How to Slay a Dragon - Bill Allen [50]
“Nonsense, Greg,” said Lucky. “Prophecies are never wrong.”
Greg felt his blood pound in his temples. “No, what you mean is, no prophecy has ever been wrong before. That doesn’t mean this won’t be the first time.”
Lucky looked to Nathan for backup.
“Greg’s right,” Nathan admitted. “Nor does it mean that he won’t be harmed in the process. Ruuan could chomp off an arm or sear off a leg and not affect the prophecy at all, but Greg surely wouldn’t view the ordeal as a success.”
Lucky glanced at Greg, who felt the color drain from his face. “I guess I didn’t think of that.”
“So, we can’t count on the prophecy,” said Priscilla. “What about my sister?”
Everyone looked to Greg, including Simon and his wife, although in Mrs. Sez’s case it was probably a coincidence, as it was not likely she was hearing the conversation.
Greg stared back defiantly. “What we need to do is find Marvin Greatheart.”
“Look, Greg,” said Lucky, “I can guarantee Ruuan is going to be slain, whether by you or by Greatheart or by Simon himself, what does it matter? The plain and simple fact is that if Marvin’s going to show up at the last second, as you would have us believe, then what’ve we got to lose? There’s no reason we shouldn’t at least go and watch the show.”
“We’ll get ourselves scorched,” argued Greg.
“Okay, maybe there’s one reason. But I still think we should go. We’ll just have to be careful.”
“Lucky’s right,” said Nathan. “Even if the prophecy was supposed to say Greatheart slays Ruuan, it doesn’t mean he’s going to do it without our help. We owe it to Princess Penelope to do everything we can.”
Greg knew Nathan was right, and he wanted to say so, but what he heard himself say was, “We do?”
“Yes,” Nathan said firmly, “we do.”
“I don’t care who else goes,” said Princess Priscilla, “but that’s my sister we’re talking about, and I’m going to help her.”
Greg wasn’t sure what to say to that. In the end he agreed to go on. Princess Priscilla seemed far too stubborn to be talked out of anything, and Greg felt fairly certain it wasn’t safe for her to be out wandering these forests by herself. They would just have to escort her for now and hope Greatheart caught up to them before the Infinite Spire. If not, well, Greg would decide then what to do. It was best not to dwell on the matter now, for if he did he would surely come to his senses and sprint off into the flowers.
While the Sezxqrthm’s house looked cozy, and darkness was beginning to fall, the group decided against asking to stay the night. It would be halfway to morning before they could hope to get Mrs. Sez to understand the request, let alone run it by Simon and get a straight answer. It was easier just to say goodbye and head back to Wiccan Wood. They made camp by the edge of the forest, knowing it would be safer there than inside. Lucky unpacked bedrolls for himself and Greg, while Nathan gathered flowers to make himself a soft mat to sleep on.
“Look, Nathan’s going to sleep on a flowerbed,” Greg said, trying to ease his own tension. The others gaped at him as if he’d lost his mind, and it was enough to make Greg want to go back and apologize to the incoherent Simon for the look Greg had given him.
Princess Priscilla carried a pack similar to Lucky’s, only half as big. From it she pulled a full-size goose-down mattress, which she laid out on the ground next to Greg’s tiny bedroll, but before turning in, the boys looked to Nathan for their usual chikan lesson.
“I want to join in, too,” Priscilla said. She hunted out a suitable walking stick, and amazed Greg when she challenged him to a friendly sparring match, then promptly disarmed him and pinned him flat on his back.
Nathan grinned approvingly. “Maybe we should let you tackle Ruuan after all, Princess.”
“Where did you learn to do that?” Greg said, struggling to his feet.
“Dad taught me,” she told him. “Being a princess isn’t all white lace and satin, you know. I have to be able to protect myself.”
Greg rubbed his elbow where his arm struck the ground. “Yeah, well, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble.