Indra's Heart

TWENTY-FIVE

I guess it's true — time really does fly when you're having fun. The last fourteen days have come and gone in a trice, slipping from my fingers before I've even had a chance to relax.

Leaving my mother and grandmother in the truck, I begrudgingly pad through the forest, thumbs hooked around my backpack straps with my father and friends trailing behind me. Just a few minutes in, a gryphon materializes with a flash, bringing a gust of wind so violent that it scares the birds away. We shield our eyes from the flying debris as Hiylo eclipses the sunlight.

"Man, I thought you said that Sryx was an elf?" Will dusts himself off, his face frozen with shock at the kneeling beast.

"I am." Her voice startles the three of them, spinning orbs staring back from the saddle.

"Thank you for everything that you've done for my boy." Water collects in my father's eyes as he courteously tips his head.

"Of course." Sryx slowly blinks. "Come along, Andrew. Time is not on our side."

"I can't believe this is really happening." Sierra breathes, mesmerized by the sight before her. I wrap each of them in a tight hug before running to climb the rope.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." I yell, watching the ground become farther away, a pang of gloom hitting me in the chest.

"I promise." The last two words are barely above a whisper, easily lost in the turbulence as I'm whisked away. And just like that, the world that I've always known is gone.

***** ☽ *****

"Welcome back!" Cataleya beams, a basket of ripe fruit in her arms. "Mango?"

"Sure." I grab a large one from the top and toss it into the air. It lands into my palm with a loud smack. She leads me past the Castril cottage, through the village, and all the way to the porch of another abode. The door flies open after a few knocks, revealing a man with tan skin and short black hair.

"Buenos dias, José. I have come with a small gift." 

"Buenos dias, Cataleya. Thank you." He smiles, stepping aside and motioning for us to enter his home. "Andrew, right?"

"Yes. Nice to meet you." I shake his hand and sit next to Cataleya on the couch. José disappears into the kitchen with the basket, just as a heavily pregnant woman with rosy cheeks waddles into the living room.

"Isabel!" Cataleya jumps up and the two women share an embrace. "How are you feeling today?"

"A lot better. Just waiting for the baby to get here at this point. Gracias for the salve."

"Oh, it is nothing. Andrew, this is my best friend. She teaches young wizards level one spells." She waves an open palm between the two of us. "Isabel, this is the werewolf from the human world that we will be escorting to Airoclaw."

"Of course. Please be safe, you guys!" Isabel smiles, cutting her eyes over at José, who's now wearing shoes and a hat. He plants a kiss on her lips. "I will be back soon, mi amor."

"Preferably before the next sunrise." She adds, walking us outside.

José hops behind the wheel of a jungle green vehicle that looks similar to a Jeep and the engine roars to life. There are no doors attached and it sits high, held up by four massive tires. I climb into the backseat and buckle myself in while Cataleya takes the passenger seat. He mutters a few words that make the entire thing shake for a couple of seconds before stilling, waving Isabel goodbye with his left hand as he switches gears with his right.