Taking Flight

Chapter Thirty-Six

Kelder hefted the pack onto his shoulder and looked up.

Irith waved a final farewell, then swooped eastward, her wings gleaming brightly in the morning sun. She dwindled in the distance.

He wondered if he would ever see her again. If he did, he suspected she wouldn’t recognize him, or would pretend not to. And he would not presume on old friendship, he promised himself.

Valder and Asha were busy inside, he knew, but he waved a farewell to them, as well, just in case they happened to be looking out the window. Then he set his foot firmly on the highway and set out toward Ethshar.

He was looking forward to seeing it, to finding himself a place in the city — and perhaps even finding Azraya there.

He had never heard Azraya laugh; perhaps she, too, had a laugh like birdsong. Any number of women might have such a laugh.

And Zindre might have been just a charlatan; it really didn’t matter any more whether the prophecy was absolute truth or nothing but lies. He would live out his life as he saw fit, taking it one step at a time, and not worrying about whether it fit any predictions.

He rather hoped he would meet Azraya again, when he got to Ethshar. Maybe, he thought, they could find a place together.

He smiled at his own eagerness, and shook his head. Maybe they could.

Or maybe not.