Dragon Masters #2: Saving the Sun Dragon (A Branches Book) Read online

  Ana stood up. “Well, my book has a potion

  in it called Wicked-Away,” she said. “It heals

  creatures harmed by dark magic.”

  She brought the book to Griffith. His eyes

  lit up.

  “This might do it! It’s

  not just for Sun Dragons

  so I’m not sure if it will

  work. But it’s worth a try,”

  he said. “Drake and Bo, go

  to my workshop. Bring

  back a jar of moonbeams

  and a sack of sunflower

  seeds. Hurry!”

  The boys raced into

  the hall to Griffith’s workshop. The workshop

  was filled with bottles and jars. The bottles

  and jars were stuffed with strange plants and

  filled with potions.

  Drake walked to the left side of the room,

  and Bo took the right side. Drake picked up a

  jar with purple liquid inside.

  “Lily dew,” he read out loud. He checked

  a few more jars—and then saw something

  glowing on the top shelf. Standing on his toes,

  he grabbed it.

  A pale blue light shimmered inside the jar.

  Drake read the label.

  “Moonbeams! I’ve got them!” he shouted.

  “And I’ve got the seeds,” Bo said. “Let’s go!”

  When they got back to the classroom, Rori

  was stirring liquid in a black metal pot. Ana

  was reading directions aloud from her book.

  Griffith clapped his hands when he saw the

  two boys.

  “That was fast! Now, let’s make this healing

  potion,” said Griffith. “Drake, empty the jar

  into the pot. Bo, add three seeds, please.”

  Drake carefully opened the jar lid. The

  moonbeams slid out like water. Then Bo

  dropped in three black seeds.

  “Keep stirring, Rori,” Griffith said.

  Rori stirred.

  The liquid turned blue and

  started to shine. A soft light came from the

  pot. Griffith scooped up some liquid with a

  ladle and put it in a clean jar.

  “Will this potion make Kepri feel better?”

  Bo asked.

  “There’s only one way to find out,” Griffith

  said.

  They all walked to Kepri’s cave. Her eyes

  were closed, and her yellow scales had lost

  their shine.

  Griffith handed the

  jar to Ana. “You are her

  Dragon Master. She will

  listen to you. She must

  drink this,” he said.

  Ana nodded. She

  walked up to Kepri.

  “I have something for

  you,” she said softly.

  Kepri opened her eyes. She smiled when

  she saw Ana. “We made it for you—to make

  you well again,” Ana said, holding up the jar.

  Kepri opened her mouth. Ana slowly poured

  the potion inside.

  “This has got to work,” she whispered.

  T

  he Dragon Masters crowded around Kepri.

  “Feel better?” Ana asked her dragon. But

  Kepri just closed her eyes again.

  Bo looked at Griffith. “Will the potion work

  right away?”

  “I do not know,”Griffith said. “We must wait

  and see. You all should head to dinner while I

  stay with Kepri.”

  “I’m not leaving her,” Ana said firmly.

  aNa'S StORy

  Griffith put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  “Ana, you must take care of yourself,” he said.

  “You must stay strong for Kepri. I will send for

  you if anything changes.”

  The Dragon Masters left the cave, leaving a

  worried wizard and a sick dragon behind them.

  Up in the dining room, they all picked at

  their dinner. Ana only ate a few bites of food.

  Drake ate some carrots and chicken—but only

  about half as much as usual. Bo stared at his

  plate. Even Rori was quiet for a change.

  Then the door at the end of the room banged

  open. One of the king’s soldiers walked in.

  “Do you have news about Kepri?” Ana asked.

  The soldier walked over to Drake without

  saying a word. He handed him a rolled-up

  piece of paper.

  Drake opened it. “It’s a letter from my mom!”

  Drake felt tears sting his eyes. He knew he

  was doing important work for the king, but

  he still missed his mom.

  “I wish I could tell my family about the

  dragons,” Drake said.

  “They have to be kept a secret,” Rori warned.

  “I wish my father would write to me

  more often,” Ana said. “I’d like to hear about

  his adventures.”

  “What kind of adventures?” Bo asked.

  “My father sells beautiful fabrics,” she said.

  “He travels all over far-away lands selling them.

  And we lived near the pyramids, so I often

  went there with him.”

  “What’s a pyramid?” Rori asked.

  “It holds a king’s body after he dies. It’s sort

  of shaped like this.” Ana made a triangle shape

  with her hands. “The pyramids are bigger than

  anything you’ve ever seen.”

  “Your dad's adventures sound amazing,”

  said Drake.

  “They are.” Ana sighed. “But they’re also

  dangerous. There are many robbers on the

  roads. The robbers steal from people who

  have goods to sell—like our fabrics. And they

  often steal gold and other treasures from the

  pyramids. That is why my father did not

  argue when King Roland’s men came for me.

