Free The Lazy Dragon and Bumblespells Wizard by Kath Boyd Marsh Page B

spell? She thought he needed her? He needed to get the troll’s-breath-rotted rock delivered to the Council so he could appoint someone to do the work, then go back to Dr’gon Wiz and skip class and nap by the river. Instead he was doing Hazel’s bidding while running from Nasty Sir George.
    Cl’rnce shuddered from snout to tail-tip. Nasty Sir George wanted to nail Cl’rnce’s extremely attractive green and purple hide to his knight’s hovel’s walls. Hazel told the truth about the knight. Nasty Sir George had shouted at Cl’rnce and bragged that he’d slain every genus of dr’gon on Albion except one, and that one was Cl’rnce’s, the River Dr’gon.
    Cl’rnce was maybe fifty percent sure Nasty Sir George might be smarter than he looked. Dressed in armor that was at least as much rusted holes as metal, he wore two left boots. Which seemed really dumb but had been very helpful to Cl’rnce in keeping ahead of the knight. Apparently the boot on Nasty Sir George’s right foot hurt a lot, and the knight had stopped to take it off and complain so often the first day Cl’rnce had finally gained enough time for a nap today. Knowing where the knight was by his loud whining—Nasty Sir George spoke in nothing but a loud voice—and the extra time Cl’rnce gained while Nasty Sir George took off and put back on his boot, had given Cl’rnce a head start twice.
    Today, Cl’rnce had been certain his escape wouldbe permanent. He’d made that amazingly clever fake map to River Dr’gon Territory and dropped it where the knight couldn’t help but find it. The map should have sent Nasty Sir George in the wrong direction. In fact, he should have ended up in Killer Dr’gon lands. Those guys didn’t mess around with tricks and running away. They would have just eaten Nasty Sir George.
    Cl’rnce was proud of the exceptional job he’d done making the map look authentic. He’d crumpled the parchment and rubbed it with mud to make it look old and real. But either Nasty Sir George had been too smart to fall for the ruse, which was doubtful, or he couldn’t read. “Probably can’t read,” Cl’rnce muttered.
    â€œYes, I can,” Great and Mighty said.
    â€œDidn’t mean you.” Cl’rnce checked over his shoulder. “I think we should hurry. Run!”

C HAPTER 7
    Moire Ain sent Raspberries into the air and sprinted to catch up. Behind them, Nasty Sir George’s snores grew louder and louder.
    â€œDr’gons are supposed to fly,” she called to Cl’rnce’s wide rear. “Why don’t you take to the air to get away from that knight?” She flapped her arms as she ran.
    Cl’rnce turned and shot her a glance that was both sad and mad at the same time. “Don’t ask me that. Unless you’re some kind of mean person, stay away from the flying. It’s enough that Hazel heckles me about not flying almost as much as she makes fun of me for walking and running on my back feet. She even has Mother sighing at me about ‘her odd son.’ And I get lectured at Dr’gon Wiz. If I wanted to fly, I would have passed
Aviation for Dr’gons
and been the most popular dr’gon at Dr’gon Wiz. I’d already have a Wizard Partner, and I wouldn’t need you. I. Do. Not. Fly. So leave me alone.”
    â€œSorry,” Moire Ain said, swallowing the harsh words about not needing her.
    Cl’rnce walked backward as quickly as Moire Ain could jog forward. He kept droning on, “I like being different. I like walking. And I’m very good at it. I can walk very fast or very slow.” He stuck up one and then the other of his well-muscled back legs. “I’m quite a bit faster at walking and running than any other dr’gon.”
    â€œOkay. And I’m sorry. You are fast.” She looked back over her shoulder. “Oh, oh. Do you