How to Slay a Dragon - Bill Allen [19]
“Wonderful!” said Norman. “Always willing to talk to a fellow dragonslayer.”
“No, I’m not a dragonslayer.”
“Greg!” warned Lucky.
“Of course he’s not a dragonslayerartH,” said Melvin. “Look at him, he’s just a kid.”
“Now, Melvin,” scolded Mrs. Greatheart. “That’s no way to talk about a great hero.”
“But he’s not a dragonslayer,” Melvin insisted. “He said so himself.”
“He was just being modest.”
“No, I wasn’t,” said Greg.
Lucky tried another loud noise but failed to draw anyone’s attention.
“See,” said Melvin. “He’s not.”
“Enough,” cried Mrs. Greatheart. “If you can’t behave then go to your room.”
“But—”
“Not another word. Now go!”
Melvin muttered something under his breath and shuffled off to one corner. (Apparently the house was too small for him to actually have his own room.) As the conversation continued, the boy sat with his arms folded over his chest, glowering at Greg. His expression was, Greg noticed, not much different from Lucky’s.
“So how long have you been slaying dragons, Greghart?” asked Norman.
“I haven’t,” said Greg. “I told you, I’m not a dragonslayer.”
“See!” Melvin shouted from his corner.
“Hush,” scolded Mrs. Greatheart.
“Are you saying you’ve not slew a single dragon?” asked Norman in disbelief.
“Of course not,” said Greg. “I’m just a kid.”
“Oh, this is wonderful. Edna, did you hear? It’s the boy’s first dragon.”
“How exciting,” said Mrs. Greatheart. “And to think, we met him before he became famous.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” said Lucky. “There’s not a man or woman in the kingdom who doesn’t know of the Mighty Greghart’s heroic deeds.”
Greg sighed. “I’m sure that will all end once Ruuan eats me.”
“Eats you?” Norman said, chuckling. “Why would you say such a thing?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Greg ignored Lucky, who had reached new heights as he jumped up and down, waving his arms furiously. “The prophecy is wrong.”
“Nonsense,” said Norman. “Prophecies can’t be wrong.”
“But I’m not the one who’s supposed to slay Ruuan,” said Greg. “Your son is.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Melvin is just a child.”
“I am not,” said Melvin.
“Melvin,” Mrs. Greatheart warned.
“Not him,” said Greg. “Marvin.”
“Marvin?” said Norman. “But he isn’t even here. Besides the prophecy says Ruuan will be slain by Greghart from Earth, not Greatheart from Myrth. You are from Earth, aren’t you?”
“Well, yes, but—”
“Then it’s settled. Obviously the prophecy is about you.”
Mrs. Greatheart wrung her hands nervously. “Enough of this foolish talk,” she said. “Dinner’s been ready forever. We have plenty, but if we don’t sit down and eat, it’s going to dry up in the pot.”
Greg tried to object, but the Greathearts were no more interested in his concerns than the crowd back at Pendegrass Castle had been. Eventually he found himself shuffling along with the others to the dinner table just a few feet away, although if he’d judged by the noises Norman made, he’d have thought they hiked across the entire Enchanted Forest to get there.
Even Melvin was allowed to join them, though every time he tried to jump into the conversation his mother cut him off with a word. Greg had a similar problem. Lucky kicked him under the table every time he opened his mouth. Under the best of circumstances this would have been annoying, but Greg found it particularly troublesome since he was trying to eat.
“So, where is Marvin?” asked Lucky.
“We’re not sure,” said Edna. “He went to rout some goblins out of the hills north of Durchester about a month ago. We really expected him back by now, but . . . well, not a word. Hopefully there wasn’t any trouble.”
“You don’t—Ow! Would you stop that?”
“Sorry,” Lucky mumbled.
Greg rubbed his shin and turned back to Mrs. Greatheart. “You don’t consider routing out goblins trouble?”
“I meant trouble he couldn’t handle, dear,” she explained.
Greg quickly lost his appetite. He couldn’t believe no one knew Marvin’s whereabouts. This was terrible. Who was going to slay Ruuan now?
“You don’t look so well, dear,” said Edna. “Is your wyvern stew disagreeing with you?”
“What? Oh, no.