The Flight of the Griffin by C.M. Gray Read Free Book Online

on a pile of sacking. It lifted its head and watched him as he came down into the room, making him feel awkward. Trying his best to ignore it, he crossed to the table and sat down so that he could read in the small square of sunlight that came in from the hatch. Touching the papers with the knife made the stone flare bright blue and the book once more transformed into the slim leather-bound volume they’d seen before. He studied the cover once more, his finger slowly following the words, his brow creasing in concentration as he read.
    The title had appeared written in gold script and below this, was now a picture of a wizard, not the knife, and more tiny words that Pardigan could only just make out, but at least it was written in low speak.
     

     
    Hmm, interesting, thought Pardigan. I wonder if that’s Magician Ignacius Pew? He doesn’t look particularly happy. He opened the book to the first page, which was an introduction of sorts, from Magician Pew.
     

     
    Pardigan slowly read the rhyme through again, but still couldn't make much sense of it. It seemed to describe the crew of The Griffin, and that they all had to decide to make some journey together. What the guide - if that’s what it was - didn’t reveal, was why they should make the journey; a journey that promised to be both dangerous and perilous - as if they weren’t in enough trouble as it was. He turned the page and found a clean white sheet staring back at him, as was the next one, then the next one. All the pages were blank except for the page of introduction. Maybe the knife has to touch each page? He touched the blank pages with first the blade and then the gem in the pommel, but nothing happened. He tried several other pages with the same result.
    ‘Well that sorts that,’ said Pardigan aloud. ‘No more book. I guess he didn’t finish it.’ It had all been exciting until the book turned out to be a collection of pages never finished. ‘What a waste of a magic book,’ he murmured in disgust, and was about to throw it into a corner.
    The cat leapt up screeching, forcing him to step back.
    ‘Wohhhh, cat, I’m sorry. I won’t harm your book, honest, here, you take it.’ Pardigan held it out to the cat and the cat jumped up onto the table and placed its paw on top of it. Its eyes flashed bright blue, unsettling him further.
    ‘Foolish boy,’ purred the cat. ‘Did you read the first page or were you just looking at the pretty squiggles hoping one day to understand?’ Pardigan had never been insulted by a cat before but thought that this was indeed an insult.
    ‘Of course I read it, but it finishes there. It’s blank after the first page and anyhow, it doesn’t make much sense…Hey! How come you can talk?’ he added as an afterthought.
    ‘Magician Pew never made large amounts of sense when he was alive, so I think it’s asking a bit much for him to make sense now, don’t you?’ The cat purred and lay down across the book. ‘If you read the introduction, there’s a line that reads, ‘A journey’s choice you all must make.’ It licked a paw and started washing itself. ‘You will note by this that you must all decide to make the journey together, only then will the book reveal more to you.’ It glanced up from its washing to stare into his eyes. ‘So no throwing the book around, I’ve taken care of it for too long and will not let you destroy it now.’ 
    All Pardigan could think to reply to all this was to repeat again, ‘So, how come you can talk?’
    The cat turned it’s head to one side questioningly. ‘I’m a cat. Cats can’t talk. Maybe you’re going mad?’ It went back to its cleaning then curled up and fell asleep on the book without speaking again. Pardigan stared at it open-mouthed, unsure what he could say or do.
    By the time Quint returned, Pardigan had recovered from his chat with the cat. He’d tried several times to engage it in conversation and was doing so again when Quint dropped down the