Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows, #1)

by Devney Perry

I fished out the leather journal I’d bought at the market this spring. The first page was a sketch of Margot I’d drawn after witnessing a fight she’d had with Father. Her mouth was turned down, her face weathered and her eyes brimming with tears. It was a drawing I’d never show her. It was too real. Too raw. Margot didn’t like real or raw. The second page was a drawing of Mae in the training center. Her mouth was stretched wide in a scream, her hands fisted at her sides. Sometimes I wondered if she screamed because there was so much piled on her shoulders. Maybe she’d stop now that it had been loaded to mine. Other than those couple of sketches, the pages were blank. I’d intended to fill them with drawings of Arthy or the castle or Banner or whatever else caught my eye. Instead, this book could keep my notes about Turah and the Guardian. Beneath the book was my necklace. The delicate chain was coiled neatly. As I lifted it free, the pendant glinted in the light. A wing of silver was inlaid in a circle of gold. Except it wasn’t gold. The hue was red and orange and as bright as the harvest moon. It was a symbol I’d never seen before. I’d scoured books in the library. I’d drawn it out and taken it to the docks to see if anyone recognized the design. But after all these years, it remained a mystery.