The Last of the Firedrakes [Watty Award Winner 2015]

Chapter 2 - REDSTONE MANOR - Part 2

Everything happened so quickly, I couldn't even think. I knew I should say something and excuse myself, but then my uncle might think I was spying on him. In fact, I was much too fascinated to do anything more than crouch behind the large leather armchair and see what happened next.

Finally the stranger spoke, his voice a deep rumble. "Christopher, do you have the girl?" Numerous scars crisscrossed his thickly bearded face.

For a moment I wondered what had happened to him to disfigure him so. But then my thoughts whirled quickly back to the main questions clamoring in my head. How on earth did he appear out of the tapestry? What was on the other side? Who was this man? And what girl were they talking about?

Christopher bowed slightly to the black-cloaked man. "Yes, Lord Oblek."

Oblek leveled a hard look at my uncle, his one good eye widening in expectation. "Is she here, in the house?"

"Yes, I have brought her to Redstone Manor as you requested." Christopher quickly stepped back. "Are you sure she's the right one?"

Why did he look so nervous? I couldn't understand who or what they were talking about, but I started to get a really bad feeling that I wasn't going to like it.

"Yes, of course I'm sure." Oblek's condescending tone was harsh. "Would I have wasted years of my life searching for her, only to find the wrong girl?"

My uncle shook his head and dabbed his perspiring head with a purple handkerchief. "Why are you so interested in Aurora, anyway?'

My blood ran cold as fear coiled inside me. They were talking about me. What did this horrific man want with me? This made no sense.

Oblek shot him a dark glare. "I have my reasons." He clasped his hands together. "Finally I will deliver the girl to the queen, and she will reward me beyond all imagination."

"Yes, yes, you can do what you like with her," Christopher said impatiently, "but not before you pay me my fee. It has become quite considerable now, seeing as I will have to answer many questions about her when she's gone."

Dread pooled in the pit of my stomach. Gone? Where was I going?

Oblek's eyes narrowed. "You'll get your money. But only after I have the girl in my possession. When is the earliest you can get her to me?"

"Arianna will bring her down here at midnight," my uncle confirmed.

I wasn't surprised to learn that Aunt Arianna was involved in this. She'd wanted to get rid of me ever since I moved in with her, but I thought Uncle Christopher liked me. I couldn't believe how wrong I was. There was absolutely no one I could trust.

Suddenly my foot cramped. I gasped, clutched at it, and started rubbing, but I had to change my position. I moved ever so slowly, adjusting myself behind the armchair, but it was a futile attempt. My shuffling had created a noise.

Oblek whirled around, his hand on the hilt of his massive sword. "Someone's here."

I moved backward, but there was nowhere to go.

I was trapped.

Christopher rushed over in the blink of an eye, grabbed me by the arm, and pulled me up from my crouching position. "Don't you know that it's bad manners to eavesdrop, young lady?" His floppy gold hair was a mess; he was fuming, and his glasses were steaming up.

"What have we here?" Lord Oblek fixed his one beady, black eye on me with a scrutinizing glare as he came toward me.

"It's the girl you have been searching for, my lord," said Christopher with a thin smile on his reddened face. He pulled me along toward Oblek, clutching my arm with his bony fingers, which bit into my skin like needles.