Misti and the Dragon Egg

Into Juniu’s free hand grew a spark, and the spark extended into a holy staff that he firmly held. He stared into Misti’s eyes one last time before striking his assailants.

“His name was Korlel,” Juniu said decisively. “He was one of the first warriors of Ailura.”

That was information she had absolutely no use for, but Misti had to go on with it. She had to find a way to use it. She turned around, ready to hurry out of the tower.

Juniu turned his back to her. “Don’t search for a lost feather!” he shouted over his shoulder. “Misti, you must find the birdmen. Only they can help. Now go!”

The earth shook again. Misti rushed through the opening, and the wall collapsed right behind her. She ran into the jungle as far away as she could. As far away as possible from the collapsing Holy Beacon. She was about to take a sharp left into the deeper jungle when someone latched onto her backpack. She was lifted up in the air and placed on a galloping horse. It was Carrot. And Virgil.

Misti shrieked. “What in the name of—”

“Hush, Miss, we need to leave!” Virgil shouted.

He clacked the reins of his horse. Misti struggled, throwing her fists and kicking the air.

“What happened?” she shouted. “Why did you do nothing? Who were these men?” She hissed and spat as she asked ten more of these questions.

She calmed down when Virgil wasn’t reacting. Eventually, the sun started setting, and they left the jungle.

Virgil made a fire while Carrot was silently looking at the horizon. Misti sat on the sand, hugging her knees, shivering. Her backpack rested beside her, the dragon egg still in it.

What had this all been for? Coming here, all this way, for what? Sure, Juniu at the tower had given her some information to continue, but where would she go next? Everything had just happened so fast. She’d been so reckless. Mother Superior would be so angry when she’d return. Even more so since she would, empty-handed. Something in her stomach made her sick. Juniu was probably dead now, what was she supposed to do?

Find the birdmen.

Juniu’s words echoed in her mind. Find the gods. But how? Where was she supposed to start?

“Don’t make that face,” Virgil said out of the blue.

“Where were you?” Misti asked, canceling his words, her tone inquisitive. “Why did you do nothing when the sithrax attacked?”

Virgil sighed. “What could I have done? A single thief against a gang of giant lizards? My best escape was to comply.” He spoke without showing a hint of emotion.

“I want to go home,” Misti pouted. She realized this fact the minute she said it out loud.

Her mission had failed. Or rather, it could not be completed here. Where was she supposed to find gods? She could research Korlel, the mysterious black sindur with the feather. Maybe his trail would lead back to the birdmen, but what then? Misti couldn’t survive in Kotma Ata for more than a day, and that was where all the sindur knowledge ever produced was. Virgil was behaving so very strangely. Could she still count on him?

“We’ll be back in the capital in the morning,” Virgil said. “Now, get some sleep.”

“Why are you acting so weird?” Misti asked him. She looked at him dead in the eye. “Who were these men who attacked us?” A thought crossed her mind and sent chills down her spine. Could Virgil have something to do with the attack?

“I don’t know,” he simply said.

“You trade in information, but you don’t know anything?” Virgil ignored her, so Misti continued. “They were sithrax guards, but there’s no city or village around here! They must have followed us, or someone sent them.”

“Get some sleep, Misti.”

She stood up, knocking her backpack over. “No! I came all this way here to save the sindurs, and all I got was another mission that makes no sense!”

Misti’s voice had broken. Tears gathered in her blue eyes. She felt desperate because there was something else she had not yet admitted. Another reason why she didn’t want to go to sleep. The voice, the one that had sent her down this path, had gone silent. She no longer felt the presence of the song saying she’d save the world.

“Just go home. Be glad you’re still alive,” Virgil uttered.

“Why are you avoiding my question?”

Another thought rang in her head. A chilling ring. Had Virgil led those lizardmen to the tower?

Virgil wasn’t answering, but his gaze changed. A golden glimmer showed up in his eyes. He looked straight at Misti, then at her hands, at the glimmer’s source.

Her hands were glowing again.

Virgil’s shoulders relaxed. She could read him now. There was a slight hint of regret in the features of his face. He was doing his best to hide it.

What had he done?

“I’ll go home, and I’ll thank the gods for keeping me alive, not you,” Misti said. She wanted to reach out to him next, to prick at the guilt she could read. “I don’t know what’s happening to you, but you have many things to figure out.”

Virgil said nothing. He simply looked away.

Misti sighed and curled up into a ball on the sand. The air was cold, so she covered herself with her cloak. She squeezed her backpack against her chest and closed her eyes. She heard Virgil go to sleep a good hour later.

It was noon when they reached the busiest square of the Gutter. Misti and Virgil were back in the capital, walking through the crowded streets. He was taking her to the Lion’s Heart, where she’d wait until the evening for a boat back to the mainland. Virgil knew someone who knew a captain who’d be headed to Sud, Bravoure. He’d arrange a spot on that ship for her.

Misti would go home and figure out what she’d do next. She hadn’t made up her mind yet what she’d tell Mother Superior. The old woman-lynx would ground Misti, that was sure, but Misti didn’t care. The Siy was still safe, that was all that mattered. Misti would use the opportunity to research the text again, find references to Korlel or the gods’ home. If she was to find the birdmen, the said sindur gods, maybe there was something in the temple of the Wistful Sisters she could use.

Virgil stopped walking. Misti was gazing at the ground, so she didn’t know what had stopped her companion. When she raised her head, she realized why. Two sithrax in brown and red armor, weapons brandished, scowled her down. Misti looked at Virgil, incredulous. He smiled at her, and a crow landed on his shoulder. After a split second of wonder, she knew why those lizardmen were here. She knew exactly what Virgil had done.

She heard Juniu’s voice in her head before they made a move.

Run.