“I don’t understand,” he said. “Who is this Corvain kid?”
“A ghost,” murmured Garion. “One I thought I’d stamped out years ago.” He beckoned one of this guards to him and said, “Tell all my generals and Sir Aglassine that the skystone is not important anymore. Tell them to search for a boy—a Crow—by the name of Nox Hatcher. Bring him to me at whatever cost. Use all our resources, every blasted soldier in the Clandoms if they must. Offer a dukedom and a castle to whoever brings him in. And tell them …”
He paused to look up at the sky, with a strange, cold expression Corion had never seen on his father’s face before.
“Tell them I don’t want him alive.”
Ellie led the way out of Thelantis, winging over the stony foothills to the north.
She didn’t know where they were going, only that they had to get there fast. The confusion surrounding the fire had helped them escape the city itself, but it was only a matter of time before the Goldwings realized their quarry had fled and took to the air in pursuit.
Where would they be safe?
The knights she’d looked to for protection, the ones she’d wanted to join herself, were now hunting her.
Everything had turned inside out in a matter of hours. She couldn’t imagine it being any worse. At least they were alive, all four of them. Scraped, battered, and singed in places, but alive.
Which she was still trying to comprehend.
“What did you mean,” she said to Nox, “when you said the fire couldn’t burn you? Why didn’t you die in a ball of flame?”
“Like I said,” he replied wearily. “It doesn’t burn me.” The boy looked like he wished he’d never said anything.
“How can fire just not burn you?”
“Yeah,” inserted Gussie. “And don’t you think that woulda been an important thing to tell your crew? Like, months ago?”
“How did you two meet up, anyway?” Nox asked, clearly changing the subject. “And why? Or is rescuing me from murderers in burning buildings a new hobby of yours, Sparrow?”
“I heard her screaming for us all over the city,” said Gussie. “She was extremely unsubtle about it. When she told me the king was hunting you and the skystone, I knew right where the Talon would be holding you.”
“You were so sure he’d caught me?”
She only snorted in response.
“You’re avoiding my question,” said Ellie. “What’s with the whole fireproof thing?”
Nox sighed. His left wing had to be hurting from the cut the Talon had made.
“I don’t understand it myself,” he said. “But all my life, I’ve been immune to fire. My father was too. That’s how he came out of that blaze years ago without any burns. And that’s why the Goldwings concluded he must have started the fire.”
“Funny, how they go around executing people for starting fires,” muttered Gussie. “Then burn down half the city themselves.”
“But how are you immune to fire?” Ellie asked.
“I don’t know, all right? It’s … some kind of family trait. Apparently, my grandmother had it too. But my parents warned me never to talk about it. I suppose it has to do with the reason the Crows were shattered ages ago. People don’t like the idea of us …” His voice trailed away.
“Being magic?” she finished.
“It’s not magic.”
“Well, what in the sky else would you call it?”
“Not magic!”
“Fine, fine.” She shivered as a cold mountain wind washed over them. It was getting dark, the long shadows of the mountains slowly swallowing up the world, and the rocks below grew hazy.
“Let’s just fly and not talk about it, please?” said Nox. “And I mean, really, don’t talk about it. The last thing my mother said to me was that if anyone found out about my little … quirk … they’d execute me too.”
“Why did you never tell us before?” asked Gussie. “Didn’t you trust us?”
“I … guess I didn’t really trust anyone at all. Until you three.” He cleared his throat. “Now, Sparrow, are you going to tell us about the Race of Ascension or what?”
Ellie winced. She wasn’t looking forward to hearing Nox say I told you so. “Right, about that. Um—”
“We’ve got trouble!” shouted Twig, who’d been watching their rear.
Ellie rolled and peered into the dimming sky behind them. It didn’t take a Hawk’s sharp eyes to make out the glints in the distance—light glancing off white armor.
“Goldwings,” she muttered.
In the open air, four kids would be spotted in no time. Better to hide and wait, then take off again once they had the cover of darkness.
She banked hard, leading them toward the rocky cliffs of the mountains. There were a thousand crevices riddling the slopes. Choosing one at random, Ellie hovered while the others filed in, gripping her staff and watching the sky.
For the next two hours, they crouched in silence, muscles growing stiff and wings pulled tightly against their spines. Ellie heard the voices of the Goldwings ringing through the mountains; it was impossible to tell where they were, with their shouts echoing off every cliff. Once, just after sunset, she saw a flickering torch pass by, held by a grim-faced Sir Aglassine. Ellie held her breath, not daring to even blink until the Goldwing had vanished again.
“We have to get out of here,” whispered Nox. “If they spot us, we’re done for.”
Ellie nodded, swallowing hard. Where could they go? How far would they have to fly to be beyond Garion’s reach?
“I guess …” She paused, her eyes picking out a single spot of light in the darkness. Had the captain returned? But this light was white, not the fiery orange of a torch. “Hey, what is that?”
