Free The Emerald Quest by Gill Vickery Page A

dragons!’ Tia said. But she began to shiver; it was bitterly cold in the mountains.
    â€˜She’s shaking – she
is
scared, really,’ a young red dragon laughed.
    â€˜No I’m not,’ Tia said, ‘I’m just cold.’
    â€˜Be quiet, Torkil,’ the DragonQueen said. ‘She has spirit; that is surprising in such a young one, though perhaps not in a witch-child.’
    â€˜I’m not a witch-child!’ Tia insisted.
    â€˜Yes you are,’ Torkil said. ‘Witch-brat!’
    â€˜The DragonQueen told you to be quiet.’ The mighty red dragon cuffed Torkil. ‘Go to your cave.’
    The dragons began to speak in strange clicks and hisses that Tia knew was their private language. She wished she knew what they were saying.
    The DragonQueen spoke in human language again. ‘Freya will take you.’
    â€˜I want to go home!’ Tia said.
    â€˜It isn’t possible.’ A green dragon grasped the back of Tia’s jacket in her mouth and carried her away to a cavern where a copper-coloured dragonet slept in front of a fire.
    Freya dropped Tia gently next to him. ‘Get warm,’ she said, ‘while I find something for you to sleep on.’
    Tia curled up next to the warm, spicy-smelling hide of the dragonet. Soothed by his even breathing she almost fell asleep herself and didn’t protest when Freya picked her up again and placed her on a rocky ledge covered in moss and leaves. Tia burrowed under them so that if she cried Freya wouldn’t see her.
    Her makeshift bed was prickly but warm. She’d almost fallen asleep when she heard a soft voice say, ‘DragonMother? Who is that human child and why is she here?’ It was the dragonet.
    â€˜Her name is Tia and she’s a witch-child,’ Freya said.
    â€˜Like the High Witches who have the DragonQueen’s jewels!’ the little dragonet said.
    â€˜Yes, Finn, but this child has done nothing wrong. Andgrim couldn’t find the High Witches so he stole her away instead.’
    â€˜That’s kidnapping!’
    â€˜Yes,’ Freya agreed. ‘The DragonQueen wanted Andgrim to take Tia back but the High Witches have cast a powerful spell that prevents dragons from entering the lands of the Six Towns. So the DragonKing and Queen have decided to keep Tia until the spell is broken and the jewels are returned to us.’
    â€˜How long will that be?’ Finn asked.
    Tia held her breath.
    â€˜It may be many years,’ Freya said. ‘Tia will be lonely. Will you be a good DragonBrother to your new foster sister?’
    â€˜Yes, I will,’ Finn promised.
    â€˜Good. Now, go back to sleep.’
    Tia heard the scrape of two scaly hides as the dragons settled down together. Very soon all was quiet except for the crackle and hiss of the fire and the soft breathing of the dragons.
    Tia watched shadows dance on the cave walls and puzzled over why the dragons thought she was awitch-child. She wasn’t, she knew she wasn’t – her mother and father were just ordinary villagers. A fierce, empty feeling reminded her that she might not see her parents again for years.
    Tears fell down her cheeks. She wiped them away angrily. The dragons would never know she cried, never ever, she promised herself.
    At last she fell asleep. In her dreams she heard a voice calling to her –
I’ll find you, Tia! I’ll find you and bring you back. Remember!
And in her sleep she whispered another promise: ‘I won’t forget you, Papa. I’ll never forget.’

Chapter One
In The Drakelow
Mountains
    â€˜O w!’ Torkil, the red dragonet, squealed as Tia’s pebble bounced off his ear. He wobbled in the air and the dragonet behind flew into him. All the other young dragons had to wheel in the sky to avoid crashing.
    â€˜What are you doing, Torkil!’ the flying master called, flapping his blue wings angrily. ‘Land immediately!’
    Torkil landed