“Stop squirming! I'm trying to help you!” Evie moved John’s injured wing back and forth a few times. She tugged out a few loose feathers. The tadpoles and frogs in the calm, rocky river beside them carefully eyed them. Evie was reminded of The Princess and the Frog.
John pulled his wing away from her. He was still overwhelmed with guilt and grief. He witnessed the basilisk murdered in cold blood. That would leave a scar on anybody. Its agonizing screeches and the blood squirting from its chest... John could not get rid of the horrifying image. And then Mateo. To Evie, he said, “I should be the one suffering. Not Mateo.”
It was strange to see him not his joking self. Evie peered into his deep brown eyes. “What are you talking about?”
John again squirmed. He released himself and jogged away from Evie.
“Huh?” she asked.
John stopped beside a tall pine tree. Wing hanging limply down his side, he kicked a few cones away. He crushed seeds under his foot. John nervously ruffled his feathers. “Why hasn’t the Union fired me yet?” he asked.
A gush of air told him that Evie had joined him. She rested her palm on his back. “What's bothering you, John?”
John sniffed. “Evie, I’m the reason why Mateo is so ill.” He glanced at her. “Both he and I were assigned to that village of sickly elves. Me being my lazy self, I did nothing to help him. I made him care for those villagers alone because I had just gotten a nice groom from Bird Central. I did not want to mess up my new look. I'm such a selfish crane.”
John kicked the tree’s trunk, but he stubbed his toe. “Ow, ow,” he said, hopping around on one foot.
“Oh, so birds can become Pinta Rangers, too?” Evie asked. That was curious.
John put his foot down. “Any creature in Pinta Country can: centaurs, fairies, humans, werewolves, birds, elves, etc. Heck, we have the Bird Force in Loonier Country.” He looked over his shoulder to Evie. “I became a ranger after Ben and I’s journey. Except, it’s difficult for me to use the magic rope.” He peered down at his skinny legs. “And sometimes my legs get in the way, too. But I still suffice. I haven’t been working as much as Mateo, though.”
Evie stood beside him. She tapped her fingertips together. “Why not?”
John inhaled. He lowered his long neck and softly answered, “Infinity.”
“Infinity?” Evie had no idea what the crane was saying.
Looking nervous, he faced her. “She’s my mate.”
“Your mate?” Evie took a step back. It was a bit surprising to hear that John wasn’t single.
He nodded. “Yes. Not so long ago, we hatched two little chicks—a girl and a boy. Infinity stayed in Loonier to take care of them. It’s safer there.”
“You’re a daddy?” Evie was seriously so shocked. It looked like everybody was having babies now, even the animals. She would never understand love. Just the thought of what a couple had to do to make a baby sent shivers down her spine.
John chuckled a little. “I sure am. The Union wants me to prepare Mateo for fatherhood. They’ve assigned us several missions together in the past few months and some after we finish this one.”
“Well then, there’s your answer,” Evie said. “Fatherhood is the reason why the Union hasn’t fired you. Mateo needs you. Except, I don’t think he will be well enough to do another mission after this one.”
“Krysta and I have relayed that message to the Union,” John explained, nodding. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Mateo crashes for a month after this mission.”
“Oh, he will,” Evie said. The smile on her face was a bit funky-looking but, at the same time, sweet. She again placed her hand on John’s back. “You’re a good bird, John. We all have flaws and make mistakes. Working together, we will get Mateo through this.”
“But I feel so guilty,” John whimpered. “Not only is my selfishness killing Mateo, but it’s also killed the basilisk.” He shivered.
“Where is it?” Evie said.
***
Evie wanted to look away but stopped herself despite the horrific sight. The basilisk lay in a puddle of crimson blood.
Sam, Euphorbia, and a group of forest animals (deer, squirrels, skunks, black bears, rabbits, and birds) surrounded the creature. The animals looked depressed. They plopped down beside the first ranger to comfort him.
Sam freed the sword from the serpent’s heart. Drops of blood dripped from it. He held it in his left hand.
It wasn’t long until John and Evie came within reach of him.
“Ah, there you are,” Sam said behind a fake smile. “Euphorbia and I had a feeling you would come here eventually.”
“What happened to the basilisk?” Evie shrieked. She counted to ten to calm herself.
