Hatch (The Dragons Of Laton) Read Online Free Page B

chance, he lunged past the kneeling knight and leapt over the two broken rungs, climbing as quickly as he could. Before he cleared the last rung of the ladder, he felt something grab the back of his shirt. Expecting to be yanked back, he threw himself over the top with all his might. He tumbled forward and skidded across the floor on his hands and knees without resistance. Confused, he looked over his shoulder and saw a small dragon claw gripping his thick leather shirt.
In a panic he reached back and tried to pull it free, but its grip was like iron. He grabbed the shirt and tried to pull it over his head, but the dragon tightened its grip and pulled the leather tight against his chest. The claws pierced through and pricked his skin underneath. Ammon let go of his shirt and the dragon eased its grip.
Rattling armor and cursing rose from the Nest and the rope ladder creaked. Tirate had recovered his sword, and as he was climbing out he was screaming to Calis. “Dead! I want that boy DEAD! DO YOU HEAR ME, CALIS ?”
Hoping to escape unnoticed, the fat keeper had nearly made it to the bottom of the stairs and out the door. Now that Tirate was calling him, he abandoned that hope and reluctantly started back up the long staircase.
“Yes, Lord Tirate! He won’t get away!”
Ammon groaned. He didn’t know why Tirate wouldn’t simply take the dragon from his back and be on his way , and he didn’t have time to figure it out. He certainly had no intentions of letting the clumsy fat keeper stab him with a sword. Ammon sprinted towards the stairs.
If he had to fight either man, he knew he had a much better chance of getting past Calis. He remembered his belongings as he ran past his chambers and reaching in the doorway he grabbed his sack and turned towards the stairs.
Calis was half way up the long passageway and panting heavily as he hurried up the steps. Seeing Ammon standing at the top, he paused for a second to draw his sword, but because of his large girth and narrow walls of the staircase he had difficulty pulling it from its scabbard. Turning sideways he gave it a great yank and it finally came free, nearly cutting his hand off with the effort. Feeling braver with a sword in his hand and facing an unarmed boy, the keeper lurched forward up the stairs again.
Trapped, Ammon spun looking for an escape. The knight had just climbed out of the Nest and had his long sword in his hand. With Calis blocking the stairway there was no other way out. Ammon leaned against the wall and felt a light breeze against the back of his neck. He spun to face the ash chute and without a second thought, hefted the sack in front of him and dove headfirst through the tiny door. He plunged through the darkness banging against the walls at breakneck speed, his shoulders scraping painfully against the walls on both sides. Great clouds of ash swirled around, into his eyes, nose and mouth as he slid downward until, with a loud crash, he landed in a heap in the ash cart at the bottom.
Coughing and sputtering, he scrambled out of the cart and ran down the street , turned a corner, then followed the road until he came to the bottom of the hill where the inner city walls rose up. Panting, he slipped into a narrow alley between two buildings and stumbled his way to the back. With his heart pounding, he listened for the sound of pursuing footsteps, but none followed. He sat down on an old wooden barrel that lay on its side and gasped for breath as he tried to think. What just happened?
Calis said he was linked to the dragon, but what did that mean? All he’d done was to pick up the egg and it wasn’t his fault it hatched in his hands! He was just cleaning out the nest, he certainly didn’t plan this! All he wanted was to finish his job and collect his gold! This couldn’t be happening! His headache was throbbing even worse now and his mouth tasted of bitter ash. He tried to spit but his mouth was too dry.
He buried his face in his hands and leaned back