Page 102 of One Last Promise
“Helloold friend.”Darce greeted it, moving me behind him before slowly walking over to the creature to stroke its back.“You have nothing to fear.This isAlora.The one I was searching for.”The bird looked towards me as if he knew what Darce was saying.“Bathin is a shadow raven.They were believed to be used by my kind in The Battle of False Promise.These creatures areveryrare.I stumbled upon him two thousand years ago, when I got lost veil hopping.He had injured his wing and I fixed him up.He’s been visiting me here every century since.”
“He’sbeautiful.”I had never seen such a graceful creature.My mouth fell open as I watched Darce mount the great bird, offering his hand out for me to join him.“Are you insane?What if he doesn’t want me on his back?”
“You’ll be fine.Come on.He doesn’t peck.”Trusting him fully, I allowed Darce to lift me onto the bird’s back, sitting me in front of him as he wrapped his arms around my waist to hold me in place.“You might want to hold on.”I didn’t trust the tone in his voice, so I grabbed a handful of Bathin’s large feathers the moment it began to take flight.
The rush of its wings beat on either side of me, lifting us off the ground.With a few more beats we had cleared the mountain and were soaring up into the twilight sky.
“Holy shit!Some warning would be nice,” I panted, feeling Darce’s arms wrap tighter around me.
“Sorry, I wanted to surprise you.”We had cleared the cloud cover, and that all lay before us was the beautiful haze of the twilight sky.This high up, I could make out the light of Dallethas on the horizon.The night sky was slowly taking over with the blanket of star-speckled darkness above us.
“Darce...”I had no words.“This is...breathtaking.”Spreading my arms out wide, I reached up towards the night sky, wondering...if I reached high enough would I be able to touch the stars?
“I wish our lives could always be this way.”I knew precisely what he meant.Up here, looking at Afterlight below us, everything felt so simple.
“Are you trying to make one last wish?”I teased.I looked behind me, noticing that the bird’s long tail left a trail of silver shadow as he soared through the air.
“It’s funny you should say that.By saving Bathin, I was granted a single wish from his kind.”
“They’re that magical?”
“Can’t you feel it?”Stroking Bathin’s feathers, I felt a charge of pure, ancient power humming beneath.
“What did you wish for?”
“I haven’t used it yet.”What was he waiting for?
“Could you use it to help us?”
“I’m not sure.”He sighed against my ear, pulling me closer against his chest.
The night sky had come to life above us.The number of stars was staggering, each of them shining with a lifeforce I hadn’t noticed before.The contrast of light and dark wrapped around them.The darkness made the stars glow brighter.I could almost feel the charge of Darce’s and my bloodlines.“It’s so beautiful,” I gasped, mesmerized.
“There is so much I want to show you.Different veils, lands with simple races.There are places that your mind wouldn’t even be able to comprehend.”
“We have time,” I sighed, stroking his arms with my fingertips.My silver hair was blowing in his face, but Darce didn’t seem to care.
We soared higher into the night sky, chasing our two moons as they began to rise.
****
“WHY DIDN’T YOU TELLme about Bathin sooner?”We were in the safety of his bathroom, but the adrenaline was still coursing through my body.
“They are ancient and rare.You’re the only one I’ve taken to meet him.”
“You trusted me with that secret?”
“Of course.The few shadow ravens that are left, migrate through time and space.”
“How are they able to do that?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Can’t youaskhim?”Darce let out a loud snort.“What?”
“I don’t talkshadow raven.”
“He seemed to understand what you were telling him about me.”
