‘Arthur, do something quickly !’ cries Rose.
So I start randomly moving my arms and legs around and yelling and shouting. Before I know what I’m doing, I’m dancing. I do the whip and the nae nae and the floss, and because Bad Dragon is still staring at me, mesmerised, I don’t stop. I dance like Dad, flapping my arms like a chicken and jerking my knees up and down.
‘WHOOP!’ goes Grandad. ‘Here comes the beat, Arthur!’ Then he starts making strange sounds and I realise he’s beatboxing.
‘What ARE you doing?’ sneers Crowky.
‘What does it look like I’m doing?’ I shout. ‘I’m DANCING.’ I attempt to moonwalk, fall over and Bad Dragon incinerates my trainers. I yelp and clutch at my burning heels while Bad Dragon turns away to sniff out Grandad, drawn to his squeaky noises.
‘Be quiet, Grandad!’ I yell, and Crowky hangs over the wall of the gallery, shaking with laughter.
‘Just a few more seconds . . .!’ shouts Rose. She’s pressed against the wall of the chamber, keeping back from the barrage of flames that’s hammering the door. Suddenly Bad Dragon lunges, snatching up Grandad’s blanket and tossing it into the pit.
‘BLIMEY!’ cries Grandad.
I cup my hands round my mouth. ‘Win, CHUCK ME YOUR WAND!’
From the hatch in the door Win’s wand comes flying through the air. I make a grab for it, but it doesn’t quite reach me and lands on Bad Dragon’s back. Before I can take a step towards it, there’s a bang and a flash of pink stars and suddenly Win is sitting on Bad Dragon, his mouth hanging open.
‘I did it! I did an AWESOME spell. Did everyone see? I just said the first thing that came into my head, and I flew or disappeared or dissolved or something!’
Bad Dragon whips her head round to see who’s making all the noise and that’s when Win realises where he is. ‘ARRRGHHHH! I’m sitting on Bad Dragon! Help me, Arthur, HELP ME!’
With one twitch of her body Bad Dragon tosses Win to the ground.
I drag him back next to Grandad, then the three of us sit squashed together as Bad Dragon leans over us. Her black tongue starts flicking around our faces like she’s tasting us one by one. I shut my eyes as she turns her attention to me. The heat is almost unbearable and the stench of sulphur makes me dizzy. Just when I think I can’t stand it any longer, there’s an almighty crash and I open my eyes to see Pickle forcing his way through the burning door with Vlad close behind him.
Bad Dragon must think they’re after her food because her spikes ripple and she breathes a blast of flames right at them. Vlad responds with his own barrage of fire and then the chamber becomes an inferno.
Grandad, Win and I cover our heads to protect ourselves from the sparks that rain down. While Vlad and Bad Dragon battle with fire, Rose guides Pickle closer to the edge of the pit. ‘Win, Arthur, move!’ she calls, before instructing Pickle to ‘Mobelt thobose chobains!’
All it takes is one carefully directed flame and Grandad’s chains turn into molten liquid.
‘Ow, ow, ow!’ he cries, rubbing his ankles, but Win and I are already pulling him up. Above us Crowky screams with rage. He can’t move. He’s trapped on the gallery by the flames.
Rose leads Pickle even closer to the edge of the pit and he stretches his neck towards us. He can’t quite reach, but Win is still able to jump across on to his huge head. Next it’s Grandad’s turn. I can hardly bear to look as he leaps blindly towards the dragon’s head, but Win grabs hold of his cardigan and hauls him to safety. I follow, then the three of us slip and slide across Pickle’s neck until we’re squashed together on his back.
Rose helps me down, but waves Win back. ‘Stay on Pickle,’ she says. ‘Get Grandad out of here!’
‘Oh no,’ says Grandad, shaking his head. ‘I’m not going anywhere without you two. I’m still the grown-up here!’
‘Grandad.’ Rose’s voice is firm. ‘We know what we’re doing; you’re in our world now. Stay with Win and we’ll follow on Vlad.’ Then, before he can protest, Rose slaps Pickle’s side and cries, ‘Gobet obout obof hobere!’
Pickle spins round and Grandad has no choice but to throw his arms round Win as they lurch through the smouldering door and disappear down the smoke-filled passageway.
Rose and I run towards Vlad.
