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judged your heart and found it to be true. I wish to stay with you so you can be my Keeper.”
    Rhyll and Taine gave twin gasps of surprise.
    “Keeper?” Ash gulped. If Rhyll was right about Gwaam being a phoenix, Ash was afraid of what being his Keeper might entail. What lengths would people go to if they wanted a phoenix for themselves?
    “Yes.” Gwaam nodded. “You will have duties to fulfil as my Keeper, of course.”
    “L-like what?” Ash stammered.
    “I will need your protection and plenty of food so that I may grow.”
    “Protection from what?” Taine asked, concerned.
    “They are coming,” Gwaam said. “They are searching for me as we speak. Look to the sky and you shall see them.”
    “You could have told us,” Taine said.
    The bird’s head bobbed. “Gwaam will sleep now.”
    The three friends stared at each other.
    “What does he mean?” Taine asked, glancing nervously at the sky.
    “I don’t know,” Ash said. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

    When Ash returned home that evening, he found Amelia pacing the earthen floor of the cottage and wringing her apron between her hands.
    “What is it, Ma?” he asked, rushing to her side.
    “Have you still got that bird, Ash?”
    “Yes, he’s right here.” Ash sat Gwaam on the kitchen table. The bird flapped its wings and paced up and down the timber tabletop, pecking here and there at crumbs.
    Amelia reached out her hand as if to touch Gwaam then seemed to change her mind. “I went to see your Aunt Pyrenia today.”
    “Is something wrong?” Ash poured her a mug of water from a jug and handed it to her.
    “As well as could be expected, I suppose.” Amelia sipped the water and sat down at the table. Ash sat with her. “Your aunt was as beautiful as ever. Not a hair out of place, her cheeks plump and rosy, her silk skirts shining and spotless. I have to admit, I was jealous seeing her looking so lovely. We’ve trod such different paths, my sister and I.”
    “She could never be as beautiful as you, Ma,” Ash said, desperately wanting his mother to feel better. He hated seeing her upset.
    Gwaam squawked and flapped his wings. “Or as good a cook.”
    Amelia laughed. “Thanks for the support, you two.” She touched Ash’s face. “You’re a good boy, Ash, if a little short-sighted.” She dropped her hand and gave a heavy sigh. “I spoke to her about Morgan.”
    Ash’s stomach tensed. “And?”
    “At first Pyrenia didn’t believe that Morgan had been picking on you, but I convinced her to speak to him. I hope that means he’ll leave you alone from now on.”
    “Me too,” Ash said.
    “And I mentioned your bird to her.”
    Ash’s heart pounded faster and his palms prickled with sweat. “Already? I thought you were going to give me a week before you told anyone.”
    What if Aunt Pyrenia tells Morgan about Gwaam? he wondered. Would he and his mates come after the phoenix? Try to steal him?
    “I needed to speak to someone about it,” Amelia said. “Gwaam is so
unusual
. I needed Pyrenia’s advice.”
    “What does she know about things like this?” Ash picked Gwaam up and held him protectively against his chest. The bird squawked but didn’t resist.
    “I’ve never told you this before,” Amelia said, “but when Pyrenia and I were young we were playmates with Elwyn Piggins. Just like you and her children are now.”
    Ash’s face set in an angry frown. All this time, she had discouraged him playing with Taine and Rhyll when she’d been friends with their mother! “What? That’s not fair.”
    Amelia held up her hand to silence him. “Hear me out,” she said. “Elwyn had a book. I saw it with my own eyes. So did Pyrenia. That book was her undoing … Anyway, I didn’t want to excite you any further than you already were, but I thought I knew what type of bird this is. I had to speak to Pyrenia to make sure I was right, that I remembered correctly.”
    Was it the same book Rhyll has? Ash wondered. I bet it is.