“Thank goodness you came up to the attic at last,” it said, once they were all seated. “I was beginning to think I’d never get out of there. I tried so many times to tell people to come up and help me, but no one ever did.”
“Wait… so is that what all the banging and thumping was about then?” Kieran asked, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead. “You were trying to attract someone’s attention to come and help you?”
Sieval nodded. “At first, I tried calling out – but that only seemed to frighten people. There were people who came here, young people, with loud music and smoke-making sticks, but whenever I called out to them, asking them to come and help me, they always ran away. I didn’t understand why. I only asked them for help.”
Natasha couldn’t help but feel her heart clench at the look of deep sadness that crossed Sieval’s face as it recounted the story. Nonetheless, she couldn’t imagine how the teenagers who’d come up here for their secret party must have felt, suddenly hearing unearthly cries for help coming from the attic. No wonder the house had gained a reputation for being haunted!
“But how did you – and your rock – even come to be here in the first place?” Kieran asked, shaking his head. “You clearly knew Uncle Henry, if you knew he’d died. Did he bring you here?”
“Yes,” Sieval said. “But it was an accident. I used to live by a pond, deep in the mountains. That was my home. It was a place Henry had used to come sometimes – he flew deep into the mountains quite often, and I saw him flying over my pond. But one day he landed to drink from the pond – I didn’t mind that. I’m not possessive. But then he started picking up rocks from around the pond, including mine. At first, I didn’t know what to say when he put my rock in his pocket – as you know, we sprites are shy. But then he took my rock back here with him, and of course I had no choice but to come too. Where a sprite’s bonded object goes, it can’t help but follow.”
“Oh,” Kieran said, looking as if Sieval had given him a revelation. “I remember – Uncle Henry loved collecting weird and interesting rocks. It was just one of what my parents called his little eccentricities – and hewaspretty eccentric, I have to admit. I mean, he lived up here all alone for so many years. He was really reclusive by the time he got old.”
“Yes,” Sieval said. “He said he didn’t want company. But he seemed to like mine.”
“Oh… so he knew you were here then?” Natasha asked, unable to hold back her curiosity any longer. “You were, uh, friends?”
Sieval nodded. “Yes, I suppose that’s the word for it. When it became clear he wasn’t going to take my rock back to the pond on his own, I showed myself to him. But that was only after months of living here with him, staying invisible. And by that time… I suppose you could say I’d grown rather fond of him. He used to make a sound – he had a large thing, and it would make sounds, such lovely sounds –”
“Great Uncle Henry played the cello,” Kieran told Natasha, turning to face her with a slight grimace. “But… not very well, I don’t think. At least, I remember thinking it sounded terrible when I was a kid. But then, he used to wake me up at five a.m. with his playing, and I guessnothingsounds very good at five a.m.”
“I liked his sounds,” Sieval said, sounding a little defensive. “But as I said, I had come to be a little fond of him. So after I explained the situation to him, when he said he would take my rock back to the pond… I asked instead if I could stay here with him for a little longer.”
“So he wasn’t such a recluse after all,” Natasha said. “Not if he had you for company.”
“He was a kind man,” Sieval said. “And I was happy to stay with him. Hedidsay, however, that he would take me back to my pond before he went away. But then, in the end… perhaps he forgot…”
Kieran shook his head. “No – it wasn’t that.” His voice was soft and sad, and Natasha had the sudden urge to reach out to him. “It’s just that he died quite suddenly – and he wasn’t at home at the time. My parents told me he’d come down the mountain to buy some supplies before he disappeared back home, but he collapsed suddenly and was taken directly to the hospital – we never had the chance to say a proper goodbye to him ourselves. It was sad – my mother especially was really upset about it. But I had no idea he’d had a sprite for company all this time.” Kieran swallowed heavily, his eyes looking wet. “Have you been stuck here ever since then?”
Sieval nodded. “Alas, yes. After Henry was gone, some people came to look through his things, to pack them away… they put my rock in a box, and then took it to the attic. I have been there ever since, unable to move since I must go wherever my rock goes. I had been hoping someone would come into the attic so I could speak with them and explain my situation, but you are the first who ever has.”
“It must have been my parents who packed your rock away,” Kieran said, shaking his head. “I know they came to do some cleaning up and repairs, before they got distracted by other things. I guess they had no way of knowing one of the rocks in Henry’s collection was, uh, bonded to a sprite. I’m very sorry that you’ve been stuck in the attic for so long because of that. They didn’t know, but it still must have been a very hard time for you, not being able to go home.”
Sieval nodded. “It has not been pleasant, I’m afraid. I have longed to see my pond again.”
“Then… is there any way thatwecould take you back there?” Natasha asked, looking from Sieval to Kieran. “I know it wasn’t your parents’ fault, Kieran, but if there’s any way we could make up for it – as much as itcanbe made up for – then we’d like to do it.”
She knew Kieran would feel the same way as she did without having to ask him. Of course he would want to put this right. Sieval needed to go back to where it belonged, after all this time.
“Of course,” Kieran said, the moment she finished speaking. “You said that your pond was in a remote part of the mountains, but I’m a griffin shifter, just like my Uncle Henry was. So I can definitely fly you and your rock back home – if you can give me some guidance, I’d be happy to take you. Today, in fact. I only want to put things right after everything you’ve been through. And to say thank you for keeping Henry company during his final few years. He became such a recluse and didn’t really have much contact with us or the outside world – but it’s a comfort to know hedidhave company after all, Sieval. Thank you.”
“You are very welcome,” Sieval said quietly. “I admit, I hadn’t considered that a shifter could be good company until I met Henry. But he was a quiet man, except for when he made his sounds. But now I think it’s time for me to return to the life I had by my pond.”
“I can help you with that,” Kieran said determinedly. “Natasha, if you wouldn’t mind holding on to Sieval’s rock, I’ll fly us all to your pond right now, before the light goes. Do you think we have time, Sieval?”
“Oh yes, I should think so,” Sieval said – and Natasha could virtually see it radiating with joy, the blue glow of its skin shimmering in the sunlight. “For a griffin, the flight should be short. I remember it was in a glade in a small valley, and there was a large mountain – the largest one – to the north.”
“I think I may know the spot you mean,” Kieran said, his face brightening. “My uncle used to take us there sometimes when we were out flying. If it’s the place I’m thinking of, anyway. But if itis, then that makes things a lot easier. Looking for a pond in that wilderness would have been like trying to find a needle in a haystack otherwise. But let’s hope it’s the place.” He paused, shaking his head. “I used to go there all the time as a kid! And I never knew a sprite lived there at all.”
“Well, wearequite shy,” Sieval said modestly. “But now that you mention it, I recall that often children would come to play at my pond, many years ago. I usually went into my rock when they were there – but it was very intriguing to watch them. Perhaps one of those children was you.”
“That seems like it’d be pretty likely,” Kieran said, blinking. “Wow.”
He looked a little stunned, and Natasha couldn’t say she blamed him. Ifshe’dbeen the one finding out her childhood playground had been inhabited by an invisible sprite, she’d probably be evenmoresurprised than he was now.
But then, if sprites are as shy as Sieval says, then who’s to say some of the places I grew updidn’thave sprites living there after all? Seems like there’s always been more to Girdwood Springs than meets the eye…
“Let me go into my rock – you can carry me quite easily then,” Sieval said, standing.
