Chapter 1 Lights and Shadows: Razi

Suddenly, large shadows and glowing colors of blue and green drifted over the barn, breaking me out of my trance. I could hear the rush of wind, like the sound of wings flapping. No bird I had ever seen cast a shadow that massive. I froze as the shadows and lights went over the roof, then vanished as they passed behind me.

My name is Razi Birdsong.

I am twelve years old, I’m an incredible liar (and proud of it too), and I’m practically an orphan. That part isn’t a lie; I won’t do that to you.

My mom died giving birth to my sister Lumi, who is now one year old. My dad used to visit me and Mom once a year, but I haven’t seen or heard from him in almost two now, so I figure I’m on my own.

Most twelve-year-old girls would be worrying about school, but me? I’m worrying about whether I will be able to keep my sister from starving to death.

I live in a barn on the outskirts of a small town with a population of maybe four thousand people where nothing ever really happens- Dusty.

Why do I live in a barn, you may ask?

Because, well… Would you rather me sleep outside!?

I’m sorry, that was rude of me, but it’s kind of a sensitive subject. Let me explain: a few months after my mom died, we were hopping around from place to place sleeping in alleyways and sheds.

One day I was heading towards the market when a boy frantically came running around the corner. He had been going so fast it was hard for him to stop so he slid across the cobble street before falling before me. He didn’t look much younger than me, but I could tell he had been through tough times in his short life and was set up for plenty more.

He was frail and thin, carrying a clearly underfed toddler. She was especially small since she should’ve been in that chubby stage, but I can’t judge. Lumi is skinnier than most one-year-olds too. I skip eating and give my portions to her sometimes because I worry she doesn’t eat enough.

The boy panted and begged for me to help him get out of town, without saying why. I was reluctant at first, but with one look at the little girl I knew I had to help them.

I hastily led them through town, avoiding any busy streets. I had a feeling that someone was chasing us, but I wasn’t sure who or why.

The boy rudely ignored all of my questions until we entered the woods. There he told me everything about where he came from and who the little girl was.

They were both orphans, like me, and had run away from the orphanage. He took the girl, Mary, with him because he couldn’t stand parting with the poor girl. He looked at her as a sister. His troubled brow creased with worry marks as he spoke of Mary, and he wrung out his hands anxiously.

While we made our way through the woods, I came across a barn. It wasn’t in terrific condition, but it would be enough to provide shelter from the rain and the wind. Plus, it wasn’t too far from the old lady’s house where I helped out. I worked there to earn what I called “milk money” for Lumi. She was still an infant at this time. I made sure to remember the barn’s location so that I could find out if Lumi and I could stay there, although I did not plan on asking.

The boy, he didn’t tell me his name, was extremely garrulous the whole time. He went on a rant about the awful conditions of the orphanage.

He told me that there were at least fifty or more kids ranging from ages eight to fourteen in one room. They got overly small portions of food and slept in bunkbeds. They were crowded together with no personal space, so diseases spread like wildfire through dry grass. There were only two caregivers for all the children, including the infants and children under eight who lived in a different room together.

One of those caregivers was called Mrs. Nancy. He explained that she was evil, which could have been an exaggeration but maybe it wasn’t. He said that she beat them and he showed me the bruises on his wrists from where he got slapped with rulers or belts.

I didn’t talk much during the whole walk, I just nodded and reacted to his stories about all the times he got in trouble. I refrained from sharing my name out of fear that he would blab about me if they got put in another orphanage, which I hate to say was likely.

After I pointed him towards some backroads to take out of town I split ways with them. Luckily for me I didn’t need to lie that day. I hadn’t gotten much practice at it yet, that came later when I got asked why I wasn’t at school, why my mother wasn’t the one with Lumi while I was working, or where my father was when I went to the market and bought milk by myself. I quickly learned to make up a believable lie on the spot and avoid getting asked questions in the first place.

Mom had always taught me to be honest, but I personally don’t mind lying if it’s for a good reason.

When I came back to the barn, I monitored it for a few days and when no one showed up I decided it was abandoned. I made my mind up and we have been staying there ever since.

It’s been a few months now and I try my best to avoid going into town. To avoid people. To avoid the orphanage.

I’ll spare you the boring details of my life here in the woods, finding food, keeping Lumi quite so anyone nearby won’t hear, boiling water, and all that comes with living in a barn. But things really started getting interesting one summer day in July. Not just interesting, unbelievable.

I had slept in my normal pallet on the floor in the loft. I slept there so I couldn’t be surprised by anyone coming through the front or back doors and also because it had hay that would make an excellent hiding place.

