The Song of the Quarkbeast: Last Dragonslayer: Book Two Read Online Free Page B

Volkswagen Beetle that I drove today, and little would part me from my car.
    ‘It’s okay,’ he said, demonstrating the selflessness and humility with which most foundlings comforted themselves. ‘It can wait.’
    We followed Mawgon, Full Price and the memory-dog out of the small wood and through a gate into an abandoned farm. Brambles, creeper and hazel saplings had grown over many of the red-brick buildings, and rusty machinery stood in abandoned barns with dilapidated roofs. No one had been here for a while. The memory-dog ran across the yard and stopped at an abandoned water well, where it wagged its tail excitedly. As soon as Lady Mawgon caught up with it she made a flourish and the dog started to chase its tail until it was nothing more than a golden blur, then it changed back to the ring again, which continued spinning on a flagstone with a curious humming noise.
    Lady Mawgon picked up the ring and gave it back to me. It was still warm and smelled of puppies. Full Price pulled an old door off the wellhead, and we all gazed down the brick-lined well. Far below in the inky blackness I could see a small circle of sky with the shape of our heads as our reflections stared back up at us.
    ‘It’s in there,’ she said.
    ‘And there it should stay,’ replied Full Price, who still wasn’t happy. ‘I can feel something wrong.’
    ‘How wrong?’ I asked.
    ‘Seventh circle of Wrong. I can sense the lingering aftertaste of an old spell, too.’
    There was silence for a moment as everyone took this in, and a coldness seemed to emanate up from the well.
    ‘I can sense something, too,’ said Perkins, ‘like that feeling you get when someone you don’t like is looking over your shoulder.’
    ‘It doesn’t want to be found,’ said Full Price.
    ‘No,’ said Perkins, ‘ someone doesn’t want it to be found.’
    They all looked at one another. Missing objects are one thing, but purposefully hidden objects quite another.
    ‘I can think of five thousand good reasons to find it,’ said Lady Mawgon, ‘so find it we shall.’
    She put her hand above the well in order to draw the ring from the mud below, but instead of the ring rising, her hand was tugged sharply downwards.
    ‘It’s been anchored and resists my command,’ she said with a voice tinged more with intrigue than concern. ‘Mr Price?’
    Full joined her and they both attempted to lift the ring from the well. But no sooner had they started the lift than a low rumble seemed to come from the earth beneath our feet and the bricks that made up the low wall started to shift. Tiger and I took a step back but the others simply watched as an old and long-forgotten enchantment moved the bricks into a new configuration, sealing the wellhead tight. Within a few seconds there was only a solid brick cap.
    ‘Fascinating,’ said Lady Mawgon, for this was in effect a battle of wits between sorcerers – just separated by thirty years. Whatever enchantment had been left to keep the ring hidden, it was still powerful.
    ‘I vote we walk away now,’ said Full Price.
    ‘It’s a challenge,’ retorted Lady Mawgon excitedly, ‘and I like a challenge.’
    She was more animated than I had seen her for a while, and within a few minutes had formulated a plan.
    ‘Right, then,’ she said, ‘listen closely. Mr Price is going to prise open the wellhead using a standard Magnaflux Reversal. How long can you keep it open, Mr Price?’
    Full Price sucked air in through his teeth thoughtfully.
    ‘About thirty seconds – maximum forty.’
    ‘Should be enough. But since the ring is resisting a lift we will have to send someone down to get it. I will levitate them head downwards to the bottom of the well, where they will retrieve the ring. You, Mr Perkins, will channel crackle to Mr Price and myself. Can you do that?’
    ‘To the best of my ability, ma’am,’ replied Perkins happily. Lady Mawgon had never asked him to assist her before.
    ‘He doesn’t have a licence,’ I