Page 31 of Corvus and the Broken God

“No. You did that yourself. That is why you woke up with crow's eyes; you forgot to turn all the way back.”

I stared at him in amazement as the meaning of his words settled into my comprehension, but he walked away after shutting and locking the front door, leaving me to my new reality. I changed myself? How great was that! Had he given me the ability as soon as I agreed to help him? I held my arm out, looking in wonder at the olive-toned skin. Not only had I changed myself into a crow, but then I turned back into my new shape, not into the one I’d inhabited my entire twenty-nine years.

I caught up to him in the den. The soft peal letting us know they left hadn’t sounded yet, and we were both on edge.

But I was still digesting what he revealed to me. I could change myself. I thought I was dreaming, so it came easily. Now that I was wide awake, I hadn’t the foggiest idea how to do it.

“Would you like to spy on them?” he asked me, disrupting my musing.

“Sure.”

He opened the door leading from the den out to the left-wing hallway. Then, without any warning, he turned into a large crow. He looked at me expectantly, as much as it was possible for a crow. Oh. I was supposed to change too. How did I do it last night? I tried to replicate what I was thinking and feeling, but nothing happened. It was more than a thought or a want. It had been a deep desire. The yearning in my bones to be able to fly. Wishing for feathers and wings, for a light body, and the ability to navigate thermals, I beat the drum of my desire until it was so strong I couldn’t help but change. The pull started again in my toes, rushing through me. The world grew giant until my clothing covered my head. I shook free of my t-shirt, but my Monster didn’t wait for me to adjust. With two flaps, he flew up to one of the open window slits in the wall. Another flap and he was gone. This time I followed.

CHAPTER TEN

Inside the Mind of the Beast

Despite all the new crazy twists and turns my life had taken, I was thrilled to be flying with him again. It helped that we were closer in size, and this time I had a chance to keep up with him. Unsure where he was going, I studied his body for signals. He flew with purpose, steadily climbing higher. Now that I knew I wasn’t dreaming, I marveled at the fact I could fly again, whenever I wanted.

He dove toward the top of a mature magnolia tree, and I followed in his draft, the wind surrounding me from all sides, pressing in on me, keeping me in the sky. I mimicked his actions as he landed, pushing my wings up and out, flapping higher, feet out, ready to grip the branch as we approached. A few hops to a lower branch, and we settled, just over the heads of Darryl and the two sheriff’s deputies.

“Something strange is going on in there,” Darryl said, arms waving and pointing as he tried to persuade the officers, as if they didn’t know where he was talking about.

“Maybe, but as long as it’s nothing illegal, they can do whatever freaky thing they want,” said Deputy Thompson.

“Don’t tell me you don’t want to get inside that building?”

Deputy Thompson crossed his arms. “How long have you lived up here, son?”

“All my life.”

“I know. Which is why you should know every single person living on any of these remote mountaintops has their own brand of crazy going on. In this case, unless we hear of something else giving us a good reason to come back here, we’ll just leave them alone. That’s why he lives up here. To be left alone. I expect you to remember that.”

Darryl glanced back in the direction of the house, his brain clearly working on overdrive. “Didn’t a hiker get lost up here a few months ago? And now this Freya Rook?”

“Were you listening to me just now? Or do you need me to repeat myself?”

“Yes, sir. I heard you. I’ll leave them alone.”

We all knew he was lying, but the words he offered were enough to appease the officers, who had more important business to attend to. The three men turned to head down the steep driveway.

He’s coming back, I said.

Agreed.

Camazotz flapped his wings and took off. This time he headed in the opposite direction of the house. He didn’t tell me not to join him, so I did.

We need to hide my I.D. somewhere he can’t find it. I thought it mostly to myself and was surprised when he answered.

In the caves.

No, if they ever got inside, they would probably look down there. I think it needs to be somewhere else. Maybe we can fly them up somewhere they can’t reach.

Fine. But now you need a new identity. He paused, And clothing, since you hadn’t planned to stay so long.

I didn’t know what to make of that, but it was a beautiful day, and I was flying again, so I chose to follow without further questions.

He flew us to the northern side of the mountain. We climbed high, thrown around a bit by heavy winds, but for the first time, it didn’t scare me. I was no longer afraid of falling. I loved the feeling of playing in the air currents. He circled downward, and I stayed close behind him, gliding for extended periods.