On Wings And Ash

By Jo Holloway

A quirky pet goose, an arranged marriage she dreads, and a secret ability that could get her killed ...

Alessa's life is complicated.

I should know. I've spent the past few years of my immortal life at her side, watching over her through the eyes of her feathered companion.

 

With the town's festival for Hades approaching and a visiting delegation from Sparta on the way, Alessa just needs to keep her head down and not reveal my existence. But this day is full of surprises, starting with the warrior we find in the woods.

 

This Spartan's ego is as big as his sword, but Alessa knows how to handle him. Too bad the missing princess he's searching for isn't our first disaster of the day . . . nor our last. By the time the bonfires are lit, Alessa's only hope to save the princess and herself from a death sentence is to put her trust in two men.

 

  One is the stranger she's been promised to in marriage.

  The other is the man she's been forbidden to love all her life.

 

And me? I'll have to save the rest of the town.

Because this is also the night my kind become monsters.

 

Note from the author: ON WINGS AND ASH is a standalone companion novel in The Immortal Voices world, set in the times of Ancient Greece. It can be read on its own or before, during, or after The Immortal Voices: Green & Gold series which is set in modern day.

 

If you enjoy forbidden love, exciting adventure, and a bit of mythology woven into everyday life, On Wings And Ash will delight in a fast-paced, short read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jo Holloway
• Release date: Jun 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781999135973

Jo Holloway

Jo Holloway is a Canadian author who grew up in Victoria, B.C. and now lives with her husband and dog in Calgary, Alberta. Although always an avid reader, she never really planned to write a book. But some stories demand to be written. She refuses to choose between cheese and chocolate, but does hold a firm anti-soup stance for reasons no one understands. She loves animals, but traded in riding horses for riding a motorcycle because, hey...they don’t think for themselves! Facebook – www.facebook.com/johollowaybooks Website – www.johollowaybooks.com

Book preview

Chapter 1

FOR A DAY THAT WOULD forever change our ways, it started out perfectly ordinary. My host rose with the sun, like the rest of the animals. His thoughts vaguely sketched a happy day ahead, following Alessa around the small town of Vamis, finding puddles to splash in while she did her chores, and searching for fallen grains among the cobblestones. As he stood and stretched his long neck, ruffling his feathers with a shake of his wings, I moved further into his consciousness and urged him into motion.

With me sharing his body and mind, the goose waddled across the dirt yard beside the farmhouse and hopped the fence to climb the short hill to the pasture. The rumors lately had me concerned, and I wanted to check whether there had been any news.

I couldn’t imagine the rumors could be true. None of my kind would be so terrible as to force our existence upon human hosts who couldn’t tolerate us. Our entire immortal lives had been spent coexisting with the species of the time, since the earliest creatures roamed the planet. Humans had changed things for us, but they hadn’t changed our peaceful nature. Surely.

At the top of the hill, the pasture stretched out, still a mix of winter browns in patches amongst the fresh spring green. I found the large ox sheltered under a tree that bristled with new leaves.

Any news, Taryx? I called out in the manner only another Pyx like me would hear.

If there had been humans out at such an early hour, they might have wondered at a goose standing calmly before a huge ox in the field as if engaged in conversation, but with no one around, we had no need to hide our brief meeting.

Morning, Philyx. No, still nothing back from the wanderers we had through at the last moon. If there’s any truth to those rumors, they should have circled back by now to inform us.

I suppose no news should be encouraging, then.

While many of us chose to stay in an area, watching the world change around us the way I’d watched the human town of Vamis grow to what it was now, others chose to wander and carry news among our kind. The wanderers we’d spoken with not long ago were the source of the rumors I’d been pondering.

You don’t really think any would be foolish enough to do what they were saying, do you? Taryx asked.

I can only hope not. No more than a couple anyway. Hopefully not enough to cause much harm before they’re reminded of why we no longer use humans.

