Jonah and the Last Great Dragon by M E. Holley Read Free Book Online

too,’ she added to Mike, ‘before you rush off. You need something to keep you going. Erin, there’s some bara brith in the larder that I made this morning. Bring the butter too, cariad.’
    Just as they settled down with mugs of tea and slices of fruit bread thickly spread with butter, they heard vehicles in the farmyard and Mr Morgan came in with his farmhand, Ted, followed by Bryn and his brother, Rhodri.
    â€˜Do you know that none of the phone landlines are working, Gwen, and we can’t use our mobiles either!’ announced Emlyn Morgan. ‘I’ve driven all up the valley and I’ve been right round by Pilleth as far as Bleddfa. Nothing’s working! Bryn was on his way here to see if we knew what was happening. A couple of us will have to go into town to see what we can do.’
    â€˜We can’t get a signal anywhere,’ put in Ted.
    Emlyn went across to the radio, and noticed Mike. ‘Oh, hello there,’ he said, nodding to him, as he switched it on. There was a buzz of talking, as Rhodri greeted Jonah, whom he had not seen since Bryn’s wedding, and Mrs Morgan introduced Mike to everyone.
    â€˜Oh, I’ve forgotten your surname,’ she exclaimed.
    Mike smiled. ‘Don’t worry, Mrs Morgan. Just “Mike” will do.’
    Emlyn was switching from channel to channel on the radio. ‘Nothing,’ he exclaimed. ‘I can’t get a signal.’ He looked at the electric kettle, which Mrs Morgan had filled again. ‘Well, the kettle’s boiling. So it’s not the whole electricity supply. That’s a bit odd.’
    â€˜And did you hear some terrible howling noises?’ put in Bryn. ‘A few minutes ago? Like a pack of dogs or something?’
    Gwen Morgan stood up. ‘I’ll get some more bara brith,’ she began to say, but then her voice faltered and she had to turn away.
    â€˜Gwen!’ Emlyn Morgan stared at his wife in consternation. ‘What ever is the matter, love?’
    â€˜I’ve something to tell you,’ she said in a wobbly voice. ‘That howling, Bryn. Erin and Jonah were nearly killed this afternoon. We have Mike to thank for saving them.’
    The new arrivals stared.
    â€˜What happened?’ asked Rhodri. Then he noticed the plasters showing at the neck of Jonah’s tee-shirt. ‘What’s the matter with
    your shoulder?’
    Quietly, Mike answered for him. ‘Jonah was bitten but don’t worry. It’s just a flesh wound and bad bruising, thankfully.’ He stopped and looked round the table, as if wondering how best to explain. ‘Just now, as they were coming home from the church, the children were attacked by...’ He paused and looked uncomfortably at the wondering faces. ‘By some wolves,’ he finished.
    The adults gaped at him.
    Bryn turned to Jonah. ‘Wolves! That’s impossible! There are no wolves in Wales!’ Distractedly he ran his hand through his black hair. ‘I can’t believe you said that.’
    Emlyn Morgan leaned against the fridge with his arms folded, eyes narrowed cynically, as he surveyed Mike Golding. ‘By here,’ he said slowly, ‘we don’t believe in fairy stories. The last wolf in Wales was shot more than a hundred years ago, just up the road in Bleddfa.’ He straightened up and locked eyes with the young man. ‘I don’t appreciate you filling these kids’ heads with nonsense, see? Bad enough that they were set on by a pack of dogs, without you making them too scared to leave the house.’
    â€˜Mr Morgan, I...’ Mike started to say but Erin butted in.
    â€˜They were wolves, Dad. They were!’
    Emlyn ruffled her dark brown curls.
    â€˜I know you thought they were, cariad, but let’s just be rational, eh? It would have been on the news, stands to reason, if a whole pack of wolves had escaped from somewhere.’
    Erin twisted away, her face reddening and