AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I was making cookies and thought maybe you’d like some more. Enjoy, Julia.”
“I will enjoy, thanks, Julia,” he muttered to himself as he snagged a cookie and took a bite.
Once the court thing was over, he promised himself he’d ask her out, no matter how red his ears got while he did it.
Rill wasn’t in the apartment, so he decided to take a walk to the roof and figure out what to do with the coins. He’d have to shovel them into buckets at this rate. He pushed onto the roof.
Rill was up there, with several other birds. It looked for all the world like a general marshalling his troops. He was chattering on as magpies do, and the others watched intently.
Oliver noticed that the coins were now interspersed with various items. He noticed a watch, some rings, necklaces, some random jewels, crystals, basically anything that glinted in the sunlight. Coins, he could take to the bank, he probably had several hundred dollars’ worth. But the jewelry? If he pawned it, and someone had reported it missing or stolen, he could be in big trouble, or at least more than he was already.
He picked up an interesting looking crystal. It was largish, so a bigger bird must have dropped it off, maybe one of the huge ravens that lived around town. The crystal might have been quartz, but he was no expert. It drew him to it, and he plucked it up and held it to the sun. It felt warm in his hand, and when it caught the light, he felt a zing of magic run through it into him. He was intrigued. He tucked it into his pocket.
The birds finished listening to Rill, and lifted off at once, flying in various directions. Oliver was curious and asked the bird what he’d asked the others to do. Rill sent him several pictures in rapid fire, but he didn’t understand. “Can you ask them to stop dropping things off?”
Rill cocked his head and beeped. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but he had the distinct feeling that Rill understood. Rill hopped into the pile and using his beak and one foot, sorted through the various items until he found something he wanted, he picked it up and flew down to the apartment. Oliver turned to the stairs to follow.
He went inside to find Rill waiting on his perch, a shiny brass key of intricate make in his beak.
He looked at the bird with his prize curiously. “What is that, Rill?”
Rill hopped over to the table and dropped the key, “Proof.”
Oliver started in surprise. “You spoke!”
“Yes.”
Oliver looked at Rill sharply. There was a lot more to the bird than he had thought. Rill had depths and skills more than an average familiar. Not that he was that well versed, but it was enough to spook the Guild.
“You told Uncle Geoffrey, didn’t you?”
Rill beeped and he felt the positive answer.
“Is there a reason you aren’t speaking now?” he asked Rill.
Rill sent an image. Oliver couldn’t interpret it, but he had the impression that speaking in English was difficult, and images were easier. Oliver stroked Rill’s breast to show he understood.
“What’s the key to?” He held it up to the light and examined it. It had swirls and curlicues, but the key itself was basic, it looked like it would fit a standard, modern lock. He didn’t find any writing on it, no numbers, nothing, but it gave him a slight magical zing when he touched it, like a shock after you’ve scuffed your feet on the carpet and touch something metal.
Rill sent him a picture. An intricate wooden cabinet in a cold sterile white room. He followed that with a sense of urgency. They had to get there fast and open the cabinet with the key.
Oliver sat down hard in a kitchen chair. “Rill, I don’t know where this is.”
Rill bounced back and forth on his feet, and beeped, then he looked at the window.
“You know where it is, and you want me to follow you?”
Rill beeped and sent a positive feeling. Oliver was curious, so he grabbed his car keys. The old Corolla wasn’t pretty, wasn’t big, but it was reliable, so he climbed in and started it. Rill flew in his open door before he shut it and perched on the steering wheel.
Oliver chuckled and indicated that Rill should move to the dashboard or his shoulder. Rill hopped up on his shoulder. Oliver backed out and drove to the street entrance. Rill beeped and pointed right with his beak. They were off.
It wasn’t a perfect arrangement, and he made a few wrong turns before Rill guided him to the intimidating Guild fortress in the south of town. He sighed. “Rill, I can’t get in there. They’ll kill us both for sure.”
Rill gave him a low trilling sound. It was a sad and disappointed sound. Then Rill started hopping around and fluffing his wings, he sent image after image into Oliver’s mind that was a confusing tapestry of animals, torture, and people in white coats. He had to beg the bird the stop, the images were giving him a headache.
Since Oliver had only been in one room in the Guild building for court, he wasn’t really sure what would happen, but since he was on the Guild shit list, he knew they weren’t going to roll out the red carpet. But Rill’s need was urgent. He had the distinct feeling that it was life and death. So, he parked in their mall sized parking lot, unbuckled his seat belt and unfolded himself from the car.
Rill shot out and fluttered around his head. He frowned. “Rill, the Guild can’t see you.”
