Keeper of the Phoenix (4 page)

Amelia glanced around the kitchen. “I don’t know what to think, Ash, I really don’t. All I know is that I haven’t got any bird food. There’s grain in the shed for the chickens, I’ll get that.”

“Not grain. Rhubarb pie,” the bird said clearly. “And yes, I’m a male of my kind.”

Amelia stared at Ash. “What on earth have you brought home, boy?”

“I’m not really sure.” Ash grimaced. “But it’s amazing, don’t you think? And it does seem rather hungry. Could you spare some pie?”

“The question is, can
you
spare some pie?”

“What do you mean?”

Amelia handed Ash a plate with a small rhubarb pie on it. “I used most of the rhubarb for a pie I traded with Mrs Brimble for honey,” she explained. “I used the leftovers to make this for you.”

Ash’s mouth watered at the sight of the pie. “I’m sure he won’t eat much,” he gulped.

Amelia cut a quarter of the pie and placed it on the table. The bird quickly gobbled it down, burped and said, “More.”

Amelia cut another slice of pie. It vanished as quickly as the first.

“Rhubarb pie tasty,” the bird said. “Gwaam sleep now.”

The bird tucked his head under his wing and fell fast asleep.

“Ashfield, it seems you’ve got some explaining to do,” Amelia said. “Where did you get that bird?”

Ash stared at his feet.

“Tell me, Ash. And I want the truth. Now.”

“It hatched out of the rock, the egg, I brought home yesterday.”

“The one I threw out?”

“Yes.”

Amelia banged the table. “Why did you disobey me? I told you to forget that rock. I knew it was bad luck the minute I saw it.”

“How do you know the bird is bad luck?” Ash challenged her. “He talks! Who knows what else he can do? He’s got to be magical.”

“You will not speak of such things!” Amelia flared. “You know what happened to Elwyn Piggins when she dabbled with magic all those years ago. The village fell on hard times with famine and drought, and Lord Belgrave blamed Elwyn. He said that magic destroyed the natural order of things and sent her away.

“No, Ash, magic is too dangerous to mess with. I’m worried that bird might be evil. By the looks of it, he’s got an appetite like ten of those chums of yours. There’s no way we can afford to keep him.” Amelia paced the floor. “A talking bird eating rhubarb pie,” she muttered. “I’ve seen everything now. What next? Roast pork? Shepherd’s pie? No. You get rid of him, Ash. The sooner the better.”

“What if Lord Belgrave was wrong? What if there are magical things like this talking bird out there? What if magic is normal and we’re the strange ones for not using it? I’ve never left Icamore and neither have you. Who knows what’s out there?”

“I can’t vouch for what goes on in the rest of Krell, but things here are tightly controlled and that’s the way most people like it,” Amelia replied stubbornly. “It’s not for us to question Lord Belgrave and I don’t want you saying such things in public. You hear me?”

Ash sighed. A part of him knew she was afraid and was trying to protect him. Another part of him, however, was curious to know more about the world outside Icamore.

And more about the bird. He talked. Perhaps he had other abilities too? Ash just needed time to discover what they might be. And whether those abilities might come in handy for something.

“I promise I’ll look after him and do all the feeding.” He stroked the sleeping bird’s soft grey feathers. “You won’t even know he’s here. A bird like this, that can talk and all, we could get him to perform. We could even make money out of him.”

Amelia stopped pacing. She stared at Ash. “Sometimes, son, you astound me. But this time, I think you might be onto something. We could earn money out of this bird, if he doesn’t eat all our profits, that is. Now I have two reasons to visit your Aunt Pyrenia. First, to insist her son behaves himself. Second, to ask her advice on the bird. She’s close to Lady Belgrave. She may be able to secure us an interview with my lady to discuss the …
possibilities
this creature offers us. I’ll go into the village tomorrow.”

“No, Ma,” Ash cried. “You mustn’t tell anyone. Not yet.”

Amelia squinted suspiciously. “What tricks are you playing now, boy?”

