by Jordan Quinn
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Go Fetch!
Chapter 2: Creature from the Sea
Chapter 3: An Old Wives’ Tale
Chapter 4: Nanny Louisa
Chapter 5: Once in a Blue Moon
Chapter 6: A Message
Chapter 7: Captain Brown
Chapter 8: An Old Friend
Chapter 9: A Swirl of Fire
Chapter 10: A Royal Decree
‘The Witch’s Curse’ Excerpt
About Jordan Quinn and Robert McPhillips
Go Fetch!
* * *
* * *
Prince Lucas tossed a dinner roll across the royal kitchen. Ruskin, Lucas’s pet scarlet dragon, scampered across the stone floor and gobbled the roll in one bite.
“Good boy!” Lucas shouted.
Ruskin ran back to Lucas, eager to fetch another snack. Lucas always sneaked treats for Ruskin when the kitchen servants were on their afternoon break. He reached for a leftover apple fritter this time.
“The more you eat, the bigger you’ll get!” said Lucas.
He couldn’t wait for Ruskin to grow big enough to carry him and his best friend, Clara. They dreamed of going on high-flying adventures.
Ruskin yelped for his snack. Lucas threw the apple fritter across the kitchen. The fritter landed next to the hearth. Ruskin zoomed after it, paying no attention to the cast-iron pots and pans stacked neatly beside the hearth. Crash! The pots and pans toppled over and clattered across the stone floor.
“What on earth is going on?” bellowed King Caleb, who had just entered the room.
“Oh, not much,” said Lucas. “Just getting Ruskin a little snack.”
Ruskin burped and a little puff of smoke came out. Lucas waved the smoke away and tried not to laugh.
“Isn’t he great?” asked Lucas.
The king raised an eyebrow and polished an apple on his purple velvet robe.
“Tell that to the royal cook,” the king said. “Ruskin scorched ten dish towels this week.”
Lucas patted Ruskin’s swept-back horns.
“He didn’t mean any harm,” said Lucas.
“Nevertheless,” said the king, “he’ll need better manners if he’s going to come inside the castle.”
Lucas had been training Ruskin to be a good dragon. The problem was that Ruskin didn’t know how to control his fire-breathing. Sometimes he had accidents, and sometimes he scorched things for fun. Lucas was trying to teach Ruskin to use his fire-breathing skills for good causes, like lighting the hearth or roasting marshmallows.
“Don’t worry, Father,” said Lucas. “Soon Ruskin will be the most well-behaved dragon in all of Wrenly.”
“Well, that’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” said the king as he left the room, munching his apple.
A Creature from the Sea
* * *
* * *
Lucas and Ruskin played one more game of fetch the snack. Then Lucas stuffed an apple fritter into his pocket for later. The two playmates skipped past King Caleb on their way outside. The king sat on his throne and stared out to sea.
Lucas turned around.
“Is something wrong, Father?” Lucas asked.
The king scrunched his brow and sighed.
“Perhaps,” he said. “We’ve had some troubling reports from the fishermen.”
“About what?” asked Lucas.
“Giant waves in and around the Sea of Wrenly,” the king said.
“Must be a storm brewing,” Lucas said.
“That’s my guess,” said the king, “but some say they’ve seen a large creature in the water.”
“What kind of creature?” asked Lucas, becoming more interested.
“Something big,” the king said. “Like a whale or a giant octopus.”
“Or maybe a sea monster!” said Lucas.
The king raised an eyebrow. “That’s ridiculous!” he said. “There are no such things as sea monsters.”
Ruskin squawked.
“That’s not what I’ve heard,” Lucas said. “My old nursemaid, Nanny Louisa, told me a story about a sea monster. She said she saw it with her own eyes.”
The king chuckled. “I know that story too,” he said. “The legend of the Great Sea Serpent has been around for years.”
“It has?” questioned Lucas.
The king nodded.
“But how do you know it’s not true?”
“Because it’s not,” said the king. “And I certainly don’t want my people to worry about something that doesn’t exist.”
Ruskin let out a long, low howl.
Lucas and the king looked at the young dragon.
“Good heavens,” commented the king. “What do you suppose he is trying to say?”
“I don’t know,” said Lucas. “Maybe that he believes in sea serpents.”
An Old Wives’ Tale
* * *
* * *
“Well, I believe in sea monsters too!” said Lucas. “And I have a plan.”
Ruskin scampered after Lucas. They ran all the way to Ruskin’s lair. Once they were inside, Lucas played a trick on Ruskin. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the apple fritter, and tossed it deep into the cave. Ruskin ran after it. Then Lucas turned around and ran back out the entrance. He slid the heavy oak door across the opening and locked Ruskin inside. Ruskin whimpered.
“Sorry, boy,” Lucas said. “But this plan doesn’t include you. It may get dangerous.”
Ruskin squawked loudly.
“Someday, when you’re bigger and stronger, you can come with me,” said Lucas. “But not this time.”
Lucas raced back to the castle and into the chambers belonging to his mother, Queen Tasha. He opened the door and bumped into Anna Gills. A few bolts of fabric fell from her arms. Anna was the royal seamstress. She was also Clara’s mother.
