The Scarlet Dragon Read online

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1: Red Alert!

  Chapter 2: A Fire Breather

  Chapter 3: Eggshells

  Chapter 4: Nesting

  Chapter 5: The Hatchling

  Chapter 6: Redhead

  Chapter 7: Vixberries

  Chapter 8: Bren

  Chapter 9: The Breach

  Chapter 10: Wake Up!

  'Sea Monster!' Excerpt

  About Jordan Quinn and Robert McPhillips

  Red Alert!

  * * *

  Plump juicy sausages, fresh fruits, warm cinnamon rolls, and fluffy scrambled eggs sat on the table in front of Prince Lucas. The prince drummed his fingers on the white tablecloth and stared dreamily at a tapestry of a unicorn and a lion. He had hoped to meet up with his best friend, Clara Gills. But breakfast had gotten in the way.

  “You have to eat something before you go,” said his mother, Queen Tasha.

  Lucas grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and took a big bite.

  “There,” he said in between chomps. “Now may I go?”

  “Please don’t talk with your mouth full,” said his father, King Caleb.

  “And you must wait to be excused,” said the queen.

  Lucas sighed and took another bite of his apple. He could hear a pair of boots clip-clopping along the stone floor toward the great hall. Stefan, one of the king’s men, entered the room and bowed his head. The king and queen looked up from their breakfast. Lucas stopped munching his apple.

  “Your Highness,” said Stefan, “I have some very strange news.”

  “What can it be?” asked the king.

  “André and Grom have found an orphaned dragon’s egg on the island of Crestwood,” Stefan said.

  André and Grom were wizardly brothers and the rulers of Hobsgrove, an island province of the kingdom of Wrenly.

  “Well, that’s not terribly unusual,” said the king.

  “True, my lord,” said Stefan. “But this dragon egg is red!”

  Everyone gasped—including the servants.

  “My goodness!” exclaimed the king. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I saw the egg myself, Your Majesty,” Stefan said. “It’s a deep scarlet red.”

  “Whoa!” Lucas cried. “That means it’s a scarlet dragon!”

  Lucas knew that a dragon was always the same color as its egg.

  “That’s impossible,” the king bellowed. “According to the legends, there hasn’t been a red dragon in the kingdom for more than two hundred years!”

  The great hall became quiet. Nobody dared to challenge the king.

  Then King Caleb stood up. “I must see this egg at once,” he said.

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” said Stefan. “I’ll summon the royal ship.”

  “Father, may I go with you?” asked Lucas.

  The king raised an eyebrow.

  “Please?” Lucas begged.

  “I’d like to go too,” the queen chimed in.

  Then the king laughed. “Okay, we shall all go,” he said. “We’ll leave for the dock in a few minutes.”

  “Yes!” Lucas shouted as he jumped up from the table. Then he quickly sat back down. “May I please be excused?” he asked.

  “You may,” said his parents.

  Lucas bolted from his seat and raced all the way to the stables.

  A Fire Breather

  * * *

  Lucas spotted Clara outside a stall. He watched her gently brush her horse, Scallop. Scallop was a velvet-brown Arabian horse with a black mane, a black tail, and white socks. The horse had been a reward from King Caleb for finding Queen Tasha’s lost emerald.

  “Clara!” called Lucas. “You’ll never guess what!”

  Clara stopped brushing. Her green eyes lit up when she saw her friend.

  “What?” she asked.

  “André and Grom found a red dragon’s egg on Crestwood!” said Lucas.

  “A red dragon’s egg!” exclaimed Clara. “Do you know what that means?”

  “It means there’s a scarlet dragon inside!”

  “Exactly,” said Clara. Then her face became serious. “And you know what they say about red dragons.”

  “Sure,” answered Lucas. “The legends say they’re the most magnificent dragons in all the world!”

  “And the most feared,” Clara added.

  “Not to worry,” Lucas said. “It’s all in the training.”

  Clara rolled her eyes.

  “Have you ever trained a fire-breathing dragon?” she asked.

  “Actually, I’ve never even trained a dog,” Lucas said. “But the knights and wizards know all about dragon training.”

  “I suppose,” said Clara. “But what if it sets Wrenly on fire?”

  “Then we’ll put the fire out,” said Lucas. “Trust me. A red dragon is going to be amazing.”

  “Well, it certainly is exciting,” Clara admitted.

  Lucas gave Clara a pat on the shoulder.

  “Well, I’d better be off,” he said. “My parents are taking me to see the egg right now.”

  Clara waved as Lucas ran back to the castle.

  Eggshells

  * * *

  Lucas boarded the royal ship with his parents. It was a beautiful spring morning. The clouds had a reddish glow. Maybe it’s because there really WILL be a scarlet dragon in the kingdom of Wrenly, he thought. Lucas grabbed the railing and looked toward Crestwood. He wished the ship would sail faster.

  André met them at the dock.

  “Come with me, Your Majesties,” he said.

  André showed the royal family to a waiting carriage.

  “Where is the egg?” asked the king.

  “Grom found it beside the lava flow.”