A cry makes me look up. Now the flames have stopped Crowky is standing on the edge of the balcony. He throws himself towards us, wings spread wide, screaming, ‘YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE!’
Rose has scrambled on to Vlad’s back. ‘Arthur!’ Her hand stretches towards mine and I take a leap and grab it. I’m climbing up Vlad’s back when a scratchy hand clamps round my ankle. As Vlad lumbers towards the doorway Crowky tries to drag me off the dragon’s back.
I kick out again and again, and manage to wrench my foot free just as Vlad jumps forward. I keep hold of Rose’s hand as we tumble out of the chamber and into the darkness of the passageway. Vlad picks up speed and I pull myself on to his back as flames and smoke and Crowky’s cries of rage chase after us.
The dragons race through the tunnels of the Crow’s Nest, bumping against the walls and sending bricks and dust crashing down. I try to cling on to Vlad and keep my head low, but it’s impossible not to get scratched and bashed about. To add to the chaos the dragons are overexcited and keep breathing out fire, making flames crawl along the ceiling.
Slipping and sliding on Vlad’s back, we dash past the cells, Pickle just ahead of us. Then the ground begins to shake.
‘What’s happening?’ shouts Rose.
I look back. At first all I can see is smoke, then two red eyes emerge, glowing like burning coals and moving closer and closer.
‘It’s Bad Dragon . . . she’s chasing us!’ The smoke thins and I see Crowky hunched on her back, his face contorted with rage and delight. ‘Crowky’s with her. They’re catching up!’
Pickle tumbles down the curving tunnel and we follow on Vlad. Rose bends forwards and murmurs in Vlad’s ear. Immediately he picks up speed, taking huge leaps and forcing Pickle to move faster too.
We burst into the round chamber and the dragons keep going, stumbling down the staircase, desperate to get out of this maze of smoke and stone. A fresh wave of fire sweeps past my face. Bad Dragon thunders closer. Then Pickle crashes out into the sea cave, and we follow on Vlad. The two dragons launch themselves off the rocky ledge. Their wings open and they shoot past the Raven, heading for the mouth of the cave. Vlad is flying so close to the sea that waves splash against my scorched feet.
This time the dragons don’t need to be told, they tilt on to their sides and fly straight out of the cave. I’m hit by blinding light and fresh air. I take huge, deep breaths, trying to soothe my burning lungs. Up ahead Win punches the air and Grandad lifts his face to the sky and smiles. The dragons seem just as happy. They toss their heads about in ecstasy, snapping at the air and stretching out their wings.
But our freedom is short-lived.
A rumbling growl tells me that Bad Dragon is still behind us and when I look back I see that she’s gaining on us and fast. Crowky said he could fly again, but he could never fly as fast as Bad Dragon. Her wings are enormous and after being kept in that pit it looks like she’s got energy to burn. She soars towards us and Crowky is a huddle of black feathers perched on her back.
‘Rose, we’ve got to go faster!’
She urges Vlad on, and as he rises higher, above the Crow’s Nest, I catch a glimpse of the Lost Girls storming the ramparts. I know they’ve nearly won because the scarecrows aren’t a pack any more. They’re on their own, fleeing in ones and twos, and disintegrating into piles of straw as the Lost Girls throw themselves at them.
Then one of the girls spots us and she must say something, because suddenly they’re all looking up, pointing and waving. I don’t wave back. This isn’t over yet.
Vlad shoots straight over their upturned faces, heading back towards land. I look over my shoulder. Bad Dragon is almost within striking distance. ‘Rose, we can’t outrun her. S
he’s too fast!’
‘Then we get Grandad to safety.’ She edges Vlad alongside Pickle and the dragons fly side by side. ‘Win, take Grandad back to your cave, and make sure no one follows you!’
He glances across at us. ‘What about you two?’
‘We’ll follow, but first we’re going to sort out Crowky. And, Win, if anything happens . . . take Grandad home.’
He salutes and steers Pickle away from us.
‘What do you mean?’ shouts Grandad, twisting round on Pickle’s back. ‘What could happen?’
‘Nothing!’ shouts Rose, then she swings Vlad round before Grandad can say another word.
I watch Grandad and Win go. It feels so wrong leaving him just after we’ve got him back, but Rose is right: we have to draw Crowky away. He wants us alive, but he’s made it clear that he couldn’t care less what happens to Grandad.
