Let the Games Begin! Read online

  The mermaids often left treasures for Clara. They knew she loved to make seashell jewelry. Clara set her bucket on the sand. Together, Clara and Lucas filled it with beaded periwinkles, scallops, angel wings, spiral cone shells, and pink sand dollars.

  “My bucket’s already full!” Clara cried.

  “I have an idea,” said Lucas. He took off his cape and laid it on the beach. “Put some in here,” he suggested.

  They placed the rest of the shells on the cape, often stopping to admire the beauty of a shell as they worked. Then Lucas gently wrapped his cape around the delicate shells. He picked it up and it bulged like a sack of gold.

  “We must have a thousand shells!” he exclaimed.

  “I’ll string them tonight,” said Clara. Then we can hang shell garlands around the arena tomorrow.”

  Then they carefully walked back to Clara’s with their treasures from the sea.

  Not HIM Again!

  * * *

  * * *

  Clara strung the mermaids’ shells the rest of the day. The next morning she loaded her garlands into a wheelbarrow. Lucas steered the wheelbarrow to the blacksmith’s shop and borrowed a hammer and nails. Then they rolled their decorations to the arena.

  Lucas pounded the nails into the fence that surrounded the arena. Clara draped the shell garlands from one nail to the next. She had enough strands to make it all the way around.

  “How did the mermaids know exactly how many shells were needed?” said Clara in amazement.

  “Because mermaids are magical,” said someone behind them.

  Clara and Lucas whirled around, and there stood Gilbert. He had come back with the knights for another practice. Clara frowned. Oh no, she thought. Not HIM again.

  Gilbert bowed to Prince Lucas. Then he turned to Clara and began to clap as if she had just performed some kind of stunt.

  “Well done!” he remarked. “I’m glad to see you’ve found an activity more fitting for a girl!”

  Clara glared at Gilbert. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she said.

  Gilbert chuckled at Clara’s response. “Calm down,” he said. “I was trying to give you a compliment. Are you going to sell seashells at the tournament?”

  “That’s none of your business!” Clara said curtly.

  She didn’t want to admit to Gilbert that she liked anything girly.

  “Clara makes the most beautiful seashell jewelry in the kingdom!” said Lucas proudly.

  “I’m sure she does!” Gilbert exclaimed.

  “Never mind that,” said Clara. Then she challenged the squire. “Are you entering the horse race, Gilbert?”

  “Of course,” he replied.

  “Well, so am I!” Clara declared.

  Gilbert laughed so hard he snorted like a pig. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard!” he said.

  “Why is that funny?” asked Clara, tapping one foot on the dirt.

  “Because girls can’t race!” Gilbert said matter-of-factly.

  “That’s what you think!” she exclaimed. Then she balled up her fists and marched away from the arena—again.

  “Clara, wait!” called Lucas. “Come back!”

  But Clara kept going.

  “I’ll show him!” she muttered as she stormed past the festival tents.

  Prove Yourself!

  * * *

  * * *

  Flutes piped merrily as Lucas, Ruskin, and Clara entered the tournament at the King’s Gate. The big day had finally arrived! Villagers, noblemen, fairies, trolls, gnomes, and wizards had all gathered for the festivities.

  Lucas, Ruskin, and Clara walked to the bakery tent. Mr. Gills handed them each a sweet roll. They licked the icing on the way to the puppet theater. Then they sat on a bale of hay and watched a puppet show about a princess and an evil queen.

  There was so much to see at the tournament! They saw acrobats, potters, and glass blowers. They sipped rainbow tea at the fairies’ tea party. Then the children strolled to the fruits and vegetables tent. A troll juggled tomatoes.

  Splat! A tomato landed on the troll’s head.

  Lucas laughed and pointed. “Hey, that’s our friend Bren!” he cried.

  Bren had helped Clara and Lucas find the vixberries that had cured Ruskin of a terrible illness soon after he had hatched.

  Bren’s cheeks turned red when he saw his friends. He used the back of his hand to wipe the squished tomato from his face.

  “When did you learn to juggle?” asked Clara.

  Bren chuckled. “Last year,” he said. “Someday I hope to become a master juggler!”

  “But I thought you were a farmer,” said Lucas.

  “I am,” said Bren. “But I’d like to be a jester.”

  “Good for you!” declared Clara. “You can be anything you want, Bren—so long as you work hard enough for it!”

  Then Bren smiled and picked out five apples from a nearby stand. He began to juggle them.

  “That’s exactly what I’m going to do,” he said, keeping his eyes on the dancing fruit. “I’m going to prove myself!”

  They watched Bren toss the fruit over and over. Then a bell rang in the distance. Clara counted the number of bells.

  “It’s time to get Scallop ready for the race!” she said excitedly. “It starts in an hour.”

  “I’ll see you at the arena,” Lucas said.

  “Good luck!” added Bren.