Twig clapped his hands. “Moonmoth!”
The small, glowing creature swooped toward their hiding spot, fine dust trickling from its wings. It drifted closer to Nox, then alighted on his shoulder.
The others stared, breaths held. Ellie saw the surprise on Nox’s face as he tried to shoo it off.
“It’s Twig you want, not me, bug,” he said.
But the moth refused to budge, and instead shook its wings, sprinkling his shoulder with shining dust.
“It likes you,” laughed Ellie.
Finally, the moth lifted away and fluttered ahead, where it soared in a lazy circle, as if waiting for them.
“Huh,” said Nox. “You know that old saying?”
“Don’t go chasing moonmoths?” said Ellie.
“Let’s follow it,” said Nox.
Ellie stared at him. “What?”
“Um, hello?” Gussie flicked a wing. “There’s a reason you don’t go chasing moonmoths, remember? No one knows where they go.”
“Which means no one will know where to look for us,” he pointed out.
“You’ve changed,” Ellie said softly. “The Nox I know would never chase a magic moth through the night sky. What’s different?”
“I don’t know,” he grumbled. “I guess I’m tired of listening to my wings and not my heart. And I have this feeling … Just follow it, okay, before I change my mind?”
Ellie chewed her lip a moment before replying. “Well … I guess I am tired of following the rules.”
Nox grinned.
“Follow that moonmoth!” cried Twig.
“Shhhh!” the others all hissed.
He clapped his hands over his mouth, still smiling, and sped out of the crevice. The others followed one by one, dropping out of the rock and spreading their wings in silence.
Ellie thought this was beyond risky, but maybe Nox was right. The moonmoths had to go somewhere, and if no one knew where that somewhere was, it could well be the safest place in the world. Besides, she couldn’t think of anyplace better.
And there was a certain thrill in breaking the old rules.
The fluttering moth led them higher and higher, like a dancing candle flame, away from the foothills and into the mountains themselves. They flew thr
ough silent air and pockets of whirling wind as the temperature dropped and snowflakes began melting on their skin and wings. Ellie couldn’t believe that, just that morning, she’d been racing up the slopes of Mount Garond. The ache of the race was catching up to her, though. She couldn’t fly much farther.
But they pressed one another on, chasing the little glowing moth as it flitted through the mountains. After an hour, Ellie began gasping for breath, sure she’d made a terrible mistake. Maybe there was a reason people said not to go chasing moonmoths—maybe they never actually went anywhere.
Then, just when she thought she couldn’t fly another wing beat, she saw lights.
“More moths?” she wondered.
“No,” said Gussie. “I smell smoke.”
“There’s … a town,” said Twig.
Sure enough, a small cluster of buildings was hidden in the vale ahead, faintly visible against the pale stone cliffs. Yellow lanterns twinkled in their windows.
“I’ve never heard of anyone living this far off the map,” said Gussie. “Are we sure we can trust them?”
“Do we have a choice?” snorted Twig. “My wings are about to fall off. We have to land. And eat.” He patted his stomach sadly.
“It could be a safe haven,” whispered Ellie. “Somewhere no one knows who we are.”
“But for how long?” added Nox.
Ellie met his gaze for a moment, then said, “Long enough to make a plan, I hope.”
“A plan?”
“This isn’t over. As long as we carry that skystone, we have a responsibility to either use it to make a difference or find someone who can.”
She waited for him to argue, to tell her it wasn’t his job to save the world.
But then, with a grim expression, Nox nodded. “Lead the way, then, Ellie of the Sparrows.”
With a grin, Ellie flicked her wings, putting on a burst of speed. She angled for the settlement in the mountains ahead, leading their battered little band through fog and wind, guided by the gentle, fluttering light of the moonmoth.
The Clandoms and surrounding lands are home to many scores
of clans, each with its own unique identity and heritage.
Here are a few found in Sparrow Rising.
SPARROW CLAN
CLAN SEAT: Linden
CLAN TYPE: Low
WING DESCRIPTION: Elliptical; broad shape; brown, white, and copper feathers with dark flecks. Optimal for quick takeoffs, maneuverability. Less suited for distance and speed.
WINGSPAN: Short
TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS: Farmers, harvesters
KNOWN FOR: Making the most popular wing oil in the Clandoms
CROW CLAN
CLAN SEAT: None
CLAN TYPE: Shattered
WING DESCRIPTION: Broad, rounded shape; black iridescent feathers. Suited for fast flying over short distances or soaring.
WINGSPAN: Medium
TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS: Thieves, beggars, low-wage workers
KNOWN FOR: Rumors of dark magic and treachery in the past, resulting in their official shattering by the Eagle monarchs
FALCON CLAN
CLAN SEAT: Vestra
CLAN TYPE: High
WING DESCRIPTION: Long, thin, tapered, with dark and light stripes. Ideal for speed and maneuverability. Less suited for quick takeoffs and flight in tight areas like forests or cities.
