Septimus Heap, Book One_ Magyk - Angie Sage [130]
The boat began to move.
“What are you doing?” Jenna yelled at Boy 412.
Boy 412 shook his head. He wasn’t doing anything. It was the boat.
“Let go!” Jenna yelled at him above the noise of the storm outside. “Let go of the tiller. It’s you making this happen. Let go!”
But Boy 412 would not let go. Something kept his hand firmly on the tiller, guiding the Dragon Boat as she began to move between the two marble pillars, taking with her her new crew: Jenna, Nicko, Boy 412 and Maxie.
As the dragon’s barbed tail cleared the confines of the temple, a loud creaking began on either side of the boat. The dragon was lifting her wings, unfurling and spreading each one like an enormous webbed hand stretching its long bony fingers, cracking and groaning as the leathery skin was pulled taut. The crew of the Dragon Boat stared into the night sky, amazed at the sight of the huge wings towering above the boat like two giant green sails.
The dragon’s head reared up into the night, and her nostrils flared, breathing in the smell she had dreamed of all those years. The smell of the sea.
At last the dragon was free.
44
TO SEA
Steer her into the waves!” yelled Nicko as a wave caught the side of the boat and crashed over them, soaking them with freezing-cold water. But Boy 412 was struggling hard to shift the tiller against the wind and the force of the water. The gale screaming in his ears and the driving rain in his face did not help either. Nicko threw himself at the tiller, and together they put all their weight against it, pushing the tiller away from them. The dragon set her wings to catch the wind, and the boat slowly came around to face the oncoming waves.
Up at the prow, Jenna, soaked with the rain, was clinging to the dragon’s neck. The boat pitched up and down as it rode through the waves, flinging her helplessly from side to side.
The dragon reared her head, breathing in the storm and loving every minute of it. It was the start of a voyage, and a storm at the beginning of a voyage was always a good omen. But where did her new Master wish her to take him? The dragon turned her long green neck and looked back at this new Master at the helm, struggling with his shipmate, red hat sodden with the rain, rivulets of water teeming down his face.
Where do you wish me to go? asked the dragon’s green eyes.
Boy 412 understood the look.
“Marcia?” he yelled at the top of his voice to Jenna and Nicko.
They nodded. This time they were going to do it.
“Marcia!” Boy 412 shouted at the dragon.
The dragon blinked uncomprehendingly. Where was Marcia? She had not heard of that country. Was it far away? The Queen would know.
Suddenly the dragon dipped her head and scooped Jenna up in the playful way she had done with so many Princesses over the centuries. But in the howling wind the effect was more terrifying than playful. Jenna found herself flying through the air above the surging waves, and a moment later, soaked by the sea spray, she was perched on top of the dragon’s golden head, sitting just behind her ears and hanging on to them as though her life depended on it.
Where is Marcia, my lady? Is it a long voyage? Jenna heard the dragon ask hopefully, already looking forward to many happy months sailing the oceans with her new crew in search of the land of Marcia.
Jenna risked letting go of a surprisingly soft golden ear and pointed to the Vengeance which was coming up fast.
“Marcia’s there. She’s our ExtraOrdinary Wizard. And she’s a prisoner on that ship. We want her back.”
The dragon’s voice came to her again, a little disappointed not to be traveling any farther. Whatever you wish, my lady, it shall be done.
Deep in the hold of the Vengeance, Marcia Overstrand sat listening to the Storm raging above her. On the little finger of her right hand, which was the only one on which it would fit, she wore the ring Boy 412 had given her. Marcia sat in the dark hold, turning over in her mind all the possible ways Boy 412 could have found the long-lost Dragon Ring of Hotep-Ra. None