Page 37 of Sea of Stars

I was in shock. There was an empty space in the sky that should have been Owly. I was so distracted that I didn’t even see the arrow being shot at me. At the last moment I heard the whizzing sound and turned to look at the sharp point heading toward my throat. Vellswar’s body slammed into mine, causing me to topple over. He grunted in pain as the arrow entered his flesh. My hair pulled uncomfortably at the roots, trying to wiggle away from the noise.

Vellswar’s breathing was heavy, and soon it was the only thing I could hear. He grunted again as another arrow pierced his skin. In an instant, the owls had flown back to the roof and the arrows had stopped. Augury and Achates ran over to us. Augury put both of her arms around me and pulled me into her chest. Her tears left the top of my hair wet. I looked away as Achates examined the arrows in Vellswar’s back and thigh.

“You’re going to be alright,” Achates said. “One of the many benefits of having thick skin,” he added. “Augury can you fix him up?”

Augury nodded distractedly as she looked up at the remaining birds. “Did you know they could do that?” she asked to no one in particular.

“I knew Owly was a fighter,” Achates said. “Just like his pa,” he sniffed. We all waited to see how Achates was going to react to Owly dying, but he seemed quiet and proud.

“He died with the highest of honors,” Vellswar said. “But I choose not to fall today. Can you cut these out of me, Augury? I’m losing quite a bit of blood here.”

Augury stopped looking at the birds and walked with the limping Vellswar to the house.

I got up to follow, but Achates put his hand on my back and steered me toward the grass. “We have to clean up the mess or we’ll attract more unwanted visitors.”

There was no point in asking what he meant. He would most likely answer in riddles anyway, and I had no desire to learn about what creatures roamed around here at night. I had already experienced enough adventure for one day. I thought about my earlier plan to flee with one of the owls and take on Mortwar by myself. That plan now seemed foolish. I had stood frozen in fear in the heat of battle. Besides, I possessed newfound hope. I looked over at the owls as I made my way toward the bodies. Instead of thinking of the gruesome scene that lay behind the grasses, I found myself believing in my small army after all.

The heat of the desert had already made the stench of the men’s blood float in the air around us. I was still looking at the owls when I ran into Achates’ outstretched hand. He was looking at me angrily with his finger pressed to his lips, instructing me to stay quiet. At first, all I heard was the pounding of my heart, but then I heard the cry of a baby.

I gulped, shoving Achates' arm out of the way. I ran far ahead of him and into the tall grasses. "Lyntel?"

The only reply I got was a soft cough.

I followed my hair's direction and ran deeper into the grass. I almost stumbled into Lyntel's body on the ground. "Lyntel!" I tore a piece of fabric from my dress as I knelt down next to Lyntel.

I touched the arrow that was sticking out of Lyntel's stomach. He moaned loudly. I didn't know how to remove an arrow so I put the cloth firmly around it, but the blood continued spreading out onto his leather armor.

“Lyntel?” I whispered. “It’s me. You found me.”

Lyntel coughed and blood began trickling down his lip. “Mahlia?” His eyes didn’t seem to focus as he looked up at me.

I touched his face with my free hand, wiping away the tears under his eyes, ignoring my own that were now forming. “Yes, I’m right here, Lyntel.”

“I’m sorry," Lyntel said. "I'm so sorry. They threatened to kill my daughter.” He took a shallow, labored breath. “My daughter. Take care of my Dawn. Find her mother. She needs her mother.” His voice was growing faint.

"We'll find your wife together. I can get you help. You're going to be fine." I turned around and yelled to Achates for help. Augury would be able to remove the arrow and fix Lyntel's wound.

Lyntel coughed again and grabbed my hand with shocking strength. "Don't listen..."

I heard the swooshing sound pass my hair and watched the

arrow sink into Lyntel's neck. His mouth hung open and blood poured from it.

"Are you okay?" Achates stood in the grass behind me with one of the human's bows in his hand. "Close one. That human had his filthy hands on you," he said as he looked at me.

"Achates!" I yelled. "No, no, no. Do something!"

Achates looked confused. "I did. I helped you like you asked, you fool."

Augury ran up behind Achates. She put her hand over her mouth in horror.

“You have to do something!” I screamed at my grandmother. "Save him!"

“There’s nothing I can do,” she said shakily. "The arrow went through his neck, Mahlia."

Lyntel’s hand had dropped from my wrist. “No, Lyntel hold on,” I pleaded. My eyes began to burn. "We're going to find your wife together, just like we planned. Stay with me, Lyntel. Lyntel?" Lyntel's black hair blew in the breeze but the rest of his body was still.

“You screamed for help," Achates said. "I saved you."

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