Beast Quest #1: Ferno the Fire Dragon Read Online Free Page B

visibly relaxed and grinned at him, her smile full of warmth. “Well, if Silver trusts you, so will I.”
    “Where did you get him?” Tom asked.
    “I found him injured on a hunting trip to the North,” the girl replied. “I nursed him back to health, and we’ve been friends ever since.” She stepped forward, took his hand and shook it firmly. “My name’s Elenna.”
    “Were those soldiers after you?” asked Tom.
    Elenna frowned. “My father’s a fisherman — but now that the river has dried up, there’s nowhere to fish and nothing to eat.” She sighed. “Silver and I came here to hunt rabbits. But the soldiers thought we were after the local lord’s deer.”
    A noisy crashing came from somewhere behind them. Tom looked around in alarm. “Quick! We’d better get out of here!” Putting his foot in a stirrup, he swung himself onto Storm’s back. “Come on!” Seeing Elenna hesitate, he grabbed her hand and helped her scramble onto the horse behind him.
    Storm snorted and leaped forward into a gallop. They raced through the woods, Silver bounding ahead of them.

    “Hold tight!” Tom shouted to Elenna as Storm swerved between the trees.
    “I am!” she gasped, clutching him. “Hey!” she exclaimed suddenly. “Is this
chain mail
you’re wearing? You’re too young to be a knight, aren’t you?”
    “I’ll tell you everything once we’ve lost the soldiers,” Tom said, glancing behind him anxiously.
    To his relief, the soldiers were no match for Storm’s swift hooves and Elenna’s knowledge of the forest. Soon their shouts died away into the distance and Tom eased Storm back down to a walk. “I think we’re safe,” he said, turning off the trail.
    A small stream was bubbling nearby. The stallion plunged his head into the cool water and drank deeply. Silver joined him.
    Elenna looked at Tom. Then, without asking, she opened the horse’s saddlebags, revealing Tom’ssword and shield stowed there. “Village boys don’t carry weapons this fine,” she said. “What’s all this about, young knight?”
    Tom hesitated. Something told him he could rely on this girl, and Aduro had told Tom to trust his instincts. He had to tell her the truth. “I am on a quest,” he said. “A quest for the king.”
    “The
king
?” Elenna echoed, sliding down from the horse.
    “The Beasts have returned,” he said.
    Elenna raised her eyebrows. “You don’t
really
believe in the Beasts, do you?”
    “I’m serious!” he snapped. “You did ask what was going on.”
    “All right,” she said. “I just thought you were teasing me.” She paused. “See, I always thought the Beasts were more than just a story… .”
    “They are,” Tom told her, gravely. “Ferno the Fire Dragon is under an evil spell and I’ve got to stop him from burning the kingdom’s crops… .”
    By the time he’d finished, Elenna’s eyes were large and serious “So
that’s
what’s been happening!” she breathed.
    Tom frowned. “You believe me? Just like that?”
    “It all sounds unbelievable,” Elenna replied. “But it explains so much! I knew nothing natural could make an entire river dry up overnight… .” She bit her lip, and then nodded as if she had reached a decision. “I think I’d better come with you.”
    “You can’t!” Tom protested. “It’s too dangerous!”
    “Not as dangerous as you trying to stop a dragon all by yourself!” Elenna shot back.
    “But what about your family?” Tom asked.
    Elenna shrugged. “I often stay out hunting for days at a time. They won’t be worried.” She lifted her chin. “So, let’s go and find this dragon then.”
    Tom half smiled as he remembered the wizard Aduro’s words:
On your quest, you will find allies in the strangest of places, and in unlikely forms… .
    The wizard was right.

C HAPTER E IGHT

    D AWN OF THE D RAGON
    “ T HIS IS THE LAST OF THE FOOD,” SAID T OM, passing Elenna some bread. The air was cold, and the first streaks of dawn were just