Read Online The War of the Ember by Kathryn Lasky - Free Book Online

astute of Coryn to link the ember to Theo, Soren thought.
    Tengshu blinked. “I must go and ask the H’ryth if this is possible, if he will accept the ember.”
    “Could you leave soon?” Coryn asked.
    “Yes, I shall leave immediately.”
    “And I shall speak to Ruby, Fritha, and Wensel,” Otulissa said.
    “Uh…Please stay, Otulissa.’” Soren hesitated before he began to speak. He coughed. “Perhaps Bubo, Twilight, Digger, and Gylfie could go and talk to Ruby, Fritha, and Wensel.”
    The owls looked at Soren, bewildered.
    “There is another item that we must focus on.”
    “Indeed, the rumors of hagsfiends!” Coryn whispered.
    “We hope they are rumors,” Soren said. “But not only that. What of this sighting of the Striga and Nyra together in the Northern Kingdoms? It must be investigated immediately. I want to talk to Otulissa and Cleve about a reconnaissance mission to the Northern Kingdoms.” Otulissa seemed to grow larger. Her plumage billowed. This was the first time she had been asked to do anything of import since her grave injuries. Tengshu, who had just been leaving the hollow, stopped. He swiveled his head toward Cleve and blinked. Cleve blinked back. Everyone’s attention was focused on Soren, who had begun to speak.
    No one noticed the quick exchange between Tengshu and Cleve, except one bird—the puffin. I wonder what that’s all about? Dumpy thought. I’m not that bright, but something was said without words. A signal. I’d bet my wee brain on it.
    Soren continued. “And I want to set up a crack corps of messengers to fly between all the Guardians on this mission, to deliver word of progress or problems. So when you’re finished speaking with Fritha, Wensel, and Ruby, come back here. There’s more to plan.”
    Half an hour later, Twilight, Gylfie, Digger, and Bubo returned. Soren looked up. “We’re just finishing.”
    “Good,” Coryn said. “Now we’re all here.” He looked at his uncle. “Soren, catch them up.”
    Soren swiveled his head toward Otulissa. “Otulissa will go to the Northern Kingdoms with Cleve.” He explained the reconnaissance mission that was planned for them. They were to talk to as many animals as they could, including gadfeathers and even kraals, if it was safe, and polar bears as well, to find out if there had been any sightings of a blue owl and a haggish-looking Barn Owl. “And,” he added in a low voice, “if there are any signs of strange-looking eggs.
    “In addition to that, we have discussed the corps of messengers. It is to be headed by Martin, along with Nut Beam, Silver, Primrose, and Clover.” Clover was aBarn Owl. It was always wise to have one Barn Owl in any unit because of their auditory skills. They were all good owls, fast fliers, and fearless.
    “Let us call this crack messenger unit the Joss Corps.” Coryn spoke as he peered into the grate of the fire without turning around. Soren looked at the broad back of his nephew. Joss was the famous messenger from the time of the legends, the time of Hoole and Theo. What exactly is Coryn thinking about? Yes, we are confronting a horrendous possibility, but there is more to it for him than what he is letting on, Soren thought. We all know what is at stake, but there is something even beyond that for Coryn.
    Coryn continued to peer into the grate and study the flames. Coryn was a flame reader and it was just a year ago that he had detected the ice-bright cave with the two shadowy figures in the flames. He had suspected that the huddled shapes were his mother and the Striga. But such flame readings were rarely precise, and never yielded complete information. Like encounters with scrooms, they often raised more questions than they answered. But now as he looked into the flames, he saw the figures of seven owls. One was far to starboard and another was lower in the plane, but five in the center flew close.
    Coryn turned and said quietly, “The Chaw of Chaws. They will be the gizzard of this