Through the Fairy Ring

Chapter Fifty

"I've got it," I said as I entered Garron and Meara's room, and my heart did a flip-flop when I recognized an additional figure in the room. Arden stood at the end of the bed. I couldn't keep the super-size grin off my face "You're back!"

Since running over and giving him a big hug would be infinitely inappropriate, I held myself in check and walked over to him. Everyone else, except for Cal, sat in the exact same spots I'd left them. I wondered if they'd moved at all since I'd left.

Arden laid a hand on my shoulder, and it was all I could do to not lean into him. "Drostan has secured his place as Pixie ruler."

"So the General is dead."

"He is."

It had to be done, and I was glad Drostan was the victor, but it didn't change the fact that another victim had fallen prey to political ambition.

"The Duchess will be happy to hear the news. She's going through the labyrinth."

"I'll ask Jax to find her, give her the good news and escort her back to Adven."

"Well, let's get on with this." I opened the book on the foot of the bed, flipping through to find the page Edlark had marked.

Brightly colored pictures of Pixies and Fairies, standing hand in hand, decorated the border of the page. At first the words didn't resemble any kind of writing I'd seen before, but the longer I stared at the swoopy lines, they began to move into alternate shapes and eventually I could pick out the words.

"What's the matter?" Mom asked. She held onto Meara's hand, which appeared abnormally marked with veins. The skin had begun to disappear, leaving the bright blue of her veins to pattern her hand.

I dragged my eyes from their hands and focused on the book. "Nothing, I just have to wait for the translator to work. It's almost there."

The words shifted a little more, and then I could read the entire page. I scanned through the description of what a Caladrius was and hunted for what I had to do to turn it on.

Cal stepped carefully between the kids and pecked at the page. I held my arm up to block him from hurting the book, and gave him a gentle push backward. "No, Cal. Not food."

He stretched his long neck over my wrist, still trying to get at the book. I wondered when he'd eaten last. "I'll give you a snack after we're done, okay?"

"Here, I'll take him." Quinn pulled him away from me, and I resumed my speed reading. I reached the bottom of the page and frowned.

"I guess all I need to do is introduce Cal to the kids, using a special spell, and he'll heal them, if he still can." It seemed awfully simple, especially considering everything we'd gone through to get to this point.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" My mom asked. "Introduce him!"

"I am." My eyes flickered over to her and then returned to the book. The words looked like gibberish—lots of consonants strung together without any vowels. Translation error?

"Don't laugh." I tried the first word and sounded like a damaged bee buzzing around a flower. However bizarre the word was, Cal lifted his head and looked at me, an intense interest in his eyes. Heartened by the reaction, I twisted my tongue around the next word.

Cal fluffed out and twisted his head, peering around the room. I said several more words and then came to a large space in the writing. I took a gamble and said Garron and Meara's names.

One more short line, and then I was done with the words of introduction. I tucked the bookmark into the pages and shut the book.

The bird stretched his wings and flapped like he wanted down. Quinn set him back on the bed. This time Cal walked up to where Garron and Meara's heads lay on the pillows. He emitted odd little noises as he fussed over the children. He touched Garron's forehead lightly with his long beak, then touched Garron's chest and finally his feet—well, where his feet would have been if they were visible anymore. Each place on Garron's body that had contact with the bird glowed, a violet light shining through the covers, which spread until his entire body was enveloped by the soft purple.

Cal nestled down beside Garron and covered his upper body with his wing. As we watched, the purple light flowed from Garron's head and feet, toward his chest. First, just the tips of Cal's wing turned black, but as the purple light continued its journey under Cal's feathers, the darkness spread upward until his entire left wing looked as if it had been dipped in oil. As the light left the areas of Garron's body, his skin regained substance and took on a healthy pink color. When all the purple light had left Garron's body, Cal completed the same ritual on Meara with his right wing. Keeping his wings carefully lifted away from the kids, he hopped to the floor and then flew up to window ledge, where he waited, wings outstretched.

"Let him out," Arden said. "He must fly to discharge the sickness he's absorbed."

Quinn reached around Cal, unhooked the window, and pushed it open. Cal waited until Quinn was out of the way of his wings and then dove out of the window.

"Oh my gosh!" I ran over and stuck my head out to search the ground for a white carcass. Cal swooped up from the nose-dive at the last second, his wings beating hard to carry him upward. He soared in the sky, dancing in the wind currents. The beauty of the bird set free brought tears to my eyes.

As I watched him turn circles in the sky, I hoped he'd return to Daragward Manor once he had cleaned his feathers. If he was the last Caladrius, he had no other birds to flock with. I didn't want him to be alone.

My mother fingered Meara's hair. "Why aren't they waking up? They're obviously better."

"I have to bring them out of their sleep." Arden rounded the corner of the bed, and Tavi pushed her chair back so she was out of his way. He knelt at the edge and reached over so he could put a hand on each child's chest. The thrum of Daragward magic rippled the air, and Meara gave a little sigh.

My eyes filled with new tears and I crowded beside Arden, my hands clasped at my chest. Never did I think such a tiny noise could fill me with such joy. Garron lifted his plump arm over his head and smacked his lips together.

Mom laughed and used a finger to wipe away her own tears. When I couldn't feel Arden's magic anymore, I said, "Can we touch them?"

He moved away so I could take his spot. "I think you should."

I sat on the edge of the bed, picked up Meara's hand and kissed it. Then I leaned over and kissed Garron's chubby cheek. "Wake up, you two. It's time to get up."

Meara's eyes fluttered open. She stretched and looked around. Her forehead creased with a frown, and she focused confused eyes on me. "Where are we?"

I stroked her hair. "We're at Arden's, love! Do you remember? We were coming here when you and Garron got sick."

"I guess so..." She looked at Arden. "Hi, Arden."

He gave her a warm smile. "Hello, munchkin. Are you feeling better?"

She tried to sit up but flopped back on the pillow. "My body wants to sleep more."

"You'll feel better, soon. And then you can go out and see the Suntaria."

"Oh, goody. They're so pretty."

I leaned over her and rubbed Garron's cheek. "Sweetie, come on. It's time to wake up."

He blinked and turned his head to look at my father sitting next to him. Quinn crowded up on one side of Dad, while Mom took the other side. All three of them grinned widely. Garron reached out a plump hand, and Dad stuck one of his big fingers out so he could grasp it. Dad swallowed and cleared his throat. "I'm not crying," he said.

We all laughed.

"I know! Let's go out to the garden," I said. "Some fresh air would do us all good!"