CHAPTER 19: FINISH WHAT HE STARTED
Once Ericarni was bandaged up, Jemeanii lead the two to Psychí.
“Now Athena, Psychí may be destined for you, but to gain his trust completely, you must first show that you can trust him” Ericarni urged
“By doing what?”
“Flying”
“What?” Athena said, quite shocked
“Let him fly you around the woods, it is the simplest way, you will find he obeys you quicker if you do so.”
“You said I’d seen his eyes before, right?”
“I did, but what does that have to do with anything?”
“Well you said you don’t know where he’s been for all that time”
“That was not strictly true. He vaguely knew your father, so when he died, Psychí somehow found us and stayed for the cremation, but that night he mysteriously vanished again.”
“Why?”
“Because of trust, and that’s why it’s important that he trusts you, because otherwise we risk him fleeing again. He came back for Andreas, and now he’s back for you.”
Athena was quiet for a bit. She had no idea what made it such a diverse decision. It was not that she was afraid of heights, no, heights she adored. It was the inevitable feeling of falling. She hated how it made you so loose and how you had no control over it. It was safe to say skydiving or bungee jumping had never been on her bucket list, let alone flying on a griffin.
“How do I get up?” she quizzed
“Have you ever been horse riding” Ericarni said, with an air of distaste
“Once, when I was six”
“It is the same principal, except use his under-body as the stirrups”
Athena tried to remember how it was done. Clumsily, she hauled herself up and Psychí tapped his feet and clicked his aurous beak.
“Tréximo” Ericarni croaked in a hoarse whispering crackled voice. Was it a Greek word? Whatever it was, Psychí understood it and began to run, he charged through the trees, but he was coming dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. Would he rise in time? Athena could not watch, she closed her eyes and buried her head into Psychí’s miraculous feathers. Could this beast really plunge off the cliff and let her fall, even if she didn’t have much faith in him? Surely not...
The cliff was so close now that Athena could feel the sudden rise of speed in Psychí’s legs. Then, she remembered what Ericarni said; she needed to trust him. Trust that he would not launch them off the cliff to their death beds, but that he would fly furious and high.
Steadily, Athena opened her eyes, just as Psychí threw them off the edge. They were losing height, but Psychí flapped his wings and soared back up, wind in his face, blowing his perky ears and feathers back. Whipping wildly, Athena’s hair flew behind her too and as Psychí glided with effortless grace around the forest, Athena felt a strong surge of freedom. She hadn’t felt that free in a very, very long time. Plus, now, despite the risk of falling, Athena really did trust Psychí to keep her safe. He was a griffin and as Athena had been taught, griffins were brave, courageous and loyal.
Now they were over Ericarni’s herd’s lair, and Athena spotted Emma, Tom, Robbie and Liam. Psychí lowered, with little toil, and whizzed right over their heads before zooming back up again and gallop-landing back on the cliff next to Ericarni. He playfully trotted round in dizzying circles, before slowing up.