Part of me doesn’t blame them for questioning it, though. There’s never been a species off limits to us as hosts before.

The ox picked up on the unease from Taryx at his statement, snorting and stamping his hoof. Pale tan fur rippled over powerful muscles and his broad side swung toward us, causing Philon, my host, to back away in a panic of flapping feathers. While I calmed the goose, Taryx did the same for his host. His moment of control showed in a pale green gleam that passed across the ox’s big, brown eyes, just as I knew mine had shown in the goose’s eyes. At least, it would have shown for those few who could see it.

Sorry about that, Taryx said. I didn’t mean to upset him.

No need to apologize. Philon is always a little skittish for a goose, but he’s fine. I held my influence in his mind to keep him happy a little longer. I also understand the sentiment about humans, but their species can no longer sustain shared consciousness the way these ones can. We recognized the risks when their neural complexity evolved. It’s simply too dangerous now, for both of us.

Although we’d stopped using humans many thousands of years ago, immortality meant it was a relatively recent event for us, and still a frequent topic of discussion.

I know it’s too risky, and I’m sure the rumor isn’t true. But it’s strange. These humans are bringing change, and not just for us. I’m glad we have another way of communicating with at least some of them. It feels like a good idea to stay close.

Regardless of their actions, their complexity alone makes observing them worthwhile.

True. These societies and all their rules, not to mention the humans’ emotions and—

"Phil-on. Break-fast." From the farmhouse down the hill, a musical voice called out.

It felt like Taryx had more to say on the matter, but I was out of time. Alessa’s voice was nearly as familiar in Philon’s mind as I was, and he didn’t need me to urge him back to the house. The goose was always ready to eat, and I wouldn’t keep him from his meal.

Keep an eye out, Taryx. I hope you’re right about the rumor, I said as we parted.

Philon’s wings spread wide and he half waddled, half flew down the hill while I retreated in his mind to let him do as he pleased. I could have helped fuel his muscles to make him faster, but there was no need, and I always tried to let him be himself as much as possible. As the sun crested the horizon and the day started in earnest, I was in no rush.

PHILON, THERE YOU ARE, silly goose. I knew you wouldn’t be long at the call of breakfast. Alessa crouched to greet her pet when he skimmed over the fence and returned to the yard.

Delicate fingers unfolded as she held out a small pile of grains in her upturned palm. While Philon gobbled up the food, Alessa lifted her eyes and scanned the lane beyond her family’s yard. Seeing no one, she lowered her voice.

Hello, Philyx.

Good morning, child. How did you sleep? I spoke in the way she would hear in her mind.

Fine. Sorry Mother wouldn’t let you in the house last night. We baked past sundown and you know how she worries about bringing dirt in when we’re making the offerings. I always tell her you keep Philon clean, but there’s no point arguing when it comes to the festival preparations.

Not to worry. Philon is equally happy in the yard, especially now that the night is warmer.

Alessa’s face lit with a smile that betrayed relief along with joy. Yes, winter is finally coming to an end. This season was difficult for all of Vamis. But it’s over now, and tonight the whole town will gather to present our offerings to Hades. Hopefully, he will be sufficiently satisfied to leave Persephone in our realm long enough to allow a bountiful crop this year. Already, we feel the change coming as Demeter rejoices in her daughter’s nearness.

It is a beautiful explanation, I told her.

What other explanation is there for the seasons? Helios drives his sun-chariot across the sky every day. If nothing else changed, then each day would be warmed equally by its glow. But when Demeter mourns while Persephone rejoins Hades in the Underworld, the crops die around us and the air turns cold, even while the chariot still passes overhead. It’s as bright as ever, yet we feel none of its warmth. Demeter’s sorrow cools the earth itself.

I certainly cannot fault your logic.

Every region had similar stories and explanations. And I did love hearing Alessa explain it in her earnest tone with the sincerity of her beliefs on her face. The stories of their gods made perfect sense when told in such a way.