WINGSPAN: Long
TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS: Soldiers, knights, nobles
KNOWN FOR: Strict upbringing and training, strength, and speed as warriors
HAWK CLAN
CLAN SEAT: Norivad
CLAN TYPE: High
WING DESCRIPTION: Long, broad, with dark and light stripes on the top and very pale undersides. Ideal for distance, diving, and speed.
WINGSPAN: Medium to long
TRADITIONAL OCCUPATION: Soldiers, knights, scouts, nobles
KNOWN FOR: Keen eyesight over long distances and in poor conditions, which makes them excellent scouts and trackers
EAGLE CLAN
CLAN SEAT: Thelantis
CLAN TYPE: High
WING DESCRIPTION: Long, broad shape with dark golden-gray tops and slightly lighter undersides. Ideal for speed, diving, soaring; less maneuverable.
WINGSPAN: Very long
TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS: Royals, knights, nobles
KNOWN FOR: Ruling the Clandoms in a centuries-old dynasty, being fierce warriors
MOCKINGBIRD CLAN
CLAN SEAT: Illris
CLAN TYPE: Low
WING DESCRIPTION: Gray with white patches
WINGSPAN: Short
TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS: Translators, actors
KNOWN FOR: Being highly skilled entertainers, often transient, traveling from town to town to perform. Gifted at languages, they’re often employed by high clan diplomats as translators.
CRANE CLAN
CLAN SEAT: Silvermarsh
CLAN TYPE: Low
WING DESCRIPTION: Long; white with black tips. Slow and somewhat laborious fliers, they are more prone to walking than flying when possible.
WINGSPAN: Long
TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS: Fishers, trappers
KNOWN FOR: Being a somewhat reclusive clan who keeps to their marshes
DOVE CLAN
CLAN SEAT: Ashfield
CLAN TYPE: Low
WING DESCRIPTION: Light gray with two dark stripes, white underneath. Suitable for gliding.
WINGSPAN: Short to medium
TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS: Weavers, tailors, dyers
KNOWN FOR: Uncanny ability to find their way home, no matter how lost
I am incredibly grateful to the team that has become part of the Skyborn clan. Thanks to you, what started as a doodle on my high school Spanish homework has grown into a world beyond anything I could have achieved alone. Your time, passion, and expertise are the reasons this book exists, and I could not ask for a better flock to launch Ellie, Nox, and the gang into the sky!
My editor, Zack Clark, has truly been the wind beneath Ellie’s wings. Thank you for believing in this world and these characters as much as I do, and sometimes more!
I’m so thankful for the amazing Scholastic team that has gathered around this book. Thank you to David Levithan for continued enthusiasm and support and to Abby McAden for championing this story. My gratitude to Melissa Schirmer, Josh Berlowitz, Sydney Tillman, and Maeve Norton for all your hard and inspiring work in bringing this book to the next level and putting it into readers’ hands. It still feels surreal that I get to work with such a talented crew of people!
I cannot seem to write a book without having to pour out my love and gratitude to Jessica Brody for her insight and support. Thank you, friend, for always being such an encouragement to me!
My agent, Lucy Carson, has been my constant true north for all these years, and I’ll never be able to fully express my immense appreciation for her. Thank you, Lucy, for taking Ellie under your wing even when the odds seemed small. If Ellie has even half your determination and heart, she will overcome every obstacle in her path.
My family is a steady source of support and inspiration, and my love to you all for the time you spent looking after the kiddo whenever I needed to spend a few hours or even days immersed in this story or hitting a deadline. Literally none of my books would exist without you. My sister LeslieAnn: When you were three years old, I promised I would write a book just for you; I just didn’t know that it would take me fifteen years to fulfill that promise! But it had to be the right book, and this is it. To Ellie I gave your strength of spirit, your arrow-true heart, and your boundless talent and ambition. The sky is yours, my love. Just reach up and take it.
Always, my greatest love and gratitude to Ben and my girls, for being the reason I wake up and write every day. For believing, for loving, for supporting. Thank you for being my greatest story of all.
Jessica Khoury is the author of many books for young readers, including Last of Her Name, The Mystwick School
of Musicraft, the Corpus Trilogy, and The Forbidden Wish. In addition to writing, she is an artistic mapmaker and spends far too much time scribbling tiny mountains and trees for fictional worlds. She lives in Greenville, South Carolina, with her husband, daughters, and sassy husky, Katara. Find her online at jessicakhoury.com.
Copyright © 2021 by Jessica Khoury
Map copyright © 2021 Jessica Khoury
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC, SCHOLASTIC PRESS, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
First edition, July 2021
Cover art © 2021 by Matt Rockefeller
Cover design by Maeve Norton
e-ISBN 978-1-338-65240-6
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
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