by M E. Holley
‘Please,’ he said, ‘I really need Erin to come with me.’
Erin turned with wide eyes. A huge smile lit her face, as she realised what Jonah meant.
‘On Ffyrnig? Oh, yesss!’ She danced up and down.
Emlyn was horrified. ‘Oh, look, Jonah. Wait a minute here...’
Jonah rushed in before anyone could come up with reasons why Erin shouldn’t go. ‘She has such good ideas and – er – she knows Hereford. I’ve never even been there. Erin could make sure that I’m right when I tell Ffyrnig where to go and what to do.’ He looked round at all the anxious faces. ‘Please. I need her.’
‘Best if you take a grown-up,’ Rhodri said.
Jonah bit his lip. He hadn’t thought of that.
Bryn stroked his chin. ‘Might that be a bit of a burden for the dragon, if he’s having to manoeuvre round rooftops?’
‘Well, he’s so big that it would probably be OK,’ Rhodri said. ‘but we’d better be on the safe side. Perhaps it would be a good idea if Erin went with Jonah.’
There was complete silence for a moment and then Gwen spoke. ‘We should let her go, Emlyn. Jonah’s only the same age as she is, and if he can do this for people, well – we shouldn’t stop Erin from helping him.’ She waited for Emlyn’s answer.
He looked hard at both children and then, while Erin and Jonah waited, hardly daring to breathe, he leaned forward and cupped Erin’s face. ‘You go with Jonah, cariad. And mind you’re both very careful.’ And he smiled at them.
Erin threw her arms round him. ‘Thanks, Daddy. We’ll be careful – and sensible. I promise. Won’t we, Jonah?’
Solemnly, he nodded at Emlyn. ‘We won’t take risks,’ he said.
CHAPTER 21
HELP FROM CREDENHILL
Jonah was in the meadow with Ffyrnig, telling him how they had been asked to help exterminate the Night Creatures in Hereford. The sun was low in the sky, throwing long shadows on the grass, when he heard the roar of vehicles in the lane.
‘I think Rhodri and Mike are back,’ he said to the dragon. ‘Hang on. I’ll just go and see. Are you ready, if they want us to go now?’ He stopped and thought. ‘Can you see OK in the dark? I mean, it could be late by the time we’ve caught all the Night Creatures.’
The great dragon rumbled with laughter.
‘OK. Silly question,’ Jonah said good-naturedly, remembering how much time dragons were said to spend underground. ‘I’ll just go and see if we’re really going.’
As he started towards the field gate, Rhodri and Mike came into the meadow with three men who were wearing motorcycle leathers.
‘You’re on, Jonah,’ said Rhodri. He turned to the three strangers, who were staring at Ffyrnig. Jonah noticed that, unlike everyone else on first seeing the dragon, they did not look frightened of him, just intensely interested.
‘This is our Dragoneer, Jonah Drake,’ Rhodri said. ‘Jonah, these gentlemen are former colleagues of mine from Credenhill barracks. This is... ’
One of the men flashed a glance at Rhodri, who checked himself and went on, ‘Er… Sam, Henry and Ollie.’ They shook hands and the tall man called Sam, who seemed to be the leader, smiled at Jonah.
‘So you only learned this afternoon that you’re a – erm –
Dragoneer,’ he said.
‘Yes. It was a bit of a shock.’
Sam grinned and nodded, then he looked over at Ffyrnig, who was eyeing them lazily. ‘I’d like to see you in operation, Jonah. Could I watch you getting the dragon to do something – get him to his feet or something like that?’ He turned to Mike. ‘I need to watch this young man’s interaction with the dragon, Sir, so that I can assess safety issues if it does go to Hereford.’ He glanced over at Ffyrnig. ‘There’s a lot of firepower sitting there. If anything goes wrong, it could be disastrous.’
Mike smiled. ‘I understand that. But you’ll find Jonah has complete control.’
‘I could ask him to fly up the valley for you,’ Jonah said shyly.
‘Excellent. Thank you,’ said Sam.
Jonah felt as if he had stepped into the pages of an adventure story. Incredibly, he was going to show SAS soldiers something that they had never done themselves. He ran over to Ffyrnig. ‘Those men are soldiers from a very special regiment. They want to see us fly up the valley.’
‘Us?’ queried Ffyrnig, lowering his eyelids. ‘From the way they behaved, I got the impression that they are only expecting to watch me.’
