Chapter 55 THE HUMMINGBIRD'S MESSAGE (1)
GALLAHAN’S POV
I was getting antsy as the seconds bled into minutes, and minutes blurred into eternity. At least it felt like eternity since the Alfieros left the feast.
But none of the celebrating crowd seemed to mind the absence of their Alpha and his family. It was as if only Zuleika, Maliya and I noticed their early exit from the exuberant revelry after the Ascension Rite.
“How many minutes has it been again?” I asked, looking around for an Alfiero among the throng of people.
Maliya let out a soft groan of annoyance. “It’s only been ten minutes, Gee. Seriously, you’ve asked this question a hundred times since they left.”
I tousled my hair with my hands, unable to simply stand still anymore.
Just then, a light blue wisp of glittering magic appeared before me. It then took on the form of a cute little hummingbird while retaining its wispy and translucent state.
It seemed harmless enough, so I let it perched itself onto my shoulder. Then I cast a glance at Zuleika and Maliya, noting how they remained oblivious of the spiritual familiar, which could only belong to a magic folk like them. After all, magic folks, often called magos, were the only beings in the continent who could tame and magically keep spiritual familiars.
With bated breath, I waited for the hummingbird’s next move, and it didn’t take long before the voice of the pup-stealing and mate-stealing woman with a bob hair came out of the hummingbird, whispering, “Hello, Mr. Wick. This is Sarina Welby. I ask you to head to the east wing of the Alfiero Manor, and on the fourth floor, find the pale brown door carved with the Alfiero family insignia. Then, when you open the door, think of Willa Alfiero and say this incantation: Embre Ta Bulan Alfiero.”
My lips parted, ready to fire questions, but the hummingbird went on, saying, “Your presence is needed to restore the severed parental blood link of Calisto and Gillian.”
“What?” I mumbled as my chest filled with panic and alarm. Coldness swept into me, chilling the blood in my veins.
I could almost swear my heart sank to my stomach like a heavy stone brick, causing a tsunami to the liters of mead that I had drunk restlessly tonight.
I suddenly felt a bit lightheaded.
“Gallahan? Are you okay?” Maliya asked as she put a comforting hand on my back. “You’re looking a little pale. Maybe I should really just heal that wound-”
“No,” I said, taking a step back. “Sorry. No. I… I have to go.”
I swiftly turned around to leave, but Zuleika gripped my arm tightly and asked, “Go where, Gallahan?”
At the same time, the hummingbird spoke into my ear again, whispering, “Remember, think clearly of Willa and say Embre Ta Bulan Alfiero.”
And as soon as it was done giving the reminder, it popped into a twinkling rain of dust, which then vanished into nothing.
“I… I have to go. Willa needs me. My pups need me, Zee. I really have to go.”
“So all of a sudden? What’s gotten into you? Do you even know where to go?” Maliya chimed in.
“I do. A spiritual familiar appeared just now. It gave me a set of instructions. I…”
“Calm down, Gallahan,” Zuleika said as she eased her grip on me. “At least tell us everything first before you go bolting out of here.”
Beside her, Maliya nodded her agreement. She then said, “You mentioned a spiritual familiar. Do you think you can actually trust its mago? What if this is a ploy to lure you somewhere dangerous? Remember, we are in a territory where most people aren’t particularly fond of you.”
Restlessly, I mussed up my hair even further, then tugged at the strands harshly before letting go. “It was Willa’s friend, Mal. The woman with the short hair. The one with Calisto. The spiritual familiar was hers.”
This seemed to appease my best friends.
“And?” Maliya prodded. “What did she say that got you so worked up?”
I took a cautionary glance around, making sure that the people nearby were still giving us enough berth. Then I leaned closer and said, “The parental blood link with my pups was severed.”