Read Online The Dragon at the North Pole by Kate Klimo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Klimo
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sauntering back to Jesse. “Don’t we, Jess?”
“We do?” Jesse said.
Daisy elbowed him hard.
“We do!” he said to Emmy, rubbing his side.
“The Claus will appreciate your compliance,” said Emmy.
Daisy paced before the giant fireplace. Unlike the one in their room, this one had no flame in it, cold or otherwise. “When I think that you, Emerald of Leandra, are going to single-handedly change the way Christmas is celebrated, I feel lucky just to witness the new dawning. Sure, Christmas has always been a wonderful time. But now, thanks to you, it will be a
magical
time. It will transform the way children’s minds grow and develop! Who knows, maybe it will eventually make world peace more than just a dream.”
Jesse stared at his cousin in wonderment.
“And to ensure that this miracle happens,” Daisy went on, “we’re willing to sign over ourKeepership to Jolly Old St. Nick. Right, Jess?”
“Absolutely!” Jesse said, pounding his fist into his palm.
“We’ve brought the quill and ink to sign it with, haven’t we, Jess?” Daisy said.
Jesse nodded. He rolled up the contract and tucked it under his arm, just in case Emmy decided to swipe it as she had the tinderbox.
“But here’s the thing of it, Em,” Daisy said. “I won’t be able to sign my name with these hands.”
Daisy peeled off her mittens and held them up to Emmy. Her hands were pinkish blue and chapped. “Feel?” She went over and placed them on the tender inside of Emmy’s hind leg.
Emmy’s toe talons shrank away. “Your core temperature is woefully low!” she cried.
“I’ll tell you what, Emmy,” said Daisy. “If you’ll use those mighty jaws of flame to make me a nice cozy fire in the fireplace, I bet my core temperature will warm right up. And
then
I’ll be able to sign the contract. Plan?”
“I will do as you say!” said Emmy.
The cousins looked on sadly as Emmy balled up the sheets of stationery and tossed them into the fireplace.
“Stand back,” Emmy said.
“Don’t we need logs or something?” Jesse said.
“The paper will be sufficient,” Emmy said.
Jesse and Daisy huddled behind Emmy’s back and peered around. Emmy took a deep breath and blew out. A bright orange flame leapt from her mouth and into the fireplace, striking the ball of paper. It caught fire instantly.
“There you go, Daisy,” said Emmy. “Now raise your core temperature. Before the fireplace melts and the Claus gets angry with me.”
Daisy and Jesse circled around Emmy and stood with their backs to the fire. Daisy nudged Jesse with her hip. Jesse nodded. He’d kept the scroll behind his back as they moved to the fire. Now he fed the end of the scroll into the flames. He heard a satisfying crackling sound as the scroll began to burn.
Jesse shoved the rest of the scroll into the fire. The fire flared up behind them with a mighty
whump
, sending Jesse and Daisy scooting forward.
Emmy lifted her snout into the air. Her nostrils twitched. “What smells like burning yak?” she asked. Then she looked into the fire and spied the scroll in flames.
“Nooooo!” she cried, scrambling toward the fireplace.
But it was too late. The scroll was engulfed by flame. Not even Emmy could save it now.
“Oh, no!” Emmy howled, opening her mouth wide. Jesse saw his opportunity. He reached into his hoodie pocket, took the last of Miss Alodie’s cracker, and tossed it into her big pink maw. Jesse and Daisy watched as the piece of cracker sailed down her throat and disappeared. Emmy swallowed it with a loud gulp.
There was a moment of stillness, like the calm before the storm.
“Look at her eyes, Jess!” said Daisy.
Emmy’s eyes had begun to spin like a pair of bright red pinwheels. Red smoke poured out of her nostrils.
“Miss Alodie’s cracker is working on her, too,” Daisy whispered to Jesse.
When the red smoke thinned, Emmy’s eyes stopped spinning and gradually turned green again. Then she threw back her head and let out
“We do?” Jesse said.
Daisy elbowed him hard.
“We do!” he said to Emmy, rubbing his side.
“The Claus will appreciate your compliance,” said Emmy.
Daisy paced before the giant fireplace. Unlike the one in their room, this one had no flame in it, cold or otherwise. “When I think that you, Emerald of Leandra, are going to single-handedly change the way Christmas is celebrated, I feel lucky just to witness the new dawning. Sure, Christmas has always been a wonderful time. But now, thanks to you, it will be a
magical
time. It will transform the way children’s minds grow and develop! Who knows, maybe it will eventually make world peace more than just a dream.”
Jesse stared at his cousin in wonderment.
“And to ensure that this miracle happens,” Daisy went on, “we’re willing to sign over ourKeepership to Jolly Old St. Nick. Right, Jess?”
“Absolutely!” Jesse said, pounding his fist into his palm.
“We’ve brought the quill and ink to sign it with, haven’t we, Jess?” Daisy said.
Jesse nodded. He rolled up the contract and tucked it under his arm, just in case Emmy decided to swipe it as she had the tinderbox.
“But here’s the thing of it, Em,” Daisy said. “I won’t be able to sign my name with these hands.”
Daisy peeled off her mittens and held them up to Emmy. Her hands were pinkish blue and chapped. “Feel?” She went over and placed them on the tender inside of Emmy’s hind leg.
Emmy’s toe talons shrank away. “Your core temperature is woefully low!” she cried.
“I’ll tell you what, Emmy,” said Daisy. “If you’ll use those mighty jaws of flame to make me a nice cozy fire in the fireplace, I bet my core temperature will warm right up. And
then
I’ll be able to sign the contract. Plan?”
“I will do as you say!” said Emmy.
The cousins looked on sadly as Emmy balled up the sheets of stationery and tossed them into the fireplace.
“Stand back,” Emmy said.
“Don’t we need logs or something?” Jesse said.
“The paper will be sufficient,” Emmy said.
Jesse and Daisy huddled behind Emmy’s back and peered around. Emmy took a deep breath and blew out. A bright orange flame leapt from her mouth and into the fireplace, striking the ball of paper. It caught fire instantly.
“There you go, Daisy,” said Emmy. “Now raise your core temperature. Before the fireplace melts and the Claus gets angry with me.”
Daisy and Jesse circled around Emmy and stood with their backs to the fire. Daisy nudged Jesse with her hip. Jesse nodded. He’d kept the scroll behind his back as they moved to the fire. Now he fed the end of the scroll into the flames. He heard a satisfying crackling sound as the scroll began to burn.
Jesse shoved the rest of the scroll into the fire. The fire flared up behind them with a mighty
whump
, sending Jesse and Daisy scooting forward.
Emmy lifted her snout into the air. Her nostrils twitched. “What smells like burning yak?” she asked. Then she looked into the fire and spied the scroll in flames.
“Nooooo!” she cried, scrambling toward the fireplace.
But it was too late. The scroll was engulfed by flame. Not even Emmy could save it now.
“Oh, no!” Emmy howled, opening her mouth wide. Jesse saw his opportunity. He reached into his hoodie pocket, took the last of Miss Alodie’s cracker, and tossed it into her big pink maw. Jesse and Daisy watched as the piece of cracker sailed down her throat and disappeared. Emmy swallowed it with a loud gulp.
There was a moment of stillness, like the calm before the storm.
“Look at her eyes, Jess!” said Daisy.
Emmy’s eyes had begun to spin like a pair of bright red pinwheels. Red smoke poured out of her nostrils.
“Miss Alodie’s cracker is working on her, too,” Daisy whispered to Jesse.
When the red smoke thinned, Emmy’s eyes stopped spinning and gradually turned green again. Then she threw back her head and let out
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