by Tracey West
“The note said not to tell anybody,” Bo
replied.
The boys walked away from the dragons
as they talked.
“But I’m not anybody. I’m your
friend
,”
Drake shot back.
“Drake, I am sorry. I —” Bo stopped. A rustling
sound came from the trees. “What was that?”
Drake looked up. He saw something move
in the treetops. He held his breath.
“The Raven Guards!” Bo whispered.
Four guards dressed in black swooped down.
“Worm! Shu! Help us!” Drake yelled.
A dozen more guards dropped down around
Worm and Shu.
Before the dragons could act, the Raven
Guards carried Drake and Bo away with
magical speed.
D
rake struggled as a Raven Guard held him
under one arm.
“It is no use,” Bo whispered. “They are much
stronger than we are. We cannot fight them.
And they are taking us to Emperor Song, which
is what we want.”
“But we need Shu!” Drake whispered back.
“Do you think our dragons escaped those
other guards?”
EMperOr
SONG
Bo frowned. “They may have been captured.
We will have to face the emperor without
them.”
Drake looked down at his Dragon Stone.
Worm, give me a message.
But the stone didn’t glow. Then Drake
thought of something.
Emperor Song might
see our pieces of the stone! What if he tries to
take them?
“Quick!” he whispered to Bo. “Hide your
Dragon Stone.”
The Raven Guards carried Drake and Bo
through a large hall. Gleaming black and red
stones formed a pattern on the floor. Large
black columns lined the walls. A red dragon
design swirled down the columns.
The guards took them to a large room. A
dozen more Raven Guards waited for them
there.
A man in a red robe sat on a white throne.
He had a long mustache, a pointy black beard,
and wore a black hat. A thin smile spread across
his face when he saw Bo. It reminded Drake
of a field snake’s smile.
Bo whispered to Drake. “See the evil in his
eyes? This is not the emperor I remember.”
The guards let go of the boys and pushed
them toward the emperor.
“Bo,” Emperor Song said, “I am surprised
that you came so quickly. Where is my Dragon
Stone?”
Bo looked at Drake, panicked. They had
been counting on Shu to help them deal with
the emperor. Without Shu, they had no plan.
And without Worm, there was no way out.
“Well, Bo?” the emperor asked. “I am waiting.”
“I ...I don't have the Dragon Stone, Emperor,”
Bo said in a small voice.
A dark look came over the emperor’s face.
“No Dragon Stone?! Then you have failed me!”
“It’s not Bo’s fault!” Drake blurted out.
Emperor Song looked down at Drake. “A
child dares to speak to the emperor this way?!
Take them to the prison! These boys shall join
Bo’s family.”
Drake squeezed his eyes shut.
Worm? Worm?
Can you hear me, Worm? We need help!
“Take them away!” Emperor Song yelled.
Then the doors burst open.
Swooooooooooosh!
A giant wave of water
flooded the room!
T
he emperor jumped onto the seat of his
throne. The strong wave knocked the guards
off their feet. Drake held his breath, waiting to
be knocked down, too. Then his whole body
began to tingle. He looked down.
He was floating above the water!
But how?
The WateR
dRagOn'S pOWeR
“It’s the dragons!” Bo called out. Drake turned
and saw that Bo was floating in midair, too.
“Shu must have used the water from the pond
to break into the castle. And Worm is keeping
us above the water!”
Shu floated into the room, traveling on top
of the waves. Her blue scales shimmered. Her
eyes gleamed. Worm came behind her. As he
slid across the floor, the water moved away
from him.
Shu floated over to Bo. He climbed on her
and gripped her saddle. Worm slid underneath
Drake. Drake felt Worm’s hold leave him, and
he dropped right onto his dragon’s saddle.
Emperor Song pointed at the two dragons.
“Guards! Grab them!” he cried. But his Raven
Guards were woozy after being hit by the
wave. They slowly got to their feet, splashing
in the knee-high water.
“More guards will come!” the emperor said.
“You cannot harm me. I am the emperor! I am
the ruler of this kingdom! Get back!”
Then Shu glided
right up to the
emperor. Her huge
head stopped just
inches away from
his.