  “Are you sure the egg has been abandoned?” the king asked. He knew that mother dragons were very protective of their eggs.

  “Yes,” André said. “We’ve watched the egg for several hours, and there’s been no sign of a mother.”

  “Why would the mother abandon her egg, anyway?” Lucas asked.

  “Well, perhaps she feared the responsibility of raising a red dragon,” André said. “One thing’s for sure, she knew to keep the egg very warm.”

  “But I thought all eggs had to be kept warm,” said Lucas.

  “A scarlet dragon’s egg must be kept near or over an open flame,” André said. “I think she left the egg beside the lava on purpose.”

  “But these things are all based on legends,” said the king. “Do you really believe in these stories?”

  André looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well, we shall soon find out,” he said.

  The carriage bumped along the road. Soon they came to a clearing. Lucas could see the slow-moving lava. It oozed down the side of the volcano and into a creek that flowed into the sea. Steam rose from the creek where the lava met the water.

  André parked the carriage and helped the king and queen to the ground. Lucas jumped to the dirt by himself.

  “Over here!” shouted Grom as he waved to the royal family.

  André led the way to the dragon’s egg. It sat nestled in a shallow hole next to the stream of lava. It was a deep scarlet red—just as Stefan had described.

  The king kneeled beside the it. “It can’t be . . . ,” he whispered.

  King Caleb began to inspect the egg. It was the size of a grapefruit. He looked at it from every angle. Then, with both hands, he gently lifted the egg to the light. Everyone could see the faint outline of the creature within. The king held the egg to his ear and listened. Then he carefully placed it back into the hole. He looked at the two wizards and his family.

  “I never would’ve thought it possible,” said the king. “But this is indeed a scarlet dragon egg.”

 
; The queen clasped her hands together. “What an exciting thing to happen in the kingdom of Wrenly!” she exclaimed.

  “I knew it!” declared Lucas. Then he grabbed his father’s arm. “Can we take the dragon egg back to the palace?”

  “No,” the king said firmly. “The egg must remain in Crestwood until it hatches. It cannot be disturbed.”

  Lucas hung his head.

  “But after the egg hatches,” the king went on, “you may bring the baby dragon back to the palace.”

  “Will the baby dragon be mine?” asked Lucas.

  “Yes,” said the king. “I hereby proclaim the red dragon will be yours.”

  Lucas jumped into his father’s arms and hugged him. “Thank you, Father! Thank you!”

  “You are welcome, my son,” the king said with a smile. “You must take good care of your dragon. And with some help, you will learn to train him.”

  Then, with Lucas still attached, the king turned to Grom. “Will you continue to care for the egg until it hatches?”

  Grom, who had raised many an orphaned dragon, knew exactly how to care for the egg.

  “I would be honored, King Caleb,” said Grom. “But I should like one thing in return.”

  The king raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t used to bargaining. No one would dare—except Grom. Grom was a slightly crafty wizard. He shared his great healing powers with the kingdom, but he could also be a troublemaker.

  “And what would you like in return?” asked the king.

  “I would like the scarlet eggshells after the dragon hatches,” Grom said. Dragon eggshells were known to have magical powers. Grom was planning to use them in his potions.

  “Very well,” said the king. “I see no harm in it. You may have the shells.”

  Grom smiled crookedly. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” he said.

  Nesting

  * * *

  News of the scarlet egg swept across the kingdom like dragon fire.

  “It’s a miracle!” some said. “A red dragon will surely bring good luck to the kingdom.

  Others said, “Oh no! Scarlet dragons are bad luck. Nothing good can come from this.”

  The local merchants cashed in on the news. An inn known as the Red Rooster had now become the Red Dragon. The grocer began to dye his eggs red. The village boys sold hand-carved red dragons by the side of the road.

  But Prince Lucas had bigger things to think about. He had to design a lair for the scarlet dragon. Lucas and Clara learned everything they could about dragon lairs. They read books and talked to the knights and the wizards.

  Then Lucas drew a plan for the dragon’s home. The main entrance, which was behind the castle, looked like the opening to a cave. Rocks and boulders surrounded the mouth of the cave. Lucas added a ledge for the dragon to perch on. Underground tunnels formed the inside. Each tunnel led to a chamber. Lucas drew a sleeping area, a dining space, and a playroom with a wading pool and a waterfall. He added a large fireplace to each chamber, because he read that red dragons needed their homes to be hot. Lastly, he added an escape exit in case an enemy approached the lair.

  Then Lucas presented his plan to his father. The king loved Lucas’s ideas. He had his men draw up the official plan.

  Meanwhile, Clara and Lucas planned to make chew toys for the baby dragon.

  “I’ll sew some stuffed animals,” said Clara.

  “I’ll carve some wooden toys,” Lucas said.

  Over several weeks, Clara sewed and stuffed a rabbit, a bear, and a fox with her mother’s fabric scraps.

  Lucas collected branches from the woods and carved a sea serpent, a boot, a war hammer, and some bones. When they were done, they stored the chew toys in a chest in Lucas’s playroom until the lair was finished.

