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

nodded.
    â€˜Right,’ he said.
    Emlyn came back into the room with a couple of shotguns. ‘Right, then, lads. Are you going back to Maesglas to fetch guns for yourself and Rhodri?’ he asked Bryn.
    â€˜Yes, and I’ll bring Claire here, if it’s OK. I don’t like the idea of her being at the farm alone, if there are really wolves around.’
    Bryn left the farmhouse and was soon back with Claire, and two shotguns.
    Emlyn turned to Gwen. ‘Now you lock yourselves in. Don’t go outside until we’re back. We won’t be long.’
    â€˜I don’t like this,’ said Gwen. ‘You’re putting yourselves in danger, for no good reason. Why can’t you just take Mike’s word?’
    Rhodri patted her shoulder. ‘It’s OK, Gwen, really. Even if we did meet wolves, they’d be unlikely to attack five grown men. Especially when they hear the guns. Don’t you worry.’
    The men went out into the farmyard. At the kitchen door, Emlyn turned round. ‘Tell Erin where I’ve gone,’ he said to Gwen. ‘And tell her I’m sorry. I could have handled that better.’ He shut the door behind him, and Gwen and Claire looked at each other nervously.
    â€˜I don’t know about you,’ Gwen said, ‘but I could do with another cuppa. While I make it, would you go up and tell Erin to come down now? I’d be happier if we were all in the same room, until the men get back.’
    Gwen made more tea and the four of them gathered round the kitchen table. They all sat rigidly, straining to listen for any noise outside. Erin’s eyes were still red from crying but she managed a watery smile, when her mother hugged her.
    â€˜They’ll soon be back, Mam,’ she began, ‘and then—’
    She was cut off by a terrible howl from the direction of the church. Her hand flew to her mouth. They all jumped to their feet and then they heard a commotion of shouts and snarling. Claire turned to Gwen.
    â€˜Get me a shotgun, Gwen,’ she said. ‘I’m going outside. Don’t worry,’ she added, as the other woman faltered. ‘I’m a good shot.’
    But before Gwen had time to fetch one from the gun-rack in the study, the men came running back down the farm drive and spilled into the kitchen.
    â€˜Erin, I owe you an apology, my love,’ said her father sombrely. ‘And Mike and Jonah. You were right all along.’
    Just as the men were coming back from the church, where they had a glimpse of the nasty little creatures the children had seen on the roof, the wolves had come down from the woods. They had sprung into the lane again, but the five men had been able to hold them off for long enough to sprint back to the farmhouse.
    â€˜But it was weird. None of us got a decent shot at them,’ Rhodri said.
    Ted turned to Emlyn. ‘Don’t you think we ought to get your animals inside, Boss?’
    â€˜Good point. We must round them up right away,’ said Emlyn.
    â€˜Yes, let’s get the stock in the barns first, and then we have to get out and warn local people quickly,’ Bryn said urgently, ‘or someone’s going to be killed.’
    Emlyn suddenly stared at Bryn, and then looked round the group. ‘Someone’s going to get killed,’ he repeated softly. ‘Yet have you noticed? We’ve six or seven ferocious predators in the valley but not a single sheep nor any of your cattle, Bryn, seem to have been hurt.’ He looked round the group. ‘They aren’t hunting to eat.’
    It was true. Bryn’s Hereford cattle and all the sheep in the meadows along the lane seemed perfectly calm and undisturbed.
    â€˜It’s people they are after,’ said Bryn, slowly.
    â€˜Somehow,’ said Gwen, ‘that makes the situation more frightening. We have to let everyone know.’
    â€˜Well, we can’t phone. I suggest we go now and bring in the