Chapter 9: Melinda

"Yes, but he did mention that he was a butler there?" Gareth responded, looking at Raul enquiringly.

"Well, then I should know who he is," Raul replied, his face suddenly brightening with a smile.

"Who is it, then?" Garett asked impatiently because he did not visit Percival's home often, so he did not know the staff members there.

"Well, Creston is working as a butler there currently and before him the butler who worked there was an elderly man called Patrice," Raul said excitedly. "Patrice went to the old age home as far as I know," Raul said with a frown between his thick, dark brows. His hazel eyes glinted mischievously.

"So, then Patrice was placed into the old-age home by Percival's parents and it was there that someone bewitched him into becoming a bird," Garett said with a solemn expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" Raul asked, confused. "Didn't he go there out of his own?"

"No," Garett replied firmly. "He still wanted to work, but they decided that he was too old, frail and forgetful. He has no family nearby and has been at Percival's home for so long that they should have taken him on as family, in his opinion. He says that he knows their secrets, but they know something more serious about him."

"So, what do they have on him?" Raul asked with concern.

"He doesn't want to say," Garett replied with a frown. "I will have to find out sometime. He is very unhappy being in the bird sanctuary, so then someone must have placed him there by force after bewitching him."

"I was thinking about not keeping my promise to Percival tomorrow," Raul said contemplatively, as he rubbed his chin. There was a subtle shadow of stubble forming there.

"Why would you do that when he has so much to teach you about the wolf clan before your dad does?"

"I just wanted to punish him for frightening Joel like that with those frogs in the bathroom today," Raul responded.

"Oh, well, in my opinion, it's about time that Joel learned to stand up to bullies," Garett replied angrily. "I will just have to teach him how, I suppose."

"Very well then," Raul responded. "You handle Joel and I will keep my appointment with Percival, so that I can get some news about Patrice out of him."

"You are going to have to be very subtle about this and not raise the slightest suspicion," Garett warned seriously.

"Of course I will," Raul responded. "I would not want any more harm to befall poor Patrice, but you must get back there soon and win some more of his trust."

"You know that they say Percival's mom used to be a witch?" Garett asked, looking straight at Raul.

"So, what are you thinking?" Raul asked. "She died long ago, so it's not possible that she could have done anything to Patrice."

"But she could have done something through someone else," Garett suggested, just as the door flew open and Raul's younger brother, Xavier burst in.

"Oh, you're both in here!" he exclaimed, breathlessly.

"So, what's the problem?" Raul asked, rising because the sun was setting and his father could be arriving home at any moment from then. He must be done at work by now.

"I just wanted to find out what happened at school this afternoon because I heard that you were both in the bathroom when it was filled with frogs," Xavier blurted out with wide-stretched eyes.

"Let's go upstairs first," Raul answered quickly. "We will tell you there."

"I have to go now, unfortunately," Garett announced. "I have a piano rehearsal tonight."

Raul and Xavier walked out with Garett to his vehicle.

"See you at school tomorrow then," Raul greeted.

"Thanks for helping with my project," Garett said before driving off quickly.

Before going back inside, Raul glanced in the direction of the hills behind the house instinctively. He spotted a large bird circling above in the sky and he wondered about its identity. Could it be Graham or was it just an ordinary bird of prey? He wondered.

"I have to get my head straight," he said as he visibly shook himself.

"Did you say something?" Xavier asked.

"No, nothing," Raul responded quickly.

When Raul and Xavier arrived upstairs in Raul's bedroom, Melinda was already there, sitting on the couch in front of the television set.

*

Melinda knew from a young age that, just as she was destined to be a good ballet dancer, she was also a human being with the nature of an eagle.

"You are going to be a great woman with the power to make great changes in the lives of others," her mother had said when Melinda was nine years old.

"Because I'm going to be a great dancer?" Melinda had asked, as she twirled around on one toe in her new, bright blue ballet costume.

"Yes," her mother had replied as she bent down to be on the same eye-level as her daughter. "But also because one day you will be able to fly like a bird and go wherever you like, as fast as you like," her mother said with a bright smile.

"You mean on stage, like in Swan Lake?" Melinda had asked excitedly.

"Yes, and I also mean that you are going to fly for real, right over our house, over the mountains, hills and rivers," her mother had explained with a radiant smile.

Melinda did not understand what her mother was trying to say, even though she looked so sincere.

"But, I don't have wings, so how can I do that?" she had asked, feeling a little bit worried about her mother's sanity.

It was then that Melinda's mother had explained to her about the existence of the eagle clan and her part in it.

"You were born to be great!" Melinda's mother had exclaimed with pride.

Melinda had trouble sleeping that night and when she fell asleep she dreamt about herself flying off to faraway places, with strong wings. She also flew to a castle full of brightly lit chandeliers. She danced on her toes for hours in this castle, until she dropped down onto her back with fatigue. Another bigger eagle would then pick her up and fly back home with her on its back.

When Melinda turned twelve, she was sent to attend lessons about being a member of the eagle clan. Shortly afterwards, she had her first spontaneous moment of feeling herself become light and lifting off one afternoon as she was walking on a slight hill behind her home. The next moment, she was shocked and thrilled to see the big house and its picturesque gardens right below her. She knew that her moment of transition into a life of light and wonder had arrived.

Later on in life, Melinda began to fly out on secret spy missions for the Eagle Institute in the city of Tesla and entered the city of Uzzah at night to listen at the castle's windows there. She overheard what was spoken about at the dinner tables of the castle and gained important information.

Over the years, Melinda had recurring dreams about the castle, but she had never felt free to tell Raul about it. Somehow, she just felt that tonight was about the right time to tell him about the dream, because it might help him deal with his shock about discovering his new identity.

"Wow, how did you get here without us noticing you anywhere, Melinda?" Xavier asked with a frown. "It almost seems like you just flew over and climbed in through the window?"