Legends of the Dragonrealm, Vol. III

recently, warlock. The old fox rarely even visits them himself!”

Cabe had known the last, but not that Toos had been so restrictive. Surely, Benjin Traske, whose expertise had helped create the school of sorcery, deserved that much trust. Once again, he was reminded of the paranoia of the monarchy.

“Well, I think that it’s time the scholar was given permission to visit them,” the Gryphon commented with a glance toward the regent. “You may certainly join us, Benjin.”

“Thank you, my lord.” The calm veneer momentarily twisted into a look of extreme pleasure. Then, apparently remembering himself, Traske quickly reverted to his more stolid, scholarly expression.

As they rose to leave, Cabe could not resist quietly commenting to the Gryphon, “I thought that you no longer ruled this kingdom.”

“You may consider me king emeritus for the time being.”

“Perhaps you’d better hope that Toos will consider you that.”

The Gryphon chuckled, an incongruous sight, considering his features. “My old comrade-in-arms would be happy to consider me king of anything, just so long as he can relinquish the throne to me!” He pretended to shudder at the thought. “Now, come! We really should give Benjin all the time we can in the libraries!”

They left the drakes and the general to their game. The Gryphon led his companions back into the palace and through its halls. As the visitors had noticed on their initial walk through the gray edifice, the inside of the palace was little better decorated than the outside. A few pieces of art, most recent and all of them reminiscent of war, dotted the halls here and there, but for the most part the palace interior looked as if the architects had left their project undone. Only when they passed the grand ballroom was there a radical change. Cabe glanced inside as they passed by and marveled at the bright, glittering array of crystal and gold decorations. After the rest of the building, the sight of the ballroom was almost jarring.

On and on they walked. Cabe began to wonder why the Gryphon had not chosen to transport them there. Most likely it was because the lionbird preferred physical activity and considered such use of magic frivolous. While this pattern of thought was much akin to the warlock’s own way of thinking, this particular trek was one where he would have happily made an exception.

At last they came before a doorway beside which two huge, iron figures stood, roughly hewn warriors that, like the palace, seemed to have been abandoned before they had been completed. The Gryphon signaled his companions to halt. He continued on for several paces until he stood no more than two yards from the center of the doorway.

“Well? Will you let us pass?” the lionbird asked.

What happened next made Benjin Traske gasp and clutch the hilt of his blade, an action which, in retrospect, Cabe realized might have endangered all of them.

One of the iron figures slowly turned its head toward the waiting Gryphon. The other looked not at the lionbird, but rather at the two behind.

The warlock took hold of the scholar’s arm and whispered, “Make no false moves, Benjin. If they perceive you as a threat, they might attack. You’d be surprised at how fast they can move!”

“Iron golems,” the tutor muttered, still stunned. “I have heard of such, but only in old stories.”

“Did the stories mention what they could do to those they were sent against?”

Traske did not release his blade, but he made no other move, which was perhaps the best that Cabe could hope for.

Oddly, the Gryphon was still waiting for the doors to be opened. The golems continued to stare at the trio, as if uncertain what to do.

“You heard me. The three of us will enter here; is that understood?”

Very slowly, the golem watching the former monarch returned to its original stance. As its head swiveled back, the creature rumbled, “You may enter.”

“Thank you very much.” The Gryphon waved the other two forward.

The doors suddenly swung open of their own accord. Beyond was a chamber that, like the ballroom, was a contrast to the stark simplicity of the regent’s palace. That was because the chamber before them had once been the Gryphon’s very room, his private sanctum in the days when he had ruled Penacles.

With careful steps, the three entered the chamber. Cabe noticed that the other golem continued to observe the Gryphon’s two guests. He could not recall the last time that the iron monsters had taken such interest in him. Then he realized that it must be Traske in whom the metal man was interested, for the scholar had never been permitted entrance before.

Benjin Traske still clutched his knife hilt, but he had almost forgotten the golems. Now he was busy inspecting the room that they had entered, his eyes quickly fixing on one ornament in particular, a skillfully woven tapestry hanging on one of the walls.

“I still use this place on occasion, although for the most part my stays last only the day. Troia would never forgive me if I left her and Darot alone overnight. Since we live not that far from here, I cannot blame her. Mostly, I use this chamber when I’m researching the libraries.”

The doors suddenly swung closed and as they did, they revealed two more of the metal colossi standing guard inside. Cabe had seen these two often enough, but for the first time that he could recall, they were watching the Gryphon’s guests closely.

Leading them to the tapestry, the Gryphon explained its importance to the scholar. “This is the only way-the only way we know of-that one can gain entrance to the libraries.”

“The detail is fantastic!” whispered Traske. “And it appears to be very ancient. I have never seen such a style before.”

“We don’t know how old it is, Benjin, but it may be from the first Dragon King. No one is certain.”

Traske squinted. “But . . . this is present-day Penacles! That cannot be right!”

“The tapestry is quite magical. It always shows the kingdom as it presently is. We could watch a building being torn down, return to this chamber, and find that it’s also vanished from the image.”

“How does it help us journey to the libraries? I do not even see them.”

“You have to know how to look for them, Benjin. Where the libraries are concerned, you won’t see an actual building. Instead, there’s usually a symbol of some sort. It varies now and then. Sometimes it’s a book, other times it might simply be a cross or star. Knowing the tapestry as I do, I merely have to search for something that is out of place.” The Gryphon studied the image. “And I think . . . that’s certainly a strange choice!”

“What is it this time?” Cabe asked.

“See for yourself.” Their host put his finger next to the mark, then shifted to the side so that the others could look at it.

Just under several buildings in what was the eastern edge of the city was the symbol. Cabe had never seen its like in all the times he had watched the Gryphon use the tapestry, and its very pattern disturbed him.

Benjin Traske peered at it. “A very stylized version of a dragon, is it not?”

“It is. That’s not the symbol you find on each tome in the libraries, though. Looks very familiar.”

“It should,” whispered the warlock. “Kyrg and Toma both used it as one of their banners.”

“I’d forgotten that! Of course!”

Cabe frowned, suddenly filled with tension. “I don’t like that coincidence. This could mean that Toma somehow gained access to the libraries.” Traske, who had finally been told of the drake’s other intrusions, frowned at this. “He could be in there now.”

The Gryphon nodded agreement, but added, “I can’t see how he could have gotten into the libraries, but then he did get into the Manor. There may be danger in the libraries. Perhaps you should stay here after all, Benjin.”

The scholar looked disappointed but understanding. “If you think I should.”

“If nothing’s wrong, then we’ll immediately return for you. Now, if you could please step back ten paces?” He waited for Traske to obey. Then, placing his finger directly on the symbol, the Gryphon began to rub it. As he did, Cabe moved next to him.

The golems, the chamber, and Benjin Traske began to fade away. Only the tapestry remained the same. It