The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [133]
The guardian laughed. "You need to remember that your body is a weapon. You should practice with it-especially flying. It's not as easy as it looks."
"How do I change back?" Giogi tried to ask, but his words came out as a growl.
The guardian understood him, though. "I suppose you think of whatever humans dream about," she said. She made a yawning sound. "Dull things," she suggested.
Giogi tried to think of what he dreamed about when he wasn't dreaming the wyvern dream. He thought about Cat. Unconsciously he began beating the air with his wings, and he remained a wyvern. He thought of galloping on Daisyeye, but that reminded him too much of chasing prey. Then he thought of Aunt Dorath, knitting by the fireside. The ceiling got farther away. His boots covered his feet. His arms dropped to his sides. He straightened up, no longer needing to balance his tail with the weight of his neck.
He picked the pillar off the floor, and laid the velvet cloth over it. Then he retrieved the finder's stone.
"When will I see you again?" the guardian asked.
Giogi shivered, but it would be rude to say she scared him to death and he didn't like coming into the crypt. "I don't know," he said. "Why?"
"I'll miss you."
"You will? Do you get lonely down here?"
"Sometimes. Not often."
"Why do you stay?"
"This is where my bones are buried. Beside the bones of those I love-my mate, and all your ancestors who took his form, from Paton to Cole."
"Oh," Giogi said, thinking how strange it must be to love so many people dead for so many years. "I'll be back when I'm finished with what I have to do," he promised, "unless I die"
"You'll be back in that case, too," the guardian said solemnly.
Giogi's eyes roamed over the blocks of stone sealing in his ancestors. "You're right. Well, until whichever."
"Until whichever," the guardian agreed.
"Thank you for the advice."
"You're welcome, my Giogioni." The guardian's shadow faded from the walls and left him alone.
For the first time ever, Giogi left the crypt without a feeling of terror.
Outside, the sun was getting low in the sky. Giogi slipped the finder's stone in his boot beside the spur. He untied Daisyeye, slid her reins off her head, and tucked them into one of her saddlebags. "Go home, girl," he said, slapping her on her backside. The mare took off down the hill without looking back.
Giogi watched her race away for a minute. He closed his eyes and imagined a deer springing through the forest. The sensation of pounding blood overwhelmed him more quickly this time. He beat the air with his wings and ran through the graveyard.
A gust of chill wind caught under the leathery canopies and lifted him over the trees. He flapped the wings faster and propelled himself over the edge of the graveyard hillside, catching an updraft. He soared over the valley. In less than a minute, he was circling over Spring Hill. He could make out Mother Lleddew far below, beside the rented carriage full of provisions for Uncle Drone's memorial service.
He resisted the temptation to fly over Redstone. There was no sense in disturbing Aunt Dorath. Besides, he wasn't sure how well he would land, and he knew it wasn't something he should try after dark. He was also growing very hungry. With any luck, Giogi thought, Thomas is roasting a slab of venison or a side of pork. He banked eastward toward the townhouse, his shadow flying far ahead of him and his stomach growling all the way.
*****
Olive stood propped up against the closet wall like a walking stick. "Are you sure you don't want me to tie her up, sir?" the treacherous Thomas had asked the wizard before closing the door and leaving the halfling in the pitch dark.
Flattery had said it wasn't necessary. After that, Thomas had excused himself so he could get started on cleaning out the bedroom fireplaces.
For the longest time there was no sound in the attic but that of the wizard turning pages in a book. Finally, an interminable twenty minutes later, the wizard's spell faded and Olive could move again.