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“Aha! I’m right!” Nik sounded smug as he pointed at the merlin’s legs. “Do you see how one is darker than the other?”
I examined the yellow coloring, quickly seeing what he meant. One leg was definitely darker than the other.
“That’s strange.” I frowned. “I’ve never seen a marking like that before. Does it mean something?”
Nik nodded. “There are a couple of healing mages at the palace who raise and train falcons. I don’t know how they do it, but they somehow change the color of one leg so that anyone who comes across one in the wild knows it’s a trained bird.”
“They change the color of its leg! How is that possible?”
Nik shrugged. “You’re the healing mage.”
“Apprentice,” I grumbled, once again feeling my ignorance acutely. “And I’ve barely learned anything about animals.”
“They’re intelligent birds, and the ones raised by healing mages are even more so.” Nik gave the falcon in front of us an even closer examination. “Did you send your power out seeking animals to help you?”
“Not intentionally.” I grimaced. “I don’t really know how to do that.”
“If he was raised by a mage, he probably responded to your power, regardless of your intentions. You probably feel familiar to him.”
“But does that mean he belongs to someone?” I asked tentatively, reaching beyond the trees for any indication there was another human nearby.
“Not if he’s all the way out here.” Nik held out his arm, bent slightly and parallel to the ground. The falcon responded immediately, hopping onto it and preening. “I’d guess his trainer died while this bird was still young, and he’s been on his own for a while. You can see he has a different look from a kept bird.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it since I’ve never seen a trained falcon before.” I slowly climbed to my feet, shaking myself off.
Looking down at my traveling gown and bedraggled hair, I grimaced. I looked a complete mess.
Ember trotted over to us, growling quietly as she watched the falcon on Nik’s arm.
“Stop that,” I told her sternly, accompanying the words with a glare. “Phoenix is one of us now.” I glanced at the bird. “If he wants to stay that is.”
“Phoenix?” Nik raised his eyebrows.
“You know, rising from the ashes and all of that. It seems fitting.” I ran a hand along the soft feathers of the bird’s back. “He will want to stay, won’t he? If he was raised by a person and lost them?”
“Given you just did a major healing on him, it seems likely.” Nik glanced down at Ember. “At least if she’s anything to go by.”
Ember gave a small whine and trotted off around the edge of the grove, heading back toward our makeshift camp.
“I think she has the right idea,” I said wearily. “I’m sure we could all do with some food, and Amara must be wondering where I got to. But we can’t just leave…” I looked at the motionless eagle, fresh tears welling in my eyes.
I gave Nik a pleading look, and he nodded gravely. He didn’t say anything, but a moment later the earth beside the eagle began to move. Within seconds, the remains of the magnificent bird had disappeared, swallowed by the ground. Only a patch of disturbed dirt showed the location of his grave.
“I couldn’t just leave him to be…” I faltered. “It’s my fault, you know. If I’d just paid more attention, I could have healed him while he was still trapped. I’m supposed to be a healer, and I didn’t even realize how badly he was injured.”
Nik placed a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t do that to yourself, Delphine. What happened wasn’t your fault. You put yourself in danger to try to save him which is more than anyone could ask of you.”
He held my gaze, his expression compelling me not to look away. “Do you think the limitations of circumstance are any less real than the limitations of your strength? No healer has ever lived who could heal everyone of everything. And we would know,” he added sardonically, “since they would still be alive, healing themselves into immortality.”
I drew a deep breath, holding onto his words as I pulled myself together. He was right. Animals died all the time in the wild, and there was nothing I could do to change that. It was a fact I’d always known, but even as a child I’d struggled to reconcile myself to it. Clearly, I was going to have to learn, however.
Phoenix ruffled his feathers, eyeing me from his place on Nik’s arm. I managed a smile for the proud-looking bird. At least I could take comfort in having managed to save him.
Once I was sure I had myself under control, I followed in the direction Ember had taken, planning to circle the trees this time. But I halted when I realized Nik wasn’t keeping pace.
I looked back at him. “You are coming, aren’t you?”
He hesitated, and I walked back to grab his free arm and pull him along.
