StarWind rose and smiled sadly. “Do not give up hope yet, Lyra. Our leader is not a ruthless man. If I can think of someway to save the three of you without harming Sakova, I will.”
Lyra merely nodded and indicated that she was ready to leave. StarWind led the way downstairs to a small dining room. Two small girls immediately brought out trays of food for them to eat. The fare was simple but enjoyable. The eggs were larger than Lyra was accustomed to, but they were also tastier and the pastries were oven-fresh. There was no talk during the meal and when Lyra was finished, StarWind led her through endless corridors again until they were outside a wooden door. She knocked and Lyra heard a muffled reply. StarWind opened the door and ushered Lyra inside, closing the door behind them as she entered as well.
Across the room an old bird-like man stood behind a desk. His hawkish nose turned towards them as they entered and he came around the desk to meet them. His long white hair bounced as he walked and he stopped just short of three chairs arranged before his desk.
“You must be Lyra,” he said dryly. “Please sit. StarWind I wish you to stay and hear what this young lady has to say.”
StarWind, as head of gathering information, had expected as much and she slid into one of the chairs. Lyra was hesitant, as she was not sure how to greet the old man. She finally seated herself without a greeting.
RavenWing seemed not to notice any breach of etiquette and took the remaining chair rather than sit behind his desk. “I understand that you and two boys have been caught within the Sakova. I trust you are aware that such a trespass is a serious offense. We do not normally ask questions of those who come uninvited onto our lands, but I am told that there are some rather strange occurrences involved with your visit. I want you to tell me what is going on to bring you into the Sakova.”
Lyra fidgeted in her chair for a while regarding the old man with a skeptical look. She nodded slowly and met the old man’s gaze. “I want very much to tell you my story,” Lyra said. “It needs to be told to someone, but I am concerned for others as you are concerned with the Sakovan people. As their leader, you have the responsibility of safeguarding the Sakovans. I too have a responsibility to safeguard others. As I aid your cause in revealing what I know, will you aid my cause in helping these others to safety?”
RavenWing frowned and shot StarWind a puzzled look. Lyra saw StarWind shrug out of the corner of her eye. RavenWing returned his gaze to Lyra and his features hardened. “This is not some game we are playing young girl,” he scowled. “By all rights you should be dead now. You live only at my grace. I will have the answers from you that I seek and I will have them now.”
Lyra started to rise and felt StarWind’s hand on her arm. She remained seated, but she met the old man’s gaze firmly. “As you said, I should be dead now. There are several times that I should have died already and now you hold the power of life and death over me. You may indeed kill me for not telling you what you want to know, perhaps you will kill me once I tell you what I know, but I still have my responsibility to fulfill and I am determined to do so. I have no quarrel with the Sakovans; indeed I have never known about their existence until being apprehended by your people. I will endeavor to aid you in any way that I can. Why is it unreasonable to ask the same of you?”
RavenWing sighed and rose from his chair. “Perhaps I was wrong in suggesting this course of action, StarWind. It is obvious that this child has no concept of where she is and what she is facing.”
Lyra leaped to her feet, StarWind unable to catch her in time, and wheeled to face the old man. “I do understand exactly the situation I am in old man,” she stormed. “I know I am about to die and still I offer to aid the very people who are going to kill me. I offer to help because I have come to feel for your people. I am ashamed of what my fellow countrymen have done to you and continue to do. I will tell you my story although I am not sure what good the information will do you. All I am asking is your help to care for people who depend on me because I will no longer be able to help them myself. Is it so difficult for you to accept that there are other people who suffer other than the Sakovans? Or have you just killed anyone not Sakovan for so long that you do not even think about it anymore?”
Fury burned in RavenWing’s eyes and StarWind rose and pulled RavenWing aside. She whispered in his ear for a few moments and turned to Lyra. “Your treatment of our leader is unacceptable, Lyra,” she stated. “RavenWing is respected by all Sakovans and you gain nothing with this childish rampage.”
Lyra’s eyes opened wide at the mention of the leader’s name and her mouth gaped open. Her mother’s final words flooded back through her mind. “This is RavenWing?” she asked nervously. She hoped to barter her life for some concessions or die trying, but the mention of RavenWing’s name brought confusion to her mind. “Can there be another RavenWing?”
StarWind looked puzzled at Lyra. “There is only one RavenWing. Where have you heard the name before? I have never mentioned it, I am sure.”
Lyra stared down at the ring upon her finger, the ring given to her by her mother and recalled Rhodella’s instructions. She was supposed to go to Uncle Temiker to get training and then have Temiker contact RavenWing. What could Temiker have to do with the Sakovans? “Do you know a mage Temiker of Alamar?” she asked.
StarWind and RavenWing exchanged glances with each other quizzically. “What do you need help with?” RavenWing asked calmly.
Lyra sensed an acknowledgement from the pair of Sakovans and sat down. “Syman and Antello are here because they vowed to help me. I feel responsible for them. I understand that you cannot free them, but I ask that they be allowed to remain with the Sakovans. They are good boys and I know that they will accept this situation and be productive in any way they can.”
Lyra cleared her throat and continued when she got no reaction to her first request. “My father has been kidnapped and the only people to help him are myself and Uncle Temiker. If I must die, I ask that you get a message to my uncle so that he may help his brother. That is all I ask.”
RavenWing reclaimed his seat behind his desk and looked at Lyra. “Temiker will be informed,” he declared. “As for your friends, nobody has decided upon killing anyone yet, including yourself. Contrary to your views of Sakovans, we do not take pleasure in killing innocent people. We kill only when it is necessary to ensure our survival. If we can find a way not to kill you without endangering our people, I will be the first to proclaim it. Having the three of you remain in StarCity for the rest of your life is an option, but that must not be considered lightly. For as long as any of you lived, we would be bound to spend manpower watching you to ensure you didn’t escape. There will be time to discuss such things later. At present, we are in no hurry to be rid of your company.”
Lyra nodded and began to tell her tale. She watched their faces as she went and noted some interesting reactions. RavenWing’s eyes flared when Lyra mentioned names that she supposed he had heard before, while other names brought no reaction. As best Lyra could tell, he had heard of Temiker, Rhodella, and Klaarg before, but not Master Malafar or Master Caulder.
RavenWing interrupted Lyra when she got to the part where she and Syman and Antello tried to escape. “That was a very foolish move on your part, Lyra. If any Sakovan is trained to kill quickly and silently, it is HawkShadow. You are indeed charmed to have lived to get this far.”
RavenWing rose and walked over to Lyra and picked up her right hand to examine the ring. “Goral was right, StarWind. That is why she saw the cave.”
StarWind smiled as Lyra’s face distorted with confusion. What could Goral have said about her seeing the cave?