Grimsdon Read Online Free

asked.
    â€˜That.’
    On the horizon a wave reached into the air like a giant, grasping hand.
    â€˜Oh, that’s what you call them.’
    â€˜Everybody inside!’ Isabella yelled.
    Griffin dropped his knife, and he and Isabella hurried the children across the roof. The harbour waters gathered into a single, bulging wave and surged towards them. It rose upwards in an increasing roar, filling the air with ocean spray that showered over them.
    â€˜The Aerotrope!’ Xavier ran towards the machine.
    Isabella clenched her teeth and raced after him, catching him around the ankles so that he slammed to the ground. ‘There’s no time!’
    Griffin watched as the wave was almost on them. It pummelled into buildings as it approached the Palace, crashing and rolling against everything in its way. He stood at the door of the roof, unable to move as the water reared higher. He tried to run to help Isabella but his mind had gone numb. His breath was shallow and his heart thundered.
    Isabella dragged Xavier to his feet and shoved him through the door. Griffin snapped back to life as they hurtled past. Fighting the squalling wind and thick spray of water, he and Isabella grabbed the handle of the steel door and pulled it shut, locking it firmly.

CHAPTER FOUR
The Palace
    A monstrous wave rammed into the Palace, smashing against the walls and filling the street. The noise wrapped itself around the house, flooding into their ears. Under the swill, in the distance, they heard the sharp sound of breaking glass and the creak of wooden boards.
    In the stairwell leading down from the roof, Bea hugged her brother. Fly sat in Isabella’s arms, hands pressed against her ears.
    In seconds, the sound faded, the water calmed and everything went quiet.
    â€˜That was closer than the others.’ Bea’s voice echoed off the walls. ‘They seem to be getting bigger.’
    â€˜And more powerful.’ Raffy turned to Xavier. ‘What about the Aerotrope?’
    Xavier jumped up and unbolted the door. The flying machine had been driven beneath the wings of the water dragon, as if the statue was protecting it. Xavier checked it out. ‘She’s tougher than I thought. Not even a scratch.’
    â€˜It was lucky you and Isabella got back with the Aerotrope when you did.’ Griffin scowled.
    â€˜We would have been fine. The Aerotrope can fly right over them.’ Xavier handed Griffin his knife that was wedged against one of the wheels. ‘Why do you call it a sneaky wave?’
    â€˜A sneaker wave.’ Griffin slid his knife into the holster in his belt. ‘It’s when several smaller waves combine to create one powerful wave. They’ve always been around, but since the floods they’re more frequent and harder to predict.’
    â€˜Griffin’s studied them,’ Raffy said.
    â€˜He’s the smartest person we know,’ Bea added.
    â€˜Is he now?’ Xavier raised an eyebrow.
    Isabella looked at the blackened clouds and gave Fly’s shoulders a squeeze. ‘Come on. Let’s go inside.’
    Xavier locked the doors and followed them inside, running his hands along the smooth, curving walls of the stairwell that spilled into the main room like a waterslide. The ceiling wavered above them with the same effect, and at various points it flowed down into columns, as if they were stalactites that had reached down to the floor.
    Xavier sank into a throne-shaped chair before flinging his feet onto the table. Each chair back was in the shape of folded wings, and the table legs ended in lion’s feet. ‘The Palace, eh? Very posh.’
    â€˜It was made by a famous artist who loved fairytales,’ Raffy said.
    â€˜Isabella thought we deserved somewhere special,’ Bea said. ‘Somewhere fitting our circumstances.’ She curtsied and giggled along with Raffy.
    Isabella and Griffin sat at the opposite side of the table beside Fly, who was