Lilja soars through the sky, her silvery scales glinting in the sun. She’s already grown so much since I first met her a few weeks ago, but she’s still smaller than the adult dragons. Even so, Ari and I have to take a few steps back to leave her plenty of space as she swings in for a landing, her batlike wings outstretched. Her feet thud against the ground, and I duck as her right wing arcs toward me.
“Good morning, Lilja,” Ari says, already reaching into his pocket for some bilberries. Lilja spins eagerly toward him, and he tosses a few berries into her waiting jaws.
“Spoiled dragon,” I mutter. “We’ve got to stop feeding you so many treats.”
She huffs at me, then lowers her snout toward Ari, seeking out more of the delicious fruit.
We finally manage to distract her from berries long enough to hop onto her back, and we use our gifts to guide Lilja into the air and direct her to follow Seeker Freyr’s dragon. By now she’s used to this routine, and she flies straight over the mountains and into the Realm without much coaxing.
The phoenix nests are in the volcanic area, not far from the Valley of Ash. But we aim instead for the low valleys at the southernmost tip of the region, where the warmest climate in the Realm suits phoenixes just fine.
Seeker Freyr lands in the ashy fields, and Lilja follows suit, snuffing contentedly at the ground. The volcanic region is home turf for a dragon, even if they don’t usually wander this far south.
Seeker Freyr surveys the landscape surrounding us. “We’ll begin here,” he says, and leads the way across the ash-covered ground.
The tricky thing about tracking phoenixes is… Well, everything about tracking them is tricky. They don’t like company, and they build their nests in secluded crevasses of these volcanic valleys, where the heat is trapped between the rocks and they can pile the ash into their nests. They don’t leave many traces of their presence behind, so they’re hard to spot unless you know where to look.
“Where are we headed, Seeker?” I ask, having to jog to keep up with his long strides.
“South,” he says without looking at me. “To the Mount Hekla colony.”
“Good idea,” I say. It’s the biggest group of phoenixes, and the easiest to find. If the plague has entered this region at all, we’ll probably see it there.
Seeker Freyr doesn’t respond.
The mountains rise higher on every side as we trudge through the valley, ash caking under our boots. The south-facing side of Mount Hekla is the most likely place to find phoenix nests—it’s got dozens of little pockets and craters along its edges that make perfect nesting places.
“Should we split up?” I ask. “We have a lot of nests to check.”
Seeker Freyr considers for a moment, then nods. “You may check for nests individually, but do not go too far. We’ll work our way around the base of the mountain and meet back here. Do not wander. Understood?”
We nod.
“And keep your dragon here,” he says, with a curt nod to Lilja, who’s snuffling at the ground behind Ari. “If any of the phoenixes are already ill, you don’t want to expose her.”
I have to admit, I didn’t think about that. I suppose there are some benefits to having an experienced Seeker with us. We give Lilja the signal to stay put—which she usually obeys, if she feels like it—and then take separate paths around the base of the mountain, looking for telltale signs of nests.
I spot the first one after only a minute or two, the briarwood twigs poking out of a tiny gap between the rocks. I peek in and find an empty nest. No eggs, no phoenixes.
Which seems… odd. Summer is hatching season, so I’d expect to find the phoenix parents here with their chicks, guarding over them and storing up supplies for the winter hibernation. Maybe this is just an older nest, though.
I trudge on and find a second nest tucked into a crevasse below my feet. Getting down on my hands and knees, I peek in, only to see another empty nest. No eggs here, either. I do find a stray phoenix feather stuck on one of the branches and tuck it into my pocket immediately, but there are no other signs that the phoenixes have recently been here.
I check another nest, and another, and another. The same thing happens—they’re all empty. Aside from the occasional stray feather, there’s no sign that they were here at all.
I meet up with Ari at the spot where we started, and one look at his face tells me that he saw exactly the same thing.
“They’re gone,” I say. “It’s like they just… disappeared.”
“Maybe the colony moved?” he asks. “Found a different place to prep for hibernation?”
I frown. “I didn’t think phoenixes migrated like that.”
Ari nods. “Or maybe something about the climate here changed? Or there’s a new predator hunting them in the area?”
“I don’t know. This doesn’t sound like how they usually behave.”
At that moment, Seeker Freyr reappears, trudging toward us. “Did either of you find anything?”
“No,” I say.
“They have moved,” he says heavily. He glances up at the sky, as if hoping the answer will be written there. After a moment, he turns back to us, and at the sight of the sorrow on his face, I swallow back all of my questions.
“We must warn the others,” he says.
In heavy silence, we return to the dragons and leave the Realm.
* * *
The Council of Seekers usually meets only once a week, but given the circumstances, I’m not surprised to find that the others are already sitting in Seeker Larus’s hut when Ari and I arrive, having left Lilja at Dragon’s Point.
“I checked the central forests,” Seeker Larus begins, offering all of us tea. “No sign of the plague there.”
Seeker Ludvik nods. “I reinforced all of the boundaries surrounding the quarantined area. I believe it will hold, for a time. No creatures will be getting in or out.”
Seeker Larus glances at Freyr. “And the phoenixes?” he asks.
