One boy's journey to help his village becomes a quest to save the kingdom. Features a fearsome new beast in every book! A mysterious force has been creeping over the plains of Avantia. The animals are stampeding, and brush fires sweep the prairie. The farmers are spooked--whispers of a mysteriou...
Some of the villagers were crowded in there with them. Tom was careful to choose a spot near the door, so he and Elenna could sneak out without waking anyone. Tom woke to feel Elenna shaking him by the shoulder. “Come on!” she whispered. “It’s time.” Faint gray light was leaking through the shutt...
asked Tom. “A straight line,” said Elenna. “Right,” said Tom. “So the quickest way off this mountain is …” “Straight down!” said Elenna, a smile brightening her face. “But how?” “You’ve got a rope, haven’t you?” Tom asked. Elenna delved into her quiver and brought out a coil of rope, thin but str...
He rubbed his eyes sleepily. Shreds of mist were drifting just above the treetops in the distance. Gwen was awake already, resting against Gulkien’s thick fur. There were dark rings under her eyes. “I hardly slept,” she said. “I couldn’t stop thinking about Geffen.” “We’ll get him back,” Tanner r...
ELENNA SAID, AS Lindon got the boat ready. “No,” Tom told her. “Not this time. I couldn’t have freed Sepron without you. But defeating Zepha and finding the helmet is something I have to do on my own.” Elenna bit her lip, then nodded, understanding. Tom unfastened his scabbard and handed it to he...
ELENNA YELLED. Before the Beast’s claws could scratch down Tom’s arm, he saw his friend pull another arrow from her quiver. “Don’t get too close!” he gasped. Elenna loosed the arrow. It struck Stealth on the back of the neck and stuck there, quivering. The Ghost Beast snarled and twisted his head...
Before they’d gone more than a few paces Tom spotted a dried-up watercourse, leading down toward Vipero. “Let’s go this way,” he whispered to Elenna. “It’ll help us hide from the Beast.” They could move more quickly in the gully because the steep sides hid them from the snake man’s view. But they...
He could hear his knuckles pop as he strained to keep his grip on the slippery boulder. Tom thrashed his legs, trying to locate a foothold. He found one just to his right. As he gained his footing, it took some of the strain off his fingers. With his foot in place, Tom took a step up, and began c...
“WE SHOULD GO — as quickly as possible.” “I’ll get the rest of the food and the cloaks Aduro gave us,” Elenna called as she leaped onto Tagus’s back and galloped over to the boat. Tom looked at the baby dragons. They were sitting on their haunches, watching him with curious, innocent eyes. “Pleas...
I shriek and flap my wings. Tanner and the others are running for the tunnel, and I see the new boy, Rufus, dash ahead. He hears the same thing we do. The scream is too high for our Chosen Riders to hear, but Rufus’s ears recognize it. I rush into the tunnel after Rufus an...
Once they were settled, Elenna changed into borrowed clothes made from tough leather. “I can’t remember the last time I felt this warm and dry!” she said, pressing a bundle of clothes into his arms. “Here are some for you, too. Oh, Tom, everyone here seems so kind. Brendan is even making room for...
Brutus raised the whip over his shoulder. “You little fools!” He whirled toward Castor, who tried to dodge him. Tanner winced as the whip sliced over Castor’s head. He leaped forward, stabbing at the captain, but the big man turned aside, and his sword only gouged across his breastplate. Brutus t...