Free The Last Dragon Chronicles: Dark Fire by Chris D'Lacey Page B

they’d stepped inside the kitchen heflipped the watch open. An endless tractof space appeared where a regular watchface would have been. As David stared
    into it his eyes seemed to mirror it, until he was part of its spinning matrix. It took him into the aura of a dragon. A dragon that the Inuit Apak had seen. A dragon that David knew as G’Oreal.
    The jewelled eyes of the illuminedcreature poured their telepathic gifts intohis mind. “The Wearle awaits  news of
    your progress, G’lant.”
    David turned away from the house.
    Despite   its   powerful   connection  to

    dragons, it felt odd to be looking at its sunlit windows while he was being addressed by the name he’d been given in the Fain world, Ki:mera. Thinking in dragontongue he replied, “The sibyl, Gwilanna, is still at large.”
    G’Oreal angled his nostrils inwards. A gradation of blue shades rippled across his neck. “Do you need the help of the Wearle to trace her?”
    David bowed his head. “I am confident
    of success.”
    “Then   proceed,   swiftly,”   came G’Oreal’s reply. “Find the dark fire and bring it to the colony. The Ix are probing. It must be destroyed.”
    David paused a moment to think. During the course of the conversation his

    eyes had adopted the familiar scalene shape of a dragon’s. He turned their force fully northward. “What if the darkness could be transmuted?”
    A rumble could be heard as G’Oreal
    breathed  in. A  strong  indicator  of
    impatience  –  or  displeasure.   “Your mission is clear,” the dragon transmitted, and though he wasn’t using his vocal chords, smoke still jetted from the sides of his mouth. “No tear, once inverted, has ever been reclaimed. Find it.” The
    jewelled eyes burned with intent. “Find it
    and deliver it north.”

    A job for Gwendolen
    “Knock, knock. Can I come in?”
    Lucy   swivelled   in   her   chair, instinctively   reaching   back   to   her computer to clear the screen of words. Her wallpaper image of Stonehenge took the place of her latest journal entry.
    As the door was half-open, David allowed himself entry anyway. “Hi. Am I interrupting anything?”
    She shook her head. “Just… homework
    and stuff.”
    He glanced at Gwendolen, sitting bythe keyboard. The IT dragon blushed andswished her tail. “Can we chat?”
    Lucy curled her mouth. “Is it about lastnight?” The family ‘dinner’ had not gone

    well. Despite Liz’s plea for everyone to relax and enjoy the ‘reunion’, Zanna had eventually got the hump with David and had stormed out taking Alexa with her.
    “No,” he said, peering idly at the bookshelves. Amid Lucy’s impressive collection of fiction were several copies of his own two books:   Snigger and the
    Nutbeast   and   White Fire   . He smiled and
    said, “Got a pen?”
    She fished a biro out of a sweet tin and
    handed it over. He pulled a pristine copy of   White Fire   off her shelf,  opened the book at its title page and began to write an inscription.
    Frowning, she asked, “What are you doing?”
    “Signing.   Makes   them   more

    collectible,” he said. He handed it to her
    to read.
    For Lucy, I’m sorry you had to waitso long. Thank you for believing. David Rain xx
    A tear escaped from the cusp of hereyelid.
    “Hey,” he said softly, crouching down. “I know I’m nearly famous, but don’t youthink this is over the top? The mascarapolice will be round at any moment.”
    Laughing, wet-eyed, she slapped hisshoulder. “I thought you’d never comeback.”
    “But I did,” he said, tapping his thumbs together.
    She plucked a tissue from a box decorated with photographs of hedgehogs

    and squirrels. For a moment, all she could do was stare at him. Then she asked, “Are you one of them, now?”
    “Them?” he prompted.
    Her gaze jumped nervously away from his face.
    “I’m just David,” he said. “Like I always was.”