The Lost Boy

Chapter 12

His words summoned no reaction from the boy, whose unreadable golden eyes remained locked on Tink, while Tic Toc crawled across the pebbles to smell the newcomer's knees. 

"You're the monster..." Rooster continued, as the boy tried again in reaching for the fairy cradled in Rooster's hands. "You were just a monster! You...you were covered in fur...big...like a wolf!" Holding Tink in one hand, he swept his other hand through his thick red hair. "How?!" 

Before the boy could respond, a series of furious bells met their ears, and Jade Star came flying from the trees, her hair wild and her dress messy, her green eyes fiery with fury. 

She seemed to scream something at the boy, who was suddenly on his feet and standing over Rooster, blocking him, Tink, and Tic Toc. 

Leaning around the boy's billowing robe, craning his neck, Rooster watched in shock as the boy raised a hand and murmured something under his breath. Golden light began to swirl in tendrils around the boy's hand, making Jade Star shriek more wildly as she attempted to fly at the young man's face, but she could not go past his hand. 

The young man finished his murmurs and bent his elbow before he thrust his hand forward with a skilled and experienced grace. Jade Star wailed as gold tongues of light shot from the boy's hand and began to circle her, encasing her in a sort of light cocoon before it launched through the sky, a shooting star that soared into the moon and disappeared with a wink. 

Rooster's jaw hit the pebbles. He blinked, blinked again, blinked a third time, staring up at the pearly moon as the boy dropped his arm and swiftly turned to kneel beside Rooster again. He extended his hand once more and softly said, "Please." 

When his eyes found the young man's brilliantly golden ones, Rooster swallowed hard and gingerly transferred Tink to the boy's hand. Moving fluidly, the boy turned his back on Rooster and knelt at the water's edge. Murmuring under his breath again, the boy tentatively lowered his hand below the surface, submerging Tink as his other hand hovered just above the water, glowing with golden power again. 

Rooster crawled to his feet, wiping his cheeks and eyes quickly before he grabbed Tic Toc, then he hesitantly approached the boy, whose eyes were closed as his barely moving lips continued to be the only sign that sounds were being made. 

A golden light began to snake around Tink, who laid on her back on the boy's palm, her head resting on the tip of his middle finger, her eyes closed, her wings draped over his fingers on either side of her. As Rooster watched, stunned, the golden light began to stitch Tink's split wing back together, the dainty silver wing shimmering. 

When the boy's lips went still, he lifted Tink out of the water and the golden light disappeared. The very air was still and quiet for several heartbeats before Tink inhaled sharply through her nose, and Rooster choked on a sigh of relief. 

The fairy's eyes fluttered open and she lifted her head slowly, sitting in the boy's palm. She focused on Rooster as he knelt beside the boy, beaming in relief. 

"You're okay!" Rooster exclaimed, shooting a thankful glance at the young man. In response, the faintest hint of a smile flashed across his mouth as he watched the pixie. 

"What happened?" Tink asked, reaching up to feel the tiniest bump on the side of her head, then she felt along her left shoulder blade and her back and her wing, searching for any sign of the wound that had ripped through her skin and wing. After a moment, she grunted in frustration and murmured, "What?" 

Then her gaze was downcast, and she looked first at the hand she sat on, then at Rooster's lap, where both of Rooster's hands held Tic Toc. 

"What-who-wh...?" Tink looked up into the face and the golden eyes of the young man holding her up. "Who are you?"