Callum couldn't decide if he or Ryson was more surprised by the Queen's admission. Tsak and his people pushed ahead by a few yards and left the three to deal with this problem.
Then Callum rethought it.
"Everything went well," Callum announced before the other two could start arguing. "That Kono knew is good. She knows you well, Ryson. She would spot a problem."
"And now is not the time to debate something that has already worked," Ryson added.
Kono looked surprised, but she nodded in agreement. Callum kept out of that exchange. They would get to him eventually. After all, they had not discussed his magical ability yet.
And maybe now was the time to use his power to make this journey work. The dragons were not awake in the core yet -- at least not the majority of them. He lifted his hand and tested the air, feeling out the small tendrils of magic that were normal in the wilds. Then he found one stronger than the others and traced it to a close trail. It was not a dragon trail, but something powerful had used it and was heading upward, just like them.
"Callum? Can I have my own horse now?" Kono asked with a hint of frustration.
"No," he replied, and then rushed on. "We are all going to walk. Something powerful is moving along a path close to here. It is heading upward, and I can't believe that is a coincidence. A feeling in the air whispers of trouble, and more than us are heading for the core."
He slid off his saddle and caught Kono as she came down. No one argued. Two of Tsaks people took the horses in hand and headed back to join the others.
No one questioned what Callum had said. He found that more troubling than the problem they faced. How could they think he was an expert on any of this?
Who else did they have?
Callum led them to the new path with no trouble. Whatever had passed here had made no attempt to hide its magic or the footprints in the soft earth.
"Gryphon," Tsak warned and shook his head. "We don't want to get too close. Nasty claws and never happy to see humans. I suggest we keep our distance, at least until we find out what is going on.""
"I think it is moving at a good pace," Callum added. "I am more than willing to let it face any trouble without us."
So they didn't rush forward. Callum found it easy to track the creature and knew when they got too close. The gryphon stopped shortly after sunset. Callum and his companions were glad to do the same. After setting up camp, Callum wrapped a blanket around himself and slept.
And awoke to morning light and the face of the gryphon looking down at him.
"You are the slowest humans I have ever seen," it proclaimed. The deep, rumbling voice awakened the others. "Can we go now? Or should I get a head start and see if you ever catch up with me today?"
The others were starting to sit up. The three desert men who had been on watch stumbled back to the fire, looking dismayed and afraid.
"Magic," Callum said as he stood. The gryphon was barely an arm's reach away, and he was huge. "You used magic to make us sleep. I didn't even feel it."
"I thought if you got some sleep, you might move faster today. We still have a long way to go to the core."
"You know why we are here," Ryson said as he stood. "Why are you?"
The gryphon took a few steps back, rustled his wings, and sat down. Something was bothering him.
"Gryphons and dragons do not get along," the gryphon admitted. "Granted, we don't get along with humans either, but that is a different problem. Long ago, a young gryphon male stole a dragon egg and disappeared into the wilderness. They were never found."
Kono stood and tried to straighten her clothing. She looked at their visitor. "A gryphon took the eggs again? Or do you suspect others?"
"I suspect every creature in the world. We will have to narrow the list down."
Callum still felt uneasy about the magic that had made them sleep, but he could admit to himself that he felt better for it. The gryphon could have done worse than make them sleep.
But Callum mistrusted it.
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