‘Well, maybe. But they want to see how we get on together and they won’t, will they, if I don’t come, too?’ He could not wait to be on Ffyrnig’s back again and, as he admitted to himself, it was even more of a thrill to ride the dragon with SAS troopers watching.
The men were busy chatting. Right.
‘Could you help me on, please, Ffyrnig.’ He scrambled up the dragon’s lowered wing and settled himself comfortably between Ffyrnig’s shoulder blades. He heard surprised shouts, saw Mike and Rhodri beginning to laugh, and then Ffyrnig had swung towards the far corner of the meadow and was pounding across the grass for take-off. They rushed upwards, and the hilltops slid away below Ffyrnig’s vast wings. Jonah’s hair blew back as Ffyrnig raced westward towards the flame-coloured sky, where the sun was dipping below the horizon. Jonah tugged on Ffyrnig’s wing.
‘We’ll go back now. When you turn, can you breathe out some fire?’ he called. ‘Show them what you can do.’
‘I will, Master,’ Ffyrnig agreed, and as they sped back towards Cascob, a great spurt of fire poured into the air above the valley. Jonah could just hear the exclamations of the figures in the field, as the dragon glided carefully down and tucked his great length into the meadow once again.
The men beamed as they came up to Ffyrnig and Jonah. Sam slapped him on the back.
‘That was quite something,’ he said. ‘The power of the animal! Riding it must be amazing.’
‘He certainly thinks it is,’ Rhodri laughed, nodding towards Jonah.
The soldiers and Ffyrnig gazed intently at each other.
‘Magnificent,’ Henry murmured.
Jonah beamed at Ffyrnig. ‘Henry thinks you’re magnificent.’
Ffyrnig was pleased. ‘Discerning fellow,’ he purred in a smoky voice, startling the soldiers, who jumped back and then began to laugh.
Ollie was rubbing his chin thoughtfully. ‘The dragon seemed to react when you made those reptile noises to it.’ He was too polite to suggest that it was weird to chat with a dragon. Mike and Jonah grinned.
‘Jonah was born with the ability to communicate with dragons,’ Mike said.
Sam stared. ‘Communicate—’
‘But it feels just as if we’re speaking English,’ Jonah explained. ‘I don’t know how it works. It just does.’
The soldiers shook their heads in surprise.
Sam studied Ffyrnig thoughtfully for a moment and then turned to Mike. ‘You can guarantee, Sir, that the dragon cannot be killed by modern weapons?’
‘I’m absolutely sure,’ Mike confirmed. ‘But we need to protect the children, in case anybody tries.’
‘And we’ll need to get that information out into the city. We’ll mount a loudspeaker on a truck to tour the streets round the centre,’ said Sam. ‘Ollie, would you get back to the barracks and organise that, please.’
An Army vehicle was bringing some helmets and protective clothing to the farm for Erin and Jonah to try on, and Sam had also ordered some webbing harness and netting.
‘We’ll fashion some kind of a netting cage to secure around the dragon’s wings,’ he said, ‘to stop you sliding off his back.’
‘Ffyrnig isn’t slippery,’ Jonah began to object but he saw Mike raise an eyebrow. ‘Well, I suppose it would be safer for us if Ffyrnig has to swerve about a lot,’ he admitted.
‘And you can’t both tuck in between Ffyrnig’s shoulders,’ added Mike. He smiled at Jonah. ‘I must go. Sam will get you and Erin kitted out and harnessed safely on Ffyrnig’s back. By now, the SAS
will have told the police that firearms are useless against the Night Creatures and people will be panicking. It’s time that we went to Hereford, Jonah. Come as soon as you can.’
The air around Mike shivered and brightened. His form seemed to waver in an orb of brilliant golden light. They saw the indistinct outline of great, feathered wings and had a glimpse of golden curls blowing back from his uplifted face, and then Saint Michael had gone.
The trooper named Henry whistled. ‘Wow!’ he breathed to the others. ‘I never thought I’d see a sight like that.’
‘Right. Come on then, Jonah,’ said Rhodri, squeezing his shoulder. ‘Let’s get you two kitted out. It’s time for our Last Great Dragon to show what he can do.’
CHAPTER 22
FLYING TO BATTLE
Jonah, with Erin tucked in behind him, was sitting in the webbing cage fixed on Ffyrnig’s red-bronze back. They both felt strange and awkward in their helmets, boots and protective suits; it was as if they were dressed for parts in a film.
