Airily

by Shay Emms

  Airily worked long into the night, even after she told Fluppence to go to bed. The work would’ve gone faster if she’d gotten Witter to help, but that would’ve taken an

  apology she wasn’t ready for.

  It was midnight before Airily finally dropped into bed. Since she was already up so late, she considered waiting for Poppa, but she was too tired.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  A

  irily woke from an anxious dream, her heart pounding fast. She couldn’t remember the details and wasn’t eager to try. Instead, she lay curled in bed and took a deep breath, trying to slow her heart.

  With a gasp, she realized why she was so anxious. Poppa. Was he home yet? Airily jumped out of bed and ran to the main room. The kitchen was quiet; the table remained bare, with Poppa’s usual perch still vacant.

  Maybe he was sleeping. Airily went to Poppa’s room and knocked softly on the door made of Popsicle sticks. When there was no reply, she pushed it open. His nest was made—the patchwork blanket neatly folded in the center and the

  unused pillows still fluffed.

  Poppa could've gone straight to Black Burn with more

  information. She swallowed the burning acid rising at the back of her throat and went to the attic. Burn slept on her pile of towels, wings tucked at her sides—no Poppa in sight.

  The memory of her mother’s death rose—that fresh and terrible pain. It was happening again, only this time to Poppa, and Airily had no idea what to do.

  She landed next to Burn and shook her. “Burn. Wake up. Poppa’s not home.”

  Burn’s eyes snapped open. “Jay’s not back?” She sat up and stretched her wings. The crow winced; she wasn’t fully healed.

  “I have to find him! What if he’s dead, Burn?” Her voice broke and Airily gulped down her fears. “I have to tell

  Fluppence and Witter.”

  “Search the woods carefully. You should ask Josh to help. He can carry iron and help keep you safe.” Deep furrows creased the crow’s normally smug face.

  “I can fly–”

  “No.” Burn shook her head. “You’d have to fly high to stay out of danger, and you’d never spot Jay from that altitude.”

  “But I can fly faster than Josh can walk. Who cares about being safe?”

  “Your Poppa.” Burn put a hand on Airily’s shoulder. “What if Jay was only delayed negotiating with that old fart, Coyote, and you go and get nabbed by a cait sidhe?”

  “I can’t ask Josh to run around the woods. What if iron isn’t enough? He’d be in terrible danger.”

  “I’ll help you.” Josh peered down at them over the stack of boxes.

  Airily and Burn jumped.

  “I came up to show you these.” He held up a set of blackened fire pokers. “I don’t know where to get horseshoes, but these are made of iron.”

  “How long have you been listening?” Airily asked.

  “Long enough. Did something happen to your dad?”

  “Poppa Jay was supposed to come home last night, but he didn’t,” Burn said.

  Airily was grateful to her friend for explaining. She wasn’t sure how many more times she could say those words without crying.

  “I heard the plan. I said I’d help, and I meant it. Besides, that old fae knows where I live, so I’m already in danger,” Josh said.

  Airily frowned. She couldn’t argue with Josh’s logic, but she wasn’t sure she should accept his help. He was more

  ignorant of the fae than she was, and what if he got killed? She didn’t want to be responsible for someone’s death.

  “Take the help,” Burn told Airily. “He’s armed with the fire pokers. You won’t be defenseless.”

  Burn and Josh were right. She had no magic. The most iron she could carry and fly with was a nail, and they’d used up all those last night. Airily kicked at a wrinkle in the towel.

  “Alright, we’ll search together. Can you meet me in twenty minutes at the cherry tree?”

  Josh nodded. “I’ll be there. Don’t worry. We’ll get your dad back.”

  “What about your parents?” The mention of Poppa

  reminded Airily that Josh had a family of his own. “Won’t they be mad if you’re gone all day?”

  “I’ll tell them I’m going to explore the woods. They won’t mind as long as I’m prepared. I’ll pack my cell, a

  compass, and some lunch.”

  “Okay.” She leaned against the side of the box. Hopefully, this was the right decision. What would Poppa do?

