‘I have already called my siblings off,’ said Nebula.
Vainclaw Grandin, the Scavenger brothers, the Sea Dragon sisters, Karnataka and Archie all looked at the circle of sky, visible above the dark cloud of gathering Sky Dragons.
It was widening.
The Sky Dragons were retreating.
Only Arthur, Reg, Dirk and Holly remained oblivious to this spectacular sight; the crooks still under the spell of Dragonsong, Dirk unconscious, Holly in too much pain to lift her head.
Vainclaw’s eyes narrowed. ‘If you won’t join us step aside so we can rid ourselves of this incompetent captain and this interfering detective,’ he said, lowering his head.
‘You will harm no one,’ said Nebula, spreading her wings to block his way.
‘No one need get harmed,’ said Reg automatically.
‘You must do exactly as we say,’ added Arthur.
‘You idiotic humans with your pathetic toy guns,’ snapped Vainclaw irritably. ‘You are no longer needed. Take the lift and leave us.’
Without argument Arthur and Reg walked to the lift, pressed the button to go down and disappeared behind the sliding doors.
‘I knew you’d pick the right side,’ said Karnataka, standing behind Nebula’s wing.
Nebula lowered her wings and turned to look at him. ‘The Sky Dragons do not pick sides.’
‘But he wants to start a war,’ protested Karnataka petulantly.
‘And you want to stop it,’ she replied patiently. ‘Yes, I do understand, but it is our policy not to take sides in earthly matters.’
‘What about right and wrong?’ insisted Karnataka.
‘There is an old Sky Dragon saying,’ said Nebula. ‘Exist simply and simply exist.’
‘We Kinghorns have a saying too,’ growled Vainclaw darkly. ‘Those who stand in our way will not stand for long.’
All four Kinghorns moved into attack formation, heads lowered, claws drawn, smoke gushing threateningly from their nostrils. Vainclaw and Leon stood to the right, Mali and Delfina on the left. Karnataka edged back, stepping on Dirk’s tail, causing him to let out a low groan. Alba looked back and forth between the Kinghorns and the Sky Dragon, unsure what to do.
‘It is time for you to pick a side as well, sister,’ said Delfina. ‘Join us or betray your kind.’
Alba looked into her sister’s yellow eyes. ‘It is you that is being the traitor,’ she spat. ‘You are no longer my sister.’
She moved next to Nebula. ‘I, Alba Longs, will fight you and help save Mr Dirk,’ she said.
‘Stand behind me,’ said Nebula calmly.
‘You are the boss, Miss Nebula,’ said Alba, quickly moving back, standing on Dirk’s paw, causing him to let out another moan. ‘Very sorry, Mr Dirk,’ she said.
‘Let’s see what this Sky Dragon has got, then?’ jeered Leon.
‘Yeah, give us your best shot,’ goaded Mali.
Nebula opened her mouth and swung her head round, making an awful rasping noise, but nothing came out.
‘She’s got no fire,’ cackled Mali.
‘Perhaps the child’s sweets weren’t quite enough to fully restore you,’ said Vainclaw.
Holly stirred. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked weakly, opening her eyes for a moment.
‘She’s trying to breathe fire but nothing’s coming out,’ said Archie.
‘It’s toasting time, Sky Dragon,’ said Leon.
‘You should have joined us when you had the chance,’ said Vainclaw.
As one, the Kinghorns took a deep breath and sent four powerful jets of fire at Nebula. Archie shielded Holly from the heat. It was so hot he felt like his back was being cooked but when he looked up he saw that the flames had been stopped.
The Kinghorns stood behind a wall of fire the width of the building and twenty metres high. They looked confused by what had happened. In front of them, Nebula held her open paws inside the wall as though holding it up, apparently immune to the heat of the fire.
‘Leon, fly over it,’ ordered Vainclaw.
Leon shot into the sky but as he tried to get over the firewall, Nebula waved a paw, sending a burst of fire in the shape of a dragon’s head into his lower chin. The smell of burning dragon flesh filled the air and Leon tumbled back down, still on the same side of the wall.
‘Eh, bro, you’ve burnt your nose,’ laughed Mali.
‘You two, go around it,’ demanded Vainclaw.
