He looked so fierce with his hooked yellow bill and curved talons that Raphael did not dare to disobey. He crawled clumsily astride the eagle’s neck and settled back between his great wings. ‘Are you ready?’ asked the bird. ‘Yes,’ answered Raphael breathlessly. The eagle raised his wings and leapt into space. There was a slight shock as though they had jumped into a nest of down, and then with increasing speed the eagle forced his way higher and higher. Raphael could feel each upward surge as the wings rose and fell. The wind whistled in his ears a thin song. Raphael thought of Cassandra and then of Aunt Mary. Would she cry when she learned that he and his sister had gone away? Would she blame him for letting the Giant Sorcerer steal Cassandra? He choked back the lump rising in his throat. Suddenly he noticed that it was quite light, that it was morning. He looked ahead and saw the sun rising over a great mountain that stretched across the horizon. The night shadows were gathered like a curtain from a painting. When Raphael looked below, he could see great rolling forests laced by silver rivers. The eagle flew rapidly on. Steadily they drew near the mountain, and Raphael noticed that they were rising higher and higher. Other great birds, eagles the boy supposed, swept down from the air and joined them, sailing round in great circles with fierce cries of welcome. It was cold flying so high in the air. Raphael shivered and leant back against the warm feathers of Empyrean. They lit on the peak of the mountain just as the sun crowned the summit with light. One by one the other eagles swooped down and joined them on the bare rock. Chief of All the Eagles turned to them and demanded, ‘Have you any news?’ ‘We have news!’ screamed the eagles. ‘Quickly, then, let us make this boy one of us, in the name of Gæa!’ At this all the eagles raised their wings and bowed their heads reverently. ‘Are--are we going to save Cassie?’ asked Raphael nervously. ‘With the aid of Gæa she shall be saved,’ answered Chief of All the Eagles in the Sky. ‘Who is Gæa? Did she send you to help me? How did she know Cassie had been stolen?’ ‘My son,’ said Empyrean sternly, ‘Gæa is the Earth Mother who knows all things. You shall learn more later.’ For a moment the eagle stared into the rising sun. Then, turning to Raphael, who did not dare to question further, he ordered him to take off his clothes. When Raphael stood naked upon the rock, the eagles solemnly bowed their heads as though in prayer. After which they presented Raphael with a magnificent suit of black feathers which buttoned up the front with clasps of luminous stone. When Raphael had put on his new clothes, Chief of All the Eagles in the Sky spoke: