The Space Between Stars

Chapter Five

"What...? No!" I wasn't sure why I was so adamant about not giving it to the clandestine, but it felt important. "You give to me." The creature insisted. "Dragon give to me, tell to me keep." "Wait, dragon?!" I said, surprised.
"I thought they were banished from this world eons ago! To a different dimension!" "They was,"
the clandestine leaned forward, "but they back. Back in the Farther! You must give ring, miss, or Dominus be very mad!"

"Listen, you," I said, "I don't know who this Dominus is, and I care even less. If you want the ring, you will have to come here and get it."

I knew immediately I had said the wrong thing. The clandestine's eyes gleamed. "Very well, miss. A fight you want, a fight you have!" It leaped at me, hissing loudly as it did so.
The clandestine slammed into my chest, bowling me over and knocking the wind clear out of my lungs. Pushing back, I discovered this thing was freakishly strong. I yelped as it's twisted claws came within a millimetre of my face, then shouted a word in Meo, and the clandestine went flying back just far enough for me to get to my feet. Then it was after me again.
Or, almost. Before it got to me, a blur of feathers intersected with it, knocking it back yet again. The griffin, (for that was the blur,) was crouched over the clandestine, one eagle's talon resting menacingly on it's chest. I watched, breathless, as the griffin snarled, "Go tell your dark master to send someone else, you can't even steal a ring!" The griffin released the clandestine and watched it scamper off into the forest with a look of extreme satisfaction. "He won't be back." The griffin turned around and finally noticed me. "Who are you?"

"Saelem Noxe," I said, scrambling to my feet. "Pleased to meet you."
"Don't be so formal." Said the griffin.
"I'm Pinna, and we need to get out of here."

"Hey! Get back here! You can't just say
'We need to leave' and take off! Where are we going, anyway?" "I'm taking you to Maravel. He'll know what to do"
"What to do about what?"

Pinna whirled around to face me. "When I took the partner test, it said my partner's name would be Saelem Noxe. You are my bonded partner."
I was very unimpressed. "What?" "When a griffin reaches a certain age,"said Pinna,"we take a test. It determines the name of your human partner. Normally, this partner lives in the Farther, not the Common plane. You were a exception.
Your eyes also marked you out as special. There is a prophecy about a girl with violet eyes who will free the Farther from the dragon's tyranny.
You must come to the Farther, Saelem.
The survival of a world rests on your decision." I considered this for a moment. "What if I don't want to come?" Pinna met my gaze with his steady amber eyes.
"You have no choice."