  “Awesome,” Josh said. “Give me twenty minutes.” He clutched the fire pokers and skipped down the attic stairs.

  Once out of earshot, Burn said, “Good. Now you will be able to fly for it while the cait sidhe eats him.”

  “Burn!”

  “I’m kidding,” she said. “You’ll be better off with that much iron.”

  “He can’t bring the whole set of pokers.”

  “No, but one or two may make a real difference.”

  Burn’s attempt at humor was more appreciated than

  Airily was willing to admit. She felt better having some help and a plan.

  “You should go to Owlby’s first, Jay should have made it there, at least.” Burn jerked a thumb at the attic window. “Tell him what we’ve learned. There might be something he can do.”

  “Good idea.” Airily hoped the owl might have some

  magical way to look for Poppa too. “What about Josh?”

  “Owlby won’t mind,” Burn said.

  Airily knew the next thing to do was tell Fluppence and Witter that Poppa wasn’t home, but she didn’t want to face their reactions. She wasn’t sure she could hold herself

  together. Without another word, she left Burn and went back to her apartment. When she came in the door, Witter and Fluppence were already up. They looked at her, eyes wide and fearful.

  “Where’s Poppa?” Witter demanded.

  “Why isn’t he home?” Fluppence asked.

  Airily shook her head. “I don’t–”

  “Tell us,” Witter demanded. “Did something happen?”

  “He didn’t come home,” Airily whispered.

  “What do you mean?” Fluppence asked.

  “Me and Josh are going to search the woods.” Airily spoke to the floor. She couldn’t look at them.

  “Search the woods?” Witter squeaked. “Like, for his body?”

  “What? No.” Airily looked at her siblings. “Poppa’s alive, and we’re going to find him.”

  “How do you know?” Witter’s fear shone from his

  dark-circled eyes. “This is Momma all over again. What do we do if Poppa doesn’t come home?”

  “We don’t know anything, Witter,” Airily snapped.

  “Horrible things happen all the time,” he snarled. “Parents die.”

  She reeled back as if he’d slapped her. The truth echoed inside her mind. All the times he’d tattled on her finally made sense. He had wanted to keep her safe.

  “How dare you!” Fluppence screeched. She pushed her face into Witter's, eyes flashing, chin out-thrust.

  Witter stared back defiantly, fists clenched and ready. They were nose-to-nose and close to exploding. Airily stepped between them. Witter and Flup didn’t fight too often; when they did, they went at it like starving dogs fighting for food.

  “Witter! Go to your room right now,” Airily pointed down the hall, feathers vibrating with rage. She hated how sure he sounded that Poppa was dead; the fear was too close to her own.

  “Why me?”

  “Because I said so,” Airily said, too angry to spit out

  anything better. She always thought that was a dumb answer when Poppa said it, but now she understood how he must’ve felt all those times.

  “You don’t care! No one cares how I feel!” Witter fled to his room, shutting the cardboard door so hard it bent at the corners.

  Airily’s resentment toward her little
brother deflated, and dread bubbled up in its place. She had to save Poppa, no matter how dangerous. Airily shoved her feelings down as best she could, letting out a long, steadying breath. If she gave in to despair now, Poppa really was as good as dead.

  She turned to Fluppence. “I have to leave. It’ll be alright.” She didn’t quite believe her own words, but anything was better than giving up like Witter. “Stay here and take care of Black Burn.”

  Fluppence nodded solemnly. “Do you have any fairy

  repellants?”

  “Josh is bringing fire pokers.”

  “Remember everything I told you yesterday,” Fluppence said.

  “I will.” She was sure Josh would as well.

  “Do you really think Poppa’s out there?” Fluppence mumbled.

  “Yes,” Airily said with more conviction than she’d felt earlier. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back soon.”

  Airily dared a smile, and some of the fear eased from Fluppence’s face.

  Outside, the morning sunlight dazzled Airily as her eyes adjusted. How strange that a summer day should be so bright and perfect while such horrible things were happening.

  Josh stood under the tree with a backpack and two fire pokers hanging from the belt loops of his shorts. Airily landed on a low branch so that their eyes were level.

  “I’m ready,” she said.

  “Me too.” Josh rubbed the back of his neck and looked sheepish with his eyes downcast. “Um, I’ve been thinking.”

  “What?”

  “You could ride on my shoulder,” he blurted. “That way you could keep a lookout behind me and give me directions and stuff.”

  Airily gasped, shocked by the suggestion. “I’m not a pet parrot.”

  “I know,” Josh said. “I’m sorry. Burn said—”

  “Burn?” Airily cut him off. “Was she smiling when she suggested I ride on your shoulder?”

  “Yeah…”

  “Burn likes to mess with people. According to her, being a trickster is her nature.”

  “We should stay close to each other though. I don’t know where I’m going. What if the cait sidhe grabs one of us while we’re separated? Cats are stealthy ambush hunters.”

  Try as she might, Airily couldn’t come up with a good argument, other than it was an insult to sit on Josh’s

  shoulder. But her pride wouldn’t count for much if she was dead.

  She grunted. “I hate that.”

  “What?”

  “That stupid logic of yours.”

  Josh laughed. “Sorry, but my parents trained me.”

  “Well, it’s annoying,” Airily said. “And stupid Burn is right. You’re both right. I’ll ride on your shoulder. But you better not try to pet me,” she warned.

  Josh held one hand up and crossed his heart with the other. “I promise.”

  “Good.”

  Airily steeled herself, although she wasn’t sure what for, and flew to Josh’s shoulder. She almost expected an electric shock when she landed, but there was only the soft fabric of Josh’s T-shirt and a queasy sort of shame.

  Her claws gripped the fabric. Josh’s shoulder shook, and she bounced up and down. Airily looked at him to see what was wrong. He was trying hard not to laugh.

  “Don’t. You. Dare,” Airily said.

  Josh unleashed a brilliant grin. “This is so cool!”

  “Just start walking.” Airily pointed to the tree line beyond the unruly meadow grass. She fluffed herself, full of

  indignation. Thank goodness none of her family was around to see her.

  Josh took up an easy pace toward the trees. Balancing on his shoulder while standing in one place was one thing, but Airily nearly fell off twice before getting the rhythm of his stride down. She had to crouch lower but after a while held on easily.

  “Owlby’s place is northeast. He lives next to a wrecking yard just off the Road. We can cut through the woods to get there.”

  “I haven’t been in the woods yet.” Josh reached into his pocket, nearly upsetting Airily’s perch, and pulled out a

  compass. The needle pointed into the woods. “Can you give me some landmarks?”

  “Sure,” Airily said. “We’re headed north now. To the east is the Road. If we get separated, follow it home. The Road curves along the edge of the woods as far as I’ve flown.

  Further west are the deeper woods, where the other fae live, and a stream. If you go downstream, you’ll come to a town. That’s really far from the House—a day’s flight for us. I don’t know a lot about farther north, but Poppa says it’s mostly farms.” As Airily chattered, they entered the cooler shade of the trees which turned the sun rays into dappled shade.

  “I think I know that stream,” Josh said, voice hushed. “It goes through town, and we drove over a little bridge on our way here.”

  Airily nodded. “Probably. I’ve never been there.”

  “Never?” Josh asked, his voice barely a whisper.

  “Poppa says there are too many people.”

  “Oh, yeah. I wonder if any fae live in town,” he

  murmured.

  “Maybe,” Airily said. She was about to ask why Josh was whispering when she heard it herself—the chilling silence—no birdsong, no chatter of squirrels, no conversations from the mockingbird fae. Only Josh’s footsteps and the occasional furtive rustle from the underbrush disturbed the quiet. The cait sidhe was here, somewhere.

  “It shouldn’t be this quiet,” Josh muttered. He freed one of the fire pokers from his belt loop. The poker had a sharp point and fearsome looking hook at the end.

  “It’s got to be the cat.”

