Her head canted slightly to one side, giving her an almost-birdlike appearance. "How can a monster be creatures of legend if it's real?" she asked. That seemed somewhat counterproductive. Then again, she was an endangered species herself. And there were plenty out there who had never met an Alastrian before.

Waving off her own question, she continued. "But you said Sphinxes. I know those. If you answer their riddle right, they have to let you pass, don't they?"

The solution seemed clear enough. Just answer right.