Read Online DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul - Free Book Online Page B

and fire-breathing dragons, evil wizards, grawligs, and bisonbecks are foul creatures to be fought. I’m trained to fight. I excel with a sword, spears, and a bow and arrow. I’m not afraid of combat.”
    She spoke softly. “You’re afraid of not being good enough. That’s what I’m afraid of. Paladin gave me a job to do, and I’m afraid I’ll fail him.”
    Bardon stared at her for a moment and then nodded in one hard movement. “True.”
    “He said to be courageous, and Wulder is with us.”
    Bardon nodded again.
    “Maybe we should think of that as ‘Be courageous
because
Wulder is here with us.’”
    Bardon continued to look at her without speaking, but his face began to relax.
    Kale said, “I won’t tell if you won’t tell.”
    He frowned.
    “That we’re afraid,” she explained.
    Bardon grimaced. “Paladin knows.”
    Kale plunged ahead with what she wanted to say. “That’s all right. And maybe after a while, we’ll get as brave as we’re pretending to be.”
    “Maybe.”
    A crackly voice from the door interrupted them. “Good, then, that’s settled.” Wizard Fenworth tugged at his beard. He dislodged a tiny bird, and it flew out the window. Fenworth watched it with a puzzled air, then shook himself as if ridding himself of the distraction. He grinned at Bardon and Kale, then rubbed his hands together. “Now we can explore the Creemoor caves and find out who sent those spiders to plague Vendela.”

          10          
    R ESEARCH
    “Research.” Librettowit thumped his tankard down on the kitchen table. “That’s what’s needed for a venture like this. Research, plenty of research and planning.”
    Kale watched the tumanhofer with interest. She lounged on a sofa in Fenworth’s large common room. Metta sprawled on her lap, and Gymn snuggled on her shoulder against her neck. Every once in a while, the small dragon raised his rough chin to rub affectionately against her cheek.
    Librettowit’s commentary on what he already knew about Creemoor continued. He talked of the wind-sculpted towers above ground and the catacombs carved by underground rivers long gone, the history of desolation, and hungry creatures desperately seeking food and water.
    “There’s a lot more information needed to aid in this proposed quest.” The librarian eyed the dozing wizard. “Caution, prudence.”
    Librettowit grumbled under his breath, but Kale heard him. “Treachery brews in Creemoor.”
    He sipped from his tankard and raised his voice. “I’m as eager as anyone to dig out any bit of information. Of course I want to discover who instigated the spider attack on Vendela. But I’ve a librarian’s soul, and I prefer to find out by some means within the strong walls of Fenworth’s extensive library.”
    Librettowit turned his short body on the wooden stool and surveyed the room. Regidor sat on the sofa with Kale, his tail pulled around and into his lap where he fingered the scaly ridges. Toopka had been tucked in for the night in a hammock strung between beams opposite the kitchen end of the common room. Bardon sat in a corner next to bookcases and a branch of bright lightrocks. He was reading a book called
Knights in Service.
    Fenworth snoozed. He sat in a comfortable chair with a yellow light globe suspended in the air over his right shoulder. One hand held a mug, and an open book rested in the other.
    Kale watched Librettowit study each of his comrades in turn. She wondered what he was thinking but refrained from reaching into his thoughts. It was bad manners to eavesdrop on private musings. She averted her eyes when the tumanhofer turned his gaze on her, but she still felt a subconscious blush under his scrutiny. She deliberately focused on the homey room.
    Pools of cool blue light emanated from lightrocks hanging in fixtures from the wall and sitting on tables. Breezes freely came and went through the open windows, large round holes in the tree walls. The damp air carried the tangy