Mali and Delfina took a side each but, this time, Nebula moved both paws, causing giant claws of flame to shoot out either side, scorching their wings and sending them back to where they had started.
‘Eh, ar kid,’ said Leon. ‘You’ve burnt your wing.’
‘Shut your mouth.’
‘You shut yours.’
‘Both of you, be quiet,’ said Vainclaw, pacing. ‘This firewall won’t last long. Once it has burnt away, we will take her apart without fire. We will use our teeth and our claws.’
Nebula opened her mouth and breathed a fresh burst of fire into the flaming wall. She made another movement with her paws and the firewall curled round at the edges, encircling and entrapping the Kinghorns in the centre of the building.
‘I fear the humans of this city may have noticed my firewall. They will be looking up, therefore I suggest you take the box with the sliding doors to leave,’ said Nebula.
‘You’re letting them escape?’ said Archie.
‘No, I’m asking them to leave. I have no interest in imprisoning these dragons’ said Nebula.
‘What do you say, bro? Shall we get out of here?’ said Mali.
‘Yeah, I reckon it’s time for a sharp exit, ar kid,’ said Leon.
‘She is too powerful,’ added Delfina.
The three dragons backed away and Leon pressed the lift button.
‘You cowards,’ said Vainclaw, standing upright and staring angrily at Nebula through the flames. He spread his wings, revealing his right wing, torn and frayed at the edge. He opened his mouth.
‘Your Dragonsong is no use here,’ said Nebula. ‘I can direct the wind to keep the sound away.’
Vainclaw growled, defeated. He dropped to all fours and joined the others in the lift. Mali slipped through the hole in the bottom of the lift to make enough room for him.
‘That’s right, run away,’ said Karnataka. ‘Officer Grunling will arrest you as soon as you set foot in the lithosphere tunnel.’
‘Balti Grunling?’ said Vainclaw. ‘Who do you think released Delfina after she was caught spying for me? It’s amazing what some Drakes will do for a pot of pepper.’
‘I’ll kill him,’ said Karnataka.
‘Nebula Colarado,’ said Vainclaw, rearing up once more, ‘because of you, when the time comes we will show no mercy to the Sky Dragons. You will all bow down before us.’
The lift doors closed.
The Kinghorns had gone. Nebula lowered her paws and the firewall burnt away to nothing. She turned to look at the others.
‘Miss Nebula, I have never seen a firewall before,’ said Alba.
‘That was really cool,’ said Archie, clapping his hands together.
‘Thank you for the sustenance, human,’ said Nebula. ‘I haven’t tasted sugar since the Middle Ages. It’s better than I remember.’
‘The name’s Archie Snellgrove.’ He grinned, handing her another jelly bean from his pocket.
‘Thank you,’ she replied, taking it.
‘Did we win?’ said a small pained voice.
Holly was lying against Dirk, her leg mangled, her jeans drenched in fresh blood, a look of agony in her eyes.
‘Archie Snellgrove, gather up the ash,’ commanded Nebula, ‘and stay away from the edge. Humans may still be looking.’
‘I hope they do not see Mr Captain Karnataka, then,’ said Alba.
Archie and Nebula looked up to see the Shade-Hugger flying fast up into the sky, his dark brown back quickly vanishing into the night.
‘Never mind him, bring the ash here, cover t
he leg,’ said Nebula, tearing Holly’s jeans, exposing her leg. It was bloody and bruised.
Archie scooped up a handful of fine ash, carried it to Holly, opened his fingers and allowed it to pour on to her leg. She gritted her teeth with pain. The ash instantly turned red as the blood soaked through.
‘Sorry, Holly,’ he said.
‘Quickly, cover the leg,’ said Nebula.
Archie brought more until the whole leg was covered with blood-red ash.
‘Stand back,’ said Nebula and he moved back. The Sky Dragon opened her mouth and breathed blue flames, which licked over the ash.
Holly cried out in pain.
‘You’re hurting her,’ said Archie, trying to pull Nebula away.
‘No, she is being made all the better. Look,’ said Alba, pointing to Holly’s leg. The ash was glowing gold under the blue flame and it looked as though the blood was draining back into the leg.
Nebula closed her mouth and the flames vanished. ‘The bone is fixed,’ she said.
