At last, she landed, breathlessly, on the railing beside the twisted cage. Panting, she grabbed hold of the silver bars, and, with all of her strength, she shoved the cage over the edge of the railing to watch it tumble down into the street below. "De'Saggaraht, te veortne saba!" she shouted, and then cackled maniacally before dancing a little jig of victory.
Garrett knelt in front of her, feeling the sadness swelling in his throat again. He smiled as she turned to face him, her little blue eyes still wild with exultation.
"Oh, Garrett!" she cried. She flew forward to put her arms as far as they would go around the side of his neck, "Thank you!"
Garrett laughed at the tickling flutter of Lampwicke's wings against his face and ear.
She flew back to the railing, blazing like a hot coal and grinning at him. "Thank you!"
"You're free now," Garrett said, "You can go anywhere you want... or stay, if you'd like."
Lampwicke looked across the city toward the south, and drew in a long breath, her little chest still heaving with excitement. She looked at him again, and her eyes sparkled with glittering tears. "Oh, Garrett... oh, Garrett," she cried. She put her tiny hands over her lips.
Garrett smiled. "I understand," he said, "Go home, Lampwicke. Go back to your forest."
She burst into tears then, but smiled through them as she took wing once more. She darted, back and forth, as though hesitant to leave or just remembering how to fly. Then she swooped in and kissed Garrett once more on the cheek.
"I will never forget you," she said.
"I'll never forget you either," he choked.
Then she was gone, streaking away toward the south like a shooting star, and Garrett watched her go.
Distant thunder rumbled, and Garrett saw the flickering light of a faraway storm play beyond the brooding shadow of Mount Padras. A gentle rain began to patter against the stones and shingles of Uncle's house. Garrett bowed his head, feeling the cold hurt inside his chest.
Marla moved closer, putting her arm around him. She felt warm and solid beside him.
"Garrett, you're cold!" she said.
He looked at her and smiled. "I'll be all right," he said. He liked the way she smiled back at him.
She reached up and stroked his chin with her thumb. "You shaved, didn't you?" she said.
Garrett grinned and then hesitated a moment before he leaned in.
Marla pressed her lips to his, and they said nothing more as the night rains fell on the twilight city.
End of Book Three of The Songreaver's Tale
Garrett’s adventures will continue in Book Four.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Songreaver Page 27