Sam scoffed. “It should be pretty obvious that he’s been stabbed.”
“By whom?”
Sam clenched his free fist. “That dawg gone Fororli!”
“Wait.” Evie waved her hand. “Did Fororli mean to do it, or was it an order from your father?” It was still sickening to think that the hunter was hers and Mateo’s great-grandfather and Sam’s biological dad.
Sam fell silent. He relaxed his stance. “You may have a point.” He and Evie kneeled to the basilisk. Sam massaged its scales. He set the sword down beside him and lowered his head. The animals grieved with him.
Euphorbia was the most distraught. The love of her life never deserved this. The hunter controlled him and made him do so many terrible things.
Sniffing, Sam said, “I’m sorry, Euphorbia.” He hugged the fairy to his shoulder.
Evie had to be strong. She had plenty of practice now with Mateo. She wrapped her arm around Sam’s shoulders.
Still feeling guilty, John stamped his foot. He hated to ask Sam this, but he had to know. The basilisk wasn’t the only thing causing the little boy so much grief. “Sam, how’s Mateo?” he asked. “Is there any change?”
Sam rubbed tears from his eyes. He took a deep breath. He did not even look at the bird when he answered. “Not good. He’s only getting worse. Crystal’s taking him to Embrose’s village so he can rest a bit before the ambulance comes.”
“The ambulance?” John’s heart flipped. What kind of bird was he? He should be the one in Mateo’s shoes.
Evie gulped. “Is he really that bad?” she asked Sam.
“I’m sorry,” Sam softly spoke. “Krysta’s doing everything she can. If Mateo has any hope for survival, we must get him to the tree today.”
Evie tugged at her hair, but she took a deep breath. She scratched at the dirt under her and Sam. “We can’t give up. We can save him. It’s what the basilisk would want us to do.” Right when she said that, a glow came from her pocket. Euphorbia’s pebble tried to tell her something. Evie pulled it out.
Euphorbia fluttered to Evie. She patted her pebble with her tiny hand. “The basilisk isn’t gone yet, Evie,” she telepathically said. “For Mateo to successfully become the Guardian, he needs you and him. Not me. My time is up, but the basilisk has lived his whole life as a slave.”
“What are you talking about?” Evie questioned.
Sam joined hers and Euphorbia’s mental conversation. “Yeah, what are you talking about?” He had a bad feeling.
Euphorbia took the pebble out of Evie’s hand. It shrank so it could fit hers. “It’s okay,” she sweetly said. “I’m doing this for Mateo, the forest, and Embrose. All I ask for in return, Evie, is for you to adopt him. Embrose lost his childhood when he became the basilisk. He needs to re-live it.” She floated to Evie's forehead and kissed it.
“Euphorbia, wait,” Sam said out loud. “What about me? How am I going to return to my own time?”
Euphorbia pecked his forehead next. “You will, my friend. Trust me.” Her eyes landed on the grieving animals. “Take care of yourselves, y’all. You will have a new Guardian soon.”
The animals stood up. They bowed to the fairy. A bear cub tucked its head in its mother’s fur. She told it that this day would come eventually. It was all part of the Circle of Life.
Pebble in hand, Euphorbia floated to the basilisk’s face. She released the glowing stone. She flew in circles around it. With each one, the light shimmered brighter. Once it was ready, she plucked the pebble from the sky. Euphorbia settled down on the basilisk’s nose. “I love you,” she whispered. “Just look after Mateo for me. He is meant to be the next Green Guardian but needs help.” The light from the pebble washed over her and the basilisk’s bodies.
Surprised, Evie, Sam, and the animals backed away. They avoided the strings of light that extended from the serpent-like ropes. The glow changed from white to green, and the Paperblank Forest fell silent.
With the assistance of the magic, the basilisk lifted into the sky, swift and steady like a kite. Euphorbia’s figure dropped to the forest floor. The blood disappeared from the sword that pierced the serpent's heart.
Evie and Sam’s mouths hung open so long—they drooled a little.
The light strings collided with the basilisk’s form. Its body shrank, so no longer did a thirty-foot-long figure take up the length of the sky. Two legs and arms popped out like fairy wings and long hair. The creature twirled gently in the air, returning to the forest floor. He bent his knees and moved his arms to his sides. The light faded as the transformation ceased. In place of the cobra-like monster was a young teenage boy.
