Book Allusion

Part 1

“What are you looking for?" Mallory asked.

"He had a pet."

"A pet? And…Fluffy the Dog is gonna save us?"

"It wasn't a dog," Alina said, catching on. "It was a griffin."

Jared smiled at her. "Exactly."

He skimmed the page on griffins. "'When I call upon him in the native tongue of the tree elf with whom he dwells,'" Jared read, "'he comes to my assistance.' See? His pet can find him." "Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down," Mallory said. "Summon a griffin? In native tree elf? To find a hundred-and-twenty-five-year-old man who may or may not be alive? That's our plan?"

Jared nodded.

"And…you know how to summon a griffin in native tree elf?"

"Well…" Alina piped up. "Maybe he doesn't…but I do."

"Of course! Albeta always needs to come to the rescue, doesn't she?"

"It's Alina," Alina said firmly. "And I happen to know how to speak in native tree elf because I have a bit of their blood." She turned to Jared. "And I'm going to tell you what to say."

She leaned in and whispered the summoning words in his ear. Jared felt his cheeks burn from being so close to her.

"Grip, Grap, Greep,

Niffgri, Eras, Eralc, Seke

Ehcop, Sirhc, Yert-Yerak

Imas, Aiam, Nnif."

Jared repeated the words as best he could. Nothing happened.

"Is that it?" Mallory asked. "Did it work?"

"I guess not," Jared said.

Mallory looked at Alina. "What happened to 'I know how to speak in native tree elf'?"

"Okay…so I'm a bit rusty," Alina said. "I tried, didn't I?"

They suddenly heard the sound of a large bird. Jared looked at Alina. "Nice call," he said.

The four of them ran outside just as the griffin landed. It looked like a cross between a lion and an eagle. But all the same…it was big.