“They’re gone,” I blurt. “We found dozens of nests where the Hekla colony used to be, but aside from a few feathers, there’s no sign of them. No chicks in the nests, no food stores, nothing. It’s like they’ve disappeared.”
The older Seekers glance sharply at each other, and for a moment no one speaks.
“Do you know what that means?” I ask. “What happened to them?”
“It’s rare for an entire colony of phoenixes to relocate into new nests,” Seeker Larus says quietly. “When it happens, it means they’ve sensed some kind of threat. I’ve known it to happen only once before.”
“The plague,” Ari says, and Seeker Larus nods.
“They kept moving north last time,” Seeker Ludvik explains, “until they could go no farther, due to the climate. We managed to keep most of the phoenixes safe during the quarantine, because they relocated themselves.”
“It’s like they knew,” Seeker Freyr says quietly. “And if they’ve done it again…”
“The plague may not be as contained as we thought,” Seeker Larus says gravely.
“Could they be sensing the presence of the plague by the cliffs?” Ari asks. “They’re not that far apart.”
“It’s possible,” Seeker Larus says, but he doesn’t sound convinced.
Seeker Freyr nods. “We’ll need to locate them. Make sure none of the birds have been infected yet.”
“They’ve likely moved north,” Seeker Ludvik replies. “I remember where they went last time. I will go now and check it out.”
“I’ll go with you,” Seeker Larus says, rising from his seat.
“What can we do?” I ask, leaping up.
“You’ve done good work today,” Seeker Larus says. “I suggest you rest up. We’ll need to continue checking on all of the Realm’s creatures to make sure that none have been infected. Perhaps you can accompany one of us again tomorrow.”
They continue discussing strategy for a couple of minutes, but it’s almost as if Ari and I aren’t even in the room.
“They just keep telling us where to go, but they don’t tell us anything significant, and they don’t ask us for our opinions,” I say irritably.
“I did notice it more this time,” Ari admits. “But I’m sure they’re just… stressed.”
“We all are,” I say. “That’s no excuse for ignoring us. We’re Seekers too.”
“Well, at least they let us look for the phoenixes.”
“It isn’t enough,” I say. “Tonight I’m going to talk to Runa again. We can’t forget about the gyrpuffs who are sick right now.”
“Bryn,” Ari says. He stops walking, forcing me to look him in the eye. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to sneak into the Realm again.”
“I’ll be fine on my own, and—”
He shakes his head, his curls flying. “Don’t. You’ve already gotten us in enough trouble by breaking the rules the first time.”
“I—”
“Promise,” he insists.
I study him for a moment. He’s not going to budge on this.
But neither am I.
“Fine,” I say stiffly. “I promise.”
Ari doesn’t need his empathy gift to know it’s a lie.
SEVEN
I planned to talk to Runa about the potion tonight, but Mama ruins everything.
“Absolutely not,” she says when I start to leave the hut after dinner. “This wandering about at all hours is unacceptable. An emergency is one thing, but two nights in a row? I don’t think so.”
“But, Mama, it’s—”
“Don’t argue with me, Brynja.”
“Mama,” I protest, “I’m a Seeker now! And this is about the Realm, and it’s important. I promise!”
She puts her hands on her hips, which means I’m about to get lectured. “Seeker or not,” she says, “the rules haven’t changed. You’re still a child, and your papa and I will decide what’s best for you. I’ve been lenient with some of this Seeker business, but no twelve-year-old daughter of mine will go gallivanting around the village at all hours of the night, no matter how ‘important’ she thinks she is.”
There’s absolutely no arguing with Mama when she’s in one of these moods. “Papa,” I call, trying to get his attention. Surely he’ll be on my side, at least.
“Listen to your mama, Bryn,” Papa calls from the bedroom.
“But that isn’t fair! The other Seekers don’t have to get approval from their mothers to do their jobs.”
Mama’s eyebrows rise. Another bad sign. “I am quite certain that Seeker Ari’s mother makes him obey her rules,” she says. “And the other Seekers may be fully grown adults now, but I’m sure they listened to their mothers when they were younger. Now come help with the dishes.”
“But it’s Elisa’s turn!”
“Would you like to do tomorrow’s breakfast dishes too? Keep arguing and see where that gets you.”
I sigh.
After I do all of the dinner dishes, help Mama fold the laundry, and promise five times that I’ll return home before dark, Mama finally gives me permission to leave. I rush out of the hut before she comes up with any more chores for me.
Runa doesn’t look surprised by my arrival. She’s finishing her chores in the stable, tending to her horse, Starlight.
“Please tell me you changed your mind,” she says as I walk in, the smell of hay filling my nose.
“When have I ever changed my mind about anything?”
“True. I knew you’d stick with this ridiculous plan. I was just hoping maybe Ari talked you out of it or came up with something better.”
I raise my eyebrows indignantly. “You think Ari is the one who comes up with the good plans?”
“Well, it definitely isn’t you. Every plan you’ve ever come up with has been dangerous or reckless or—”
“Okay, okay. Not all of my decision-making has been successful in the past,” I concede, giving Starlight a pet. “But the other Seekers are refusing to come up with any alternatives, so we’ve got to do this. But I have good news!”
