The Boy and the Gryphon

By Leandra O'Reilley

When Thomas's sister and brother don't come home from school one day, he realizes that they've been taken by an evil wizard. With the help of his neighbor, who's sister has also been taken, and an eccentric wizard, they must seek out the one creature that can help rescue the kids: a gryphon.

 

In a classic hero's journey, the boys must work together to overcome challenges, both personal and magical, to save their siblings before they're gone forever.

 

This book is dedicated to Triton - a childhood cancer warrior who inspires everyone around him.  All initial proceeds from the sale of this novel will be donated to Triton's adventure fund. Every moment he has is worth everything.

 

When Triton's adventures are complete, proceeds from the following six months will be donated to a charity of his family's choosing in his honor.

 

Sending love to every family who fights childhood cancer, and praying that some day there is a cure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sarah Reilley
• Release date: Apr 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201088033

Book preview

This book is for Triton – one of the world’s great adventurers.

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Chapter One

I t was a dark and stormy evening, the boy started as he leaned closer to the campfire, flashlight angled below his chin. The woods were quiet, mostly. Except for a sound far, far away... the sound of...

Stop! Shrieked his little sister. It’s too scary!

Triton, please stop scaring your sister. His mother said. Though he couldn’t see her face, he could hear in her voice that she’d rolled her eyes at him.

Oh, man. Emma is too chicken, Mom. She needs to toughen up. He leaned back, exasperated, and reached for the marshmallows.

Mom laughed. That may be true, kiddo, but not tonight. Will you tell her a story that won’t leave us all sleepless tonight? Please?

Triton shrugged. Okay, but you’re not going to believe this one.

Is it true, Triton? Emma asked.

You bet it is, Em. He smiled, leaned in and started another tale.

SCHOOL HAD JUST LET out for the summer and Triton was excited for what kind of adventures he might discover this year. It was the summer after 5th grade, which meant he was done with elementary school and headed to the middle school next year. I’m not a little kid anymore, he thought as he skipped down the sidewalk toward his house.

He usually rode the bus home, but today he wanted to feel the wind in his hair, and also to not have to sit next to his annoying little brother and sister. He loved them, he really did, but he’d never admit that out loud to anyone. It wasn’t cool. And at 11 years old, cool meant everything to him.

Triton had spent a lot of time by himself when he was younger. He’d been quite sick and hospital stays became normal for him. His mom and dad would sit by his side as much as they could, but they both had to work and take care of the other kids. Triton had come to enjoy the quiet times just as much as he’d appreciated his family being there for him. That also meant, though, that now that he was strong and healthy again, he needed to find the time to be alone. It wasn’t a natural part of his day anymore.

As he walked down the worn-out sidewalks, sun beating on his sun-starved face, he noticed something strange out of the corner of his eye. It almost looked like a giant bird, except that it went by too quickly to have been an animal.

Strange, he thought, picking up the pace. It looked like it had landed close to his house, and he knew that his 8-year-old sister Emma and 10-year-old brother Brett would be home already. He wondered if they’d seen this unusual thing more closely and couldn’t wait to ask them.

He ran the last four blocks home and struggling to catch his breath threw open the front door.

Emma! Brett! Did you see that? He called out.

The house was strangely silent.

Emma? Brett? They’d always been home for a few minutes without Mom or Dad after school, and usually they made a snack and hit up the YouTube videos on their computers before being kicked outside to play. Today, there was no sound from any room. No videos playing, no laughter, just silence.

Triton was afraid. He went next door to see if Emma and Brett had gone to the neighbor’s house to play. They had been friends since they were babies, and Nick and Callie were the same ages as Emma and Brett.

He rang the doorbell.

It opened, slowly.

Hi, Triton. Nick answered the door, his voice sounding nervous.

Nick, are Emma and Brett here? He asked.

Nick looked behind him, then looked down at the ground, avoiding Triton’s eyes. No.

Triton thought Nick was lying to him. He leaned toward the door and hollered, Emma! Brett! Come out here right now!

They aren’t here, Triton. Nick raised his eyes to meet Triton’s. Neither is Callie.

Well, where are they? Didn’t they ride the bus with you today? Triton was confused and worried.

They did. We were all on the bus together. We got off at the stop like normal, but...

Triton waited for Nick to continue, but he didn’t. But what, Nick?

Nick pointed down the street.

What?

"Something flew down from the sky and took them. All three of them. It