Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

A soft chirp left its beak.

I turned back to it, studying it. “I know Sarivosian,dragon, Aelyrian, and some Perinix, but there are no books on demon language. I can’t understand you.”

It sniffed the air, eyes falling to my lips as it took a slow step forward, another.

I forced my breathing to remain normal as it inched closer and closer. I hadn’t been this close to many demons. It was exhilarating. And as excited as I was being this close to a zalin, I had to remain calm. I didn’t want to scare it.

It chirped again, twitching its head from side to side until it finally stopped feet away, stretching out its long neck, trying to sniff me without getting too close.

I let it, waiting patiently until it straightened up, tilting its head to one side, its eyes flicking to the veil around my neck.

I touched it. “I use it to keep myself from being easily identified by the guards.” Holy shit. This wasdefinitelygetting recorded.

It hissed, its feathers puffing up around its neck, its wings folding in a way that made it look bigger than it was.

It took everything in me not to take a step back. “I hate them too,” I agreed, my hands tensing at my sides.

It snapped its beak several times and shook itself out. I looked it over as its feathers slowly flattened, my heart racing. “Okay, it seemed like you understood that. Maybe we can communicate. Can you understand me? One chirp for yes, two for no.”

Almost immediately, it chirped once.

Excitement exploded through me, and it took everything in me to remain calm and composed. “One chirp formale, two for female.”

He chirped once again.

I nodded, fighting against the smile. “Male then. You are a very handsome male.” My absolute shit day was slowly getting better.

He lifted his chin, strutting in a circle before coming back to a stand in front of me.

I laughed lightly. “Your family,” I went on. “One chirp for near, two for far.”

He chirped twice.

My brows furrowed then, worry filling me. “You should be with them,” I told him, glancing around the trees. “There was a tycron attack a while back. It attacked one of your kits. I think staying with your family is what’s best for now.”

I had heard it and stupidly I had run towards the sound. It had been horrible. Tycrons weren’t even supposed to be here until the end of Winter, but there it had been, attacking a beautiful little kit. I shot it straight through the eye and I used some of my Asilos Root to try and save the babe, but I never knew if it had actually lived.

Tycrons hunted all kinds of demons just for fun. Usually, the demons disappeared for a while after the tycrons returned. The forest didn’t return to normal until late spring. Even I avoided wandering during those months. Why this one was alone was beyond me.

He shook himself out, ruffling his feathers, and turned to the side. He looked back to his side and lifted his wing, showing me the three long scars left behindfrom an attack.

My eyes widened, my heart thudding erratically. “Gods above,” I breathed as he found my eyes again. “You’re…you’re the zalin that was attacked?” Okay, having the knowledge that they grew that fast andseeingit for myself, it was a world of difference.

He chirped, beating his wings as he turned back to me.

I half-laughed, running my hands through my hair in disbelief. “You’re alive and…andhuge.”

He jumped up, landing with a huff, his feathers puffing out as if he were proud.

Besides the nargs, he had to be the friendliest demon I had ever met.

As he continued to strut around me in a large circle, I found myself giggling, admiring him. “Yes, you are very pretty.” He truly was. I wanted to draw him. Record this moment the best I could.

He cried out, flapping his wings.

A playful demon. It was a first.

I studied him, taking in how his back curved, how his body transitioned from part bird to part beast. I couldn’t believe he had found me. It had been four or so months since that day, I had nearly forgotten about it. “May I?” I finally asked, gesturing to his body.