A Dawn of Dragonfire - By Daniel Arenson Page 0,87

vaguely recalled reading a book of them in the library—he had shared a few with Mori—but could remember none.

Mori would have remembered, he thought. She loves that library.

His sister was always so sad, so frightened, but when reading in the library, she would smile, laugh, and her eyes would sparkle. She would run to him with a new book, show him a word that she loved, or a tale that moved her, and life and joy would overcome her shyness. At the memory of her eyes and smile, a lump filled Elethor's throat, and tears stung his eyes.

"El, how's this?" Lyana said. She leaned forward, hid her mouth with her hand, and whispered into his ear.

He thought about her riddle but could not guess the answer until she revealed it. Nodding slowly, he helped her fine-tune the wording, praying that Herathia could not hear whispers behind palms. Finally, when they were happy with their riddle, Lyana turned to face the sphinx.

"Herathia!" she cried. "We have a riddle."

The sphinx gazed down at them, eyes blazing, tongue licking the air. She seemed eager like a cat toying with a mouse.

"Ask," she said.

Lyana raised her chin, thrust out her chest, and called out her riddle.

"I sing as fairly as a bird

I glide as gently too

I comfort the most aching soul

With a voice so clear and true

I live on branches and windowsills

Relishing the breeze

Yet I don't live

Just place me down

You'll silence me with ease"

The sphinx did not miss a beat. An instant after Lyana fell silent, Herathia calmly spoke: "Wind chimes."

Elethor's heart sank. She had solved it! She hadn't even thought for a second! Had the sphinx heard them whispering? Had she cheated?

"You heard us whisper the answer!" he shouted at her. "Your ears must be sharper than ours. Will you cheat at our game?"

She snickered, a bubble of blood bursting on her lips. "I cheat not, shapeshifter. Insult me again, and our game will end, and you will die. I would like that." She snarled. "Prepare for my second riddle, children of stars. If you cannot answer, you will join my nest of corpses."

Elethor steeled himself with a deep breath and waited. After a moment of silence, the sphinx spoke her second riddle.

"I sadden the sun

High in heaven

And the night's moon too

I follow the eagle in his flight

I lived wherever he flew

At a ball I slide away

In a crowd I'm shy

I'll sneak up when you're alone

I'll make you shake and cry"

Lyana frowned and tapped her cheek. Elethor thought long and hard, but his mind was blank. He tapped his thigh, pursed his lips, and ran a dozen answers through his mind, but none fit. When he looked at Lyana, she was pale and her lips trembled.

She doesn't know either, he realized.

"Answer, shapeshifters!" the sphinx demanded and her eyes reddened. A growl left her throat, stinking of rot. "Solve my riddle or my light will sear you." She raised her claws.

Cold sweat washed Elethor. Lyana gasped and clutched her sword.

"Wait!" Elethor said to the sphinx. "I will answer, I…"

What riddles would he read with Mori in the library? He summoned back the memory, seeing his sister again; she would huddle in the shadows between books, a single candle lighting the library, smiling to herself softly, fleeing the world that scared her into the realms of imagination.

He breathed out shakily. He knew the answer.

"Loneliness," he said softly.

Lyana gasped at his side and whispered, "Of course."

The sphinx's eyes sparkled with amusement and hunger. She leaned forward, sending bodies rolling down the mountain. Elethor nearly fell, and Lyana clung to him. A gutted child rolled by him, disappearing down the mountain into shadow.

"This game is getting interesting," Herathia said. "You have answered true. Now ask me a riddle." She licked her lips, cutting her tongue on her teeth, then sucked the blood. "Make it hard."

Elethor turned to look at Lyana. Her eyes were solemn as she stared at him.

"We'll think silently," she said. "No more whispering."

He nodded. He tried to think of riddles, brow furrowed. Lyana covered her eyes and her lips moved silently. The sphinx leaned forward, drooling and hissing.

"Ask!" she shrieked. "Ask me your riddle or die!"

Elethor clenched his fists, shut his eyes, and thought until his head hurt. Suddenly, in a flash, it came to him. He remembered! Mori had asked him the riddle two years ago, laughing when he could not answer.

"I have a riddle for you," he said. He opened his eyes and looked at Lyana. She nodded, and he looked back