Chapter 20
Kip sprinted through the crowd, veering around revelers and serving tables. At the bird sanctuary a gaggle of wig gets preened on their perches. When he hastened past, several ruffled their feathers.
“Minah, are you free?”
She toddled into view. “Master Wizard, why aren’t you enjoying the festivities?”
“May I borrow your fastest wiggets?”
“I’m sorry, Master Wizard. None are available.”
“But…” He twisted around. At least ten roosted on their posts. Two more birds landed and pecked at the ground by his feet. “What about these fellows?”
“They’ve just come off guard duty and need their rest. It pains me to deny you, but I must think of my charges, mustn’t I?”
“I could cast an invigorating spell on them.” He could if he remembered how it went. Was it ka-mee-ka-mah or ka-mah-ka-mee? The wrong way put the subject to sleep.
Minah’s shoulders stiffened. “I never allow spells here, Master Wizard. You know as well as I they are often unreliable and rarely last. What if my wig gets lost their strength mid-flight while they transported you?”
“What if we had four instead of three carry me?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You can’t spare four?”
“I’ve raised these darlings from hatchlings, Master Wizard. They’re like children to me. It’s my job to see they don’t overextend themselves, for their protection as well as their riders’.”
His heart pounded in his ears. Polo’s song had foretold danger, and Kip had promised to keep Winnie safe. She needed him. “Minah, please. The general’s life is in jeopardy.”
“Things can’t be as critical as that.”
He took a deep breath to calm his jangled nerves. “Queen Bogen took the general on the hunt. She plans to lose her.”
Minah’s pinched face broke into a smile. “I’ve heard that rumor as well, Master Wizard, but have no concerns. The oracle would never permit that. Besides, it’s my understanding that the queen’s council merely wish to frighten her.”
How could he believe a bird trainer? She spent all her time with wiggets. She couldn’t possibly know what went on in the castle.
“I need to see that she’s all right. Is there any other way I can follow her? Perhaps by palm cart?”
“I doubt you’ll find a palm hardy enough to pull a cart all the way up the mountain. The queen’s party always hunts in the high country.”
“Please, you’ve got to help. The wig gets can’t all be tired.”
She looked away, but not before he saw the guilt in her eyes.
He bent over her. “You’re keeping them from me on purpose. Why?”
She bowed her head.
“Did Zyke put you up to this?”
Her head snapped up. “I never take orders from him.”
“Then who do you take them from?”
She averted her eyes again.
He huffed. He paced away from her, then stomped back. “Minah, tell me.”
Nothing.
“Please?”
She slowly raised her eyes to meet his. “Our oracle.”
“Maggenta? That doesn’t even make sense. She’s supposed to be on our side.”
“Please, Master Wizard, it’s for your own safety.”
“I’ve got magic to keep me safe. Winnie doesn’t.”
The mel-yew trainer stood thinking for a long moment. “There is one possibility.”
“Anything.”
“We have older flyers living in the west forest.”
His muscles sizzled, anticipating the race to get there, but Minah wasn’t ready to let him go.
“After they’ve been in service for three years, wig gets are returned to the wild. They aren’t as strong as the young ones. Your cape should protect you from their talons. I recommend at least six to carry you.”
“Brilliant! Let’s call them!”
“You’ll need a special whistle.” The mel-yew trainer padded to her shed. He loped after her, hoping to speed things up. Inside, he followed her gaze to a silver whistle that hung from a high peg on the wall. He snatched it down before she raised her arm.
“This it?” He slipped the strap over his head. “I just give it a toot, and they’ll come?” He raised the whistle to his lips.
“Not here, Master Wizard! Gracious me, we’d have utter chaos if you called them here. No, it’s the west forest where you need to be.”
“Thanks.” Kip raced from the sanctuary. Despite the great distance to the west woods, he sprinted the whole way. Once his breathing slowed to normal, he blew into the whistle. No response. He tried three more times before one wig get with rumpled feathers landed at his feet.
“Where-to, where-to?”
He blew the whistle again. Two more elderly wig gets flew to him.
“How strong do you chaps feel today?”
“Where-to, where-to?” they chirped in unison.
“I appreciate your enthusiasm, but we need more.”
“Need-more, need-more.”
He puffed into the whistle eight more times. Only one other bird appeared. He looked grayer than the other three. “Is this it?”
“Where-to, where-to?”
“Looks like I’ll be needing that invigorating spell after all. Sorry, Minah,” he mumbled. He stretched his arms toward the birds. “Ka-mah-ka-mee.”
All four dropped over in a deep sleep.
“No!” Kip wailed at the sky.