Rose guides Vlad back across the Bottomless Ocean, urging him on faster and faster. We fly past the Crow’s Nest, the cold air smacking into us, and we keep on going. Bad Dragon follows. Far in the distance, I can just see the frozen peaks of The End.
‘Rose, is that where we’re going?’ I say. ‘The End? We’ll never make it!’
‘I know,’ she mutters, then she jabs her knee into Vlad’s side, making him turn sharply. Now we’re flying back the way we just came, heading straight towards Bad Dragon and Crowky. Rose glances back at me. Her eyes are blazing and she has cuts on her face and ashes in her hair. ‘Bad Dragon will never recognise me as her master if I run from her.’
‘But you’re not her master now. Crowky is!’
Rose shakes her head. ‘Who hatched her? Who trained her? Who taught her how to throw fire? Me!’ She leans forward and whispers in Vlad’s ear. He responds immediately, rising up so that we’re still flying towards Bad Dragon, only now we’re coming at them from above. Seconds later, Bad Dragon glides below us.
Rose gets to her feet.
‘Rose . . . what are you doing?’
‘This!’ she cries, then she runs along Vlad’s wing and throws herself into the air.
I watch in horror as Rose free-falls through the sky, arms spread wide, before slamming down with a thud on Bad Dragon’s back.
‘Toburn, toburn!’ I yell, digging my knee into Vlad’s side. As the dragon turns I keep my eyes glued on Rose. She’s getting to her feet and Crowky is approaching her.
I watch as they face each other. Rose is wobbling as she tries to keep her balance. Crowky is strong and sure-footed. He takes a swipe, and she ducks, but then he lunges, grabs her by her shoulders and tosses her to one side like she’s a piece of rubbish. Rose rolls along Bad Dragon’s back and before I know what I’m doing I’m up on my feet and running along Vlad’s wing too.
‘Leave my sister alone!’ I scream as I jump and plunge through the sky.
At first I don’t think I’m going to make it, but at the last moment Bad Dragon’s body whips round and I smack on to her back.
The air’s punched out of me, but I force myself up on to my knees, then my feet. Rose is lying curled on her side with Crowky standing over her, his fingers spread wide as if he’s trying to decide what to do to her. With a yell I charge and Crowky looks up just as I slam into him. He staggers back, then finds his feet and knocks me back like a fly. But I’m not about to give up. He might be stronger than me, but I’m angrier. No one hits a Trout and gets away with it.
I run at him again, only this time I go low and manage to throw him off balance. He grabs hold of my T-shirt and we tumble across Bad Dragon’s back and along her wing. We throw wild punches and kicks. Straw bursts from Crowky and the dragon’s hot, rough scales graze my skin. I slip and almost fall, and that’s when I look down and see that the Raven is following us. Like a shadow, she chases after us, her leathery sails unfurled and a crew of scarecrows scurrying across the deck.
Bad Dragon twists her head and snaps at me and Crowky. We roll in different directions, only I go too far and almost slide down the side of her stomach. I stop myself from falling by grabbing hold of a spike, and I dangle there for a moment, kicking the air, before I find the strength to pull myself up. That’s when I see that Crowky has given up on me and is creeping towards Rose. She’s whispering in Bad Dragon’s ear. She doesn’t even know he’s behind her.
Crowky lifts his hands above her head.
‘NO!’ I jump to my feet, run forward and throw my whole body at Crowky, wrapping my hands round his face. In one smooth movement we flip sideways and tumble off Bad Dragon’s neck, falling down towards the Bottomless Ocean.
For a few seconds we’re locked together as Crowky tries to prise my fingers off his face and I refuse to let go. Then he stops fighting and opens his wings and starts to fly. He takes me up in the air with him, his whole body trembling with each flap of his wings, the seams on his neck bulging.
‘This is the problem with you, Arthur Trout,’ he hisses. ‘I need you, but you drag me down.’ Then his teeth sink into my hand and pain shoots through my body. My fingers start to slip from his face. ‘I think I’ll make do with one Master of Roar!’ he says, kicking me in the stomach.
Then my worst nightmare comes true. I’m falling through the air, with nothing to grab hold of, tumbling towards the churning waves.
As I fall a hollow, cold terror fills me.
