Twelve-year-old addie admires her older sister meryl, who aspires to rid the kingdom of bamarre of gryphons, specters, and ogres. Addie, on the other hand, is fearful even of spiders and depends on meryl for courage and ...Twelve-year-old addie admires her older sister meryl, who aspires to rid the kingdom of bamarre of gryphons, specters, and ogres. Addie, on the other hand, is fearful even of spiders and depends on meryl for courage and protection.