Drift: River of Falcons Book 1

Questions

Drift wove her way among thick trunks of sycamore, oak, and hickory until she came upon a sunny clearing, where she sat down on a familiar stone and tucked her knees under her chin. After a while, she decided to get up and stretch her legs. She strolled to the edge of the clearing, where she paused, looking down. There was a white, bell-shaped flower she had never seen before. She bent over to pick it. As she stood back up, something caught her eye. A wide streak of golden brown had raced overhead.

She squinted into the sunlight, but the bird had already passed. Then it burst out from between two tree trunks and landed on a shoulder-high stump. It was a large eagle. Drift stared at it, open-mouthed.

The eagle stared back at Drift, its eyes unblinking. After a long moment, it spread its wings and flapped heavily upward until it had disappeared through the canopy of leaves.

She waited, hopeful, but it did not reappear, so she decided to continue her walk. As she went, she stooped over now and again to gather a useful leaf or berry for Summer's medicinal stores.

When Drift reached home near sunset and unpacked her finds, Summer was especially interested in the unfamiliar bell-shaped flower, and went to her bookshelf to look it up. It turned out to be a Mountain Wood-nymph, listed in Summer's book as Dryas Octopetella for its eight petals. "I don't know why it's growing down here in our valley," she told Drift. "Did you see anything else unusual?"

"An eagle. One of the golden ones from the mountains."

"Really? That's interesting." Summer looked pleased.

"Why?"

"The Golden Eagle is associated with a branch of the royal family that used to live up north. Combined with the flower, it's an encouraging omen."

"You see omens in everything," Drift complained.

Summer smiled.

"Are you going to tell me what you suspect this 'omen' is about?"

"What I know for certain is that this little plant puts out an abundance of lovely flowers in spring, despite living on wind-blown heights. It's a reminder that survival is possible, even in the worst of situations."

"Are you suggesting that a branch of the royal family might still be hiding in the mountains?"

"Perhaps," Summer said. "Please press this specimen, so we can preserve it for future reference."

"You and your omens," Drift muttered, but she got out the press.

*

The next morning, as they sat at the breakfast table, Drift set down her mug of tea. "It's well past the full moon," she pointed out.

"Yes," Summer said. "The Sevi moon is almost over. Soon it will be Culturari, and then it will be the first of Primeto, your birthday." She smiled.

"My finding-day, actually, when you rescued me from a rowboat that was drifting down the river. But I wasn't a newborn when you found me. I might've been born today, for all you know."

"I suppose it's possible." Summer studied Drift. "But I'd guess not."

Drift shook her head in frustration. "It's strange not to know when I was born. Now that I'm turning sixteen, I'm thinking about, well..."

"Yes?"

"Trying to track down my mother, and..." Drift's voice trailed off.

"It's natural to be curious about her. Is there something in particular you want to know?"

"Lots of things." Drift paused. "I 'd like to find out why she abandoned me. Who would put a baby in a boat?" She looked out the window. "And not come looking for her later on."

"It was the Spirits' will that you floated into my cove."

Drift rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes things happen for good reason."

"And sometimes not," Drift said.

"Well, regardless, I doubt your mother is looking for you. The sorcerers, on the other hand, are definitely—"

"I guess I'll just have to look for her."

"That is not what I see when I throw. Your quest is of a different nature. Nor should you come looking for me."

"What in the land are you talking about?"

"I can't see the future with sufficient clarity," Summer said with a frown, "to speak any more clearly than that."

"What do you see?" Drift insisted.

"An unfinished project."

"Grandma, you're not making sense. Do you mean me?"

"No, this." Summer set a sheet of parchment in front of Drift. "We forgot to correct yesterday's botany lesson. Let's go over it now."