“Nothing, Ma, honest,” Ash said. “It’s just that the bird, Gwaam, he said his name was, is still young. He’ll need to be trained before he can perform. We want to make sure he really is mag–, er,
special
before we make a spectacle of ourselves. We don’t want to look foolish.”

“Indeed, we don’t,” Amelia agreed slowly. Ash could see she was still wary of the whole situation. “All right, Ash, you’ve got a week to train Gwaam. Then we’re taking the bird to the village. I can’t give you more than that. That thing’s appetite won’t allow it.”

Ash felt as if a boulder had been plucked from his chest by some giant unseen hand. Anything could happen in a week.

He knew Gwaam was unusual and demanding and would take a lot of looking after. But something told Ash it would all be worth it. Already, he felt a strong bond with the bird and he wanted to do his best to protect him. No matter what happened.

Deep down Ash hoped his mother would forget their pact and get used to having Gwaam around. She might even come to like Gwaam and
want
him around.

And cats can do cartwheels, Ash thought.

“Now off you go and take the cows to the meadow,” Amelia said, breaking into Ash’s thoughts. “They’ve been bawling their heads off for an hour.”

When Ash put Gwaam back in his basket to carry him outside, he thought the bird had changed slightly. Could it be that Gwaam had grown?

“Feed me!”

Ash groaned and rolled over. It was barely daylight.

“There’s damper and honey in the cupboard.” Ash heard Ma’s voice from the kitchen. “Will that do?”

Gwaam flapped his wings in approval. “Damper and honey will do fine.”

“Why can’t you eat normal bird food?” Ash clambered out of bed, scratching his head sleepily, and set a plate out for Gwaam.

“I am not a normal bird.”

“I can see that,” Ash said with a laugh. “How come you can speak?”

“All birds of my kind can speak.”

“What kind of bird are you?”

“You shall see,” Gwaam said between mouthfuls of sticky damper. “Soon.”

Ash glanced at the empty plate. Not even Taine ate that fast. And he was sure now that the bird had grown.

“I’m off to the village,” Amelia said. “What are you doing?”

“After I milk the cows I’m going fishing.”

“With those Piggins children, no doubt.” The look on Ash’s face made Amelia soften. “Sorry, boy,” she said. “I know I’ve been hard on you lately. I guess I’m missing your father.”

“I miss him too. Do you think Pa and Duncan will ever come back? There’s been no word for months.”

Tears formed in Amelia’s eyes. She quickly wiped them away. “We have to keep believing they will come home, Ash. I can’t bear to consider the alternative.”

“Me either,” Ash said. “I wish I was old enough to fight with them.”

“I’m glad you aren’t.” Amelia gave Ash a brief hug. “I couldn’t bear it if you left too.”

Ash stared at his hands. “You’d probably be better off without me. I’m not much use.”

“Nonsense,” Amelia said. “I couldn’t get by without you. I know you’re desperate to go off and prove yourself like Duncan, but you’re just not ready. You’re too young.”

Ash grimaced. He hated being told he was too young for things. No one ever took him seriously. “Do you think they’re still together?” he asked.

“I hope so, Ash,” Amelia said. “I really do.”

Ash ate his breakfast, finished his chores, then headed down to the river with Trip and Gwaam. He’d caught his third fish by the time Taine and Rhyll showed up.

“Perfect timing.” He waved at the wooden pail holding his catch. “I’ve caught enough for lunch and then some. Taine, you gut them, then Rhyll can cook them.”

“Yuck. I’m not gutting anything,” Taine said.

“I’ll do it,” Rhyll sighed. “You start the fire.”

The fish were soon ready and the friends gathered to eat, Trip and Gwaam joining them.

Gwaam flapped his wings. “Fish. My favourite. Feed me!”

Ash stared in surprise. “How do you know that fish is your favourite?”

“Feed me!” was all Gwaam said in reply.

With a shrug Ash tossed some fish to Gwaam, who gulped it down.

“How did it learn to talk so quickly?” Taine asked.

“Dunno,” Ash said.

“I do,” Rhyll said.

