Read Online The Painted Ponies of Partequineus and The Summer of the Kittens by Peter H. Riddle - Free Book Online

hanging on to his tail, he planted his powerful hind feet and leapt after the fleeing pair. He opened his mouth wide.
    Vanessa screamed, and Alexander whipped his head around to see the awful monster’s vicious yellow fangs flashing in the sunlight as he bore down upon them. Desperately he flung himself right and then left, his hooves scrabbling at the sand, and his back left foot dropped into a groundhog hole and tripped him. He heard an awful crack and felt a bone break. His leg collapsed beneath him, spilling Vanessa onto the sand.
    Guaryntis roared out his victory. His powerful jaws gaped open and swept them up. He tossed his head in the air, and Vanessa and Alexander tumbled over his huge slimy tongue and slid toward that great open throat, plummeting down to certain death.
    And behind the dragon’s back, brave little Evan, with Emma’s small arms wrapped tightly around his long pony neck, dashed out of the desert and into the beautiful green forest of Paximus.
    Vanessa’s plan had worked!

TWENTY-FOUR
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    A brilliant light exploded across the land, where moments before the monstrous dragon had flown. Vanessa and Alexander tumbled down, down, and came crashing to the sand. Little Janie and Frank sprawled beside them as bolts of lightning flashed from the sky and a huge dragon-shaped cloud erupted from the earth. It spun wildly into the greatest tornado the world has ever seen, and vanished into space.
    A cheer exploded from the hundreds of people clustered about the edge of the forest. Some of them ran to help Vanessa and Alexander and Frank and Janie. The boys were ponies no more, once again wearing their golden bronze tunics. Frank climbed unsteadily to his feet, but Alexander, his broken leg twisted beneath him, simply lay there, in pain but with a huge, thankful smile on his face.
    The dragon was gone forever.
    Someone rescued Kathy and Tristan from the ocean. Others ran to the foothills and the meadow to bring back Alyssa and Aaron and Grace and Spencer. Christina and Steven regained consciousness, and everyone walked toward the forest, with Aaron and Steven helping Alexander to hobble along on his one good leg.
    â€œWelcome to Paximus,” said Princess Melisande as they left the desert and stepped beneath the cool shade of the trees. “Everyone has been hoping for the day when you all would be set free.”
    â€œThank you, your Majesty,” Christina said.
    â€œYou’re welcome to stay here with us,” the Princess said.
    â€œThat’s very kind of you,” Alexander replied, “but I think we all want to go back to our own world now.” He looked around at the others, who were nodding their heads. “We have our whole lives to catch up on.”
    Vanessa was troubled. “What will happen to Partequineus now?” she asked. “When we’re gone, will it go back to being grey and lifeless again, the way it was before Guaryntis captured Janie?”
    â€œNo, dear,” the Princess said. “The happiness that children bring can never be destroyed or forgotten. Partequineus will become a part of Paximus now, and even the desert will soon bloom with beautiful flowers.”
    â€œWe have to go,” Grace said excitedly. “Excuse me, your Majesty, I don’t want to seem rude, but… Well…”
    â€œI understand,” the Princess said. “But remember, you can always come back to visit. The purple mist will enter the house on Chestnut Street every Friday at four o’clock, and you’ll always be welcome here.”
    â€œThank you,” everyone said in unison, and Christina said, “Who wants to be first?”
    â€œMe!” shouted Janie. “But I’ll miss you all,” she said sadly.
    â€œWe’ll miss you, too,” Christina said, “but you have to go back. It’s where you belong.”
    Janie smiled. “One, two, three!” she cried out, and she hopped backwards and vanished