Drift: River of Falcons Book 1

Ubi

(Pronounced 'oo-bee'. Meaning 'where' in Falconspeak.)

"Psst! Over here," a voice called from inside a tall stand of lilacs.

Jasper spun around, stared at the bushes, then slipped between two of them. "This is a surprise," he said as he stepped onto a little circular patch of grass that was surrounded on all sides by lilacs.

"It's a safe place to talk." A young woman with long braids down her back gave him a quick hug. "I'm glad you found me. It's hard to do sendings from inside The Garden. They've strengthened the spells on the walls. We'll have to rely more on meetings and messenger pigeons from now on. How have you been?"

"Same as always, June. Certainly no better. You?"

She examined him. "You look pale, and your eyes are darkening."

"It's sorcerer's magic. It does that."

She shook her head. "No, it doesn't, not all of it. Not if you call on the powers of wind or rain. Not even stone or fire. There's only one power that turns your eyes black. You don't want to be in debt to death, Jasper."

Jasper shrugged. "I have to do things like a real apprentice, since I am one."

"Don't talk like that!" She glared at him. "I told you, if it gets to be too much, we'll hide you. You don't have to stay."

"Do you really think Nautilus would make the protection of The Garden available to me?"

"No, but I could sneak you inside if it came to that," June said. "I'd find a way. What news do you have?"

"I followed Vultan yesterday afternoon."

"Vultan! For Spirits' sake, be careful."

"You told me to keep an eye on things, and he's the biggest thing around. He went down to a remote farm where the goats were dying."

"Of what?"

"Covered festering sores."

"Huh. I should sneak out and see what I can do."

"Too late. He killed everyone who lived there, then he killed the goats and set the entire place on fire."

"What!! That's awful!! Why?"

Jasper looked grim. "I overheard him talking to the farmer when he first got there. Magus had given the goats a disease, and then he went back to collect fluid from their sores."

"That's disgusting! Whatever for?"

"They used the goats to breed some disease to give to children."

June gripped Jasper's arm for support. "No! Why in the land would Magus do that?"

"After Vultan confirmed that Magus had used that particular farm, he said, 'Typical of him to forget to come back and destroy the evidence.' He seemed mad. Then again, he always seems mad. That's when he burned the place."

"I see. But why would they want to make children sick?"

"Probably," Jasper said, "to catch the Princess. They think she'll come to town with her grandmother to try to cure the—"

"No! We cannot let them!"

"Look, this may be too big for you to stop. I wouldn't go to town right now if I were you, June."

"We have to stop them. Someone's got to warn the girl and her guardian. Have they left yet?"

Jasper shrugged.