Ash and Taine stared at her. “How?”

“Promise you won’t laugh or get scared?”

The boys swapped glances. “We promise.”

“Well,” Rhyll began, “I looked it up in one of my mother’s books last night after Taine and Papa had gone to bed–”

“You know you’re not meant to read those books,” Taine interrupted.

“Because they’re about magic?”

“Yes,” Taine hissed. He glanced around to make sure they were alone. “Keep your voice down.”

“I knew this bird was magical,” Ash said.

“Of course he’s magic, silly,” Rhyll said. “For a start, he talks. From what I read there could be a lot more to that bird than his ability to speak.”

“Plenty of birds talk,” Taine said. “Like that parrot we used to have.”

“Not as soon as they’re born,” Rhyll argued. “They have to be taught to talk and then they only repeat silly little phrases over and over. This bird is communicating with us.”

“That’s right,” Ash agreed. “He even told me he’s a male and that his name is Gwaam.”

Rhyll’s eyes glowed with excitement. “If Gwaam
is
the bird I found in my mother’s book, he has special powers. He can be reborn through reincarnation.”

“Rein-what?” Taine said.

“Reincarnation.” Rhyll wiped a strand of hair from her face then fixed Ash with a serious look. “Ash, this bird is
very
special. He’s highly sought after because of his great powers. There may even be someone looking for him now. Someone who wants to harness his magic and use it for themselves.”

Ash suppressed a smile as Gwaam picked flecks of fish off his orange feet. “Looks like an ordinary bird to me.”

“
That
is no ordinary bird,” Taine said. “In case you haven’t noticed, Ash, he’s downright
ugly
.”

Gwaam stared at Taine.

“Take that back.” Ash laughed. “He understands every word you say.”

Gwaam squawked and flapped his wings.

“See? I told you.”

Taine held up his hands. “All right, I’m sorry. But you have to admit, that bird is unlike any you’ve ever seen.”

“You’re right about that.” Ash turned to Rhyll. “So, what sort of bird do you think he is?”

Rhyll took a deep breath. “I think it’s a phoenix.”

“A phoenix?” Ash said. “I thought they were only in fairytales.”

“If you’d read Mother’s books,” Rhyll said, “you’d know that many people believed in these creatures. Some still do. None have been seen for ages, but that doesn’t mean they’re still not around. Why, we’ve never even left Icamore. How do we know what’s out there?” She pointed north to the distant mountains bordering the valley. “We’re never allowed to go anywhere and nobody ever talks about other places in Krell except if it’s connected to the war. It’s like the outside world doesn’t exist.”

“Well, I’m happy here, thanks,” Taine said. “I like being safe. I don’t need to find out what’s over the other side of Strenn Mountain.”

“Safe is boring,” Rhyll said.

“I find it rather comforting, actually,” Taine said airily.

“You’re as bad as the adults,” Rhyll replied. “Burying your head in the sand and not willing to try anything new.”

“I am not.” Taine glared at his sister.

“Enough, you two. Settle down,” Ash said as he stroked the bird’s feathers. “What do you think, Gwaam?”

The bird warbled musically and turned to Ash. “I have judged your heart and found it to be true. I wish to stay with you so you can be my Keeper.”

Rhyll and Taine gave twin gasps of surprise.

“Keeper?” Ash gulped. If Rhyll was right about Gwaam being a phoenix, Ash was afraid of what being his Keeper might entail. What lengths would people go to if they wanted a phoenix for themselves?

“Yes.” Gwaam nodded. “You will have duties to fulfil as my Keeper, of course.”

“L-like what?” Ash stammered.

“I will need your protection and plenty of food so that I may grow.”

“Protection from what?” Taine asked, concerned.

“They are coming,” Gwaam said. “They are searching for me as we speak. Look to the sky and you shall see them.”

“You could have told us,” Taine said.

The bird’s head bobbed. “Gwaam will sleep now.”

The three friends stared at each other.

“What does he mean?” Taine asked, glancing nervously at the sky.

“I don’t know,” Ash said. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”