  Clara fixed her eyes on the boys. “I’m going to prove myself too!” she said firmly.

  Then she turned and ran toward the stables.

  Be Your Best

  * * *

  * * *

  Lucas and Ruskin wandered the fairgrounds. They had a little time before Lucas would have to drop Ruskin off at the dragon pen.

  They cheered on the gnomes in a tug-of-war match. Their friend Pilwinkle and his team tumbled to the ground as they pulled the other team over the line. After that Ruskin watched Lucas play a game of Jack Straws, a gigantic version of pick-up sticks. Next they scampered toward the ice house.

  “Remember when you melted the ice in the larder?” said Lucas, laughing.

  Ruskin whimpered.

  “We got in so much trouble!”

  Then they stepped into the ice house. The cold air felt good. All around them stood the most beautiful ice sculptures Lucas had ever seen: elephants, mammoths, mermaids, unicorns, knights, and dragons.

  “Look, Ruskin!” cried Lucas. “The giants even made an ice sculpture of us!”

  Lucas looked for someone to thank, but he knew the giants never stayed for the tournament. It was too warm for them near the castle so far beneath the icy mountains.

  “Come on, Ruskin,” said Lucas. “We need to get going!”

  Lucas dropped Ruskin off at the dragon pen. Ruskin had to get ready for the dragon show. Then Lucas went to meet his parents at the fruits and vegetables tent. He spied them by the pumpkin display.

  “I’ve never seen such large pumpkins in all of Wrenly!” commented Queen Tasha.

  “We owe our beautiful crops to the Witch of Bogburp,” said one of the trolls. He tipped his hat to Tilda the witch, who was standing nearby.

  “She has definitely made up for the endless rain she caused earlier,” the troll went on. “Our soil has never been richer!”

  “Well done!” said the king.

  The witch blushed. Then she offered the king an apple from the fairies’ apple orchard.

  “My favorite!” said the king as he took a large bite.

  The royal family sampled carrots, pears, cucumbers, and radishes. Then they handed out ribbons for the biggest and best-tasting fruits and vegetables.

  Soon the horns began to trumpet. The tournament was about to begin! Lucas and his parents headed for the grandstand.

  “I’m sorry you and Ivan can’t race today,” said the king.

  “That’s okay,” said Lucas. “At least I get to cheer on Clara and Gilbert.”

  The king smiled. “You’re a good sport,” he
said.

  “Thanks,” said Lucas. “But the best part of the tournament is watching what others can do.”

  The king patted his son on the back. “That’s what it’s all about,” agreed the king.

  The Big Race

  * * *

  * * *

  “Hear ye! Hear ye! It’s time for the tournament to begin!” shouted a herald to signal the start of the games. Then the dragons of Crestwood—red, green, purple, blue, and bronze—roared. The crowd looked up as the dragons flapped overhead in a V formation. Ruskin led the way.

  The dragons swooped into loops, rolls, and spins—all in unison. They even flew upside down in formation. Then the dragons shot straight up and fanned out like the petals of a flower. The crowd whooped and cheered.

  “Go, Ruskin!” cried Lucas.

  “Bravo!” shouted the king.

  Then the horns sounded again. The individual jousting began. The Knight of Thornwood and the Knight of Briarwood paraded into the arena in bulky shining armor. They held their shields proudly.

  Sir Hugh had a lion on his shield. Sir Alwin wore a bear on his. The crowd hushed as the knights took their places at opposite ends of the arena. The horses tossed their heads and stamped the ground. The knights sat stock-still on their steeds. They pointed their lances and peered at each other through the slits in their helmets.

  Suddenly the horses charged toward each other. The knights gripped their lances. Hooves thundered across the arena. Lucas braced for the impact. Then—whack!—wood splintered everywhere as Sir Hugh slammed his opponent’s shield with his lance. Sir Alwin hit the ground with a clatter.

  Lucas jumped to his feet and cheered with the crowd.

  Sir Hugh took a victory lap. Then, like a gentle­man, he helped Sir Alwin get up. Sir Alwin waved to the crowd to show he was unharmed. The crowd cheered even louder.

  Someday I will be the best knight, Lucas thought.

  Team jousting and sword fighting followed. The squires played Grab the Flag, and Gilbert’s team took first place.

  Then it was time for the horse race. Lucas sat on his hands to keep from jumping out of his seat. The young horsemen as well as the lone horsewoman, Clara, lined up at the starting line.

  “Clara’s the only girl,” remarked the king.

  “That’s right!” Lucas said proudly.

  “Good for her!” said the queen.

  Lucas spotted Gilbert. His horse was bigger and had longer legs than Scallop. He’ll be tough to beat, thought Lucas. Then the arena grew quiet. Gilbert folded his long legs close to his horse’s sides. He flattened his lean frame along the horse’s back. Clara did the same.

