Free On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson Page A

steps to the dusty road, looking carefully sideways at the Fangs who lurked on the porch. Janner could hardly believe they were free. Was this a trick of some kind?
    Commander Gnorm waddled out and plopped down in the chair on the porch, still admiring the jewels shining on his hand. Leeli between them, the boys walked slowly to their mother, whose eyes were brimming with tears.
    â€œLet’s go home,” she said with a strong voice as she put her arms around her children and turned carefully away from the Fangs. They moved down the street in silence, as if they had stumbled upon a sleeping dragon and were loathe to disturb it. Janner wanted to run, to get as far away from the Fangs and the jail as fast as he could. All the children felt that way, but Nia sensed it and held them back.
    She walked her children through the empty thoroughfare of Glipwood with her back straight and her chin thrust out. Quiet laughter drifted from The Only Inn, the lampposts flickered yellow, and the wind whipped up swirls of dustlike ghosts in the moonlight.
    When they were well up the road and out of sight of the jail, Nia spoke first.
    â€œI don’t know what I would have done without you.”
    At the sound of her voice, Janner, Tink, and Leeli felt a rush of relief, as if they’d been holding their breath underwater and their mother had just pulled them to the surface. “I just don’t know what I would have done,” she repeated. She knelt down, gathering them to her and hugging them tightly. Leeli looked up to see Nugget racing toward her. He was on her in a flash, whining and ferociously wagging his tail, licking not just Leeli but each of them wherever he could find exposed skin. Leeli laughed and tumbled backward as she squeezed Nugget’s neck.
    â€œWhere were you, boy?” she said, rubbing his neck and the sides of his face. Why did you leave us like that?”
    â€œWe looked for you at the cliffs,” Nia said. “Your grandfather and I were worried. But there were so many people there. We waited until after the dragon song and the crowd had mostly gone, but we still couldn’t find you. We rushed back home, thinking that maybe we’d just missed you…” Nia bent down to the little black dog in Leeli’s arms. “That’s when little Nugget here found us. He led me to the jail.” She scratched behind Nugget’s ears. “I made your grandfather stay home. He would have torn the jail to pieces and fought an army of Fangs to bring you home, but it would have just gotten us all killed. So I came alone.”
    â€œWhere did those jewels come from?” Janner asked. “The ones on Gnorm’s hand?”
    Nia looked back toward the jail. “They were stored away in case of an emergency,” she said simply. She looked Janner in the eye. “This was an emergency.”
    â€œBut where did you get them?” Tink asked. “That was a lot of gold.”
    Nia sighed. “From your father.” Nia turned to Janner, clearly wanting to change the subject. “Your cheek.” She touched the bruised and bloodied spot. “Did they hit you?”
    Janner nodded.
    Nia tilted Janner’s head toward the light for a better look, then kissed his cheek.
    Janner grimaced and wriggled away, though secretly he enjoyed the warm feeling it gave him. He wanted to ask more questions about the jewels that came from his father, but his mother had already turned away.
    â€œAnd you, sweetie?” Nia asked Leeli.
    â€œI’m okay, Mama.”
    Nugget was lying on his back in the dust with his tongue lolling out while Leeli rubbed his belly.
    Tink showed his mother the lump on his head, and she winced for him and kissed it.
    â€œDid you see the dragons? Did you see how they stopped and listened when Leeli started singing?” Janner said.
    Nia looked startled, but she collected herself quickly.
    â€œThat was you, dear?”
    â€œYes