Airily

by Shay Emms

  “Yeah,” Airily said. More indisputable logic from Josh. If Burn hadn’t been so wounded, she could’ve made it to Owlby’s for help, instead of leading the cait sidhe to Josh’s. But that was a what-if, not reality, and it didn't matter now.

  “Hurry,” Airily said pointing forward, relieved they’d

  almost reached the edge of the woods.

  Josh picked up his pace and jogged out of the trees. Sunlight warmed her and Airily smiled. She felt lighter than she had since leaving home. They’d made it, alive and intact. Owlby’s ancient oak tree leaned on the chain link fence of the wrecking yard. Airily had never been so overjoyed to see it. Josh sighed and let out a soft chuckle.

  “There it is. Ow–er, Mr. O’s house.”

  Airily flew to the low hanging branch of Owlby’s front stoop. Josh joined her, looking up at the huge tree. The branch was so heavy it sagged toward the ground without touching it.

  “I can’t fit inside.” Josh’s brows knit, and he eyed the

  surrounding woods. He clenched the handle of the fire poker. “I have to wait out here? Alone?”

  “Maybe not. Let’s see what Mr. O says.” Airily hopped along the branch to the knotted hollow and knocked on the tree trunk.

  Josh leaned close to the tree examining the bark. He touched the moss growing on the trunk. Under other circumstances, Airily would’ve laughed. Even through the fear, Josh’s dark eyes shined with curiosity.

  The tree hollow faded and a front door appeared. Josh gasped.

  “Is that for real?”

  “The door is. The hollow is a disguise.”

  Josh reached, but before his fingers made contact, the door opened.

  “Who?” Owlby’s round eyes grew larger as he saw the human boy behind Airily. “Who? Who? Who!”

  She thought he’d slam the door in her face, but he didn’t. Owlby cocked his head and fixed Airily with an unblinking stare.

  “Hi,” Airily said. “Sorry to bring a human here. But our friend crow said it’d be fine.” She fingered Burn for the blame right away. Owlby didn’t seem mad though. In a curiosity contest, he would tie with Josh for first place.

  “Who?”

  “My name is Jo–”

  “Shh!” Owlby put a finger over his mouth. His eyes

  focused on the world behind Airily and Josh. “Something dire has happened, yes? Wait here a moment. Keep your backs to my tree and your iron ready.”

  Airily opened her mouth to ask more, but the door closed in her face.

  Josh pulled out the second poker and turned to watch the woods.

  “I like your owl,” Josh said.

  “He’s not mine. He’s a friend,” Airily said.

  “He didn’t seem too scared of me.”

  “He’s the oldest fae in the woods, and he’s a native.”

  “Native? Native species or indigenous person?”

  “Umm, both?” Airily assumed Josh meant the First

  Nations, the tribes of North America who were here even before the name. “I'm not sure I can answer that. He’s a Great Horned Owl, and he’s been here since before the Europeans came. You'd have to ask Mr. O yourself. He doesn't talk about the past much.”

  “If he was here before the colonizers that would make him hundreds of years old.”

  “Our mutual crow friend is really old too.”

  The front door opened again. “Come here, young one.” Owlby twisted his neck to check the woods once more,

  before waving Josh forward.

  Owlby held up a floral porcelain saucer with a brown lump in the center. “Eat this and you’ll shrink enough to fit into my house.”

  “That’s not possible.” Josh eyed the dish.

  “You doubt my potion-making skills?” Owlby drew himself up to his full height, feathers ruffling.

  “He doesn’t believe in magic,” Airily said.

  “I know you guys believe in magic, but it’s just not

  scientifically possible to shrink a human.”

  Owlby blinked and said, “Then I guess you stay out here. We’ll be as quick as possible, but I can’t vouch for your safety.”

  “Just eat the…” Airily squinted at the dish. “Whatever it is. If you don’t shrink, you don’t shrink. What have you got to lose?”

  Josh scuffed his feet in the grass. “Alright. But don’t be too disappointed when nothing happens.”

  Owlby sniffed. “And don’t be too shocked when my

  potion works perfectly.”

