When I glanced my mother’s way, I found her expression unreadable. I was sure all of this was new to her.
“How many gryphons are there here in Korlas?” I asked Veria, sensing already that gryphons like Karulo were rare. After all, so many people seemed not to know about them.
“There are twelve,” Veria replied. “In the hundreds of years they’ve lived here, the colony has never grown above twelve. We don’t know if it’s something specific to gryphons, but we think so. Karulo is the second youngest of the males and guarding you is as much a rite of passage for him as it is for you, Astera.”
I nodded at that, not fully understanding what it would mean for him. I knew that the life of this gryphon had been placed in my hands and I was responsible for him, even as he protected me.
“I’ll try not to lead him into too much trouble,” I promised her. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my promise, but I would try.
“We appreciate that,” Veria replied, nodding to me respectfully.
I found her respect intriguing, unless she happened to treat most people that way. It was likely because I was taking up the mantle of oracle.
“I think you have everything you need from us now. May your journey be safe and lead you to your destiny.” Veria bowed deeply, then turned briefly to Karulo. “You too, my friend.”
“Thank you and I wish the same for you, of course. It’s just… what do I feed him?” I asked, indicating the gryphon.
“Karulo can find his own food, but if you don’t wish him to hunt, you can feed him food that any human would eat. He will need water three times per day, but he is usually capable of finding what he needs on his own.”
I nodded at that, glancing Karulo’s way.
Veria excused herself—if anything a little too quickly, leaving me alone with my mother and my new protector.
“We should be going,” my mother said, glancing around the empty room, before turning to me. “Astera, will you be returning to stay with us over the coming days?”
It felt like a strange question, coming from my mother.
“Only to get my things,” I replied. “I’ve decided I want to travel during my four days.”
“Very well,” my mother said.
She seemed pleased with my decision, which confused me. Perhaps it was what she, herself, would have chosen to do were she in the same situation.
The walk back home was memorable, as Karulo accompanied my mother and I. I felt distracted as we walked through the warm sunshine, and some of the familiar sights hardly registered with me. I was off in my own world, except for when I noticed pointed glances in our direction.
Karulo was surprisingly swift on his feet, like a large cat. As we began to descend the hill toward my parents’ home, he put his wings to use. I stared after him as he glided down the hill, and my mother and I weren’t the only ones watching. He drew looks of wonder from many passersby.
I thought his wings were small, the way he had them folded against his body, but when he extended them out, they were huge and vivid blue. He had a larger wingspan than any bird I’d seen or my imagination could conjure. He climbed higher and circled above the streets, before gliding back down toward us.
“You should take some extra food along for him, otherwise you don’t know what he’s going to hunt,” my mother suggested.
I envisioned him swooping down on unwary pets, so I agreed with my mother. The more food I brought with me, the harder it would be to manage it alone, unless I turned the gryphon into a pack-horse. It was probably a bad idea, I decided. He’d want to fly and he couldn’t properly protect me if he was overburdened.
“I’ll pack a few more things,” I agreed as we walked home.
My father was home when we got there. He was an older man with greying hair and a beard he’d recently trimmed.
I knew he’d have come with us to the temple, but he worked as an architect for the Governor and couldn’t get away. I greeted him with a hug, because I wasn’t sure how long it would be before I could see him again. I don’t think he noticed Karulo at first, but I knew he had when he took a step back and stared through the door.
“What’s that?” he asked. “It can’t be real.”
“He’s a gryphon,” I said, smiling. “Father, meet Karulo. He’s my guardian appointed by the temple.”
My father approached Karulo cautiously, as though he might bite. “Welcome, Karulo. Any protector of my daughter is welcome in our home.”
I found an apple in the kitchen and returned, offering it to the gryphon. He took it from my hand, and laid on the rug as he crunched it.
My father seemed unable to take his eyes off Karulo for more than a few moments.
“He’s really something,” he murmured, and my mother nodded in agreement.
I’d already packed my money and a bag of clothes to take with me on my journey—after all, I’d had a lot of time to prepare for it. I decided to take some other possessions along with me too—keepsakes mostly, like the statue of a bear my father carved for me for my sixth birthday. I knew if I didn’t see him often later, it would remind me of him and of home.
Karulo seemed content eating apples, so I brought five of them along for him. I might be able to buy him more food on our journey, but I hadn’t ruled out his needing to hunt. My canteen of water was heavy enough already, and I knew it should last me at least four days. It wouldn’t last as long with Karulo drinking too, but if we stayed in the city or one of the neighbouring villages, I knew it would lessen the amount I’d need.
“It’s a pity
