Read Online The Dragons of Decay by J.J. Thompson - Free Book Online

last
apartment a year before the end of the world. But of course Kronk and
his helpers couldn't replace it. They could build in wood, stone and
minerals, but a stuffed cushion would be beyond them.
    The little guy was watching his
expression and jumped in to reassure him.
    “ There is a woman in
Nottinghill who repairs their furniture, master. I have spoken to her
once before. In the spring, I can arrange for her to make cushions
for a new sofa for you and I will build the frame for it. I am so
sorry that we do not have the knowledge to do it for you.”
    “ No, no, my friend,”
Simon hastened to tell him. “It's fine. Better than fine; it's
fantastic!”
    He turned to look at the rest of the
room and smiled with delight.
    The earthen had built a new kitchen
table and chairs in a lighter wood. Like the rest of the wood in the
room, it had a healthy gleam to it and looked homey and comfortable.
The counter and cupboards had been repaired and resurfaced as well
and all signs of soot and fire damage on the stone surrounding the
fireplace had been scrubbed away.
    They had even built a new clothes
cupboard near the door for his outerwear and Simon took a moment to
open it and look inside.
    He looked at Kronk and the other five
earthen who were waiting anxiously for his reaction.
    He smiled warmly at all of them.
    “ As usual, you bunch always
exceed expectations. It's marvelous, really. And I'm not just saying
that.”
    He looked around and sighed
contentedly.
    “ I've got my home back,”
he said happily. “Yours too, of course,” he added
quickly. “Thank you all so, so much.”
    They all bowed in unison, their
little blocky faces looking up at him with smiles of their own.
    “ Thank you, master. I speak for
all of us when I say it is always our pleasure to serve you.”
    Kronk looked at the others and
rattled off something in his own language. They nodded and murmured a
reply and then the group went out, closing the door firmly behind
them. They'd even straightened out the latch that the wights had bent
back when they'd burst into the tower.
    “ Where are they off to now?”
Simon asked him as he crossed the room to examine the kitchen area.
    “ I've sent them back to patrol
the wall, master.” the little guy said. He tapped over and
jumped up on to the table. “I'm sure Aeris is curious to see
our repairs and now he can allow my fellow earthen to take over the
watch on the wall.”
    “ Ah, good thinking.”
    The wizard sat down and worked his
butt around on the new kitchen chair. The elementals had contoured
the seat and, for a wooden chair, it was smooth and comfortable.
    “ Wonderful,” Simon said
and sat back to simply enjoy his home.
    Aeris popped into the room and flew
over to join Kronk on the table. He looked around the room with
narrowed eyes and the earthen watched him a bit nervously.
    “ Well?” the wizard asked.
“Are you going to be nice and compliment Kronk and his friends
on their work or are you going to say something mean?”
    “ Mean?”
    Aeris looked at him and then at
Kronk.
    “ Of course not. They've done a
wonderful job; very efficient.”
    The earthen stared at him, obviously
speechless. Simon felt the same way.
    “ What? Why are you two looking
at me like that?” Aeris asked irritably. “I give credit
when credit is due. Well done, Kronk.”
    “ Thank you,” the earthen
replied weakly.
    Simon patted the little guy on the
back.
    “ See? Even Aeris knows you've
done a great job.”
    Kronk nodded silently, still
digesting the air elemental's compliment.
    The wizard looked regretfully at the
fireplace. His comfy stuffed chair had been destroyed and, like the
sofa, was beyond the earth elementals' skills to replace.
    Ah but I loved sitting in front of
the fire during the long winter nights, he thought with a pang of
sadness. Oh well, it could have been so much worse.
    He pushed aside his negative thoughts
and jumped up. He grabbed his kettle, shined to a dull glow, and
filled it