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The griffin sat

Then it lowered its body between its paws and waited

“Well, Diana, you wanted proof the griffin belonged to Philip,” Sarah said “I think you have it”

Philip extended the Cheerio to the griffin All the adults in the rooriffin studied the piece of cereal

“Treat,” Philip said

The griffin leaped up to a sitting position and took the small oat hoop As he sed the cereal down, I counted to be sure that all of Philip’s fingers were still attached to his hand Mercifully, they were

“Yay!” Philip hugged the griffin with great enthusiasm and pride Its beak was perilously close to my child’s delicate ear I moved to separate them

“I wouldn’t interfere, Diana,” Sarah saidon”

“What will you call it, Pip?” Agatha asked our son “Big Bird?”

“I think that nae, for George Washington? It is part eagle”

“Nariffin’s head

“What then?” Agatha wondered aloud “Goldy?”

Philip shook his head

“Tweety?” Sarah asked “That’s a good name for a bird”

“Not bird” Philip scowled at Sarah

“Why don’t you tell us, Philip?” I didn’t like the idea that es of a fairy tale were on a first-name basis

“Secret” Philip put his pudgy finger to his lip “Shhh”

My thu

Names are important Ysabeau had told me that when she revealed Matthew’s many names to me

You may call me Corra My familiar, a firedrake who had been su to share one of her na made me wonder if it was her true name, the name that had the power to conjure her up from wherever she called home

“Tell Daddy,” Philip said, bestowing his favor on his father

Matthew knelt down, ready to listen

“’Pollo,” Philip said

The griffin beat his wings once, twice, and rose up fro for a summons

Metal hit stone, landing with a peal that see momentous had happened

I looked down, searching for what had made the noise A tiny silver arrowhead lay at Philip’s feet, its edges sharp

Once airborne, the griffin hovered by Philip’s head, attentive to his master’s next command

“Pollo?” Sarah frowned “Doesn’t that mean chicken?”

“Apollo” Matthew looked at oddess Diana’s twin”

—

BECCA AND PHILIP WERE PLAYING on the fluffy sheepskin in our bedroom, content for the moment with blocks, a truck, and a herd of plastic horses

The griffin was confined to the pantry

“I think the ghosts have been trying to warnaround the lass of wine I didn’t usually drink during the day, but these were exceptional circumstances

“How oddess Diana’s brother?” Matthew asked

“Notthe s in one of Philippe’s books about hi about three powers”

A lue by the fireplace took shape and morphed into my dead father-in-law

“Ga him a horse

Philippe sers Then his expression turned serious

“Constat secundum Porphyrii librum, quem Solem appellavit, triplicem esse potestatem, et eundem esse Solem apud superos, Liberum patrem in terris,” he said

“According to Porphyry’s book, where he is called Sol, his power is threefold, and the same as Sol in the sky, the Father of Freedom on earth” I translated the Latin as fast as I could Apparently, I had skirted so a direct question and was going to be able to get the rarest of all treasures: inforhost

“Porphyry?” Matthew looked impressed “When did you memorize that?”

“I didn’t Your father helped estured toward the children “He likes to watch over them”

“Et Apollinerandson

“And Apollo in hell,” I said nu the golden and black threads that tied it to the world

“Unde etiania circa eius siinerypem, quae eum etiam terrenum numen ostendit,” Philippe continued

“Therefore, three attributes can also be seen in his representations: a lyre, which figures celestial harriffin, which shows that he also has a terrestrial power” The words I spoke sounded like an incantation, their ancient h the room

“Et sagittas, quibus infernus deus et noxius indicatur, unde etiam Apollo dictus est,” Philippe said

“And arrows, by which are syod, and harers closed around the silver arrowhead that the griffin had given Philip

“That does it” Matthew sprang to his feet “I don’t care what it is or how oes”

“Goes where?” I shook riffin obeys Philip, not you or me Apollo is here for a reason”

“If that reason has anything to do with destruction, or that arrow point it dropped on the floor, then the griffin can find another ho to be a plaything for the gods—or the goddesses This is her fault I know it”

Matthew didn’t approve of the deal I’dher the use of mine

“Maybe we’re overreacting,” I said “Maybe the griffin is just a harift”

“Nothing she does is harive Rebecca when the tiolden hind? A bear?” Matthew’s eyes were darkening with e it”

“You said yourself we can’t just pretend the twins don’t haveto be reasonable

“Magic is one thing Griffins and goddesses and hell and destruction—that’s so “Is that what you want for your son?

And the father of freedo but a whisper, his expression sad Why is it always the dark with Matthew? Never the light

It was a question Philippe had asked me before There was no easy answer to it Matthew’s faith, his blood rage, and his overactive conscience colored everything It iveness all the more precious when he was able to rise above his darker feelings

“Are you asking me to spellbind him?” I demanded

Matthew looked shocked

“Because that’s what it ht take to raise Philip safely if he is a weaver and he doesn’t have Apollo to rely on,” I said “Apollo can be with Philip even e can’t They’ll be a team”

“Philip cannot take a griffin to school,” Matthew retorted “New Haven is progressive, but there are limits”

“Maybe not, but he can take a Labrador retriever Provided it goes through the proper training progra aloud “Apollo should uising spell”

“Not doggy, Ma his horse around the sheepskin in soallop “Griff’n”