The Truth About The NightWings

The Truth

Fire.

Pain.

Death. 

That is all I have known for my entire life. I have lived under the spell of the bloodthirsty volcano for five years. 

So many times, I wanted to give up. I wanted to just die and get this over with. 

The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that soon, we would be living in a quite different place: the rainforest.

At the time, I did not realize how wrong it would take the rainforest from the RainWings. I know that now, and I'm sorry for the terrible things my tribe has done.

But it was not our fault.

It was Battlewinner's--I'm sorry, Queen Battlewinner.

I guess I should start from the beginning...or at least a beginning.

Read the next paragraph, if you dare...

                                                                          *** 

I was walking down the hallway to the library, hoping to find a book on dreamvisitors. We had learned about them in class, but I still didn't really understand what they did.

As I approached the library, I  heard two voices. It sounded like they were arguing. 

I stopped and tilted my head, straining to hear what they were saying.

"You're kidding," said one voice disbelievingly.

"I'm not," another voice snapped. My heart stopped. I recognized the voice--Mastermind, my father's boss. "Scrolls don't lie."

"But the ones who create them might."

"Spellcaster is a credible author," Mastermind argued. "She always writes the truth. Which means Battlewinner isn't actually our..."

"Don't you dare say it!" the first voice snapped. "You know she has eyes and ears everywhere...she could be watching us right now."

A pause, and then:"You're right. Let's take this somewhere else." 

To my horror, they went out into the hallway. 

I backed up, pretending that I was just walking down the corridor, nothing suspicious. 

"Stargaze!" Mastermind said in a delighted voice. "It's good to see you! Why didn't you come to the lab yesterday?" 

I winced. Once a week, I was supposed to go to Mastermind's lab and help him with his experiments. But I didn't like going there. The RainWings and their sad, melancholy faces had always creeped me out. I had no idea how Mastermind could work there.

"Um--I was busy,' I lied. "Lots of homework."

"That's understandable. Well, say hello to your father for me, will you?" He walked away briskly, as if he had somewhere to be...which I supposed he did. 

My head still whirling with questions about the conversation I had overheard, I stepped into the library.

The smell of paper and ink worked its effect on me instantly. My wings relaxed. I had always loved the library. Scrolls helped me escape into another world. Stories made me believe that someday, I could be happy; that I would be able to get off this lava island. 

Sighing, I sat down on one of the many tables, right in front of a scrollshelf. There was a scroll laid out, and my eyes absentmindedly flickered over the writing.

The Royal NightWing Lineage, it read.

My eyes followed the diagram, expecting to see Queen Battlewinner somewhere. Instead, under 'Queen Dreamcatcher' and 'King Midnight', I saw 'Princess Twilight.' 

I frowned. Why was the current NightWing queen not on here? Maybe this scroll was outdated. 

But no--I clearly remembered learning in history class that Queen Dreamcatcher and King Midnight were Queen Battlewinner's parents.

So why...

It hit me like a lightning bolt. 

My mind replayed the words of the conversation. 'Scrolls don't lie... Battlewinner isn't actually our..."

Queen.

I pulled away from the scroll, my mind reeling. It couldn't be...it wasn't possible...and yet the truth was staring at me right in the face.

Battlewinner isn't actually our queen after all.