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PARKER AND COLE ENTERED the Roost to find Belliza hovering beside Stefanos. The Ruling Great One lay on his back, propped up by cushions. The ever-bright room, now desolate, was cloaked in darkness. As they approached, Belliza surprised Parker with the sound of her voice. “We’ve been waiting for you, Parker. I am glad you are here.” Belliza motioned to Parker, “Come zit bezide our Zky King. I will leave you now. He wantz to zpeak with you.” She flew into the cloudy corridor and as she was about to vanish, she said, “Cole, Ztefanoz azked that you ztay with Parker. You are to be hiz witnezz.”
Covered in head-to-toe white dust and barely stirring, Stefanos whispered to Parker, “I knew my time was coming, though I am not ready. But I must be. Come closer,” he faintly whispered.
Parker knelt beside him.
“You are the One.”
Parker gave him a blank stare, tears blurring her vision. “What are you saying, Stefanos?” Parker asked, her voice unsteady, her worry rising as she wrestled with fear.
“You will be my successor. You are the One. The next Ruling Great One, Parker. The Sky Queen. The One if by land. The One who has come to us by way of Earth. As my father, Zonoros, planned.”
“But…” she stammered. “I thought it would be my choice—my choice to return to Earth. My choice to go home.”
His chest rose and fell slowly. Tears formed in Parker’s eyes as she turned away.
“The choice will always be with you, just as it was from the beginning.” He stopped and gathered his thoughts. “I wanted to die quickly and join the Spirits of the Sky. Our wise owls know war must come and then it will pass. Just the same as we leaders must know, Parker. I am not afraid. You must not be afraid either.”
Parker stroked his brow. “You can’t leave us yet. Spyridon needs you. Your wisdom.” Her words lingered. Then she said, “I need you, Stefanos.”
“My calling is no longer here, Parker. Not of this world. But the next one. I will watch over you from afar. You will feel me from above the clouds and hear my voice in the whistle of the Spirits. The wise owls. You know what you must do. It is your turn now.” His knotty talons spread and clasped her hand. “Cole will be here for you. You can trust him. Listen to his truth. He knows the way of our world.”
Stefanos’ eyes flickered. “Cole, promise me you will help Parker stay the course.”
“Yes, Sky King. You know I will.”
Stefanos closed his eyes and his chest rose and fell slowly. He barely moved.
Parker collapsed into Cole’s arms. He caressed her head, stroked her hair, and held her tightly.
She cried uncontrollably. Sobs racked her body. She wanted to be comforted. She wanted the touch of Cole’s lips. She peered into his eyes. “How is anything ever going to be right again? I don’t understand any of this. We read a letter in the Sky Box. That I…that we, Henley, Edison, and me, we have the blood of Spyridon? But—we are supposed to go home.”
As Cole started to reply, the Roost filled with light. The air cleared. Cole’s hands dropped. “It’s a sign, Parker,” Cole said. “Stefanos has passed. But you know now he will be watching over you.” He reached out his hand and held her tightly.
She pulled her hand away. She needed to think. She walked over to the glass wall. She searched for the Virago trees, feeling desperate and lost on a planet on which she didn’t belong, but had come to understand. A chill passed through her. She wrapped her arms around herself. Absentmindedly, she rubbed her upper arms. But something caught her attention, something felt strange. Her skin. The texture was different. Fuzzy. Confused, she raised her forearm and looked closely.
There on her arm, the skin glistened with the tiniest layer of feathers like clusters of gold.