Wings of Fire: Revenant

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Does she live ... or does she die?"

At first there was only stillness and silence, like the moment between a bolt of lightning and a clap of thunder.

Finally, Turtle gazed past Peacemaker one last time, watching as Kinkajou tried to pull herself shakily off the ground. The SeaWing prince then stepped towards the edge of the precipice, the enchanted scroll gripped firmly in his claws.

"Okay, Peacemaker," Turtle said, winding back his arm in preparation to throw the scroll across to him, "you win."

"Stop!" a voice cried through the cacophony of distant thunder.

Peacemaker whirled in the direction of the sound, his heart beating furiously in his chest. It couldn't be!

A midnight-black form suddenly emerged from the gloom, eyes burning like green flames in the darkness.

"Mother?!" Peacemaker exclaimed. "Wh ... what are you doing here?!"

"I should be the one asking you that," Hope said, veering around the spire to land beside Turtle. "What is it you think you're doing?"

Peacemaker shook his head, trying to will away his confusion and instead focus solely on the steady tempo of rage that had fueled him so far. Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and faced the dragon glaring at him from across the chasm.

"I'm taking back my life," he growled, lashing his tail. "The one you all stole from me."

Hope blinked back at him, her expression as unreadable as ever.

"Did you hear what I said?" Peacemaker demanded. "I know the truth about what you all did to me! I know who I used to be – I ... I mean ... who I am!"

"You're not Darkstalker," Hope growled. "Peacemaker, it's time to stop this foolishness."

Peacemaker let out a hissing breath. "How did you know I'd gotten my memories back?"

"Seeker came to Moon and I worried sick because she couldn't find you anywhere," Hope replied.

Peacemaker raised his head. "Seeker?" It hadn't occurred to him that she might wonder where he'd gone.

"When we went to the strawberry patch to find you, we found this instead," Hope opened her claws to reveal a talonful of red and white glass beads, allowing them to roll down onto the stone and into the darkness below.

Peacemaker watched blankly as the brief flashes of color tumbled down into the abyss. The realization that he had caused Seeker to worry made his heart squirm in a guilty, uncomfortable way. But before he had a chance to follow that train of thought any further, his mother was already barreling on.

"I should have listened to my gut feeling the first time," Hope continued, pacing furiously along the edge of the spire. "I knew nothing good would come from letting you leave the rainforest, and here's the proof! Do you see now why I was so worried about you spending time with that troublemaking girl dragon?"

Peacemaker looked up, his mind pulled rapidly from that brief feeling of guilt and uncertainty. "You think that's how I got my memories back? Because of Seeker?"

"How else could it have happened?"

"You really don't understand anything," he hissed, eyes narrowing to pale slits. "Maybe in the future you and Moon should find a more private meeting place ... and learn to keep your voices down."