Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge (Book 1) (25 page)

33

Nibbler

Charlie was astonished to realize that, with its wings folded by its side and its tail coiled around its body, the dragon was no bigger than a German Shepherd or a large Mastiff.

‘Gosh, you’re tiny, aren’t you?’ she exclaimed.

‘Well, of course I’m tiny, I’m only seven!’ stated the dragon in an indignant tone. ‘I’ve got a lot more growing to do yet.’

‘Uh … you can talk?’ stuttered Charlie.

‘Of course I can talk!’ said the creature.

Its voice was young and quite childish, but it had commanding qualities to it that suggested hidden strengths. Charlie got the firm impression that it was a boy.

‘Have you ever come across a Winged One that couldn’t speak?’ it asked.

Charlie’s eyes widened. ‘You’re a Winged One?’

‘Duh!’ it said, and fluttered its wings to prove its point.

Charlie didn’t quite know how to take this. To see a dragon was one thing; for him to turn around and talk to her was quite another. She decided that honesty and politeness were the best way forward. ‘Er … I’m sorry, you’ll have to forgive my ignorance in these matters. I’m not from
Bellania, you see, I’m from Earth, so my knowledge is – how can I say this? – er … lacking in certain fields,’ she stammered, still not quite sure if she was dreaming. ‘So if I do say something that sounds a little silly I apologize in advance.

Um … my name is Charlie Keeper, what’s yours?’

‘Name? I don’t have one yet.’

‘You’re seven and you don’t have a name?’ she exclaimed.

‘Well, I shouldn’t have left my chrysalis so early. I wasn’t due to hatch for another month, but I had to, didn’t I?’ said the dragon defensively. ‘But of course if I had stayed in I would have been named by the adults on my first awakening.’

‘Chrysalis?’ mused Charlie. ‘I think Lady Dridif mentioned something about that. But wait just a minute, I still don’t get it. Why did you have to leave early and what’s an awakening? Aren’t you awake now?’

‘Well, you’re right, I am awake, but I shouldn’t be. I’m still supposed to be growing and learning back with the others.’

‘So how come you’re not?’

‘Because you called me, that’s why!’

‘I did?’ said Charlie. She was finding this all very surreal.

‘Sure, with your pendant. It told me you were in danger. None of the adults woke up, so it was up to me, wasn’t it? Can’t leave family in danger, it’s not right.’

‘My pendant?’ asked Charlie. She stared down at her necklace for perhaps the thousandth time since arriving in Bellania. Was it honestly responsible for everything that had happened? Her head felt a little dizzy. This was all so strange. ‘Family? I’m family, with you?’

‘Yes, that’s right. You’re a Keeper, which means we’re family. We share the same blood.’

‘So I’m part dragon, you mean?’ asked Charlie, getting slightly excited by the idea of that.

‘Yes. Well, no … sort of. I can’t really explain it. You’ll have to ask an adult, but they’re all still in the Chrysalis Period.’

Charlie looked dumbly at the dragon.

The dragon sighed and shook his head from side to side in a rather sorrowful manner. ‘The Chrysalis Period is seven years long. It’s what happens when the adults need to shed their old skins and grow new ones so that they can carry on living in this world. They leave Bellania through the Flawed Gate and don’t come back until the full seven years are up.’

‘So how come you’re here, then? If you can come here why can’t an adult?’

‘Because they just can’t, that’s why! And I could only come because I’m still a Hatchling, which means that, unlike the adults, I’ve never left Bellania.’

‘Oh … OK.’

‘So you understand now?’

‘No, not really,’ admitted Charlie. ‘But I’ll take your word for it. For now anyway. But I really think we should get going before Stones and that lot come after us.’

‘Where do you want to go?’

‘To see Jensen and … Wait, maybe that’s not such a good idea right now.’ Charlie sighed as she shamefully remembered their last meeting on Narcissa’s drawbridge. ‘Azariah! Azariah Keeper will sort things out. I think we should go and see him.’

