Opposites: The Staff of Light [Book One]

30. I Throw Alex to his Death

Colton

Alex eventually had the entire group to get some wild goose chase with an owl (or should I say wild owl chase?). The bird had a sense of direction all right, it drove us to a dozen turns, curves, and straight-ahead's until none of us could remember which way we were standing before. The Camp seemed so far away. But something was with this owl, not because of it being Annabeth's pet and having her resemblance when she went into beast mode (long story—let's just say she exploded into flames and didn't particularly take owl form). Wherever it took us, I felt absolutely no doubts about it. It somehow screamed SAFETY'S THIS WAY each time it hooted.

"Owls are fascinating creatures, Colt," Annie told me as that same owl perched on her shoulder. The way she smiled in my memory gave me a sense of longing. "And he isn't just any owl. I helped him when his wing was injured. He slammed right into my window pane. I healed him with my fire powers, and ever since, he became linked to me. This thing used to be brown, like my eyes, and as I began training here, mastering my eye color change, he could change his body state as well. I taught him three nights ago. Isn't it amazing?" She began scratching it behind the neck—assuming it had one—or where it was supposed to be. "Colton, I'd like you to meet Combust. Combust, this is Colton."

The owl hooted at me, perhaps trying to say hi. "Um, yeah, hi," I awkwardly said. "How can you even understand this—" Combust widened his eyes at me, as if showing a warning to be careful with my use of words. A chill moved up my spine. "—lovely rare bird?" ...that apparently could explode into flames, glare at people they've only met, and hoot like the world would be ending in a freaking minute. That's some interesting bird, I'll give you that!

She chuckled. "I've been doing some research. About a year ago, I couldn't answer that very question. All I cared about was that I could be an owl whisperer somehow. Soon I came to realize Combust spoke in code. I looked up on the internet. It didn't specifically tell me the answer, but it led me to the conclusion that he hooted in a frequency we homo sapiens consider as the Morse code. I could teach you if you'd like. You could also talk to him in sign language. He has trouble hearing sometimes, especially in the winter."

"I can do that."

Annabeth raised a brow at me after she bid the owl goodbye. "You can?" She moved closer to me while we were on the ground floor of the cabin. The others were upstairs and there the two of us were, inside one of the female dressing stalls, surrounded by darkness if not for the candle she lit up.

"Yeah," I smirked. "I sure do. Can't my Queen Elizabeth?"

"I can't."

"Oh, is that so?" I asked again. She nodded. I raised a pinky, then my thumb and pointer at the same time, then my thumb and pointer. "Read that, Wise Girl."

"I told you, I can't. What did that mean though?"

I grinned, taking off my glasses. "That meant you got a cool owl. Come on. Let's join the others before anyone thought about something they weren't supposed to think of. Curse their dirty-minded brains if they have." I stood up, offering her a hand. She took it as we walked towards the ladder. I summoned a breeze to put out our candle's fire. Up until this moment, I still hadn't told her what the signs really meant.

I kept running, chasing Combust. I have to get her back, I told myself. I just have to.

Combust stopped, flying in mid-air, directing us to a point—a tree. He hooted as he perched on the lowest branch which was two feet above my eye level. He kept hooting at me. "Colton, he's talking to you," Alice observed. "Answer it. That thing can get impatient."