How to Slay a Dragon - Bill Allen [93]
Greg didn’t know what to say. Indeed the dragon spoke the truth, but Greg also knew a large reason he did what he did was because he never really felt he had a choice.
“AND THERE IS ANOTHER REASON,” continued Ruuan. “WHEN I GAVE YOU AN OUT, ALLOWING YOU TO LEAVE FREELY WITHOUT THE SPIRELINGS’ AMULET, YOUR FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO FULFILL YOUR PROMISE TO WITCH HAZEL, AGAIN AN HONORABLE ACT.”
“But—”
“OH, I KNOW YOU’RE THINKING YOU WERE JUST AFRAID TO BREAK A PROMISE TO A WITCH, BUT THERE WAS MORE TO IT THAN THAT. YOU ARE FAR BRAVER THAN YOU THINK, YOUNG GREGHART. AFTER ALL, THEY DON’T WRITE PROPHECIES ABOUT JUST ANYONE.”
“No,” Greg said uneasily. “Of course, they don’t.”
“BESIDES,” Ruuan added, “UNTIL YOU RETURN WITH THE TWO AMULETS ENTRUSTED TO YOU, I PLAN TO HOLD ON TO YOUR FRIENDS.”
Promise from the Hart
Greg tried to wipe his sweaty palms on his tunic, with little success.
“IT WAS INCREDIBLY BRAVE OF YOU TO COME HERE.” Ruuan shook his head, and Greg had to jump back to avoid being flattened.
“What’s wrong?”
“I WAS JUST THINKING, YOU MUST HAVE FELT YOUR CHANCE OF SURVIVAL TONIGHT WAS NEXT TO NONE.”
“Well, none, actually.”
“YES, WELL NOW I’M IMAGINING YOUR CHANCES WITH HAZEL WHEN YOU RETURN WITHOUT THE SPIRELINGS’ AMULET.”
Greg felt himself blink.
“THEY WON’T BE AS GOOD,” Ruuan clarified.
At least Ruuan wasn’t sending him out to face the witch alone, exactly. Greg had asked the dragon to carry him to Hazel’s, and to his surprise, Ruuan agreed. At least he would carry Greg as far as the edge of the Shrieking Scrub. Just as Ruuan’s powers were strongest here in his lair, he said Hazel’s were greatest at the center of the Shrieking Scrub. Besides, the Molten Moor was the only spot in the area big enough for Ruuan to land.
“How will I get back?” Greg wanted to know.
Ruuan craned his neck toward his mound of treasure again and dug through it with his tongue. “TAKE THITH,” he said, when his huge jaws returned to face Greg. Except for the lisp, it was the kind of thing Manny Malice always said right before he swung a punch.
At first Greg didn’t see anything to take, but then he spotted a tiny gold ring slipped over one tip of Ruuan’s tongue. “What is it?”
“A VEWY SPETHAL WING,” Ruuan said. “WUD YOU JUTH TAKE ID?”
Greg removed the ring so Ruuan could speak.
“WHEN YOU WANT TO RETURN TO MY LAIR JUST INCANT THE MAGIC WORD, AND THIS RING WILL BRING YOU HERE. YOU NEED NOT WORRY. THE MAGIC WILL PROTECT YOU AGAINST THE HEAT.”
“What’s the magic word?” Greg asked.
“TRANSPORTUS.”
“Transport us?”
“RIGHT, ONLY WHEN YOU SAY IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE TWO WORDS. IT’S ONLY ONE. TRANSPORTUS. NOW, I HOPE YOU HAVE IT, BECAUSE IT’S TIME TO GO.”
Ruuan’s jaws drew open like a rising drawbridge and beckoned Greg inside. Greg was understandably reluctant, and not just because of the putrid stench of dragon spit that wafted out at him. “That’s not your back,” he noted.
“THE TUNNEL IS TOO NARROW FOR YOU TO RIDE OUTSIDE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN CARRY YOU SAFELY DOWN.” When Greg did not immediately climb in, Ruuan added, “IF I INTENDED TO EAT YOU, I WOULDN’T NEED YOUR COOPERATION.”
Greg supposed the dragon was right, but still he hesitated. “What about the spirelings’ amulet? You wanted me to take it back to them, remember?”
“IT CAN WAIT. NOW, CLIMB INSIDE.”
Greg continued to stare into the gaping maw, unable to will himself forward, until Ruuan helped him to it with a gentle nudge of his tongue.
With a snap the dragon’s jaws clamped shut, closing off all light. Greg’s stomach flipped as Ruuan’s head lifted. He heard the familiar whoosh of air as the dragon jetted down the spiraling tunnel, and then he smacked into Ruuan’s front teeth when the dragon came to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the Infinite Spire.
“SORRY. I FORGOT THE SPIRELINGS WERE CAMPED OUT HERE.”
Greg took advantage of the gap between