The captain's mouth dropped open, and he slowly turned his horse around to face where his company of men had been.

"Tradan! Hardun! Meron!"

There was no reply.

"What did you do?" he hissed, yanking his horse around to face Tace again.

Tace raised an eyebrow.

"It wasn't us."

"Then who was it?"

"I really don't think it was even a who."

"What is the explanation?" the captain demanded.

Kace looked from the empty saddles, to the captain, and back again.

"They might've seen George," he said after a little while.

"George?" Kyndran looked at him curiously.

"George?" the captain was a bit more apprehensive.

"George?" Sylver and Rynere asked each other, having dared to peek out the cottage door.

"George?" Tace said in surprise. "That's all you could come up with?"

Kace shrugged.

"I didn't really have time to train him to any other name. I mean, come on, would he really respond to 'Maranoth the Powerful' or 'Gorthanian the Mighty' or 'Englendyl the -'"

"We get the point," Kyndran said dryly. "What is George?"

"He looks kinda like a spider -a big one -but for the front legs he's got appendages that work quite well for hands. Not that he has to use them much -most things either run away or die from fright."

"You can't die from fright," Kyndran scoffed.

Kace raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe not where you come from."

Before Kyndran could give a retort, Tace looked down at his wrist.

"Well, it's time to be going. Nice chatting with you, cap'n, but we have business to attend to. Not the least of which will be sending you back with Kace, Sylver, and George -I still can't believe you named him that -to explain to the king what happened. As for Kyndran, Danid, Miss Rynere and myself -we'll bid you adieu and take our leave."

"Bid you what?" Kyndran asked, confused.

Tace shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Just pack up your things and we'll be moving."

The captain really didn't have much choice in the matter. But he did have one question.

"If this ...George scared my men away, why are the horses still here? Why weren't they frightened?"

Kace paused.

"I'd guess that they didn't see him. You just stay there, and the princess and I will be out shortly to escort you back."

"What is George?" Kyndran asked as he and Tace turned to go back into the cottage. "The name of the creature?"

Tace gave a little laugh.

"George."

"No, I mean -"

"There's only one of him. So we only need one name." Tace stepped into the cottage. "Danid, Miss Ryn, say your goodbyes. You won't be seeing Kace for quite some time, if ever again."