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Finnian softly grazed its delicate head with the back of his index finger. “Yes, I read in a book Father gave me how the High Goddess of Life and Balance has had one for thousands of years. She uses it as a messenger.”
“How badly is its wing injured?” Naia asked.
“Not too bad. By the looks of it, the poor thing fell from its nest and hurt it during the fall. I’ve seen progress since taking care of it. Yesterday, it began stretching the wing, which made me hopeful.”
The creature’s beak spread apart, creating an oval shape, indicating it was hungry.
“Oh!” Finnian dashed to the closest kapok and dug his hand between the protruding buttress roots. “It adores worms.”
Naia moved closer to assess the creature’s lopsided wing. The brace Finnian created to keep it secure was impressive. A piece of string and a cloth wrapped around its body.
Her heart swelled with pride—of her brother and his kindness.
“What’s its name?” Naia offered the bird her finger. It lightly pecked at her fingernail.
Finnian returned with a handful of wiggling insects. The bird reopened its mouth, and he dropped them in.
“Alke.” He looked up at her with a solemn line across his lips. “For courage.”
Naia smiled. “It’s beautiful, Finny.”
The summer solstice arrived soon after, filling the palace with gods to celebrate Naia’s and Solaris’ birthdays.
Naia sighed in front of her vanity as she fastened Wren in her updo. The tassels grazed her neck, reminding her of the relic within reach.
A knock sounded on her door. “Sister, it is me.”
Naia spun on her cushioned stool.
Finnian slipped through the door with Alke perched on his shoulder, snacking on a half-eaten piece of licorice.
It had been a year since Finnian found Alke. The bird seldomly left Finnian’s side, occasionally perching on Naia’s shoulder or nearby branches to watch over her. She never minded Alke any attention, because she found Finnian’s concern for her endearing.
Alke’s fully grown form sat taller than Finnian’s head. The color of its body indigo dipped in molten, the way the golden rays of sunlight sometimes smeared across the deepest, bluest parts of the sea. Long, spiked feathers protruded from the top of his head, ranging in height. It was Alke’s eyes, soulful and wise, that captivated Naia.
“The guards are on high alert,” Finnian said, chewing his licorice.
Naia leaned in to straighten the lapels of his tunic. “Between the summer solstice activities and the celebration, there is more to be on guard for.”
Finnian gave a small shrug. “Or Mother is full of herself,” he mumbled dryly.
Naia’s eyes dropped to the small leather box he slid out from the inside of his blazer and grinned. “What do you have there, Finny?”
He handed it over to her. “Happy Birthday, Sister.”
She popped open the top. “Finny, you didn’t have to?—”
Her breath caught.
Laying on the cream satin material was a chrysocolla pendant.
A teardrop of the sea.
“The same as Mother’s.” Finnian pointed out with an eagerness to his tone. “Do you like it?”
Naia studied the gemstone, her heartbeat plunging in her stomach. “I love it, but where did you come across something this valuable?”
“Informing you of such would diminish the sentimentality of the gift.”