The important thing is, spring is here. Alessa reached out a hand to stroke the feathers of Philon’s neck.

The goose was my pyxis—an animal who hosted a Pyx, just as a string of other hosts had done for me before him. The arrangement benefited us both. Our hosts provided us with physical bodies to move about the world, and in return, we were fierce protectors, able to observe our surroundings more carefully than they could alone, and to act in the face of danger with faster reactions and more agility than they were capable of themselves. We lent energy to their bodies, and our hosts often lived longer than their species normally would.

As a token of our appreciation, and to honor them, we were always known by the identities of the creatures who shared the intimacy of their minds with us. Hence, while I lived with Philon, my name was Philyx. Taryx took his name from the ox, Tarris.

It didn’t matter to Philon that he had an immortal being sharing his mind; he was still a goose, and still obsessed with food. When he ducked from under Alessa’s hand to peck at a fallen grain, she let him go and turned her face to the soft glow of dawn. Her dark tresses caught the light of the morning sun, and auburn highlights framed rich brown eyes set against warm skin.

Gold flecks in those eyes sparkled brightly, revealing Alessa for what she was. Her whole family shared the Pyxsee trait, with the exception of her father who knew about us from his wife and children. But the humans with gold in their eyes—the ones who could see our presence and were able to communicate with us—didn’t dare speak of it outside their families.

Alessa’s eyes darted again to the lane and the gate through the city walls. She was always on her guard. Any stain on her reputation, particularly one that reached the ears of the Elites, could jeopardize the plans her parents had for her future and, in turn, her family’s livelihood. The last thing she needed was to be discovered conversing with a farm animal the way she would with another human.

Although we tried to be discreet, the Pyx didn’t truly have to hide. To the citizens of this region, a moment of odd behavior from an animal wasn’t cause for much concern. People were willing to accept the inexplicable, and to ascribe any strangeness to tricks and games of their gods.

But for the humans who knew us, strange behavior was dangerous.

The people might love and worship their gods, but they also feared them. If anyone believed she’d incurred their wrath—been cursed or plagued by daemon spirits—she could be cast out entirely, or worse.

Someone’s coming, I warned.

Alessa stood quickly as another farmer strode down the lane, heading for the gate through the city walls, off to work in the fields.

He waved as he passed. Will Haemon be back for the festival?

Yes. My father should return tonight with the delegation from Sparta. Alessa returned the man’s wave as she answered.

While she sensibly returned to her chores, feeding the rest of the farm animals, I took another look around. Unease prickled at me, making Philon flap his wings once, but whether it was for Alessa’s safety or due to my earlier conversation with Taryx, I wasn’t sure.

I forced the thoughts away to let Philon relax. Pyxsees in this town had kept their secret this long, so there was no reason to expect trouble for Alessa . . . at least, not more than the usual trouble around here. And we had yet to hear anything more about the rumors. I’d worry about it when the time came.

Chapter 2

BY THE TIME ALESSA finished filling the water jug and swung it up to her head in a smooth, practiced move, Philon was soaked. I’d been sitting back in his mind, letting him splash in the puddles all around the fountain house while Alessa waited her turn at the pump.

Water was only one of Alessa’s chores, but with all the baking her family was doing for the festival that evening, today it was more critical than usual. She’d brought the largest jug her family owned, hoping to have enough to save another trip later when her mother would undoubtedly have other uses for her.

While she strode from the fountain house with the jug balanced on her head, Philon pecked at a stray grain in the cobblestones, and then waddled to Alessa’s side for the walk home. I failed to notice the young men, or I could have warned her. They wouldn’t have heard me. They were ordinary—plain, if not a little more dim-witted than most—but my warning could have saved Alessa from their attention.

I was busy keeping Philon out from under her sandaled feet as she walked confidently across the uneven surface of the road. Tripping her would have been disastrous.

Sadly my