‘OK, then, so where does he live?’

‘Er … I’m not sure,’ said Charlie. ‘But if we go to the Jade Tower, which shouldn’t be too difficult to find, I’m sure there’ll be someone there who can tell us the way. And, er … thanks for saving me back there. I, uh … really appreciate it.’

The young dragon grinned up at her, his liquid eyes twinkling merrily. ‘My pleasure, Charlie.’

‘What am I going to call you?’ she asked. ‘It doesn’t feel right, you calling me by my name when I can’t return the favour. Are you sure you don’t have a name?’

The Winged One rolled his eyes. ‘I think I would remember if I’d been given one! It’s not the sort of thing I’d be too likely to forget now, is it?’

‘OK. Well, in that case, how about I give you a name?’

‘You can’t.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because you don’t have wings and, besides, I’m not supposed to have one until I’m hatched.’

‘But you’re “hatched” now, aren’t you?’

‘Well, yes, but not really. I’m supposed to wait until one of the adult Winged Ones recognizes me as awake. Only then can I be given a name.’

‘OK. Well, how about a nickname?’

‘A nickname, what’s that?’

‘It’s like an informal name used between friends.’

The young dragon seemed to think for a moment. ‘But it’s not a real name, though, is it?’ he asked dubiously.

‘No, it’s not a proper name.’

‘OK … I suppose.’

‘Great! How about … Green Dragon!’ Charlie suggested, throwing her arms out dramatically.

‘What’s a dragon?’

Charlie stared at the creature. He was joking, wasn’t he? ‘
You’re
a dragon!’

‘Me? No, I’m not. I’m a Winged One.’

‘Sure, you might be a Winged One, but you’re a dragon as well. You’ve got wings, a long tail, lots of scales and you can breathe fire,’ said Charlie as she pointed to each in turn. ‘So obviously you’re a dragon.’

‘Nope,’ insisted the stubborn young dragon. ‘I’m a Winged One.’

Charlie sighed to herself. She got the impression this wasn’t going to be easy. Come to think of it, nothing seemed to be that easy in Bellania.

‘OK. How about Emerald?’

‘Why would you want to call me after a precious stone?’

‘Because in a certain light your scales look like emeralds.’

The dragon cocked his head to one side and gave it some thought.

‘No, try something else. That sounds too girlie.’

‘Talon.’

‘No, too sharp.’

‘Blaze.’

‘Oh, please! How about something with a bit of dignity to it?’

‘Um … Flame?’

‘Nope.’

Charlie folded her arms. ‘Well, if you’re going to be so difficult why don’t you suggest something?’

The dragon screwed his eyes shut and wriggled his claws so that they click-clacked on the ground.

‘Nibbler. I’d like to be known as Nibbler.’

‘Nibbler? Why Nibbler? That’s not very dragony!’

‘For the last time, I’m not a dragon! I’m a Winged One!’ harrumphed the dragon. ‘And I think you should call me Nibbler because whenever I dream it’s always about eating and chewing and munching and scrunching. I always have this same dream, see? It’s about big fat juicy haunches of meat that just float and dance right in front of my nose, teasing me with their beautiful, yummy smell. My mouth begins to water, my nose goes all quivery and then I pounce! Next thing I know my mouth is full of juicy, runny, gorgeous meat. And for the rest of the dream I’m quite happily nibbling and feasting on prime steak, spare ribs and sirloin fillet.’

Charlie looked at the young creature: he obviously had a big thing for food. ‘OK. So Nibbler it is!’ she said in relief. ‘I’m glad we got that sorted.’

‘Well, if it makes you happier.’ The small dragon shrugged.
‘But could you please settle
my
curiosity? Is it customary for young girls from your realm to dress in such a messy and bedraggled style?’

