We’ve heard that before,” Taine grunted.

“We have plenty of food,” Yon said. “Let us bring you some lunch.”

Taine’s expression changed from one of suspicion to one of intense interest. “I don’t suppose you’ve any baked chicken or roast pork?” Taine asked. “I’m famished.”

“It’s very kind of you to welcome us,” Ash said. “And to offer us food, but we will stay only until the storm passes. Then we must press on.”

“As you wish,” Galiena said. “Now come, rest your tired legs.”

“Thank you,” Rhyll said.

The three friends followed Galiena to a room off the main platform. It wasn’t very large, having been built for the fairies, so Ash and the others had to bend down and crawl through the door. Inside, the floor was covered with woven grass mats. There was a small table with four chairs in one corner and dotted around the room were piles of plump, green silk cushions.

“These pillows are exceptionally comfortable,” Galiena said. “Make yourselves at home.”

Ash sat down, Taine and Rhyll following his lead. Yon, Neysa and Tansy brought in plates laden with fresh fruit, nuts and slithers of golden honeycomb. The friends ate their fill and within moments were yawning and stretching.

Ash’s head was swimming with exhaustion.

I’m so tired, he thought. Surely it won’t hurt to have a little nap?

One after the other, the friends fell asleep.

When they woke, the sun was high in the sky and they felt deliciously rested. No longer were their feet bruised, no longer did their limbs ache, no longer did they feel tired. It was as if they had rested for days.

Ash yawned, kicking Taine playfully.

Taine sighed and stretched with pleasure. “Galiena was right about these pillows. They sure are comfortable.”

Ash glanced around for their belongings. “I can’t believe we slept so long. We have to get going.”

“I feel better than I have in ages,” Rhyll said. “So refreshed.”

Yon, Neysa and Tansy appeared, giggling and carrying plates covered with sliced oranges, figs and marigold cookies.

“Good afternoon, travellers,” Neysa said. “We trust you slept well.”

“Best sleep I’ve ever had,” Taine said.

“No wonder.” Tansy smiled cheekily. “You slept for two whole days. You should be refreshed.”

“That’s impossible.” Ash laughed. “No one can sleep for two days straight.”