Free Werewolf versus Dragon by David Sinden Page A

taking Orson with it.

Chapter 18
    UP IN THE OBSERVATORY, ULF WAS FLICKING through The Book of Beasts . Tiana was sitting on the table by the window.
    â€œHere we are,” Ulf said. “How to treat a fairy’s sparkle.” He showed Tiana the page.
    Tiana looked at the words. “They’re all blurry,” she said.
    Ulf read them to her: “If a fairy has lost its sparkle, it needs something sweet: a drop of honey, a blackberry, or a pinch of sugar.”
    Ulf walked to the kettle in the corner of the room where Dr. Fielding made her tea. Next to thekettle was an RSPCB mug and a bowl of sugar cubes.
    He picked up a sugar cube and gave it to Tiana. “Here you are,” he said. “Eat this.”
    The fairy held the sugar cube in her arms and licked it. “Thank you,” she said weakly.
    Ulf stepped over to the window. He looked out over the beast park to Troll Crag, the biodomes, and the aviary. The Roc was still lying on the ground.
    â€œWhat did the book say about the Roc?” Ulf asked.
    â€œIt needs an orchid,” Tiana told him. “There are some in the forest.”
    Ulf saw Dr. Fielding driving her Jeep across the marsh, heading for the seawater lagoon. Sunset Mountain looked still and quiet, casting a shadow over the Great Grazing Grounds. The big beasts were feeding in their enclosures.
    Ulf scanned the perimeter fence from the hills to the ocean. “No sign of any intruders,” he said.
    Tiana didn’t reply. She was busy licking the sugar cube.
    Ulf looked across the room to the map on the wall. “Inspector Black said Marackai was a place in Africa.”
    Tiana sat up, half a wet sugar cube in her arms. “I don’t like Inspector Black,” she said. “He’s not nice at all.”
    The color was slowly coming back into her cheeks.
    Ulf went to the big map on the wall and looked for Africa.
    â€œAfrica’s miles away from here,” he said. He looked for the word Marackai . “Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Malawi, Mombassa…” There was no Marackai anywhere.
    â€œMarackai!” Tiana shouted.
    Ulf looked over.
    Tiana was flapping her wings, trying to lift herself off the table. “Marackai! Look!”
    Ulf ran to her.
    She was sitting on the word Marackai. Ulf lifted her up.
    Underneath her, on the table, was the newspaper clipping with the photograph of a man and boy watching a small dragon taking off from a garden lawn:
    Â 
    PROFESSOR FARRAWAY’S DRAGON
    Â 
    Next to the photo, Ulf read: “Lord Farraway, Professor of cryptozoology, and his son Marackai Farraway, releasing the RSPCB’s first dragon, Aziza.”
    Ulf looked at the photograph. “Marackai is the Professor’s son!” he said.
    â€œThe boy?” Tiana asked.
    â€œThis photo was taken years ago. He’d be much older now.”

    Just then, Ulf heard a tapping sound on the window. He looked up. Outside, Druce was hanging upside down, his nose pressed to the glass.
    â€œHello, Druce,” Tiana said.
    The gargoyle put his finger to his lips. “Ssshhh,” he said.
    â€œWhat do you want, Druce?” Ulf asked.
    â€œMarrrrraaack-k-kai,” the gargoyle gurgled. “Wick-edest boy you ever saw. Face like a rotten apple core.”
    Druce pointed at the newspaper clipping. Ulf looked closely at the photograph. The Professor’s son was scowling. His face was screwed up and twisted.
    Druce slid open the window and leaned in. “He kills beasts just for fun. Prods and pokes them till he’s done.”
    The boy in the photgraph was holding a stick. He was poking it at the dragon. The end had been sharpened to a point.
    â€œLook at his hand,” Tiana said. The boy’s little finger was missing.
    Druce sucked on his finger, making a popping sound. “I bited him,” he said, grinning.
    â€œYou bit his finger off?” Ulf asked. “You bit Marackai?”
    Druce giggled.