Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism novel Chapter 128

"I belong to a lineage of expert falconers," Sophia declared with pride.

This revelation left Violeta confused, but Hayden took a shot in the dark, "So, are you related to the Reid family?"

Caught off guard, Sophia admitted, "Indeed, I am!"

"That makes sense."

The Reid family is renowned for producing some of the finest falconers in the nation.

For Hayden, getting involved with eagles meant he needed to contact their family.

Over tea, he calmly observed, "You must be Charles's sister, then."

Sophia, clearly surprised, rose from her seat. "Are you acquainted with my brother?"

"I caught a glimpse of him at an international falconry exhibition."

Sophia beamed with pride, "Wow! I didn't know Charles participated in an exhibition abroad! He is truly my hero!"

Following this conversation, Sophia turned to Violeta with an eager proposal, "Violeta, if you accompany me, you'll get the chance to partake in our family's yearly Falconry Festival! It's an event filled with skilled falconers and even a rabbit-catching contest. Why not come along?"

Though the idea was enticing, only proficiently trained falcons were eligible for such competitions. Young fledglings like Hera, still mastering basic commands, were not ready to compete and could only watch from the sidelines.

Nevertheless, witnessing Zeus in action captivated Violeta, who expressed her keenness.

"Niall, what do you think? Shall we?"

Niall saw no reason to object since the outing was meant for their collective enjoyment.

"Of course, since we're exploring, we might as well partake," Liam suggested.

"I'm all for it," Zoren concurred.

"Add me to the list," Jasper voiced.

Grinning, Violeta made the decision final, "Great, it's decided. We'll head out the day after tomorrow!"

They spent the next day recuperating at the inn.

There, Violeta achieved a new milestone for the longest duration spent training a hawk, garnering admiration from many onlookers at the station.

Impressed murmurs circulated among the crowd as she nurtured the hawk by the window.

"She looks no older than twenty, the same age as my daughter, yet her resilience is astounding!"

"Observe the golden eagle in the cage, albeit with some feathers missing. It has survived for seven days. That eagle is nothing short of remarkable."

In the car, Violeta meticulously examined the photograph, noting numerous individuals, including her group and Sophia, along with the boy who secured the second spot in the eagle-taming contest, positioned prominently towards the front centre.

His bird, a magnificent goshawk, captured her attention.

After the contest, he and his eagle were mainly seen upstairs or in the backyard, rarely mingling with others.

He and Violeta never conversed, and their interactions could have been more varied. She only knew his name was Aaron, thanks to the innkeeper.

Aaron was both attractive and aloof.

This photograph was the only proof of their brief acquaintance—a keepsake.

Violeta tucked the photo into her book and peered out at the vast grasslands and the clear blue sky, filled with anticipation for the Falconry Festival.

Elsewhere, in Verdancia.

While Violeta and her companions revelled in their grassland adventure.

Irene and Anton found themselves amidst a jewellery auction in Verdancia.

The evening's auction was bustling; entry required proof of assets of at least seven hundred fifty thousand dollars, and seating was allocated based on asset verification, with front rows reserved for those of higher wealth and status.

The foremost three rows were chiefly filled with celebrities from Verdancia and wealthy individuals from abroad, each boasting assets over 150 million dollars.