  Josh set down a poker and took the plate from Owlby, holding it under his nose and sniffing. “Smells meaty. What is it?”

  “Roasted mouse,” Owlby said, chest inflating with

  culinary pride.

  Josh’s face froze. “A what?”

  “Roasted mouse,” Owlby said. “Stuffed with magical herbs and spices, sauced with a special potion.”

  “And you just happen to have this lying around?”

  “I keep a few extra for Mr. Coyote when he comes

  calling.” Owlby shrugged. “Oh, and don’t mind the bones. Mouse bones are soft and small and add a wonderful crunch.”

  “Okay. I’m really going to do this,” Josh said, voice tight. He took a long, deep breath, trying to work up the nerve.

  “It’s well done, right?” Josh asked, hand hovering over the plate.

  “Oh, yes. Should be nice and crispy.”

  Very slowly, as if afraid it would bite, Josh picked up the mouse by the tail. “I can see its face,” he said. In Josh’s palm, the cooked rodent looked like little more than a mouthful.

  “Just eat it,” Airily said. At this rate, it would take longer to eat the mouse than it had taken to trek to Owlby’s tree.

  Josh frowned at it. He shut his eyes and popped the whole thing into his mouth. He chewed fast, face contorting from disgust, to horror, and finally relief. His eyes stayed scrunched shut the entire time.

  After a single dry heave, the mouse stayed down. Josh opened his eyes. “Whew. I did it. Wait, do I have to eat

  another one to get big again?”

  “Oh, no. A liquid potion will do just fine,” Owlby said.

  “Well, why did I—”

  The mouse began to work.

  “No, no, no!” Josh cried as he shrank. Eyes wild, he

  frantically patted himself down in disbelief then clutched at the tree trunk as he grew smaller.

  “Get on the branch,” Airily told him. Otherwise, he’d have to scale the tree trunk.

  Josh scrambled onto Owlby’s front porch. His clothes and backpack shrank with him, but not the fire pokers. They ripped from his shrinking belt loops and hit the ground. Thunk, thunk!

  “This can’t be happening,” Josh squeaked as he clung to the tree branch, fingers digging into the moss and bark.

  “It’s okay,” Airily said. “You stopped shrinking.”

  “I shouldn’t have shrunk at all!” He shook his head and refused to open his eyes.

  “I told you it would work,” Owlby said and patted Josh’s shoulder.

  He flinched at the touch. “Magic’s not real.”

  “I told you it was,” Airily said.

  “Come now, we need to get inside,” Owlby said.

  Slowly, Josh stood. He gaped at the tree, Airily, and Owlby. Josh now stood about twelve inches high—taller than Airily but half Owlby’s height.

  “Inside, now. Away from eyes and ears that shouldn’t be here.”

  With an elbow to the knee, Airily got Josh moving. Owlby held the door for him as he staggered in.

  “This must be a dream or something.” Josh stood just

  inside the door, wide-eyed, his hungry gaze taking everything in.

  Owlby locked the door and turned to Josh. “It certainly is not.”

  Airily pinched his calf sharply.

  “Ow!”

  “Still think you’re dreaming?” She asked.

  “A ha
llucination, maybe?” Josh whispered, not sounding too convinced.

  “Call it whatever you want, but remember why we’re here,” Airily said.

  “Right,” Josh said.

  “And why are you here?” Owlby asked.

  “It’s Poppa. Have you seen him?”

  “He was here last night, reporting that a powerful fae

  attacked Black Burn.”

  “Poppa didn’t come home last night, and we know what kind of fae is stalking the forest,” Airily told him.

  Owlby’s golden eyes fixed on her and Josh. “Who? What?”

  “We think it’s a cait sidhe,” Josh said.

  “Burn knows why the sidhe is here but can’t tell us. She said you’d know too,” Airily added.

  “Hurry, downstairs.” Owlby led them double-time downstairs to his study and hustled them inside.

  Airily flew to the chair opposite Owlby’s desk and stood on the seat. Josh climbed the chair leg and hoisted himself up. He sat next to Airily while Owlby settled behind the desk.

  “Tell me everything.” Owlby scribbled notes quickly, pencil never leaving the paper.

  “Didn’t Poppa tell you this yesterday?” Airily asked.

  “Some of it, yes,” Owlby answered.

  Airily and Josh filled Owlby in on all the details they’d discovered since Poppa left.

  “You’ve done well investigating on your own,” Owlby

  replied.

  “Do you have any idea where Poppa is now?” Airily asked.

  Owlby shook his head and shut his eyes for a moment. “I think I know what Burn cannot tell you. It’s because of her oath,” Owlby said, eyes popping wide open. “Years ago,

  before the gates to the Fairy Lands closed, the Crow Clan stole a treasure hoard from a great Seelie Lord. “Some of the hoard the crows ransomed back, but they kept the most

  powerful items—about two dozen enchanted silver pieces. The Crow Clan assigned various members guardianship of the remaining treasure.

  “As years went by, some of the pieces were well kept, while others were lost along with their guardians. When the Old World fae retreated behind the gates the threat was gone.

  “Black Burn inherited guardianship of one of the silver pieces from her parents. If there is a sidhe fae in the woods, then that enchanted silver is probably its goal.”

  “It's here to steal it back?” Airily asked.

  “Whoever the crows stole it from may have come to

  collect,” Owlby said.

  “But can’t you get rid of the sidhe? You’re the strongest fae there is.” Airily gestured at the books on the wall, the

  familiar sense of magic tingling her fingertips.

  Owlby gave a cold, humorless laugh. “I was thinking to do just that until you told me it was a cait sidhe. I can’t match the power of a noble fae fresh from beyond the gates. A long, long time ago, I could’ve, but not now.”

  “Then what chance do we have?” The owl had been

  Airily’s only hope, and now that was crumbling. “And what about Poppa?”

  “Don’t give up,” Josh said. “We’ll get the treasure from Burn. If the silver is that powerful, maybe we can use it against the cait sidhe.”

  “How would we even know how to use it?” Airily snapped. “Sorry,” she muttered when she saw Josh’s wounded look. She hated how much she sounded like Witter.

  Josh reached over to pat Airily on the back. She flinched at his touch, and he let his hand drop.

  “Sorry,” she whispered again.

  Josh shrugged. “Still not used to humans, huh?”

  “Yeah,” she said.

  “Yesterday I told Jay I would help,” Owlby assured her. “I prepared some items for him to pick up today. Wait here and don’t touch anything.” He left them in the study.

  Josh craned his neck to get a better view of the bookshelves. “What’s with all the books?”

  “This is Owlby’s magical library.”

  “Magic books? Can we come back when this is over? I have to find out how it all works.”

  “You’ll have to bargain with Owlby. But be careful, all promises are binding.”

  “Oh, my—” Josh’s voice choked off. “Our promise—you said it was binding too. Death curses are for real?”

  “I told you it was.”

  “Yeah but…”

  Josh had no reply for her. She watched doubt and belief warring on his face.

  “Dang!” Josh said at last. “How is any of this possible?” He gazed longingly at the shelves, eyes lit with renewed interest. “Real magic…”

  “He won't loan them out, but you can ask Owlby to let you read them. Just don’t promise him anything you can’t deliver.”

  He adjusted his glasses as he sized up the bookshelves. “That would mean eating a lot more mice.” His face screwed up in distaste. “I'll have to think about that for a while.”

  “Here we are,” Owlby announced, carrying a collection of glass bottles and vials.

  “What’s all that?” Airily asked.

  “The best I could do on short notice.” Glass clinked as Owlby set the bottles on the desk one at a time. “These are potions and repellants for fae of every kind.”

  A spark of hope rekindled inside Airily.

  “Some are pretty simple.” He held up a glass vial filled with orange liquid and stopped with a cork. “This is just

  water and shaved iron from the scrap yard.” He gestured at the other vials.

  “Throw one at the cait sidhe.” Owlby mimed a toss. “The glass will shatter, showering that old fae with iron-rich

  water.”