With Archie’s help, Holly tried to stand. Tentatively she put some weight on to her leg. She looked up in amazement. ‘It’s better,’ she said. ‘How did you do that?’
‘Dragon or human, skin or bone, we all need the same things to survive; water, earth, air and fire. It takes fire to mend a broken bone,’ said Nebula.
Archie realised he still had his arm around Holly’s shoulder even though her leg was better now. He let go, embarrassed, and said, ‘Sorry, you don’t need me.’
‘I think I do,’ said Holly, smiling. ‘You saved my life twice. Thanks.’
‘The dragons did all the hard work.’ Archie grinned. Then, eyes widening, he added, ‘Dragons, Holly. There are real dragons. I can’t believe it. I knew you were worth following. I knew it.’
‘Now, let’s see about the one who summoned me,’ said Nebula, bending down to inspect Dirk, who still hadn’t moved since swallowing the liquid fire.
‘It wasn’t his fault,’ said Holly.
‘I know,’ said Nebula.
‘Will he be all right?’ asked Holly.
‘He needs water. Hold his mouth open,’ said Nebula. She raised her head to the sky and took a long intake of breath.
Alba lifted Dirk’s head and prised open his jaws. Holly and Archie watched as a strand of vaporised water fell from a cloud above. Nebula caught it, allowing it to run through her paws and trickle into Dirk’s open mouth as pure, cool fresh water.
Dirk coughed.
He spluttered.
His eyes opened and he sat up.
‘Dirk, you’re all right,’ said Holly, throwing her arms around him.
‘Hey, kiddo,’ he replied, smiling.
‘I’m sorry, Mr Dirk,’ said Alba.
‘That’s OK, Alba.’ He looked at Nebula and said, ‘I’m sorry too; they forced me to summon you.’
‘These are complicated times I have materialised into,’ she said, nodding. ‘My name is Nebula Colorado.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Nebula, I’m Dirk Dilly. It’s not safe for you here. Are you able to sublimate again?’ he asked.
‘Not until I have bathed in the Outer Core and regained enough strength.’
Dirk stood up, carefully checking that everything was in working order.
‘Alba,’ he said, ‘take Nebula somewhere remote where she can safely head underground without being seen.’
‘OK, Mr Dirk. I am sorry I deceived you. I just wanted to save Delfina, but now I know that it is too late for her,’ she said sadly.
‘It’s just Dirk,’ he replied, ‘and, Alba …’
‘Yes, Mr Dirk?’
‘Stick to the ocean from now on. I don’t think you’re suited to city life.’
‘Yes, Mr Dirk.’
‘Many thanks for the coloured sugar, Archie Snellgrove,’ said Nebula.
‘Yes, I very liked your jelly beans too,’ added Alba.
Archie dug around in his pocket and pulled out his last two jelly beans, one red, one green. He wiped off the fluff.
‘Here,’ he said, holding them up for Alba and Nebula, ‘for the journey.’
‘You can have the red if you like,’ said Alba.
‘I prefer the green,’ replied Nebula, taking the sweet. ‘Thank you, Archie Snellgrove. Until the next time.’
‘What next time?’ said Archie.
‘The next time we meet,’ said Nebula, looking at him with her milk-white eyes.
‘I hope we will be meeting again too,’ said Alba. ‘I will let you ride on my back again if you bring more jelly beans.’
Archie grinned. ‘I hope so too,’ he said. ‘Goodbye, Alba.’
Nebula and Alba flapped their wings and took to the air, hovering above the roof.
‘Thanks for fixing my leg,’ said Holly.
‘You are most welcome,’ replied Nebula. ‘Part of me is now part of you and lives in your bone. Remember me with the steps you take.’
‘I will,’ said Holly.
‘Maybe next time we’ll have more time to talk,’ said Dirk.
‘I fear we won’t,’ replied Nebula. ‘Goodbye.’
Holly and Archie waved as the two dragons flew straight up, disappearing into the night sky.
‘That’s so cool,’ said Archie.
‘Yes it is.’ Dirk nodded. ‘So are you two ready?’
They both climbed on his back, Holly with her arms around Dirk’s neck, Archie holding on to her. Dirk spread his wings. He checked that no one was looking and glided down towards London, on his way home.