“I’m so sorry, ma’am,” said Lucas as he helped pick up the fabric.
“What’s the hurry, Lucas?” asked Anna.
“Forgive me for rushing,” said Lucas. “I’m looking for Clara. Do you know where I can find her?”
Anna smiled.
“Clara is at Mermaid’s Cove, collecting seashells,” she said.
Lucas thanked Anna and zoomed off. He jumped from rock to rock as he bounded down the path to the beach. Something scrabbled over the rocks behind him. Lucas stopped and turned around. He didn’t see anything. I thought I heard something behind me, he wondered to himself. I guess I must have kicked a rock.
Lucas continued down the path. He spotted Clara sitting on a large rock. Her brown hair was partly up in a braided crown. She held a string of shells in her hand. An old net lay on the rock behind her.
“What’s that?” asked Lucas, stopping in the sand in front of Clara.
“It’s an old fishing net,” Clara said. “It washed up on the beach today. It’s perfect for stringing shells.”
Clara held out a necklace. It had slipper shells, moon shells, and angel wings.
“It’s beautiful,” said Lucas as he hopped up and sat on the rock beside his friend. “So, you’ll never guess what!”
“What?” asked Clara.
“There’s a monster lurking in the Sea of Wrenly,” Lucas said.
Clara’s eyes widened. “What makes you say that?” she asked.
“My father says some of the fishermen have seen a huge creature in the water. I’m pretty sure it’s the Great Sea Serpent.”
Clara laughed. “That’s silly. Everyone knows that the sea serpent story is just an old wives’ tale.”
“I’m not so sure,” said Lucas.
“Do you actually believe in sea monsters?”
“Yes, I really do,” said Lucas. “My old nursemaid, Nanny Louisa, told me she saw the Great S
ea Serpent with her own eyes.”
“She did?” questioned Clara.
Lucas nodded. “And she would never make up something like that,” he added.
“I never dreamed that story could be true,” said Clara. “What do you think we should do?”
“Let’s talk to Nanny Louisa,” said Lucas. “Maybe she can help.”
“Where does she live?” asked Clara.
“On the island of Primlox,” said Lucas. “She’s now a nurse to the fairies.”
Clara slipped her shell necklace into her leather pouch. “What are we waiting for?” she asked. “Let’s go!”
Nanny Louisa
* * *
* * *
Lucas and Clara ran to the royal stables to saddle their horses, Ivan and Scallop.
Lucas lifted a saddle from the wooden saddle rack. Something in the window above him caught his attention. He climbed onto the saddle rack and peeked outside.
“What are you looking at?” Clara asked.
“I saw something in the window,” Lucas said. “But now there’s nothing out there.”
“Maybe it was a bird,” said Clara.
Lucas shrugged. “Maybe,” he said.
Lucas and Clara placed a saddle onto each horse and tightened the straps. Then they set off for Primlox.
As they galloped past Flatfrost, Lucas noticed whitecaps on the water up ahead. Wow, the sea monster really is making the water choppy, Lucas thought.
When they got near the bridge, they pulled back on their reins. Villagers rushed back and forth across the bridge.
“The bridge sure is busy,” Clara said.
“We’ll have to walk the horses over it,” said Lucas.
They led Ivan and Scallop over the bridge and tied them to a post on the other side. The harbormaster stood nearby, ringing his hands.
“What’s wrong?” Lucas asked.
“It’s been a very bad day, Prince Lucas,” said the harbormaster. “The sea is too rough for travelers.” He walked up closer and leaned in toward Lucas. “And there have been rumors of something in the ocean.”
Lucas and Clara gave each other a knowing glance.
“Well, we’ve come to see Nanny Louisa,” said Lucas. “Do you know where she might be?”
The harbormaster nodded. “She’s tending to Fairy Queen Sophie. The queen has a very bad cold.”
Lucas and Clara thanked him and headed for the fairy castle, a beautiful palace made of polished pebbles, shells, and sea glass. The fairies-in-waiting led them up the curvy stone staircase to Queen Sophie’s chambers.
“Ah-choo!” The queen sneezed as the guests entered the room.
A puff of sparkly fairy dust flew from Queen Sophie’s nose and mouth. She was sitting in her canopy bed, wearing a pink silk nightgown with enchanted milkweed fluff around the neck.
Nanny Louisa sat in a rocking chair beside Queen Sophie’s bed. She handed her a handkerchief. Then Nanny Louisa stood up and greeted their guests. “Well, if it isn’t my chubby little bunny and his friend!”
Lucas blushed and Clara giggled. Lucas had been a very chubby baby, and Nanny Louisa always brought it up. She held out her jiggly arms and gave Lucas a great big hug. Then she looked at Clara.
“I remember you,” said Nanny Louisa. “You deliver bread with your father. And your mother is Queen Tasha’s seamstress.”
Clara recognized Nanny Louisa too. She had a round, dwarflike body and long white hair. Her eyes were kind and her smile was wide. Lucas formally introduced the two.
“Please excuse my stuffy nose,” said Queen Sophie. “Tell me: What brings you to the palace?”
