Read Online Legend of the Three Moons by Patricia Bernard - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Patricia Bernard
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ivory bones onto her dirt floor but the bones predicted nothing. She took a metal wand and drew squiggles in the dirt. Again nothing. Next she poured a blue liquid from a goatskin into a silver bowl, dropped a silver thread into it and swirled it around while studying the ripples.
Finally, a smile of triumph crossed her wrinkled face and she glanced at Lem. `If I can decipher only one line, which line would you choose?'
He didn't hesitate. `The line about the dragon mocked.'
Edith nodded as if this was the right answer, then she spoke. `Only the one that speaks to animals can enter the ice mountain. Only he can accept the ice dragon's talisman, which is the first of five talismans that will free the Queens and Kings.'
Lem stared at the blue water and saw nothing, `Where will I find this ice dragon?'
Edith stopped stirring. `The bowl doesn't say. Perhaps the crystals will.'
She rummaged through her belongings until she found a silk bag which she emptied into her lap. Out rolled a collection of crystals some as big as chicken eggs, others as small as peas, some as round as oranges, some square or pyramid-shaped.
She held each one to her ear in turn, listened and then discarded it until the only one left was a blue pyramid with a scarlet eyelash inside it. `A sphinx's eyelash,' she told them and held the pyramid to her ear.
Her eyes lit up. `The ice dragon is imprisoned inside Tartik Mountain on Tartik Island. It is in great pain and can only be spoken to when shown its reflection in a mirror.'
Lem leant forward. `Where is Tartik Island?'
`So far west that if you miss it you will fall off the edge of the known world. That is all I can tell you.'
Lyla handed over the cloth containing the meat and bread. Edith looked surprised at its weight. `You have paid me well,' she said and began wandering around picking up small leather packets from her baskets. `So I have something extra for you.'
She gave a packet to Celeste. `These are honeysuckle seeds. Chew them when you wish to hide in darkness.'
She moved on to Chad. `Inside are eight Finders Keepers petals. Place them on your eyes to find the hidden way.'
She stopped in front of Swift and handed him a tiny packet. `This is lavender mixed with repulsata. Chew it when you wish to repulse someone.'
Reaching Lyla she handed her a blue packet. `This is peppermint root. If you chew it, it will make you as light as a feather.'
Finally she reached Lem and gave him a packet of dried buds, a small round mirror and a large ball of red string. `Snapdragon buds will protect you against unwanted magic. The string will find your way out of darkness and the mirror is to hold up to the ice dragon while reciting the spell, ecco narcisso dragonucus attractivae . Please repeat the spell.'
` Ecco narcisso dragonucus attractivae ,' repeated Lem.
`Good. Now be on your way. I am tired and need to sleep.'
`Don't you get lonely?' asked Swift, as Edith led them back through the graves to the gate.
`I have my dogs, they are enough. I also have four more things to say, especially to you little tree talker. Do not bring me an unwanted present. The visitors I had earlier, are waiting at the crossroads. Find the sack you hid behind deadman's tree, cross the fields and collect what you buried near the barn. Turn right at the road beneath the plateau, this will take you to Mussel Cove where you will find a boat.'
They were half way along Marsh Pond Lane, when Swift asked Lem what he thought Edith meant by no unwanted presents.
`Or what she meant about Splash being able to unlock doors,' added Celeste.
`Or how she knew that Swift could speak to trees or that we hid the food sack and buried the casket,' said Chad.
`Oracles know everything,' announced Swift, who'd decided he liked the old woman and wouldn't mind visiting her again.
Lyla shook her head. `Not everything. She didn't know what the rest of the song was about.'
They found the food sack and crossed the fields to where Lyla had buried
Finally, a smile of triumph crossed her wrinkled face and she glanced at Lem. `If I can decipher only one line, which line would you choose?'
He didn't hesitate. `The line about the dragon mocked.'
Edith nodded as if this was the right answer, then she spoke. `Only the one that speaks to animals can enter the ice mountain. Only he can accept the ice dragon's talisman, which is the first of five talismans that will free the Queens and Kings.'
Lem stared at the blue water and saw nothing, `Where will I find this ice dragon?'
Edith stopped stirring. `The bowl doesn't say. Perhaps the crystals will.'
She rummaged through her belongings until she found a silk bag which she emptied into her lap. Out rolled a collection of crystals some as big as chicken eggs, others as small as peas, some as round as oranges, some square or pyramid-shaped.
She held each one to her ear in turn, listened and then discarded it until the only one left was a blue pyramid with a scarlet eyelash inside it. `A sphinx's eyelash,' she told them and held the pyramid to her ear.
Her eyes lit up. `The ice dragon is imprisoned inside Tartik Mountain on Tartik Island. It is in great pain and can only be spoken to when shown its reflection in a mirror.'
Lem leant forward. `Where is Tartik Island?'
`So far west that if you miss it you will fall off the edge of the known world. That is all I can tell you.'
Lyla handed over the cloth containing the meat and bread. Edith looked surprised at its weight. `You have paid me well,' she said and began wandering around picking up small leather packets from her baskets. `So I have something extra for you.'
She gave a packet to Celeste. `These are honeysuckle seeds. Chew them when you wish to hide in darkness.'
She moved on to Chad. `Inside are eight Finders Keepers petals. Place them on your eyes to find the hidden way.'
She stopped in front of Swift and handed him a tiny packet. `This is lavender mixed with repulsata. Chew it when you wish to repulse someone.'
Reaching Lyla she handed her a blue packet. `This is peppermint root. If you chew it, it will make you as light as a feather.'
Finally she reached Lem and gave him a packet of dried buds, a small round mirror and a large ball of red string. `Snapdragon buds will protect you against unwanted magic. The string will find your way out of darkness and the mirror is to hold up to the ice dragon while reciting the spell, ecco narcisso dragonucus attractivae . Please repeat the spell.'
` Ecco narcisso dragonucus attractivae ,' repeated Lem.
`Good. Now be on your way. I am tired and need to sleep.'
`Don't you get lonely?' asked Swift, as Edith led them back through the graves to the gate.
`I have my dogs, they are enough. I also have four more things to say, especially to you little tree talker. Do not bring me an unwanted present. The visitors I had earlier, are waiting at the crossroads. Find the sack you hid behind deadman's tree, cross the fields and collect what you buried near the barn. Turn right at the road beneath the plateau, this will take you to Mussel Cove where you will find a boat.'
They were half way along Marsh Pond Lane, when Swift asked Lem what he thought Edith meant by no unwanted presents.
`Or what she meant about Splash being able to unlock doors,' added Celeste.
`Or how she knew that Swift could speak to trees or that we hid the food sack and buried the casket,' said Chad.
`Oracles know everything,' announced Swift, who'd decided he liked the old woman and wouldn't mind visiting her again.
Lyla shook her head. `Not everything. She didn't know what the rest of the song was about.'
They found the food sack and crossed the fields to where Lyla had buried
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