  “This is an herbal repellant. I found the recipe in one of my books, but it’s untested.” He picked up a glass jar next. The liquid inside was green and thick, beads clung to the glass

  Airily shivered and squirmed in her seat. “I can feel that one from here,” she said. “No way am I touching it.”

  “Yes.” Owlby frowned. “The problem is it repels all

  fairies. So be careful.” Owlby shuddered and shook out his feathers. “Josh will have to carry them.”

  “Won’t you come with us? We can’t fight its magic alone,” Airily said.

  “I’m sorry, Airily. I must stay and defend my house. If I leave, the cait sidhe will seize it and suck the magic from my collections. It may have gained a good bit of power from Burn's house if she left anything magical lying around.” Owlby sighed and sat on a corner of his desk. He stared at the floor, unblinking.

  Minutes passed, and Josh looked to Airily. “What’s he

  doing?”

  “Shh! Let him think.”

  Josh shifted, angling himself toward the bookshelves while they waited and waited. Airily was familiar with Owlby’s odd habits. The owl blinked off-time and stood up. Josh snapped back to attention.

  “I think the cait sidhe’s power was diminished when it crossed over. Opening the Gate would take tremendous power, as would traveling. Either way when the sidhe arrived here, it must have been hungry. Not just for food but for power. Power it could get from the souls of animals.”

  “The dead birds,” Airily said.

  “Yes. But those wouldn’t have been enough to fully

  restore its magic. Consuming Burn's magic could bring the cait sidhe back to its full power, just as my house could, or Burn's artifact. If I’m wrong about what it’s here for…well, I’m afraid we’ll find out soon enough.”

  “Oh,” Airily whispered. Anger and disappointment stormed inside her. She needed Owlby's help. But she

  shuddered at the thought of the sidhe growing stronger.

  “Don’t worry,” Josh said. “Burn can get us the silver piece and maybe we can use it against the cat. We have iron and science too. Something is bound to defeat it.”

  “But what happened to Poppa? He could be dead.”

  Owlby held up a finger. “I might be able to answer that question f
rom here.” He sat down behind the desk and rooted through several drawers. Finally, he produced a folded piece of paper and a crystal on a string.

  “There we are,” he said as if everything had been

  explained.

  “I know what this is.” Josh raised his hand. “I saw one on TV.”

  “What?” Airily watched as Owlby unfolded and flattened a map that covered the entire desktop. The map was hand drawn and showed the whole neighborhood for miles around.

  “The crystal is called a pendulum, and you can use it to find things or even predict the future,” Josh said. “But it's not a scientifically proven method.”

  Owlby studied Josh with a steady yellow gaze. “The young human is correct. I use this to find things. Normally printing materials or people to interview. It’s a great time saver.”

  If everyone lived through this, Airily vowed to come back and ask Owlby to teach her some magic. Even if she had no natural talent for it, she still wanted to learn.

  The crystal point swung gently over the map. The owl closed his eyes, his right eyelid shutting seconds after the left. The pendulum rotated in a lazy circle. Owlby’s brow knotted and his lips pursed. Josh inched closer to the desk; his eyes were round and eager for a better view.

  “Is it working?” Airily expected the pendulum to point somewhere on the map—an area she and Josh could search. But the pendulum swung aimlessly.

  “I don’t know.” Owlby’s eyes opened, round pupils shrinking and enlarging again. “I should be able to find Jay, even if he’s dead.”

  “Then where is he?” Airily leaped onto the desk, as if a closer look would reveal Poppa’s location. She stamped her foot in frustration, tearing a hole in the map with her sharp claws.

  “I know you’re upset, but my map has done nothing to you,” Owlby said.

  Her hands balled into fists and Airily crossed her arms. “Sorry,” she said, without meaning it. Owlby’s map was the least of her concerns. She fluttered back to the chair.

  “I understand your fear, and I’m sorry for it. I don't know what to tell you though. Jay is… gone. Vanished from this realm. It should be impossible, but there are pockets between the Fair Lands and the human world. If Jay is there, I cannot find him.”