Dragon's Breath by E. D. Baker Read Free Book Online

I think he prefers soup."
    Another wave curled over our heads. I grabbed hold of the creature's smooth-skinned edge, gasping as he plunged into the heart of the wave. Flying beneath the violence of the surface, Manta's body rose and fell as his triangular wings propelled us through the water. His rhythmic movements were soothing and much more comfortable than the flying carpet. It would have been peaceful if it weren't for the muffled roar of the storm and the strange booms and wails that grew clearer as Manta dove.
    "What's that sound?" I asked.
    "Just the whales talking," Manta gurgled. "They say the storm is ending."
    After a while, the voices of the whales died away, replaced by a series of high-pitched chirps and whistles. "Is that another whale?" I asked.
    "That's a porpoise. Those guys are such comedians. They're always coming up with new jokes. Hey, have you heard this one? Why did the porpoise cross the ocean?"
    "How would we know?" said Eadric. "We've never even met a porpoise!"
    "You don't have to meet one. It's a joke! Come on, let's try it again. Why did the porpoise cross the ocean?"
    "I don't know," I said. "Why?"
    "To get to the other tide."
    Eadric grunted and made a face.
    "I'm sorry we don't understand your joke, Manta, but we're not familiar with the ocean. We've come a long way to find my grandmother," I said. "She's on an island near here and needs our help."
    Manta dipped a wing and turned abruptly. "There's only one island around this part of the sea. I'll have you there in three shakes of a mermaid's tail. Hold tight, I'm going up to look around."
    Flapping his wings in long, powerful strokes, Manta sped to the surface, shooting straight into the air, and twisting before he fell. The sun had come out, and the clouds were disappearing on the horizon. Although the waves were still high, they were nothing like they'd been only a short time before.
    An island stood off to our right. It was a beautiful place, with strange, frond-topped trees and a pure white shore. I caught a quick glimpse of huts and people in brightly colored clothes, but Manta flopped back into the water before I could see much more.
    Circling the island, Manta brought us close to shore at a lonely spot well past the huts. I plopped into the shallows beside Eadric, who scrambled out of the water as quickly as he could. Holding on to Manta so that the waves wouldn't carry me away, I said, "Thank you for helping us. Most creatures wouldn't have bothered."
    "It was my pleasure," he replied, his edges rippling. "I love meeting strange creatures, and you two are some of the strangest I've ever met!"

Six
    Eadric had waited for me at the water's edge. He was frowning, and I knew he wasn't in a good mood. "Grassina was right when she said you should work on your spells. What were you thinking of with that last one? Winged creature? You could have called up anything from a gnat to a dragon!"
    "I was trying to call a bird."
    "Some bird!" he said.
    "At least I tried! I didn't see you doing anything to save us."
    "Huh!" said Eadric. He turned away and hopped stiffly up the beach. I followed only a few paces behind, tired, thirsty and with a terrible headache.
    "We have to find fresh water," I said to Eadric's rigid back.
    "That's where I'm going now," he grumbled. "I thought I saw sunlight reflecting off water behind these trees."
    "I hope you're right," I muttered.
    Although the rain had cooled the sand temporarily, it was already becoming hot beneath our feet. I tried to make long hops so that my feet didn't have to touch the scorching ground as often.
    I was trying to keep up with Eadric when I bumped into a brown ball covered with coarse, thick hairs. The ball rolled aside, revealing a small green crab. I backed away when the crab clacked its claws in the air. A chorus of claws sprang up around me; I was surrounded by crabs even bigger and meaner than the first one.
    "Eadric!" I shouted, hopping from one vacant patch of ground to another as