  A herald blew the horn. Gilbert shot from the starting line. Whoa, thought Lucas. He’s fast! Gilbert easily took the lead. Lucas kept his eyes on Clara and Scallop. They moved like one being. Gilbert and Clara left the other riders behind in a cloud of dust. They rode shoulder to shoulder as they thundered toward the finish line. The crowd roared as Clara crossed the line first.

  “She did it!” Lucas shouted.

  “She sure did!” exclaimed the queen.

  “Wow!” cried the king, clapping.

  People poured from the grandstand and surrounded Clara. Her parents wriggled their way through the crowd to give their daughter a hug. Then Sir Hugh crowned Clara with a wreath of flowers.

  “First place goes to Clara Gills!” announced the knight.

  The crowd clapped and cheered. Lucas whistled.

  “You must come train with me when you’re older,” said Sir Hugh.

  Clara’s eyes filled with wonder. “I would be most honored!” she cried.

  Then Gilbert held out his hand. “I was wrong about you, Clara,” he said thoughtfully. “You’ve proven that you can do anything you set your mind to. You will make a fine knight.”

  Clara shook his hand and smiled. “Actually, I’m not really sure if I want to be a knight,” she confessed.

  Gilbert looked surprised. “You don’t?”

  “No,” said Clara. “The armor looks too heavy and clunky.”

  King Caleb laughed. “It is!”

  “Three cheers for Clara!” cried Lucas.

  And everyone cheered in celebration.

  Hear ye! Hear ye! Presenting the next book from The Kingdom of Wrenly! Here’s a sneak peek!

  The Secret World of Mermaids

  Prince Lucas and his best friend, Clara, swept dirt, leaves, and bits of straw into a corner of Ruskin’s lair. They wanted the cave to be clean when Ruskin returned. Ruskin still had another week of training on the island of Crestwood. He was perfecting his fire breathing, and Grom had told Lucas that being around other dragons was good for him.

  “Look at all the cobwebs!” cried Clara, pointing to the lair’s corners.

  “This place seems more like a home for spiders than for a dragon,” agreed Lucas. “I can’t wait until Ruskin can go on more adventures with us,” the prince continued.

  “Me too,” agreed Clara. “I wonder what land we’ll discover next.”

  “Well, wherever it is,” answered Lucas, “I’m going to be the one to discover it!”

  Clara stopped sweeping for a moment. “Why do you say it like that?”

  Lucas shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it’s because you always find everything first,” said Lucas.

  “I’m not trying to,” Clara responded. “It’s just because I know my way around the kingdom from all the bread deliveries I’ve done with my father.”

  “I know,” said Lucas, “but I wish I could discover something before you just once.”

  “Well, don’t worry,” she said, pulling off a cobweb. “I know you’ll uncover many mysteries before me. Just keep your eyes open.”

  JORDAN QUINN grew up in a fairy-tale castle in England. It had a spiral stone staircase, a moat, and a dungeon. As a child she liked to play hide-and-go-seek and ride her beloved horse, Prince Charming. When she wasn’t riding, she wrote stories about fairies, trolls, dragons, and wizards. Today, Jordan lives on a ranch in California with her husband, son, and a golden retriever named Sir Toots-a-Lot.

  ROBERT MCPHILLIPS has been involved in a wide variety of projects over the years—from illustrating greeting cards to animation. But he has always loved children’s books, and after many years he has turned his attention back to that. Robert makes his home in Wiltshire, England, with his wife, Sam.

  KingdomofWrenlyBooks.com

  Meet the author and illustrator and get activities at

  KIDS.SimonandSchuster.com

  authors.simonandschuster.com/Jordan-Quinn

  authors.simonandschuster.com/Robert-McPhillips

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  LITTLE SIMON

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  First Little Simon hardcover edition March 2015

  Copyright © 2015 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Also available in a Little Simon paperback edition.

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  LITTLE SIMON is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc., and associated colophon is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

  Jacket and interior designed by Laura Roode

  Jacket illustration copyright © 2015 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Quinn, Jordan. Let th
e games begin! / by Jordan Quinn ; illustrated by Robert McPhillips. — First edition. pages cm. — (The kingdom of Wrenly ; 7)

  Summary: As diverse subjects of Wrenly gather from far and wide to participate in the kingdom's Grand Tournament, a rude squire declares that girls cannot be knights, which makes Clara determined to prove that she can be anything she wants as long as she works hard enough for it.

  ISBN 978-1-4814-2379-3 (pbk : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-4814-2380-9 (hc : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-4814-2381-6 (ebook) [1. Knights and knighthood—Fiction. 2. Sex role—Fiction. 3. Tournaments, Medieval—Fiction. 4. Princes—Fiction. 5. Kings, queens, rulers, etc.—Fiction. 6. Dragons—Fiction.] I. McPhillips, Robert, illustrator. II. Title.

  PZ7.Q31945Let 2015

  [Fic]—dc23

  2014014827