  He knew I would be safer elsewhere.”

  Ana looked sad. Bo was quiet.

  I guess everyone else is just as homesick as

  I am

  , Drake thought.

  After dinner, Drake and Bo went to the

  room that they shared. Drake climbed into

  bed and fell asleep right away. He dreamed

  of rivers and big tombs shaped like triangles.

  Then the desert sky turned green ... bright

  green. Drake woke up.

  The green Dragon Stone around his neck

  was glowing brightly.

  Worm needs me!

  Drake thought.

  Then he heard Worm’s voice inside his mind.

  Come now!

  D

  rake jumped out of bed. He shook Bo

  awake.

  “Worm needs us!” Drake cried.

  That was all Bo needed to hear. The boys

  raced downstairs to the door that led to the

  dragon training area. Drake tried to open it.

  “It’s locked!” Drake cried.

  “Good thing I have a key,” said a voice.

  WorM CAllS

  Drake and Bo turned around. Rori and Ana

  were standing there. Rori held up a key.

  “Where did you get that?” Drake asked.

  “I swiped it from one of the castle guards

  when I first got here,” Rori said. “It’s a skeleton

  key. It opens up

  all

  the locks in the castle.”

  “We came running as soon as we heard you

  two stomping down the hall!” Ana added.

  “We figured something was up.”

  “I’m glad you came. But please hurry!
”

  Drake said.

  Rori opened the door.

  When they got to Kepri’s cave, Worm was

  in front of it.

  How did Worm get out of his cave?

  Drake

  wondered.

  “Worm, what’s wrong?” he asked.

  Worm nodded toward Kepri. The gate to

  her cave was open and the Dragon Masters

  stepped inside. Griffith was asleep in the corner.

  Books were piled around him.

  Kepri was asleep, too—but she looked sicker

  than before. Her scales looked dull. She looked

  thin and pale.Her breathing was loud and heavy.

  The Dragon Masters were stunned.

  “She wasn’t this sick earlier,” Rori said.“Did

  the potion make her worse?”

  “Maybe it just didn't work,” Bo said.

  “We have to

  do something

  !

  ”

  Ana cried.

  Drake looked at Worm.

  “Isn't there anything we can do?” Drake

  whispered.

  Worm’s body began to glow. Drake wasn’t

  sure why, but he knew just what to do. He

  put one hand on Worm’s snout and one hand

  on Kepri’s tail.

  “Everybody, touch Worm! Now!” he yelled.

  Startled, his friends obeyed. They all laid

  their hands on Worm.

  Griffith’s eyes snapped open.

  “What is going on?” the wizard asked.

  But before Drake could answer, green light

  exploded in the room, blinding them.

  D

  rake felt weird. He couldn’t feel the ground

  under his feet. But he could still feel his hand

  on Worm. His stomach did a flip-flop.

  Then the green light faded. Drake blinked.

  His feet landed on sand, and he could feel cool

  air on his face.

  faR-aWay LaNdS

  Worm, Kepri, and the Dragon Masters were

  standing on a pathway. A white stone wall

  lined one side of the path. On the other side

  of them was a tall, strangely shaped building.

  Griffith was not with them.

  Worm, why did you bring us here?

  Drake

  wondered.

  Drake looked up at the big building. Each

  of the building’s four sides was shaped like

  a triangle. The pointy top was capped with

  shining gold.

  Ana’s eyes got wide. “A pyramid!” she cried.

  “Drake, what have you done? Where are

  we?” Rori asked. She sounded scared.

  Ana turned to her. “I think we are in my

  homeland.”

  “But how . . . ?” Drake started to say. Then

  he looked at Worm. The dragon’s green eyes

  were shining. “Worm must have used his mind

  powers to bring us here!”

  “That’s impossible!” said Rori. “Dragons

  can’t travel halfway across the world using

  their minds.”

  “Look around you, Rori,” Bo said. “It must

  be possible. We are no longer in the Kingdom

  of Bracken.”

  “But why didn’t Worm bring Vulcan and

  Shu with us?” Rori asked.

  Drake thought back to Kepri’s cave. “We were

  all touching Worm. And I was touching Kepri.

  But the other dragons were still in their caves.”

  “And now we are here, in the land where

  Kepri and I were born,” said Ana.

  “Wait! Remember what I read in Griffith’s

  book—about Sun Dragon twins?” Rori asked,

  her voice getting excited. “It said that every

  Sun Dragon has a Moon Dragon twin that

  can heal it.”

  “So Kepri’s twin might be here!” said Bo.

  “Do you think that’s why Worm brought

  us here?” asked Drake.