I don’t scream. I can’t. Instead I watch as images flick in and out of my vision. I see Rose kneeling above Bad Dragon’s head . . . the black sails of the Raven . . . Crowky swooping around me like a bat . . . then Bad Dragon’s eyes fix on me, narrow greedily, and her jaws drop open.
I start to clutch at the air, desperately trying to get hold of something. Finally Bad Dragon is going to be fed.
She dives, opening her jaws so wide I can see the fire glowing in her throat. This is it, I think as I clutch at nothing. This is how I die.
Then I see Rose climb to her feet. I keep my eyes fixed on her and she looks at me. Her face is the last thing I want to see, not Bad Dragon’s stained teeth.
Rose raises her fist in the air. ‘HEAR ME ROAR!’ she cries, her voice echoing through the sky. ‘HEAR ME ROAR!’
Immediately Bad Dragon’s jaws snap shut and she ducks her head. Instead of the slash of teeth or the icy rush of the sea, I feel scales scape my skin as I slam down on her head. Relief floods through me as Rose grabs my T-shirt, holding on tight, and we start to rise in the sky. I scrabble backwards to the safety of Bad Dragon’s back. Crowky is directly in front of us, hovering in the air, his wings flapping furiously.
Bad Dragon sighs out a jet of flame and it catches the top of Crowky’s wings. The fire spreads quickly along his feathers, making them curl and shrivel. Howling with rage and pain, his wings blazing now, Crowky spins through the air, then smashes into the Bottomless Ocean. His wings fan out, keeping him afloat for a second, but the waves are too ferocious and they crash down on him, pushing him further and further under the water. His stick fingers claw the sky.
‘We can’t leave him!’ cries Rose.
She’s right. Crowky may hate us, and have done terrible things to Grandad, but we made him. Seeing his body sinking in the water, his wings spread wide, is a chilling sight.
‘Dobown!’ she tells Bad Dragon, but before we can reach the spot where he sank, the Raven appears and a rope is slung into the water. As we turn and rise back over the Crow’s Nest, Crowky is hooked out of the sea, his body heavy with water, his wings broken and battered. Before he’s even pulled on deck his head lifts and swings round. I know he’s looking for us.
‘Time to go home?’ says Rose.
I’m so exhausted all I can do is nod.
We fly away from the Crow’s Nest, the Raven and Crowky. Already the Lost Girls have raised their flag and it’s fluttering over the battlements: it’s a skull with a bow perched on its head, a rainbow of colour, just like their bracelets. Black smoke drifts about the turrets and the Lost Girls stand silhouetted against the sky. Stella shades her eyes and waves
a hand and we wave back. They watch us as we fly away.
The Crow’s Nest belongs to them now.
We head inland and Bad Dragon follows the line of the coast, lazily beating her wings and making the Bottomless Ocean surge below her. Vlad appears behind her, then flies in her wake, following like a shadow.
I look across at Roar. The sinkholes have vanished and so has the crack. Before my eyes, leaves burst open on the trees and vines unfurl, sending green spilling over the cliff. Flowers creep out of the gaps in the chalky rock. The Roar Rose and I loved is coming back.
We fly over a long, wide beach. Waves tumble over each other and the dragons’ shadows soar over the wet sand. When the cliff reaches its highest point we turn and glide inland. And that’s when we see it.
Standing on the edge of the cliff, its horn glittering in the sun, is a unicorn. Its coat is deepest black and it’s covered in spots of silver and pale blue. This unicorn has freckles.
‘They’ve come back,’ says Rose, her own brown freckled face lit by the sun.
Suddenly she sits up straight, scanning the cliff and the woods. She nudges Bad Dragon back out over the sea, and stares down at the waves. I know who she’s looking for: Mitch.
She sees something that makes her gasp. ‘There!’
Just below the surface of the water is a ribbon of bright blue. It could be a shoal of fish. It could be a reflection of the sky. But just maybe it’s the trailing hair of a merwitch.
There is a splash, and the blue is gone.
We circle over the same spot – once, twice – but whatever was there has vanished. We turn and fly across Roar towards Win’s cave. We need to take Grandad home.
We land Bad Dragon in a clearing close to Win’s cave and Vlad thuds down behind us. Pickle is already there stretched out in the sun.
The Land of Roar Page 16