“Do not eat me!”
Emperor Song yelled.
Shu closed her eyes. A misty blue cloud
floated from her mouth. Emperor Song looked
up at it, terrified. He froze as a light blue mist
rained down on his head.
The look on his face changed. He looked
peaceful.
“What a beautiful creature,” the emperor
said, reaching out. He gently touched Shu’s
nose.
Back on their feet, the Raven Guards charged
toward Shu.
“STOP!” Emperor Song called out. “Our
guests must not be harmed!”
Drake and Bo looked at each other.
“Guests?”
Drake mouthed to Bo. It seemed
like Shu’s powers were working!
Emperor Song stood up. “I am sorry, Bo,”
he said. “I do not know what came over me. I
should never have asked you to steal the Dragon
Stone. I fear I was under a dark spell. But your
dragon ... your dragon has somehow saved me.”
Bo’s Dragon Stone began to glow beneath
his shirt. Bo closed his eyes. After a minute, he
opened them. “Shu has a very special, secret
power. She can wash away any spell. She has
just broken the spell that Maldred placed on
you.”
“I should never have let that wizard into
the palace,” said the emperor. “Maldred’s dark
spell made me force you to steal the Dragon
Stone. My Raven Guards were only obeying
my orders.”
“Does this mean Bo’s family will be safe?”
Drake asked.
“Of course,” Emperor Song said. “I will
release them from prison.”
Bo bowed his head. “Thank you, Emperor.”
Drake smiled. He was happy for Bo.
Then, without warning, he heard Worm’s
voice in his head.
Danger is coming!
Drake looked up. A swarm of glowing red
balls flew into
the throne room. They came
at them at lightning speed!
“It’s Maldred’s dark magic! Get down!”
Drake yelled.
T
he red balls of light darted around the
room like angry bees.
Zap!
One of the orbs shot a beam of dark
energy at a Raven Guard. It knocked down
the guard.
One of the orbs zoomed right at Drake.
Worm’s eyes glowed.
BattLe
Of tHe ORbS
Boom!
The orb exploded.
Another red ball zoomed toward Bo.
Bam!
The orb burst. Worm had used the power of
his mind to destroy them.
Blast!
Shu tried hitting one of the glowing
balls with a jet of water. But the water bounced
off it.
Around them, the Raven Guards were
jumping and dodging. One swung a fighting
stick at an orb. But like Shu’s water, it didn’t
harm it at all.
Suddenly, the orbs grouped together. They
zoomed all at once toward the dragons. Drake
gripped Worm’s saddle.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Worm blasted them
with his green light, and they exploded.
Then the room became quiet. Drake looked
around. Worm had destroyed all of the orbs!
“Good job, Worm,” he said, patting Worm’s
neck.
Emperor Song stepped forward.
“You and your dragons have saved us again,”
he said. “I thank you. And Bo, I will tell your
family of your bravery here today.”
“Thank you, Emperor. Now I must return
to Bracken. The dragons need me,” said Bo.
“But please tell my family that I will try to
come see them soon.”
“I will,” said the emperor. “And I am sorry
for what I have put them through. I will make
it up to them.”
Bo thanked the emperor. He and Shu both
touched Worm.
“Good-bye, Bo,” said the emperor. “You have
made your kingdom proud.”
“Let’s go home, Worm,” Drake said. They
left Emperor Song’s kingdom behind them in
a flash of green light.
S
econds later, Drake and Bo landed in the
Training Room. Rori and Ana rushed over.
“You’re okay!” Ana cried.
The boys climbed down from their dragons.
“Yes!” replied Bo. “My family is safe and the
emperor is no longer under Maldred’s dark
spell.”
RiSe AgaiNSt
MaldRed
“Shu and Worm were amazing!” Drake said.
“You should have seen them in action!”
Then Drake noticed the worried look on
the girls’ faces. “What’s wrong?”
“Something has happened to Diego,” Rori
said. “Come see.”
Drake and Bo followed the girls to Griffith’s
workshop. Griffith leaned over Diego, who
was stretched out on a cot.
“Is he asleep?” Drake asked.