‘I can’t believe this is happening,’ Erin said. ‘Do you think it’s going to be dangerous?’
‘It is for the demons! You’re not afraid, are you?’
‘A bit,’ she admitted. ‘Jonah?’
‘What?’
She rushed the words out. ‘Thanks for getting Mam and Dad to let me come with you. It’s really nice of you.’
Jonah was embarrassed. ‘It’s OK,’ he said gruffly. ‘It wasn’t fair for me to have all the interesting stuff. I didn’t choose my ancestors.’
He heard her whisper ‘Thanks,’ and then Sam was signalling from the field gate. Rhodri and the two soldiers were on their motorbikes ready to ride down to Hereford. Jonah waved back.
‘Right, Ffyrnig. Time to go. Down the valley.’ Then the dragon turned and pounded over the field, pulled up his legs with a roar and leaped into the air. They soared into the darkening sky with a speed that took their breath away. Erin gasped and clutched Jonah’s back. The sun was now a red glow over to their right.
‘Are we going the right way?’ yelled Jonah.
Erin gazed down. ‘Yes, look, see those lights on the right? That’s Kington. Dad said we just keep the sunset a bit behind us, on our right as well, and go in a straight line from there, and that will take us to Hereford.’
The shadowy countryside raced below the dragon’s huge wings as Ffyrnig flew high and silently over Herefordshire. Jonah imagined that very few people would notice the dragon soaring above their homes.
‘You can hear planes and you see their lights winking but there’s nothing to draw attention to Ffyrnig,’ he said. ‘I bet he could fly around after dark, high in the sky, and nobody would be any the wiser.’
He could feel the little gold locket that Claire had given him while he was putting on his safety gear, on a chain round his neck.
‘Oh, no,’ he had protested. ‘Not a necklace, Claire.’
‘No one will know you’re wearing it,’ she coaxed, ‘but your mum gave it to me on my twenty-first birthday. So I’ve put the Abracadabra charm inside to protect you.’
‘I’ve already got one. It’s in my jeans pocket. Look.’
‘Yes, but I’d like you to have this as well. As if your mum is watching over you.’
‘Well, all right then,’ he had mumbled. ‘Thanks. I’ll put it in my pocket.’
‘Where it can easily fall out! Put it round your neck, Jonah. Please.’
He had been going to argue but then he saw that her lower lip was trembling.
‘I have to try to keep you safe,’ she had said, ‘for your mum and dad.’
So he had hugged her, and now the feel of the little locket against his skin was comforting.
Erin shook his shoulder. ‘Look. See the really dark sprawl ahead of us? We’re nearly there.’
Jonah thumped Ffyrnig’s back to get the dragon’s attention and asked him to fly lower, so that they would know when they got near the centre of the city. Ffyrnig dropped height as they passed over clustered roofs that showed they were on the outskirts. Erin tapped Jonah’s shoulder.
‘Look, that’s Credenhill down there. See the barracks? Oh, and just look!’
As they peered down at the SAS lines, they could see small figures below them, waving.
‘Wow!’ breathed Jonah. ‘They were looking out for us.’
‘I know!’ Erin wriggled excitedly.
‘Steady on,’ grumbled Ffyrnig. ‘Tell her that tickles.’
In a few moments, the dragon was circling the city centre. Staring down, Jonah and Erin began to feel apprehensive. Jonah had imagined that the streets would be empty but throngs of people were milling around in a wide space, not far from where he could see the bulk of the cathedral.
‘That’s High Town,’ Erin said, ‘where the main shops are.’
As the Great Dragon loomed over the crowd, people began screaming and scrambled for cover. Jonah looked down anxiously. How could Ffyrnig burn out the gremlins, if there were crowds all around? The dragon’s fire would cause terrible injuries, if anyone got in the way.
‘I thought Mike said the police had blocked the roads,’ he yelled over his shoulder. He peered down at some people who huddled in terror against the front of Marks and Spencer, trying to hide away from the dragon. He wished he could let them know that Ffyrnig wouldn’t hurt them. As they passed over the shop’s roof, he was relieved to see policemen manning a barrier across a narrow lane.
‘Here we are,’ Erin said. ‘This leads to Cathedral Green.’
‘This is it,’ Jonah called to the dragon.