Charlie looked down at herself. Her jeans were torn and dirty, her sneakers scuffed and her T-shirt was ripped, shredded and cut in about seven different places. Her nails were filthy and a thick line of dirt caked the back of her elbows. She dreaded to think how her face and hair looked.

‘Well, what do you expect?’ she grumped. ‘Since I’ve come to Bellania I’ve been chased by Bane and by packs of feral Shades, thrown off a mountain waterfall by an overenthusiastic mutt of a dog and almost crushed by a giant tree. I’ve had to flee down the outside of my friend Jensen’s tower and, to add to all of that, I’ve been repeatedly pinched and slapped inside that stinking tower you just saved me from. And to
really
upset me, two chumps threw me into insect-ridden and spider-infested cattle pens! So if I do look a little rough and just the slightest bit scruffy you’ll have to forgive me. OK?’

‘So this isn’t your normal attire?’ Nibbler asked flatly.

‘If you mean is this the look I spend hours trying to achieve each morning, then the answer is no!’

‘OK, just thought I’d ask.’

Nibbler stared nervously at her from the corner of one eye, just in case she decided to jump on him. He got the distinct impression she was the sort of girl who would do such a thing when annoyed. Sensing now was a good time to change the subject, he hurriedly asked, ‘So are you going to tell me why the Shades and just about everyone else in that tower were chasing you?’

Charlie sighed, releasing some of the tension that had built up. ‘Sure, but it’s a long story and I really think we should get going before anyone or any
thing
starts to chase us. Let’s go and I’ll tell you on the way.’

34

Bad Debts

The Shade was not pleased. It had delivered its side of the bargain yet the pitiful Human woman and her two useless sons had far from completed their part of the deal. Both the young Keeper and the pendant that the Stoman Lord wanted were now out of its reach. And what was more it would appear that a Winged One had now entered into the equation. This would not do. Pulsing with a thick venomous anger, it stalked back into the depths of the tower.

‘You! You had a deal to complete and yet you failed miserably! The master will not be pleased. You must come with me to the Western Mountains.’

‘Why would I want to do a thing like that?’ scorned Lady Narcissa. ‘I admit that the exchange didn’t go quite as planned, but the girl is still in Sylvaris. I can get her for you.’

‘Yes, but that was not in the bargain – the trade was to be tonight! You will come with me to see our lord.’

‘What? You must be joking! See the Western Menace? In person? I think not!’

‘I do not joke.’

‘Well, I don’t care if you don’t know how to joke – in fact, I couldn’t care if you found it impossible to laugh or
even squeeze out a chuckle. Because I absolutely, most positively have no intention of stepping foot in the Western Mountains.’

At that moment the Shade
did
find it possible to squeeze out a dry, chuckling cough of a laugh, but it was all at Lady Narcissa’s expense. ‘You act as though you have a choice in the matter,’ he hissed. ‘Brethren, take her!’

The rustling pack of Shades rolled forward. Reaching out with dark tendrils and shadowy appendages, they picked up Lady Narcissa.

‘Put me down this instant! Put me down!’ she shrieked. A shocked look of panic flashed across her face. ‘Stix! Stones! Help!’

The Shade’s hoarse, dry laugh echoed throughout the room. ‘Your precious sons aren’t here. Stix has been drugged by the Keeper girl and Stones, so full of brotherly love, has hastened to his side. It would appear that you have been left unattended.’

‘Put me down. Please put me down. Please. We can discuss this. We can come to an agreement,’ babbled Lady Narcissa. Her beautiful lily-white face became even paler with fear. ‘Please don’t take me there, not to the Western Mountains!’

‘Too late for pleading, Lady Narcissa,’ the Shade mocked. ‘Far, far too late.’

The Shades gripped Narcissa’s arms and legs and gagged her mouth by stuffing their black, cloudy flesh between her teeth. She struggled vainly to free herself, but the Shades were simply too strong. Clutching their prize, the writhing shadows slammed open one of the large stained-glass windows that lined the room and, flowing outward, they scuttled down the tower’s side.