The Wrath of the Lizard Lord by Jon Mayhew Read Free Book Online Page B

Walbridge’s drawn face. Cutter and the others crowded around him.
    ‘Well?’ he said, not daring to meet Walbridge’s eyes.
    ‘Oginski survived the removal of the bullet,’ Walbridge said, rubbing his eyes. Dakkar noticed the man’s bloody apron and sleeves. ‘The next few days are crucial. If he can fight the infection, we may be able to save his arm. Otherwise I’ll have to amputate, and even then he may not survive.’
    ‘Can I see him?’ Dakkar said, starting forward to the stairs.
    Walbridge blocked his path. ‘The man needs rest,’ he said. ‘Leave him to sleep. He is safe and secure here. I will keep an eye on him.’
    ‘But –’
    ‘Oginski is as strong as an ox, Dakkar,’ Cutter said, gripping him by the shoulders and staring deep into his eyes. ‘He is a fighter. You get some rest.’
    ‘How can I rest when Oginski’s life hangs in the balance?’ Dakkar muttered and stalked out of the cottage, letting the fresh sea breeze slap him awake.
    They care about him too , Dakkar thought. His mind was a confusion of fear and even jealousy. But how can I even talk with these men? They’d go back to Cryptos tomorrow if Oginski led them .
    Dakkar shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out the claw that he’d found on Elba. He turned it over in his fingers.
    Piper leaned against the front door of the cottage, his arms folded.
    ‘That’s a mean-looking spike and no mistake,’ he said, nodding to the claw. ‘Where’s it from?’
    ‘Elba,’ Dakkar replied. ‘I found it wedged in a door from there. I wonder what kind of creature it is.’
    ‘There’s someone who might know something,’ Piper said, nodding out to sea. ‘A girl. Mary Anning’s her name.’
    ‘A girl?’ Dakkar frowned.
    ‘Yeah,’ Piper continued. ‘She collects all manner of strange petrified things from the beach and sells ’em to folks. Dragon’s Teeth and Devil’s Fingernails. That thing’s as close to what she sells as I can imagine. She might know what kind of creature it’s from.’
    ‘You really think she’ll be able to help?’ Dakkar asked dubiously.
    ‘Well, if nothing more, it’ll get you down on the beach.’ Piper grinned. ‘There’s a stiff breeze coming in from the sea. That’ll put some colour in your cheeks at least.’ He winked. ‘And what’s better for taking your mind off poor old Oginski than talkin’ to a pretty young girl?’
    Dakkar felt his cheeks redden. ‘Thank you, Piper,’ he muttered and headed to the beach.
    The town had woken up now but it was a grey morning in early spring. A few people walked past him, the fishermen touching the brim of their caps, and a few hardy, well-off gentlefolk giving him a cold stare while holding on to their hats.
    Dakkar made his way down on to the beach and scraped his feet through the shingle as he strolled along. He took a deep breath and felt the wind whipping his face. The waves pounded the shore just a few feet from him.
    He plunged his hands into his pockets. The claw felt sharp and hard in his palm. Maybe this Anning girl could help , Dakkar thought, but he strongly suspected that Piper was just trying to divert his thoughts away from poor old Oginski.
    A metallic ringing carried on the wind, making Dakkar pause. He glanced up the beach to the cliffs and saw a girl hammering at the rock with what looked like a tiny pick. Her long skirt and shawl flapped in the stiffening breeze and she held on to her bonnet with one hand as she swung the small pick with the other.
    Dakkar hurried through the shingle to get nearer.
    The girl turned; Dakkar could see a pair of fierce eyes and a tight, buttonhole mouth. Black ringlets of hair spilled out of her bonnet’s brim, hardly containing it at all.
    ‘I beg your pardon. I didn’t mean to –’ Dakkar began, but a rock fell from above him, landing inches away, then another and another.
    Small stones bounced off his head and shoulder. Then a deep rumbling followed and shadow fell across the two of