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eBook Category: Fantasy
eBook Description: Meryl, a mage of the Inner Court, had spent his entire career studying and searching for gryphons. But when he finally found one, he discovered that there were disastrous gaps in his knowledge.

eBook Publisher: Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust, Published: Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine #26, 1994
Fictionwise Release Date: July 2007

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Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: eReader (PDB) [16 KB] , ePub (EPUB) [45 KB] , Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [11 KB] , Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [192 KB] , Palm Doc (PDB) [11 KB] , Microsoft Reader (LIT) [73 KB] , Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [83 KB] , hiebook (KML) [65 KB] , Sony Reader (LRF) [57 KB] , iSilo (PDB) [9 KB] , Mobipocket (PRC) [12 KB] , Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [54 KB] , OEBFF Format (IMP) [20 KB]
Words: 3333
Reading time: 9-13 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

"But think of the power, Bazheel! Think of the knowledge we could gain from such a creature," Meryl had protested, his enthusiasm never waning.

"Bah!" Bazheel had exclaimed, gripping his friend's shoulders as though to shake some sense into him. "Knowledge is for scholars, stupid dreamer. Magic is for mages. Give it up, Meryl, and come back to Basmir." It was the same old argument they had every time they met. Neither ever swayed the other, but Meryl enjoyed the stimulation of Bazheel's company, no matter how querulous the old man was.

As he mused, Meryl once again heard the ghostly beating of wings in the back of his mind. The sound drew him from his somber thoughts, making him recall the fierceness of their beauty, so vividly captured in his dream. It had been so real, so compelling, that his heart surged with renewed longing as he walked more quickly along the restless gray reaches.

Still damp and well packed from high tide, the sand was firm and easy to walk on, crunching ever so softly underfoot. Pausing to pull his cloak closer against the chill of that spring morning, Meryl stood staring towards the sea. A tingle of excitement ran through his spine as his gaze came to rest on a shadowed shape near the water's edge.

It might have been a stand of rock, or a large pile of sea-wrack, he supposed, but the outline was tantalizingly familiar. Barely breathing, he crept nearer, to discover the very creature he had sought for so long. The gryphon lay sleeping peacefully upon the sand, and from the body size and ruff of fur at the shoulder, Meryl thought that it must be a male.

What to do? What to do! Inwardly Meryl was fairly dancing with excitement, but that would never do. If he were to win his desire, he must be calm and sure. Forcing himself to think clearly, he formulated his plan. First he had to bind the creature for, true to its nature, it would surely seek to attack him or flee when roused. Murmuring the spell of binding, he settled himself down not far from the gryphon in what he hoped would be a non-threatening posture, but he was unprepared for the fury with which the creature woke.