Evie was captivated by his brown hair and tan skin. The basilisk really was a human in disguise! Everything Evergreen told her and Sam was true.
A brown bandana with a red, diamond-like pattern was wrapped around the boy's forehead. Hanging from it and over his left ear was a blue ribbon. He wore a long, blue shirt with puffy sleeves. It almost looked like a sleep shirt. His brown pants were stitched from animal skin, as well as his boots. There was a tear in his shirt from where the sword stabbed him. A scar had formed on his skin.
The boy was quite handsome, but then Evie remembered he was family. She did not want to look weird again, so she and Sam were careful and quiet on their way to him.
Sam picked up the dying Euphorbia. She turned as white as a ghost, and the fairy dust faded from her wings and dress. “Oh, Euphorbia,” Sam whimpered. He burst into tears and brought her to his shoulder again.
Evie caught her pebble before it could land in the puddle of mud under them.
The animals showed their respect. They gulped when the plants and trees in the area wilted to nothing.
A trail of pink flowers soared over to Euphorbia before the tree itself died. They took her from Sam and wrapped her in a coffin-like structure.
She said one last thing to Evie and Sam before the flowers escorted her to her new home: “Be strong. Strength will help you succeed, as well as help your family and Mateo. Tell Mateo there is no one I trust enough to watch over this forest. Take care of him and Embrose.” And that was that. Euphorbia, the Green Guardian, became one with nature. The flowers took her to the heavens above, officially leaving the Paperblank Forest in Mateo’s hands.
John scurried to the unconscious Embrose. He reached him before Evie and Sam, but they soon joined him.
Embrose groaned. He jiggled his legs slightly and slowly woke up.
“Embrose? Mr. Basilisk?” Evie asked.
Embrose pushed himself to a sitting position. He rubbed his head, still not totally awake, and wiggled his fingers. Wait, fingers? Next, he moved his toes in his boots. His toes! Was he truly human again?
Evie stuck her hand through the tear in his shirt. She patted his scar. “Does it hurt?” she wanted to know.
Embrose tried to speak, but he couldn’t. It had been one thousand years since he spoke in human language. Telepathy wasn’t the same. His chest was a little sore, so he removed Evie’s hand from the hole and opened his eyes. They were dark brown, just like Mateo and Maria. His jaw dropped when he saw his human self. The teenager checked his hands and legs. He patted his scraggly hair. A small smile stretched across his face.
Sam, Evie, John, and a few deer helped him to his feet.
Embrose’s legs shook under him. He took one step forward and fell into John.
The crane flinched when he bumped his injured wing. “Watch the wing, kid,” he said.
Evie and Sam removed Embrose from him. They put each of his arms over their shoulders. Evie slipped Euphorbia's pebble back into her pocket. She and Sam helped Embrose over to a log and sat him down. Sam went to fetch the sword.
While he did that, Evie asked him, “Can you at least say your name?”
No words left Embrose’s lips. He was still trying to take in that he literally just returned from the dead and was no longer his cursed self. Honestly, he wanted to cry. He knew what helped Euphorbia pull it off. Keegan. He finally accepted Mateo as a member of the family, and because of that, Euphorbia was able to break the curse. Embrose wished he could tell Evie, Sam, and John, but he had to wait until his voice returned. He brushed tears away from his eyes. What started as a horrible day was now a bittersweet one.
Sam returned to him. He handed him the sword. Curious, Embrose set it down on his lap. So, that was what killed him? He wasn’t surprised. The sword had an exceptionally sharp tip. His chest throbbed a little at the sight of it.
A gray rabbit hopped onto the log with Embrose and Evie. It sat on its hind legs and twitched its nose. It was weird to see the basilisk human again. The rabbit sniffed Embrose's legs, hands, and arms.
He picked it up and bumped noses with it. The rabbit’s long ears flopped over the back of its head.
John soon appeared behind Evie and Embrose, still relatively shocked by what happened. There was a long moment of silence, and then the bird spoke. “Come on, Embrose. Let’s get you to your village.”
His village. It’d been so long since Embrose was there. Would his tribe recognize him? There was only one way to find out.
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