Immediately five of the fliers fluttered down to the black alphabet wheel, landing gently, one by one upon the letters. N-I-G-H-T.
“And what was your question?” Faegan asked her.
“Whether it was night or day outside.”
“Very good.” Faegan smiled. “Time for a different kind of test.” He crooked the index finger of his right hand, indicating that the princess lower her face to his. Whispering into her ear, he said, “Do not forget that they understand what is communicated to them verbally, at least by you and me; I doubt they would understand anyone of unendowed blood. I will whisper my question to you, so that they may not hear it. Ask them to spell their answer, rather than communicate it to your mind.”
Faegan thought for a moment, then whispered, “Ask them where they came from, before being brought to the Redoubt. It should prove interesting, and their answer might tell us much.” Shailiha turned her intelligent, hazel eyes once more to the fliers and concentrated.
Tell me the name of the place where you lived, before coming here, to the Redoubt, she thought.
For a moment the butterflies upon the wheel hesitated. Their great wings stopped opening and closing, a sight seldom seen. Uncharacteristically, it was as if they were having trouble deciding on the correct answer. Finally they leapt into the air; several others joined them, and they landed again on some of the letters. S-H-A-D-O-W-O-O-D.
Shailiha turned to the wizard and was about to speak when Faegan placed his index finger across his lips, indicating silence. Smiling and bouncing his eyebrows up and down in delight, he pointed back down to the butterflies. They had taken to the air, and they now alit on another group of letters. A-N-D E-U-T-R-A-C-I-A.
“Ah-ha!” Faegan chuckled, obviously pleased. “Well done!”
“They did it!” Shailiha exclaimed. But the look in Faegan’s amazing, prankish eyes told her that she had not yet grasped the entirety of what had just happened.
“There were two reasons for my particular question,” he said slyly. “Can you tell me what they were?”
Shailiha thought for a moment. “You wanted to know whether they could hear you if you whispered,” she said triumphantly. “They apparently could not, for they did not respond until I asked them with my mind.”
“Yes,” Faegan agreed. “What was my other reason?”
Shailiha thought hard. Finally, and without the wizard’s permission, she looked down to the fliers still perched upon the letters and silently commanded one to come to her. The large yellow-and-violet flier, the one that had become her favorite, launched itself from the alphabet wheel and landed on her outstretched arm. The princess stood there, lost within the moment, and then smiled. “They remember,” she said.
She has truly become their master, Faegan realized. Even more so than I.
“Please explain,” he said calmly.
“Not only did they tell us where they lived until being brought here, but they also named Eutracia, their original home of three centuries ago. This means that they not only relate to the present, but also to the past as well.” She turned back to the butterfly, obviously communicating with it. Then she looked at Faegan. “They can recall as far back as the day that they ingested the waters of the Caves, when they first became endowed.” She turned her hazel eyes to him, confident in her newfound knowledge. “This is significant,” she said with understated authority.
Indeed, Faegan thought. “And the Chosen One shall come, but will be preceded by another,” he remembered. The ages-old quote from the Tome rang out just as clearly in his mind now as it had the first time he had read it. The female—the twin to the male. Had the Coven succeeded in keeping her as their fifth sorceress, she would have been unstoppable.
“Faegan,” the princess asked, “I know these creatures belong to you, but would you mind it terribly if I named this one?” The yellow-and-violet flier continued to perch quietly upon her arm, its wings opening and closing gracefully as it kept its balance.
“The fliers belong to no one,” Faegan answered compassionately. “I am only their guardian.”
“Do you know which of them are the males and which are the females?” she asked, pursing her lips coyly. The wizard got the distinct impression that she was toying with him, as if she knew something that he did not.
“I never really thought about it,” he admitted. “For all of these years I have not had a need to know.”
Shailiha turned back to the flier on her arm. “This one is female,” she said. “She just told me.”
The wizard shook his head. “Of course,” he answered. “And your name for her?”
“Caprice,” Shailiha answered softly.
Faegan smiled. “Very well. Caprice it is.” Then he grew serious.
“There is a matter of which we must now speak,” he said. “Would you please release Caprice, so that I may discuss it with you?”
The princess shook her arm slightly, and the giant butterfly took flight. After twice circling the princess’ head, it flew down to the lower area of the atrium, rejoining the others.
Shailiha turned back to Faegan.
“I am very worried about Tristan and Wigg,” he said as compassionately as he knew how. “They should have been back by now.” He paused for a moment, the sudden worry on Shailiha’s face stabbing him in the heart. “I fear they may be in danger.”
She bit her lower lip, and then a stronger, more determined look surfaced on her delicate features. Drawing a deep, resolute breath, she asked, “Do you have any idea what kind of trouble this may be?”
“No,” Faegan responded. “I only know that in my heart I believe they should have been back before now. And I also believe we need to take whatever action on their behalf we can.”
The princess did not speak as she weighed her very limited options. Finally she turned back to the wizard. “You want me to send the fliers out looking for them, don’t you?” she asked. “And you also want me to use my newfound gift to stay in touch with them as they go.”
“Yes,” Faegan answered. “Just a few of them. It is now night, and they should be safe, provided they fly high enough and return before dawn. I do not want them out and about in the Eutracian countryside during the light of day. The simple, unendowed citizens would love nothing better than to capture one of these amazing creatures of myth.” Another thought came to him. “It will also give us valuable information regarding your bond with the fliers,” he said.
“How so?”
“Since this will be the first time they have traveled any appreciable distance outside the Redoubt, we will be able to discern the range of your abilities. It should prove interesting.”
“Yes,” Shailiha said softly. “Unless they are captured, or die in the attempt . . .”
Knowing she was quite right, he let the statement stand. He could tell how much it hurt her to release the precious butterflies from the safety of the Redoubt, but he also knew that her love for her brother and Wigg surpassed that fear.
“Very well,” she said. “Tell me what to do.”
“Thank you,” Faegan said. “And don’t forget: I love them, too. Call Caprice back up.”
Shailiha raised her arm, silently calling the giant butterfly to her. Almost immediately Caprice left the ground, flying happily back to the arm of her mistress.
Faegan remained amazed at her abilities with the fliers. Though still untrained, she possessed a power that even he did not have.
“I am going to give her spoken commands,” Faegan said. “This way we shall both know what is expected of them.” He turned to look at the delicate creature on Shailiha’s arm. “Pick five others of your kind, and exit the Redoubt,” he said gently. “Fly to the west, high in the sky, and try to get as close to the Caves as you can. But do not enter. Be careful to avoid all other forms of life, especially human. I wish you to communicate as best you can with your mistress, informing her at regular intervals if you see what it is I am sending you in search of. However, under no circumstances are you to fly so far that you are unable to return to the tunnels by dawn. This is paramount. You are searching for the prince and the wizard Wigg. If you see them you are to inform your mistress at once, and immediately return to the Redoubt. Open and close your wings twice if you understand.”