“Not exactly,” said Griffith. “Diego tried
out a new spell — to find Maldred. But it put
him into a deep sleep. He has been like this for
hours. I am very worried.”
Drake and Bo looked at each other.
“Griffith!” cried Bo. “I think we can help. Shu
broke the spell that Maldred put on Emperor
Song. She has the power to undo magic spells.”
Griffith clapped his hands together. “What a
wonderful secret power! It may be just what
we need to break Diego’s spell, too! Can you
please ask her to help him?”
Bo nodded and turned to Shu. “Please wash
away the spell that is on Diego.”
Shu glided right up to Diego. Another misty,
blue cloud floated from her mouth. It rained
down on Diego. Then he opened his eyes.
“Dragon!” he yelled, sitting up.
“Don’t be scared, Diego,” said Griffith. “It is
only Shu.”
“Not Shu,” said Diego. “I saw another dragon
as I slept.”
“What did you see exactly?” Griffith asked
Diego.
“Maldred! He had a dragon — an evil dragon
with four heads!” Diego said.
“But dragons aren’t evil. Are they?” Ana
asked.
“Not by nature. But when in the hands of
Maldred . . .” Griffith’s voice trailed off.
“We should do something,” Rori said.
“Yes!” agreed Ana. “We need to find Maldred
before he and this four-headed dragon attack
the kingdom!”
“Maldred attacked us in Emperor Song’s
throne room,” said Drake. “He sent more red
orbs. Lots of them.”
“But Worm blasted them all!” added Bo.
Griffith stroked his beard.
“Dragon Masters,
you are right,” he
said. “We cannot
risk waiting for
Maldred to attack
again. We must find
him and stop him
before it’s too late.”
“All of us?” Drake asked. “And our dragons,
too?”
Griffith nodded. “Yes.”
Drake looked at his friends and smiled.
Together, we can face anything!
Drake
thought.
Griffith turned to the Dragon Masters.
“Now, then. It is time for us all to rise against
Maldred!”
TRACEY WEST
loves the ocean.
Ever since she can remember, Tracey has
gone on a trip to the shore each year
with her family. The ocean reminds her
of Shu the Water Dragon. They are both
powerful and peaceful at the same time.
Tracey has written dozens of books for kids. She
does her writing in the house she shares with her
husband and three stepkids. She also has plenty of
animal friends to keep her company. She has two
dogs, seven chickens, and one cat, who sits on her desk
when she writes! Thankfully, the cat does not weigh
as much as a dragon.
GRAHAM HOWELLS
lives with
his wife and two sons in west Wales,
a place full of castles, and legends of
wizards and dragons.
There are many stories about the
dragons of Wales. One story tells of a large, legless
dragon—sort of like Worm! Graham’s home is also near
where Merlin the great wizard is said to lie asleep in
a crystal cave.
Graham has illustrated several books. He has created
artwork for film, television, and board games, too.
Graham also writes stories for children. In 2009, he won
the Tir Na N’Og award for
Merlin’s Magical Creatures
.
Look back at the words and
pictures to find CLUES that
something was bothering Bo.
Why does someone want to
steal the Dragon Stone?
Look back at the words and
pictures to DESCRIBE the
Raven Guards.
What is Shu the Water
Dragon�
�s secret power?
Write a story
about what
might have
happened in
Diego’s dream.
Questions and Activities
scholastic.com/branches
OF
THE
SECRET WATER DRAGON
scholastic.com/branches
Illustrated early chapter books that grow readers!
APPEALS TO
READING LEVEL
1
ST
-3
RD
GRADERS
GRADE 2
More leveling information for this book:
www.scholastic.com/readinglevel
Cover art by Graham Howells
Cover design by Jessica Meltzer
Drake loves being a Dragon
Master for King Roland!
The magic Dragon Stone
lets Drake, Rori, Bo,
and Ana train and
even fly their very own
dragons. But someone is
trying to steal the stone!
And Bo starts acting strangely. Does he have a
secret? The Dragon Masters will have to protect
the Dragon Stone—no matter what!
DISCOVER THE SECRET
OF THE DRAGON STONE!
Read more
adventures!