"Scree!" Sidhar's hawk cried as it swooped low across the morning sky, silver feathers glinting in the sun.
A small scroll was tied to its leg. The bird circled once over the manor's Station One outpost before landing neatly on the porch rail beside Tara.
Tara looked up from her ledger, surprised, and said, "You again? Did my son bribe you with grain?"
"Scree!" The hawk gave a sharp cry and extended its leg.
She untied the parchment. The seal of House Dravenmoor shimmered in the light. The message, written in Shannon's neat hand, read:
To Lady Tara Mendez and the Household of Greystone.
Lord Savannah of Blackthorn invites you and your kin to the Rededication of Blackthorn Keep under the next full moon.
Your aid, your friendship, and your music brought healing to our family. Now we wish to open our doors in gratitude.
— Shannon Dravenmoor
Tara smiled faintly. "A proper hawk courier service. Sidhar may have found his calling."