  “Weird. I feel like I’m being pushed down. I wonder how it does that. Magnetic waves maybe…”

  “Fl– my sister, said to whistle.” Airily hoped she caught the name in time. It was harder not to use names than she thought it would be.

  Josh puckered his lips; all that came out was a faint wheeze. “I don’t think I can. My mouth is all dry.”

  Airily had a library of whistles, but fear drove them out of her head. She gulped. The panic was a palpable force—stronger than the last pocket of silence she’d hit, which had been unnerving. Airily wiped sweat from her brow.

  “Hang on,” Josh warned.

  He reached behind and pulled a water bottle from its mesh pocket on the side of his backpack. Airily clung to his shirt, gripping the collar for extra support. Josh took a sip and swished the water around his mouth before swallowing. He puckered up again, and this time a thin, high note rang out, breaking the silence. He whistled tunelessly for a minute before settling on something that could generously be called melodic.

  The whistling broke the spell. Airily’s fear eased and Josh’s shoulders relaxed. After a minute, she felt brave enough to add her own trilling song to his.

  “You whistle great,” Josh said.

  “Thanks.” The forest sounds came back. “I think we’re

  alright for now,” she whispered. “Keep looking for Poppa.”

  “What does he look like?”

  “To you, he’ll look like a house sparrow, unless—” Airily choked on the words, then swallowed and went on. “Unless he's really hurt, or you get close enough. Poppa has chestnut hair with spiky bangs and dresses in brown and gray. His feathers are darker than mine.”

  Josh and Airily scanned the trees and ground. She

  whistled the show me and all clear whistles, hoping for a reply, but none came. With each passing minute, Airily’s already fragile hopes withered. Two people could only search a

  narrow swath of what seemed like endless wilderness.

  “Veer left,” Airily said. They were getting a little off course, more focused on the search for Poppa than getting to Owlby’s.

  “Are you sure?” Josh checked his compass and stopped in his tracks. Airily was jolted forward.

  “No way,” Josh muttered.

  “What is it?” Airily looked
around. The silence was back, and she hadn’t even noticed. Now that she did, an oppressive fear came with it.

  “The compass shouldn’t act like this,” Josh answered in a whisper.

  He held the compass up to Airily. The needle was jittery, swinging back and forth instead of steadily pointing north.

  “Hang on,” Josh said. He put the fire poker down and took off his backpack. Airily dodged the wide strap. She

  fluttered, hovering in the air, beside Josh.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Turning my shirt around. This is weirding me out.”

  “Good idea.” Airily landed on a nearby branch and

  unbuttoned her vest. She turned it around and put it on backward, sticking her arms through the wing holes and her wings through the armholes.

  Josh’s T-shirt looked uncomfortable; backward, the neck hole rode up and the sleeves bunched around his armpits. But he didn’t complain as he put his backpack on. Airily alighted on Josh’s shoulder. All shameful thoughts gone, she was grateful to have someone with her.

  “Ignore the compass, and go right,” Airily said in Josh’s ear. He nodded.

  The further east they went, the better it felt. The air

  lightened and even the sun seemed brighter.

  “The compass is right again,” Josh said. “Only powerful electromagnetic fields should interfere with it.”

  “It must be magic,” Airily said. “Strong magic. The cat thingy must be trying to find us.” Airily shivered and Josh did the same.

  “I’m sorry,” she told him. “I didn’t mean to put you in danger. None of this should’ve happened. If you hadn’t seen me, you wouldn’t be out here. This is all my stupid fault.”

  “Stop it,” Josh said, voice rising a little. “My parents

  always say everyone does dumb stuff, but what you do isn’t who you are. Just because you’ve made some mistakes lately doesn’t mean you’re stupid.”

  Airily shook her tail feathers, surprised by Josh’s words. She’d never thought of it like that. Her fight with Witter came to mind; maybe she’d been too hard on him. He’d just voiced his darkest fears.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “Even if I’d never met you, I’d be in danger. That cat would still know where I live, and I would never have fairy-proofed the house without you. The cat might not get in the house, but if I was outside, if it was hungry…” He shivered. “It’s better to know what might be coming after you.”