‘So this is normal for you, is it?’ said Archie, ‘chasing dragons and saving the world?’
‘It’s the summer holiday,’ replied Holly. ‘What else is there to do?’
Chapter Thirty
As no one knows for sure whether Sky Dragons really can create firewalls, no one knows for sure how they work. One theory popular amongst dragon historians, however, is that Sky Dragons are so attuned to the air particles that surround them that they are able to manipulate them using their breath and paws. To create a firewall, the theory goes, they isolate the oxygen that is present in the air and purify it. As pure oxygen is flammable, it only takes a flame to ignite it and for that section of the air to become a burning wall of fire. This would also explain other powers sometimes attributed to Sky Dragons, such as the ability to draw water particles from clouds, and to deflect harmful sounds away, such as Dragonsong.
Dirk looked up from the book. He was sitting on the roof across the road from the art gallery. The double-chinned security guard was fast asleep in front of the screens, snoring, with his hand inside the doughnut box.
Dirk Dilly’s was a lonely occupation. Unlike other jobs, he didn’t have colleagues to discuss last night’s telly or the football results or the price of beans, so sometimes he would spend so much time secretly watching someone, like the double-chinned security guard, that he came to think of him a bit like a colleague. He was a reassuringly familiar face.
Had the double-chinned security guard known that a four-metre-long (from nose to tail), red-backed, green-bellied, urban-based Mountain Dragon thought of his face as reassuringly familiar, he would probably have fallen off his chair and dropped his doughnut.
When Dirk had said goodbye to Holly and lowered her into her bedroom window late Tuesday night he had expected to see her the following day or, at least, the next week, but as he lingered on her roof he heard shouting.
‘Where have you been?’ he heard her dad’s big-haired wife yelling. ‘Your father has been worried sick. What time do you call this? Why are your jeans torn? What a state! You look like you’ve been to war.’
Holly’s response was too quiet for Dirk to hear but he could detect her tone: stubborn, determined and quietly angry.
The next day she had called. ‘They’re having steel bars put on the window,’ she said.
‘Steel’s no problem,’ said Dirk, snapping his jaws together.
‘They’ll get really suspicious if you break the bars.
No, I’m stuck here for the whole holiday,’ said Holly, trying not to sound too glum. ‘It was worth it though. We stopped Vainclaw, and Buchanan won’t be able to use the earthquake weapon without the instructions.’
‘I’m just relieved he doesn’t know about my lot,’ said Dirk. ‘Fighting Kinghorns is one thing but if a human as rich and powerful as Buchanan knew the truth about dragons life would get very complicated.’
Dirk looked out of his window. The clouds that had marred the beginning of the holidays had gone now and the summer had properly kicked in. He felt bad for Holly stuck inside while everyone else in London was down the park, playing ball games, having picnics, or simply lolling, enjoying the glorious sunshine.
‘At least they’re letting Archie visit me,’ she said. ‘I think they don’t want to discourage me from making friends. Look, I’d better go, I’m not supposed to be making phone calls without permission.’
‘OK, call me soon,’ he said, putting the receiver down, feeling something he hadn’t felt before. It was an emotion he recognised from his work as a detective. He felt jealous. He begrudged Archie getting to spend time with Holly when he couldn’t see her.
Something caught his eye inside the security room. He looked up. The row of security cameras had gone fuzzy.
He checked the street below and flew to the large window, which he pushed open, and climbed into the gallery, holding one paw over his nose to stop the trail of smoke from triggering the alarm.
Looking around the room, he spotted a camera-neutraliser in the corner of the gallery. On the floor was the painting of the sad-looking lady. It was moving exactly as before but this time it was heading back towards the spot where it had originally been stolen from. The picture was being returned.
Dirk stooped down and lifted up the moving painting. Underneath were six white mice. They had metallic collars around their necks and tiny mechanical devices on their backs. Four of them were equipped with electronic clips that allowed them to carry the stolen picture. One had a glass cutter. Dirk picked up another and inspected the grappling hook it was carrying. So that’s how they got the picture down from the wall, he thought. The mouse between his paws didn’t struggle and Dirk would have thought it not real if it wasn’t for the tiny heartbeat he could feel.
The Case of the Vanished Sea Dragon Page 13
