Dragon Souls #7: A Dangerous Escape E-Book

Pernille Eybye

• Herausgeber: Tellerup
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: Dragon Souls
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Seitenzahl: 42

Beschreibung

Milar and Tanni have stolen the dragon eggs, and find themselves on the run from Inis' soldiers. At first, they flee to the sewers below the palace, but soon realize that no enemy of Inis is safe in the city. Even the lands beyond the city walls are full of dangers, and Inis will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Soon, loyalties will be put to the test and great sacrifices will have to be made.

Leseprobe

A Dangerous Escape

Dragon Souls #7

by

Pernille Eybye

Translated by

Michael E. N. Larsen

Chapter One

Tanni!

I hang on tightly to the rope and stare down into the dark chute. Just a moment ago, Tanni was right below me.

Now someone ... or something ... has pulled her down.

I have to struggle to resist the urge to call out her name. Call out to her that I’m coming. Call out to her that it’s going to be okay.

I have to stay quiet or else the soldiers might find me.

I can still hear them in the kitchen. Knocking over furniture in their search for Tanni and me ... and what we took from the Queen.

The dragon whelp is moving about in the sling on my chest hidden under my sweater. The one we found in the Queen’s room, when we were looking for Sirra’s sister egg. That egg is also in the sling.

We were only supposed to take one egg, but instead we ended up taking them all. And the whelp. Those eggs are more precious to the Queen than anything else she owns, for when they hatch, she can take their souls.

Dragon souls are magical, and Queen Inis has used their magic as a means to staying young for many years.

That’s why she looks like she’s younger than my mom, despite the fact that she’s the same age as my grandma.

Inis will surely kill us if we get caught.

“Easy now,” I whisper to the whelp.

I see the light from the kitchen up above. We did close the chute door before we started our descent, but chances are that won’t delay them for very long.

I climb down as fast as I can. I have to get to the bottom of the chute, so I can help Tanni.

It’s very quiet below me, and I don’t know if that’s a good or bad sign.

The rope burns my hands, and I grit my teeth to keep myself from groaning. The whelp moves again. It twists and turns in its sling, but I can’t lay my hand on it to calm it down.

“Stay there, stay there,” I mumble.

When I finally reach the bottom of the chute, my clothes stick to my body. I pull my staff out of my belt quickly and hold it out in front of me.

I’ve tied a few bottles with souls to the staff, which means I can use it as a torch. It isn’t quite as bright as real fire, but I can see a bit by its light.

I’m in the sewer. The air is cool, and a bad smell tears at my nose. Still, it doesn’t stink quite as badly as I’d feared.

Where did Tanni go?

I draw my little dagger and clench it tightly. The dark walls gleam with slime, and I’m standing in liquid goo. The end of the rope lies coiled up in the slush in front of me. I pick it up clumsily with the end of the staff.

There’s still a noose at the end of the rope, but the backpack – and all of our eggs – is gone.

Someone must have cut the straps.

The whelp moves about in the sling.

“Alright, easy now.” I try to lay my hand on it, when suddenly; it sticks its head out of my sweater and shoves itself all the way out. “Hey! Wait!”

I drop the dagger and staff at the same time as I reach out to catch it, but it slips through my fingers. It lands on the ground and darts off. Into the darkness. I hear its little feet splash through the slush.

“Oh, you stupid little animal!” I mumble. I really don’t need any more problems right now!

I pick up the dagger and the staff quickly.

My heart is pounding. My pulse rushes so loudly in my head that it’s all I can hear, and I look left and right. The sewer pipe fades into darkness on both sides.

Where’s Tanni?

“Go away! Leave me alone!”

I jump and look to the right when I hear the cry. That was Tanni’s voice! She’s alive!

I start running instantly.

Chapter Two

I know I’m giving away my position, but what else can I do? The light from the souls makes me visible to everybody. But without them ... I couldn’t see a thing.

So I just run.

My shoes clack against the floor of the pipe and send forth an echo. Time and time again, I feel myself slipping on the sludge. Luckily, I don’t fall, but it’s close.

I gasp for air. All sounds are louder in the narrow pipe.

The cool air with its stench feels almost sticky. As if it clings to my hair, my skin, and my clothes.

“Let go!” Tanni screams.

I can make out something moving in the darkness further ahead.

I hurry closer and strain my eyes to see.