Free City of Death by Laurence Yep Page B

wards on you, the dragon, and the magician,” the Keeper said. “That’s so the first two won’t be able to transform, and the other cannot work spells.”
    â€œOh, dear,” M ā ka said.
    â€œIt’s really a silly precaution,” Tute snapped, “unless you have hay fever.”
    Bayang suspected that the ward wasn’t necessary for M ā ka. All the Keeper really had to do was take away the fledgling’s pamphlet. As a griffin mage applied a paper charm to her side, she said, “Can’t you let M ā ka go? We only met her today so she couldn’t be involved in any of the charges against us.”
    â€œMy orders command me to send everyone.” The Keeper spread her paws. “And after all, she is guilty of causing a riot in the town at least. But her only real crime is being inept. And I will tell the court that.”
    M ā ka swallowed, “Thank you, I think.”
    â€œWell, you know I’m as inept as they come,” Koko wheedled. “How about putting in a good word for me too?”
    â€œI think a muzzle would suit you better,” the Keeper warned.
    Koko waved a paw. “No, no, I don’t want to be a bother.”
    When Bayang and the others had all received charms, the Keeper descended from her perch with a graceful flutter of her wings. “Come Lady Scirye and Klestetstse, I will walk with you as far as the entrance to our eyrie.”
    There was such a great difference in size between the Keeper and human hatchling and even more between the elderly war griffin and the lap griffin that Bayang might have laughed if she didn’t know what a great honor this was. The Keeper was not only showing the eyrie how important her visitors were, but that she also disagreed with the order she’d been given.
    Kaccap and his squad, who were waiting outside, realized it too as they fell in around them. As they marched along, they kept casting curious glances at Kles and his companions. And Kaccap looked uneasy over the way he had mocked Kles.
    As they walked back the way they had come, griffins made way and bowed deep, fluttering their wings with a grand flourish.
    It made Bayang smile to see how Kles lifted his head proudly as he flew alongside the Keeper’s head and answered more of her questions about their travels.
    There’ll be no living with the griffin now. With a smile, Bayang turned to say something to Leech, but he looked away quickly, even falling back several paces as if he were avoiding her.
    Maybe it was too much to hope that they had overcome their bloody past.
    When they reached the entrance, it took her a moment to realize that the rigid shapes were not more stalactites but griffins standing rigidly at attention. The armor of these griffins was so plain that Kaccap’s patrol seemed like peacocks in comparison. The steel of the new griffins seemed plain from the greaves and armbands protecting their limbs to the discs covering their chests. It was only when she got closer that she noticed that the steel was engraved with the silver likeness of some emperor or empress. Others had designs like lightning bolts or axes. Bayang guessed they were honors given after some great deed.
    â€œI’ve ordered a company of my own guards to escort you, Lady Scirye,” the Keeper explained with a gesture of her paw. “Everyone at court will see that the Tarkär Eyrie holds you in high esteem.”
    Would their new escort be any easier on Kles than Kaccap? Scirye wondered, but she bowed her head. “I thank you, Keeper.”
    The Keeper engulfed Scirye’s hand in her large paw. “Come back in happier times, lady, and I will tell you stories about your father when he was your age.”
    Scirye bowed. “I would like that, Keeper. Thank you.”
    The Keeper released Scirye and motioned for Kles to rise into the air to the level of her eyes. It was another mark of respect, for instead of talking down