R?ven was sixteen years old and lived by herself in the home she afforded from singing at night time. Apparently it paid very well. She told me that she enjoyed the messenger job because she loved to fly and would get paid for it. She explained that up until the age of thirteen she didn’t even know that she could transform into a bird and had thought for so many years that she only had one Power like every other Mage. She had told me an awfully depressing story regarding the first time she had flown.
At the age of thirteen R?ven wrote a song for her parents. A beautiful and powerful melody that she had practiced in secret until it had been perfect. She believes that it is still her most perfect song to this day, though she refuses to ever sing it again. For the first time she performed it for her parents it resulted in their immediate loss of memory. The song had been so pure and magical that it had wiped their memory clean of R?ven and to this day they still don’t know that she even exists. Her parents now live in a distant town and have managed to get on with their lives, never knowing that they once had a daughter. When R?ven first realized what she had done to her parents she had been in such a rage that she felt as though she had exploded and the next second she was soaring through the sky as a beautiful black bird.
As R?ven had told me this story I felt horribly depressed, and on the verge of passing out as her voice always makes me feel. I felt guilt, and remembered saying something before I had fallen asleep.
“That is why you looked at me so oddly on the day you delivered my parents reply to my letter.” I had whispered, “You were confused as to why anyone would give up what precious time they have with their loved ones. I had offended you without even knowing it.”
R?ven had merely given a small nod and replied, “Among other things.” She said softly.
“Tell me.” I said sleepily.
R?ven had begun to talk again but I was so close to sleep that I’m not sure if I had heard correctly, though I thought it had been something like the following:
“I was intrigued. I could tell you had a secret and I felt as though you would be someone I could relate too. We both have our secrets, Avalon, and in many ways I think we are very alike. I know I can trust you with my secrets.”
I felt her hand stroke my cheek as I began to doze off, and I was fast asleep within a matter of seconds.
Chapter Nineteen
A Marital Distraction
Over the next few days Jack and I tried to think up ways of finding Hawthorne. We knew this much; the Creeley twins had cornered him in the forest and teleported him somewhere, and whilst on a delivery job R?ven had heard yowling coming from Frost Mountain, the extremely tall peak that reached beyond the cloud bank.
We couldn’t work out a way to get to the top of the mountain, let alone devise a plan to search the premises once we were there. As Elvira Frost resided at the top we were sure she would be lurking there. Jack and I had never seen the top of Frost Mountain and often wondered what was up there. Jack envisioned a great manor with many workers, where as I envisioned a castle of ice and stone. We asked R?ven what was up there, and using as few words as possible she had said, “Castle. Many people. Very cold.”
I discovered that I could handle R?ven’s voice much better than Jack. Whenever she spoke he would swoon and go dopey for several minutes. I on the other hand felt light headed and sleepy, but able to keep my wits about me. R?ven’s singing voice was another matter though.
We had heard nothing from Camryn. Jack had told me that he was currently mad at her, however I could tell that it stung him that she had not bothered to see if he was okay. I comforted Jack and said that perhaps Camryn had looked into our whereabouts, but had not been able to find where we were. It was upon the topic of Camryn when we finally managed to devise a plan.
“That’s it!” Jack said suddenly.
“What’s it?” I said rather bored.
“I know how we can get to the top of Frost Mountain.” Jack grinned.
“Excellent.” I said in a sarcastic voice, “It doesn’t really help us find Hawthorne once we are up there though.”
“Oh shut up.” Jack waved his hand dismissively, “We can find Camryn and borrow some Pegasi.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” I said slowly, “However, I’m not sure if Camryn will let us ride her pride and joy across the city to break into the headquarters of the most powerful woman in the city, who is a level nine Ice Mage, mind you.”
Jack rolled his eyes but then another idea seemed to dawn on him, “Ava! The wedding!”
“What wedding?”
“Rain Forsythe’s wedding to Theodore Arthfael!” Jack was simply ecstatic now.
“What about it?” I hissed.
“Everyone will be so busy with the wedding.” He smirked, “No one will notice a couple of Pegasi flying to Frost Mountain.”
“I’m sure Frosty will notice when great winged beasts land on her doorstep.”
“No, you don’t understand.” Jack sighed, “Elvira Frost has been invited to the Forsythe and Arthfael wedding. She won’t be on her little mountain.”
“When is the wedding?” I said anxiously.
“What’s the date?” Jack asked.
“I’ve lost track of the days.” I scowled.