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Then I heard a sound, one that was unfamiliar yet beautiful I listened with a sense I didn’t know I had It was a call So this child Not ords, but with the heart

Hearing the strong, constant heart-call, I had no choice but to heed it We flew south, the setting sun to our right, shadows stretching across the land below us

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HARPIES, OF COURSE, ARE SUPERIOR TO OTHER WINGED creatures We’re larger, we’re fiercer, we’re more beautiful And we fly faster, because we have access to portals that flesh-and-blood birds do not Within minutes, I’d locked on to the heart-call that beckoned the child I carried Following that call, we cas, laid out in rows A good hunting ground for another day For now, that pure, clarion heart-call guided me like a beacon It ca surrounded by grass

"There!" the child shouted, squirently, so as not to hurt her The house’s door flew open, and a woman rushed down the steps "Mommy!" The child ran to the woman and wrapped herself in her arms A picture cas

The picture lasted only briefly I stood on the grass, tensed and ready to flee This dwelling was not a place for round and pressed her face against her, raised her eyes to search the lawn When she saw asped She put down the child and stepped in front of her, protective, then approachedmotions with her arms "Get out of here, you dae deer, but I hopped back

"Morasped her wrists in her sht me home"

"Vicky? Oh, my God How did--? You can’t--? A Harpy? That’s ie Look, it’s wearing Aunt Vicky’s necklace"

"Vicky?" the wo out her hand

The na the snakes to hissing I was to be feared, not petted The female snatched back her hand and held it to her chest Good

We stared at each other But no waves of fear rose fro, some emotion that I didn’t understand Confusion filled me The snakes hissed i ht, said, "Thank you" I cocked my head I’d never heard such words before; I did not understand their hI kneell It was a call Not the heart-call that had compelled me to carry the child to this woe! I stretched s

This was a call from one of my own kind--not a Harpy’s voice, but a dee I understood The voice carried power, great power It called to erness, a hunger for vengeance, those delicious feelings, all swelled withinoing?" yelled the grown fee ways A call had gone out, a call to all des With all the speed I coulddarkness, toward the city