Page 174 of Moon Chosen

“Does that mean I should be badly injured?”

“That means you should be confident that this little lift is absolutely safe,” Nik said. “And open your eyes.”

“How did you know they were closed?”

“Easy guess. Open them.”

Mari did so, and then found herself looking around as they rose into the sky. The trees were massive. They were also beautiful with their drapings of moss and ferns. As they went higher, all around them things began to glitter, and Mari realized that the entire city was decorated with crystals and mirrors and beads and ribbons. Then, carried on the rising wind, came a musical tinkling and chiming in time with the night breeze.

“What kind of music is that? It sounds like the wind is playing glass and bells—but how is that possible?” Mari asked Nik.

“The wind is playing glass and bells—and beads and shells and hollowed reeds and all sorts of precious things hung in the branches of our pines.”

“Wow. Mama would have loved this.”

Moments later the litter was being pulled onto a wide platform by a man who looked like an older version of Nik. Beside him was a huge Shepherd whose face was eerily familiar. Rigel leaped out of the litter to greet the Shepherd. Nik took Mari’s hand, helping her onto the platform. Then, with a sense of joy that had her spirit lifting, he presented her to his father.

“Father, this is my friend, Mari. You already know her Shepherd, Rigel. Mari, I’d like to introduce you to my father, Sol, Leader and Sun Priest of the Tribe of the Trees.”

Mari wished she’d thought about what she was going to do when she met Nik’s father—or at least wished she’d asked Nik what she was supposed to do. Then she didn’t have any more time to be nervous because she was enveloped in the warmth of Sol’s hug.

“Welcome, Mari! You are so very, very welcome,” he said. Then he held her at arm’s length, looking into her eyes. “Thank you for my son’s life. That is a gift for which I will never be able to fully repay you, though I will try, Mari. I promise you I will try.”

Mari smiled up at him shyly. He was so tall! Though when she glanced at Nik she realized that he was actually taller than his father.

“You are welcome, Sun Priest,” she said awkwardly. “I’m glad Rigel led me to Nik, and I’ll be glad to help with his cousin, too.”

“Please call me Sol,” he said. Then his Shepherd approached her. “And this is Rigel’s sire, my Laru.”

Mari reached her hand out to the huge Shepherd, who sniffed it, and then licked her, wagging his tail happily. “You’re so handsome! And Rigel looks so much like you!” she said, then turned to Nik. “Is Rigel going to get this big?”

“Bigger, maybe. Don’t you think, Father?”

Sol smiled. “Your Rigel is bigger than Laru was at his age. He looks good, Mari. You’ve done well for him.”

“Thank you,” Mari said, and added, “I hope I can help Nik’s cousin.”

Sol’s smile slid from his face. “I hope you can help O’Bryan, too, but I’m afraid it may be too late. He fell asleep about midday and will not awaken.”

“Then we need to go to him—now.” Nik began to hurry toward one of the nearby nests, but Sol caught his arm.

“He’s not there, son. He’s been moved to the Transition nest.”

“He drank the monkshood?”

“Nikolas, lower your voice before we’re found out and any chance O’Bryan has is gone,” Sol said.

“Sol, Nik, I can’t heal someone who’s taken the monkshood root. The poison cannot be stopped,” Mari said.

“O’Bryan didn’t drink of the root,” Sol said quickly. “He simply went to sleep and didn’t wake.”

“Take me to him,” Mari said.

“Put this on first.” Sol handed her a long, hooded cloak. “It’s late, so there is only one Healer on duty, but we can’t be too careful. Nikolas, I had to enlist Maeve’s help.”

“Maeve?” Mari asked.

“She’s a special friend of mine,” Sol said.