I awoke to Lumi's fussing and crying. I dragged myself out of bed, rubbed my eyes, and picked her up out of her “crib.”

“Shhh. Shhh. Quiet, Lumi,” I whispered rocking her back and forth. I ran my fingers through the soft ringlets of her hair, colored like creamy mocha from the shop at the market.

I sat on a small haystack that was near a wooden horse trough. I had hauled it up there, which was no small task because it was very heavy. I had stuffed it with straw and covered it with blankets to use as a crib.

Wind whistled through the cracks between the boards. I would need to use canvas from the old horse paintings to cover the walls before winter hit. It is hard to keep a baby warm when it’s cold out. But right now, it was warm, and the muggy barn smelled of earth, dust, and hay. The morning sun was shining through small gaps in the ceiling. I watched as the dust danced in its rays.

Suddenly, large shadows and glowing colors of blue and green drifted over the barn, breaking me out of my trance. I could hear the rush of wind, like the sound of wings flapping. No bird I had ever seen cast a shadow that massive. I froze as the shadows and lights went over the roof, then vanished as they passed behind me.

Crunch. Crunch. I was snapped back to reality by the sound of feet stepping on the leaves and twigs of the woods’ floor.

A young, female voice laughed and exclaimed, “See? I told you that nothing terrible would happen. No one visits these woods and we will be safely back to my bedchamber before Anil realizes we are gone.”

Oh, no. My heart beat out of my chest.

My head spun and my thoughts scrambled together in my panic.

I probably should have just hid behind the hay bales, but knowing what I know now, I am glad that I didn’t.

Lumi stirred and I hastily put on my back carrier and reached backward to slip her inside it. It was always difficult getting her in by myself.

Get out just like you practiced.

I had made it almost all the way down the ladder when a male voice that sounded clear and childlike remarked, “We should fly back. If your father finds out, you left the castle on my watch…”

Fly? Castle?

“It will be fine, Alder. I just want to look around a little before we head back. I hardly ever get to leave our town, and I want a taste of freedom.” It was the female voice again.

I was standing in the middle of the barn floor, about to make for the back door, when the front barn doors swung open. There stood a girl who looked like my age. She stood up straight and had blue eyes. A silver band wrapped around her forehead. Her long bleach-blond locks reached her thigh and looked slick white in the sunlight. There was a capri blue streak in her hair that ran from her roots, over her ear, to the end of her hair. She wore functional-looking, knee-high boots that were cream-colored with gold swirling designs. Her breeches were white and made of leather. She had on a light blue, high-collared jacket.

In the air on each side of the interesting girl were two fairy-like creatures, a girl and a boy, but they were wingless. How are they doing that? They floated in the air like invisible strings had been tied to the ceiling and were holding them up. Their skin looked as smooth and clear as emerald crystal and was the same shade as their eyes. They were maybe six inches tall and had a peculiar, green glowing sensation. They looked like seven-year-olds that had shrunk down to the size of a dollar bill, but there was something about them that seemed wise; like a grandpa that got trapped in a child’s body.

The female fairy-creature had almost shoulder-length, dark green hair with a light blue flower tucked behind her ear. Her dress had gold straps that faded into green but not before making twisty flower designs. It turned into leaves at the end of the skirt. The boy was also clad in green with a belt made from leaves and studded with the tiniest white flowers.

Behind them and the girl was a large beast, unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was as tall as a horse with gold feathers and huge, magnificent wings. There were beautifully intricate blue swirling patterns, that kind of reminded me of a Mandala drawing, down its legs and on its wings. Curiously, they were the exact same shade as the streak in the girl’s hair. It had a sharp beak and front feet that were completely feathered except for talons that were like those of a bird. But its back feet and legs were like a lion with gold fur. It had a lion’s tail and white fur down its chest, stomach, and around the back of its neck. It was beautifully terrifying and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I froze and stared at them, whatever they were, and the face of the girl mimicked my own: shocked and fearful, like she had seen a ghost. Her mouth was drawn in a small O shape, and she scanned me up and down. I’m dreaming. I must be. There’s no way this is real, although it would explain the strange shadows and colors I saw…

Then, with a look at the male-green-fairy-plant-thing and a nod in response, the lion-bird-creature-thing pounced on me. It leaped through the air without a single flap of its huge wings. It was too late to try and defend myself somehow. It was all I could do to maneuver myself enough so that I’d hit the ground sideways instead of on my back to save Lumi. It contacted me and I launched backwards, hitting the ground with a thud. The world around me went dark. The last thing I saw was the girl’s face looking over at me. What was that I detected in her expression? Sorrow? A tinge of regret?