The Lost Son | Ferry's Tale # 2

Changes (part one)

The same night, an urgent meeting took place in great secrecy. Ferry and his Guardians gathered in Lavender Sky's garden. It was a starless night, yet full of firebugs and sounds of the logs snapping in the fire. Unlike their usual meetings, where they were laughing, eating seeds, and talking about what happened during the week, this time, a heavy silence reigned all over the place. They all looked at the fire in the middle without saying a word. They were waiting for Thyme who had been lingering for a little while near Ferry's house to take a better look at the stranger.

The night was warm still, although the summer had receded, leaving the place for a wind which brought along smell of leaves and smoke. The smell of autumn. The sky was dark that night, making the shadows even darker. The moon was hidden behind the clouds as if it did not want to be seen.

A fluttering of wing announced Thyme's arrival. He shuddered by the raven appearance and stepped toward his friends.

"I couldn't see anything," he mumbled. "The window was locked, and the light was off."

"I know," said Ferry, "he went to bed right after we finished dinner. He didn't want to share the room with me. He said he didn't want to disturb me. So he slept on the couch. But that's not going to last."

"What do you mean?" asked Parsley, the lizard-man.

"My father wants me to share the room with him, now that he found his long lost son. But that means he might find out my secret. Our secret."

"We can't let that happen," said Thyme, clenching his feasts. "The arrival of this boy changes everything."

"But who is he? What do you know about him so far?"

"He says he's my paren— the Donovans' lost son," said Ferry, feeling a lump in his throat. "But that can't be true. Right, Thyme? I mean... the Donovan child is in Akna, right? That's where you took him when you swapped us. Isn't it so?"

"Do you think he's a fairy?" Sage, the wolf-man, interrupted him and Ferry could read the worry in his voice. He asked the question on everyone's lips.

"I don't know," said Thyme slowly as if afraid to say the word. "But we must keep an eye on him. Whether he's a fairy or not. In Akna, alarming things are happening."

"Have you any news?" asked Lavender who slowly stepped closer, leaning on her crane. Over the years, her body has shrunk. She looked like an ordinary old lady and no one would've guessed the great powers once hid under her weak, frail body. The only sign of the fairy greatness were the pale signs that still shone on her wrinkled forehead when the moon was full.

"Lord Stephan sent me whispers from Akna," said Thyme, "but it's getting harder for him to do it. All the doors between the worlds are guarded. The enemy is beginning to conquer the land of Akna..."

"That means Ferry must be prepared for leaving earlier," said Lavender and all the eyes turned on him.

Thyme shook his head, "He's not ready yet... Garret doesn't know how to control his power yet."