  Suddenly, they heard loud voices. The

  voices came from the other side of the stone

  wall. Drake didn’t understand the language.

  But Ana did. “Oh, no! Robbers! They often

  come to the pyramids to steal things. That

  must be why they are here! We cannot let

  anyone see us—or our dragons!”

  “But there’s nowhere to hide!” said Bo.

  Just then, a boy stepped out from the

  shadows. He had golden-brown skin and

  black hair, like Ana.

  “Follow me!” he said.

  R

  ori stepped closer to the boy. “Why should

  we follow you?” she asked. “We don’t even

  know you!”

  “Trust me,” the boy said, just as the robbers’

  voices grew louder.“I am surprised to see that

  you have dragons. But I know how to keep

  them safe. Come on!”

  “We must hurry!” Ana said.

  A StRanGe bOy

  They had no choice. The boy waved for

  them to follow him. He touched the pyramid.

  One of the big stones pushed in, revealing an

  opening.

  A secret door!

  Drake thought.

  “Inside, quick!” the boy said. “Dragons first.”

  He stepped aside to let them in. Kepri was

  weak, but Worm nudged her gently with his

  nose. She stepped through the door. As Drake

  walked past the boy, he saw a cord around the

  boy’s neck. Something green and sparkling

  was dangling from the cord.

  A Dragon Stone!

  The boy slipped in behind Drake and the

  secret door closed. They were inside a dark

  tunnel. Flaming torches lined the walls.

  Drake turned to the boy.

  “Who are you? Are you a Dragon Master,

  too?” He pointed to the green stone around

  the boy’s neck. Ana, Rori, and Bo gasped when

  they saw it.

  The boy smiled. “My name is Heru,” he said.

  “I do not know what a Dragon Master is. My

  father gave me this stone.”

  “King Roland calls us Dragon Masters,” Drake

  explained.“We were chosen by the Dragon

  Stone to work with dragons.”

  “I have not heard of King Roland. Are you

  from far away?” Heru asked.

  Bo nodded. “Very far.”

  Heru frowned. “How strange. Can you tell

  me why Wati brought me here tonight?”

  Ana was stroking Kepri’s neck. The dragon’s

  eyes seemed brighter now that she was inside

  the pyramid.

  “Who’s Wati?” Drake asked.

  Heru grinned. “He is my dragon.”

  By now they had left the tunnel. They

  were inside a dark room. Drake looked up. The

  ceiling was so far above that he couldn’t see

  it. Then something appeared out of the

  darkness. A huge, black dragon flew

  down from the ceiling. His eyes

  glowed bright yellow.

  “Aaaiieeeee!”

  With a loud cry, the

  dragon flew down,

  charging right at

  them!

  G

  et down, everyone!” Drake yelled. The

  Dragon Masters all ducked. But the dragon

  was not after them.

  He came to a stop right next to Kepri. The

  dragon wrapped his wings around her and

  made a happy, purring sound.

  KepRi and WaTi

  “It looks like they know eac
h other,” Drake

  said, pointing to the two dragons.

  Wati was gently stroking Kepri’s back with

  one of his wings. Her eyes were closed, and

  her head was drooping. Wati had black scales,

  and Kepri had white scales. But they had the

  same graceful bodies and yellow-tipped wings.

  “They look a lot alike,” said Bo.

  “Yes, except that Kepri has light scales and

  Wati has dark scales,” added Drake. “Light and

  dark—”

  “Like the sun and the moon!” Rori yelled.

  Ana’s mouth dropped open. “This is what

  we’d been hoping for!”

  Heru looked thrilled. “Wati is a Moon

  Dragon. My father taught me that all Moon

  Dragons have a twin—a Sun Dragon,” he said.

  “Wati must have known that Kepri would

  be in this pyramid tonight. That explains

  why he suddenly flew off earlier. I am glad

  that I followed him here.”

  Drake was starting to figure it out. “So,

  Kepri must have known that Wati could heal

  her,” he said. “And she must have told Worm

  about her twin. That’s how Worm knew to

  bring her here!”

  “Is Worm an Earth Dragon?” Heru asked.

  Drake nodded.

  “They have amazing powers,” said Heru.

  “Worm did the right thing when he brought

  Kepri here.”

  Rori gave Drake a high five.

  Ana hugged Worm. “Thank

  you, Worm!”

  Then Bo looked nervously

  at Kepri and Wati. “Look!”

  Wati was standing up

  on his hind legs with

  his wings spread out

  wide.

  “Everyone, step back,

  quick!” Heru yelled.

  They moved away just as Wati opened his

  mouth. A ribbon of dark colors streamed out.

  It looks almost like a rainbow,