Nanny Louisa pulled up two chairs, and Lucas and Clara sat down.
“We have some questions for Nanny Louisa,” said Lucas.
“We also wondered if you’ve heard the rumors,” Clara said.
“What rumors?” asked Nanny Louisa.
Queen Sophie sat up in bed. “Yes, what rumors?” she asked.
“The Sea of Wrenly has been unusually rough,” Lucas said, “and some say they’ve seen a big creature in the water.”
Nanny Louisa’s eyes grew wide, and she placed one hand over her mouth. “Oh no,” she whispered. “The Great Sea Serpent.”
Lucas nodded.
“You’re joking, right?” questioned Queen Sophie.
But nobody laughed.
“Tell us, Nanny Louisa,” said Lucas. “Is the sea serpent real—or not?”
Nanny Louisa sank into her rocking chair and sighed. “Most believe the sea serpent to be a myth,” she said. “But those who have seen the great beast feel differently.”
“We would love to hear your story, Nanny Louisa,” said Clara.
“Yes, please tell it!” begged Lucas.
Nanny Louisa shut her eyes and told the story from long ago.
Once in a Blue Moon
* * *
* * *
“I remember the day well,” Nanny Louisa began. “I was a young maiden in those days—not a single gray hair nor a wrinkle. I worked at the Dew Drop Inn. I often served a young gentleman known as Captain Douglas Brown. Captain Brown was strong, kind, and well-liked in the village. One rainy night he asked me to be the cook aboard his ship, the Blue Moon. He planned to take some men on a fishing trip. I have always liked adventure, so I agreed to go.
“We sailed the open sea for three weeks. The boys caught mackerel, tuna, and herring. Then we set our course for home. I stood on deck and enjoyed a gentle breeze. I watched the clouds turn pink. Then my eyes fell on a dark patch of water. A patch of seaweed, I thought to myself. I looked more closely and noticed the dark water begin to boil and churn. A pod of dolphins? I wondered.
“Then something unimaginable happened. A creature began to rise from the water. It rose higher and higher—above and beyond the mast of the Blue Moon. It had the head of a dragon, with two horns and a mouth full of daggerlike teeth. The creature had a never-ending neck of green scales for a body, like an enormous snake.
“But the strangest thing of all was the rusty old cauldron that hung from the monster’s jaw. It looked like a wizard’s cauldron, though cracked and broken. Why does it have a cauldron in its mouth? I wondered.
“I stared—too scared to move. A brave sailor grabbed a spyglass and climbed the rigging to the crow’s nest to get a better look. Others began to throw things at the creature: boat hooks, silverware, and dishes—anything that might scare it away. The monster roared and threw his head to one side. Then it flung the cauldron right at our ship!
“The cauldron crashed onto the deck, and we dove to get out of its path. The ship rocked this way and that. Captain Brown quickly spun the wheel to get us to safety. Then the men pulled themselves up and threw more things at the monster.”
Nanny Louisa shut her eyes and rocked in the chair as she remembered the story.
“Please go on, Nanny Louisa!” cried Lucas.
“Oh yes!” exclaimed Clara. “Tell us what happened next!”
Nanny Louisa opened her eyes and continued her story.
A Message
* * *
* * *
“ ‘Wait! Leave the beast alone!’ Captain Brown shouted.
“The fishermen stopped striking the sea monster. The serpent roared and plunged beneath the water. Enormous waves rocked our ship. Green seawater splashed over the deck. We’re done for! I thought as I landed on top of my shipmates. Somehow I dragged myself to my feet and looked out on the water.
“The sea serpent slithered away. Loop after loop of its scaly green body curled through the water as it went on its way. None of us spoke. We looked at the cauldron, which had left a large hole in the deck. Had the monster been trying to tell us something? we wondered. Perhaps the monster didn’t like that garbage was being thrown into its watery home. We all agreed that the people of Wrenly needed to change their ways.
“Captain Brown took us to port. We told King Henry—King Caleb’s father—what we had seen and heard. The k
ing believed every word of our story. He knew he could trust Captain Brown.
“ ‘But you must never speak of it,’ said the king. ‘We mustn’t upset the good people of Wrenly.’ He also said that if we didn’t have evidence of a monster, then no one would believe our tale. Then King Henry made a royal decree:
HEAR YE! HEAR YE!
BY ROYAL DECREE OF THE KING OF WRENLY:
NO DUMPING GARBAGE INTO THE SEA!
LAWBREAKERS WILL BE THROWN IN THE DUNGEON FOR TEN DAYS.
“Some of the fishermen told the story of the sea serpent against the king’s wishes. But no one believed them. The villagers made fun of the fishermen and called them crazy. But I’m here to say—cross my heart—that every word of this story is true.”
Everyone sat in silence.
Then Lucas said, “I believe you, Nanny Louisa. I’ve always believed you.”
“I believe you too,” said Clara.
“And I,” said Queen Sophie.
“But what do we do now?” Lucas asked.
Captain Brown
* * *
* * *
“Here’s what you must do,” said Nanny Louisa as she gave a doll-size spoonful of a potion to Queen Sophie. “You must find out what’s bothering the sea serpent.”
