The Open Sky: Eternal Forest Saga - Book 3

Chapter 16

 The celebration in Windsong showed no signs of winding down. Upon the stage, the musicians increased their tempo. The whole tribe moved to the beat filling the night air. Dewdrop and Sparrow stood side by side. Their hands were clasped together as they bounced up and down to the music. Sparrow couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled so much.

The musicians stopped for a break and Dewdrop fell against Sparrow. "Lady's grace, I need to sit," she said.

"Come with me," Sparrow replied. The two women pushed their way through the crowd back towards the edge of the platform. They sat together, letting their feet dangle over the edge into the blackness. Dewdrop rested back on her palms and looked up. Her chest heaved with each breath. The sweat on her arms glistened in the torchlight. "Better?" Sparrow asked.

With a grin, Dewdrop slipped her hand into Sparrow's and rested her head on her shoulder. "Now it is."

"It's still so unreal that no one recognizes you," Sparrow said as they gazed off into the night sky.

"I'd always figured they wouldn't if I tried to go out as myself, but I was always hesitant, just in case."

"I don't think I'll ever be calm about any of this," Sparrow said. "But it's worth it to get to be with you."

"Maybe someday we'll find a way that doesn't involve sneaking around and lying to everyone," Dewdrop added. "We should just get to be happy without all of this trouble."

A gentle breeze blew in, and carried upon it a strange sound. Sparrow's ears perked up. It was distant, but getting closer and clearer by the second.

"What's wrong?" Dewdrop asked, feeling Sparrow's grip upon her hand tightening.

Sparrow didn't answer. She leaned forward off the edge of the platform. Her heart beat faster. Her breaths quickened. It couldn't be what she thought it was. "Do you hear that?" she asked.

Dewdrop was about to say she heard nothing, but then the sound echoed through the canopy. By now it was so clear, so unmistakable, that even Dewdrop started to panic. "Is... is that...?"

"Eagle cries," Sparrow said. They were loud enough now to where other faeries were picking it up. A wave of frantic shouts and cries raced across the crowd. Everyone in Windsong knew what that call meant.

"Is that Mantis?" Dewdrop asked as she and Sparrow both popped to their feet. "Is it a drill?"

"There's no drill tonight," Sparrow answered. Letting go of Dewdrop's hand, she took off into the air to survey the crowd. "All off-duty Thorns to me, now!" she shouted. By the time she landed, at least thirty faeries in the crowd were fluttering towards her. The civilians rushed away as the thorns landed in a circle around Sparrow and Dewdrop.

"Is this a real cry?" one Thorn asked.

Sparrow swallowed her fear. "We have to assume so. Everyone, begin evacuation protocol. The cries are coming from the south, so use refuge points Alpha and Beta. Get to your zones and get everyone out."

"Yes, Captain!" the Thorns shouted in unison.

"Sparrow, the Rose is still in the palace!" one of the Thorns shouted.

"Leave the Rose to me," Sparrow said. Her eyes turned to Dewdrop, who couldn't hide the panic in her eyes. "As Captain, that is my duty."

Shrieks sounded throughout the crowd as a flaming stone streaked across the city like a comet and crashed into the side of the tree. A shower of embers rained down on the platform, and the faeries scattered. Sparrow and Dewdrop turned to the south. The dark forest was dotted with torches. They were only a few yards out and closing in rapidly. The flickering firelight illuminated the horde of goblins charging the tree.