  The king’s men worked on the lair for two months. While they were building, Lucas took dragon training classes on Hobsgrove. André and Grom taught him how to feed and care for hatchlings. They also taught him about dragon discipline. Lucas shared everything he learned with Clara. He wanted his best friend to help him raise the dragon.

  Then one afternoon a trumpet sounded. The king’s men announced that the lair had been completed! It was time for the royal family and Clara to have the grand tour. The children brought the dragon’s toys.

  Everyone followed Stefan into the lair. Torches lit the tunnels. Even though it was a warm summer day, fires crackled in each of the chambers. This is the temperature it would have to be for the baby dragon. The king and queen walked around excitedly. They were very impressed.

  “A job well done,” said the king.

  “A splendid dwelling,” said the queen.

  “Now all we need is the baby dragon!” exclaimed Lucas.

  When they got to the playroom, Lucas and Clara laid out the chew toys. While Stefan talked to the king and queen, the children dipped their feet in the wading pool. They left the lair through the escape exit, which led them to the west side of the castle, under the bridge.

  The Hatchling

  * * *

  Stefan raced into the great hall.

  “Hear ye! Hear ye! The time has come!” he shouted. “The dragon egg has begun to hatch!”

  The royal family dropped everything they were doing and set sail for Crestwood. Again, André brought them to the dragon’s egg. Sure enough, the egg had a crack that zigzagged across the middle.

  “It won’t be long,” Grom said.

  Everyone sat and waited. The egg lay very still. A hawk cried overhead. Quails rustled in the underbrush nearby. Wrens warbled in the treetops. Nobody said a word until the egg began to rock. It then wobbled and trembled. The egg rolled around, and then, all at once, the shell broke apart. And there in the center stood a very unsteady, very red baby dragon.

  “Aaack! Aaack!” it cried, sticking out its red tongue.

  The baby dragon was the size of a kitten. It had the face of a lizard and horns on top of its head. It also had a long pointy tail, batlike wings, and two eyes that glowed like emeralds. The dragon was a stunning shade of crimson fire.

  “It’s extraordinary!” said André.

  “It’s adorable!” cried the queen.

  “It’s magnificent!” said Lucas.

  “It’s unbelievable!” said the king.

  “It’s a boy!” cried Grom, who swiftly swept the broken eggshells into a leather sack.

  André lifted the dragon and let him perch on his arm. The hatchling steadied himself with his wings. André offered the dragon some spinach and berries. But the dragon didn’t seem interested. He just wanted to perch.

  “May I hold him?” Lucas asked.

  André let the dragon step onto Lucas’s outstretched arm. The dragon perched steadily.

  “Lucas, you must take him to his lair right away,” said André. “Food, home, and love are what the hatchling needs most now.”

  “Aaack! Aaack!” screeched the dragon.

  Lucas gently pet the dragon’s nubby horns. “Wow,” he whispered. “My very own dragon.”

  Redhead

  * * *

  Clara couldn’t take her eyes off the baby dragon.

  “He’s beautiful,” she said.

  Even though they were in the lair, the dragon stayed on Lucas’s arm.

  “He thinks I’m his mother,” said Lucas.

  Clara laughed. “That’s a good thing,” she said. “Because you are his mother.”

  Lucas smiled. “Let’s take him to the playroom and think of some names for him.”

  “I love to think up names!” Clara said.

  They hurried down the tunnel to the lair’s playroom. Lucas set the baby dragon on the floor. Then they watched to see what he would do. The little dragon held out his wings and took a few quick steps.

  “He is so sweet,” Clara gushed. “Maybe we should call him Sweetie Pie.”

  “No way,” said Lucas. “He needs a noble name.”

  They watched the baby dragon chase his tail. He went round and round. Then he noticed the chew toys and pou
nced on the rabbit. He batted it with his nose. Then he brought it to Lucas and dropped it on the floor.

  “Good boy,” Lucas said.

  Clara smiled.

  Then the dragon lay down in front of Lucas.

  “Awwww,” he said. “The little guy needs a rest.”

  Lucas pet the dragon’s horns.

  “Let’s think up more names,” Clara said.

  “Okay,” said Lucas. “How about Firefly?”

  “I like it,” said Clara. “What about Fireball?”

  “That’s a good one,” Lucas said.

  They thought of all kinds of names: Mr. Flame, Big Red, Bonfire, and Rusty.

  “What do you think of Ruskin?” asked Lucas.

  “I really like it,” said Clara.

  “It means ‘redhead,’ ” Lucas said.

  “Even better!” said Clara.

  “Okay! Then his name shall be Ruskin!” Lucas declared.

  Then he addressed the baby dragon. “Hello, Master Ruskin,” he said.

  The dragon didn’t respond.

  “That’s okay,” Clara said. “He doesn’t know his name yet.”

  Lucas tried again—a little bit louder this time. “Hey, Ruskin!”

  Ruskin didn’t react at all.

  “Maybe he’s hungry,” Clara said.

  Lucas offered the dragon some olives and rhubarb. Ruskin didn’t even sniff the food.