Ravens Book 3: The Sky Warriors and the Fallen Child

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Several hours later, Selenia gently shook Nayr awake. 'Nayr, it's late in the afternoon,' she told her.

Nayr had not slept in a comfortable position and standing, stretched her wings and clicked her back and neck. Selenia had emptied the wineskin, and Nayr audibly heard her stomach growling. 'I shall see what food is available for us. But, I should tell you. I have found a wayward fledgling from Lilia's rookery.' Selenia's eyebrow rose. 'She was deformed since birth, but Sylph has straightened her wings out. She cannot fly, but we must take her with us.'

'Sovereign, forgive me, but that is ludicrous. She will slow us down. We are on a tight schedule to get to-'

Nayr blinked once, 'I am fully aware, Selenia,' she pursed her lips. 'She'll just have to piggyback with us until she is able to withstand the pain and learn to use her muscles more. It will be difficult, but we cannot tarry here any longer than this day. We will be leaving when it is dark.' Nayr explained more about Prima and that she and Sylph used to work together and that Sylph saved her life at the slave market in Nextor. Selenia's expression was impressed and horrified at the detail Nayr dove into, but regrettably understood why Nayr needed to take Prima with them.

As soon as it started to get dark, Nayr glided down just outside of Maszel, while Selenia waited on the cliffs for a signal to come and pick Prima up. Nayr headed towards the cottage but stopped as she saw a large crowd ahead of her, in the centre of the town. The crowd gasped, shouted or jeered at something in the centre. Nayr, who was a little taller than most humans, managed to glance over the heads of everyone, her eyes went wide as she saw her in the middle, ropes tied around her hands and legs. 'Prima!'

Nayr pushed humans out of the way and made it to the front. There were several Extonium soldiers brandishing their swords at her. Prima's only defence were her wings. Stuck out in a defensive position, she flapped limply when anyone tried to near her. Running to her side, Nayr turned and flung her wings out, protecting Prima. 'Leave her alone.'

'Another one!'

The crowd gasped. Some commented on her wings, others on how they thought she was human. But many people whispered the word 'blemish' and that upset Nayr very much.

'What has she done to you?' Nayr snapped at everyone who cared to listen.

'She's a freak!' Someone shouted. 'And so are you! Maszel belongs to humans! Not your kind!'

Nayr frowned, 'I thought Maszel belonged to those born here, not Extonium soldiers who are stopping medicine from reaching those in need!'

There was a ripple of murmurs, and the soldiers growled and stepped towards them. 'You are under arrest!'

'For what, existing?' Nayr snapped.

'Yes!' The soldier barked back. 'By order of Van Theleck, all blemishes are to be taken to Extonium to be executed.'

'Why?' She asked. 'What have we possibly done to deserve that?'

Someone in the crowd shouted that blemishes attacked towns and burnt houses to the ground. Nayr rolled her eyes.

'No, Extonium soldiers did that,' Prima spoke from behind Nayr. She stood and Nayr untied the ropes for her. 'My friend is a human. Soldiers burnt her house down while she was still in it!'

'That's a lie!' One of the soldiers shouted. 'Why would they do that?' He chuckled sarcastically.

'To pressgang her father into joining the army!' Prima shouted, finding her confidence.