Runa looks skeptical.
Quickly I tell her what Seeker Larus said about the potion they concocted before, and how close it came to working. As I talk, Runa starts to look slightly more hopeful.
“That’s a start, at least,” she says finally. “But it could be missing several ingredients, not just one. Who knows what the right combination is to fight off this mystery plague.”
“But it’s already so close, according to Seeker Larus,” I say. “I’m sure you can figure it out in no time.”
Runa bites her lip. “But I don’t have any of those ingredients, Bryn. Where am I going to get them?”
“I already have some starflowers, and I can find figroses in the Realm. Why not just ask the herbalist for the rest?”
“Mountain avens are expensive,” Runa protests. “I don’t have anything I could trade that would get as many as we’d need to experiment properly.”
“But Elder Ingvar loves you,” I point out, rubbing Starlight’s nose. “Why don’t you ask him if you can help out in his shop in exchange for whatever you need?”
“But how will I explain why I need it? You said the plague has to be a secret. I can’t tell anyone what we’re doing or why.”
I brush a loose curl behind my ear, giving it some thought. “You still want to be a doctor, right?”
Runa shrugs. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Tell Elder Ingvar that! Tell him you want to convince the doctor to take you on as an apprentice, and you’re trying to prove how much you know about healing by coming up with new cures. He should be thrilled, since it will benefit his business too.”
Runa brushes a stalk of hay off her skirt, considering. “I’ll talk to him,” she says finally. “But that’s all I can promise. I don’t know when or if I’ll be able to make this potion—and that’s not considering that we have no idea what else to put in it.”
“Actually, I had a thought about that.” I slide a phoenix feather from my pocket and hold it up. “Got this from the Realm today. Think it’ll do?”
Runa’s eyes widen. “Of course!” she says. “Phoenixes are regenerative. It’s some of the most powerful healing magic in the world! Surely that could…” She trails off, her eyes sparkling.
I grin and hand her the feather. “Let’s try it and see if it works. Make the potion as soon as you can, and let me know when it’s done.”
Runa sighs again. “Sure, boss.”
My smile widens. “Did I mention you’re the best?”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m well aware.”
* * *
A figure waits for me in the garden when I return home.
I expect it to be Mama, scolding me for returning after dark, or Papa, wanting to tell me something. But it’s a yellow light that illuminates the garden bench.
Ari.
His gift sinks back into his fingers as I approach, the yellow glow fading. “I’ve been thinking,” he says without preamble.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper.
“Don’t worry. Your parents know I’m here. I already asked them if I could wait for you,” he says.
My eyebrows lift. Mama doesn’t usually let me have visitors after dark. I guess she takes Ari seriously as a Seeker, at least.
“So what were you thinking about?” I ask, settling onto the bench beside him. His dark-brown eyes are barely visible in the fading light.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said, about finding potion ingredients.”
“Right…”
“Well, you know what lives in the northern forests that could be really useful to us.”
It takes me a moment too long to catch on. “You mean icefoxes?” I say, my mouth falling open.
“Of course. If we’re going to need an ingredient for the potion, who better to help us find it than icefoxes?”
He’s right, and I
can’t believe I didn’t think of this before. One of an icefox’s magical characteristics is that they have a perfect sense of direction and can guide someone to any place they’ve ever been. When Seekers have difficulty locating a rare plant or creature in the northern forests, they often use icefoxes as guides. Some even venture far enough south to provide direction through some of the Realm’s other territories.
“But what should we ask the icefox to help us find?” I ask.
“Whatever we want,” Ari says. “Have any ideas about what might cure this plague? Something rare that the Seekers wouldn’t have tried the first time?”
“No idea,” I say. “I already thought about using phoenix feathers in a potion, since they’re such good healers.”
“That’s a great idea!” Ari says. “Did you tell Seeker Larus?”
I shake my head. “He doesn’t listen to me, Ari. None of them do.”
“So what’s your plan? Don’t tell me you’re still thinking of making the potion yourself and going into the Realm alone.”
“Of course not.” It isn’t entirely a lie—I’m planning to have Runa make the potion. But Ari picks up on the deception anyway, his eyes narrowing. Stupid empathy gift.
“I’m just going to have Runa help me,” I say quickly. “Once that’s done, we’ll take the potion to Seeker Larus and talk to the Council about how to safely test it.”
Ari considers this for a moment, then nods.
“And your idea is good too,” I say. “Let’s both try to think of some other ingredients that might work for the potion, and then we can find an icefox who can lead us to them.”
“Tall order,” Ari says. “These things are rare for a reason. We don’t even know if we can find an icefox, let alone one who can guide us to what we want.”
“But it’s worth a try,” I say. “Anything’s worth a try if it will stop this plague.”
Ari nods. “All right.”
“So… Do you want to go tonight?”
Ari’s eyes widen. “We’re not supposed to—”
“I know what we’re not supposed to do. But the Seekers will never let us do it ourselves, and besides, we don’t have any time to waste. Why not go tonight?”
Legend of the Realm Page 7