Erin clutched Jonah’s arm. ‘It’s all seemed like a dream till now but this is really happening, isn’t it?’ She drew in a deep breath. ‘Jonah, if anything bad happens—’
‘It won’t. We’ll be OK.’ Jonah sounded a lot more confident than he felt.
‘Yes, I know. I’m sure we will. But I just wanted to say, like, I wouldn’t want not to be here, even if it did go all wrong.’
‘Me too,’ Jonah said.
Ffyrnig circled just above the rooftops. Leaning over to look down, the children could see that all the roads leading to Hereford Cathedral were blocked off, and there were policemen and soldiers around the edge of the close. There were crowds of people in the streets beyond the roadblocks and others hanging out of windows, all looking up in wonder at the unbelievable sight of a gigantic dragon circling their city in the still summer night. In the dim light, the huge cathedral roof looked strange. It seemed to be wavering. Jonah peered down until his eyes adjusted to what he was looking at.
There were Night Creatures, hundreds of them, all over the roof. They were crouching on the tiles, dangling from the pinnacles. Little yellow pinpricks, some tiny slits, some round like marbles, shone in the dark, showing that the demons’ eyes were fixed on the dragon. The children became aware of an angry sound, like the loud hum of wasps. Then they saw small fiends in the trees surrounding the cathedral as well and, as Ffyrnig passed over the Green again, Jonah noticed some of the little beasts leaping down from the building on to the grass.
‘Erin, look!’ he turned and shouted. ‘They’re getting ready to attack. They’ll be all over the policemen if we aren’t quick.’
Erin looked around anxiously. ‘I can’t see the angels, Jonah. What will we do if they’re not here? If the gremlins get away from Ffyrnig, we’ll lose them in the alleys. They’ll get into buildings.’ Her voice rose with tension. ‘People are going to die.’
‘We are here, Erin,’ called Michael’s voice and the children swung round to see the Archangel flying upwards to drift beside them. He pointed to where, in the darkness beyond the cathedral, there seemed to be an open space with another large building silhouetted against it. ‘That’s the bishop’s palace. We have been conferring with him in the courtyard.’
The dark area of the courtyard started to glimmer and angelic forms took shape and flew towards Cathedral Green. Ffyrnig beat his great wings slowly and hovered over the palace, a
s the angels rose into the air. The children heard a sound, like one enormous sigh, come from the crowded streets beyond the barriers. Saint Michael soared up and hovered by Ffyrnig’s head, his robes glimmering in the summer darkness. ‘Are you all ready? Start with the roof, Jonah. Let Ffyrnig destroy all the gremlins up there, before you start on the walls, and the nooks and crannies. We angels will guard the Cathedral Close and try to see that none of the creatures gets past us.’
Jonah swallowed and tried to speak calmly. ‘Yes, we’re ready, aren’t we, Ffyrnig? You heard what Saint Michael wants you to do?’
The dragon rumbled; yes, he understood. Saint Michael smiled at them, as his golden-white wings beat the air. ‘God bless you tonight,’ he said. ‘The other angels are in place now. Hold on tight to the netting and keep a tight watch.’ And he swooped away to where Capuchin Lane ran into the Cathedral Green.
The dragon rumbled again.
‘What’s Ffyrnig saying?’
‘That all we have to do is watch for Night Creatures. The rest is up to him. And he won’t let us fall,’ said Jonah. Then to Ffyrnig, ‘OK. Let’s go.’
CHAPTER 23
FIREPOWER
The dragon shot away from the city centre and then turned in a wide arc over the hills to the north.
‘What’s he doing?’ yelled Erin in alarm.
‘Ffyrnig!’ Jonah shouted. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I have to have a long enough flight to power up my flames,’ said Ffyrnig. ‘Right. This should do it.’
Drawing his great, taloned limbs up tightly beneath his body, the dragon hovered for a moment. He gulped in huge draughts of air as he stoked up his inner fire. Jonah could feel Ffyrnig’s leathery skin beginning to get warmer. Then, with a sudden screeching roar that made the children jump in their harnesses, Ffyrnig hurled himself towards the city. The rushing air tore screams out of their throats. Jonah felt Erin clutching his waist. Ffyrnig banked just before the cathedral, almost coming to a halt in the sky. His massive wings beat hard as he drew in a mighty breath. He shrieked and dived at the roof, aiming a massive jet of fire at the gargoyles. Hovering just above the cathedral, he swung his head from side to side, driving flames across the writhing mass of hideous little bodies.