Never Trust a Troll! by Kate McMullan Read Free Book Online Page B

Bubbles!”
    “He’s great!” shouted Bilge.
    “Yeah!” shouted Maggot.
    “You should see his clamshell dive,” Aggie said. “Amazing.”
    Wiglaf watched the blue dragon curl up in a tuck position and do a series of somersaults just under the surface of the water.
    As Bubbles spun, Wiglaf tapped Aggie on the shoulder. She turned toward him, and he put his finger to his lips.
    Aggie nodded. She didn’t say a word.
    Wiglaf beckoned her over toward the woods. Quickly, he explained his plan to her.
    Aggie smiled. “Help Grock? Sure. You can count on me!” she said.
    “This plan may not work,” said Wiglaf. “But we must try it-to save Sir Mort.”
    Aggie nodded. “I shall make it work!” she said.
    The two of them went back and watched the grand finale of Bubbles’s show.
    “Thank you, thank you,” said Bubbles as they clapped for him.
    Now Wiglaf cupped his hands to his mouth and called, “Bubbles?”
    “Yes?” said the dragon.
    “How about playing some music on your horn?” asked Wiglaf.
    “Happy to,” the dragon said. “Any requests?”
    “‘Blue Dragon,”’ said Wiglaf.
    Bubbles smiled. “Oh, I love that song! It’s my favorite.”
    “Mine, too,” Aggie said. “Mind if I sing along?”
    Bubbles didn’t answer. He was already playing the bluesy tune softly on his horn.
    Aggie started singing the words:
    “Once I was a fierce young dragon,
All the world was mine!
Once I was a lucky dragon,
Back then life was fine.
     
    “Then I fell for you,
And when you said, ‘We’re through.’
What could I do?
But be blue, oh, so blue.
Now I’m a blue blue dragon...”
    As quietly as he could, Wiglaf backed away, then he sneaked over to Grock’s rock.
    “Grock!” he whispered. “Come slay Bubbles.”
    “Nah, buddy,” said Grock. “Not tonight.”
    “This is your one and only chance to become a dragon slayer,” said Wiglaf.
    Grock shook his head.
    “Please! You have to!” said Wiglaf. “I—I’ll give you something. Anything!”
    Grock’s little yellow eyes lit up. “What, buddy?”

    Wiglaf had no pennies. He did not have much.
    “Angus is bringing down some of his stash,” said Wiglaf. “You like candy?”
    “Nah,” said Grock. “I like eyeballs, don’t I?”
    Wiglaf’s mind was spinning. He had to think of something.
    “My book!” he blurted out. “The one Brother Dave gave me.”
    “Is it a good book, buddy?” asked Grock.
    “It’s the best book ever,” said Wiglaf. He couldn’t stand to think of Grock taking a big bite out of The Knight and His Dragon. But he was desperate. He had to save Sir Mort.
    “Mmmm, a good book,” said Grock. He began to drool. “Okay, buddy, deal. What I have to do?”
    “Sneak up on Bubbles while he’s playing his horn,” said Wiglaf. “Get really close.”
    The peppery smell began to rise from the troll.
    “Will you do it, Grock?” asked Wiglaf.
    “Yah, sure. I promise, buddy,” said Grock. “Gimme yer book.”
    Wiglaf slipped The Knight and His Dragon from his belt. Now he’d never know how it ended. This book had belonged to Brother Dave’s great-great-grandfather. How sad that it was going to end up as a troll snack.
    Wiglaf held up the book. “You get this after you deal with Bubbles,” he said.
    “Nah,” said the troll. “Now!”
    “First the dragon,” Wiglaf said firmly. “Then the book.”

Chapter 10
    W iglaf stuck his book back under his belt. He grabbed Grock’s hairy hand and led him quietly toward the moat.
    Aggie and the dragon were still making music together. Wiglaf thought they sounded excellent.
    “Once I was a happy dragon,
Flying through the clouds.
Once I was a snappy dragon,
Roaring oh so loud.”
    When they got close to the moat, Grock stopped. “Changed me mind, didn’t I?” he said.
    “You promised, Grock,” whispered Wiglaf.
    “I be a troll!” Grock whispered back. “I never keep me promises!”
    “You’re keeping this one, Grock,” said Wiglaf. He didn’t really need to