Dragon Fire Read Online Free PDF Page A

see the e-mail about the extra handball practice tonight?”
    June turned and showed Anna her sport bag. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She laughed and then paused. “I just wish Lysa was feeling better.”
    Anna felt a pang of guilt and looked away. She hadn’t even tried to contact Lysa and probably should have. Because even though they’d had a falling out before the avalanche, Anna was sure that Lysa needed all the support she could get. Fritjof had been her boyfriend. “I’ll try to call her later.”
    “She won’t answer. Her family thought she needed some more time. They won’t be back for another week or two.” June didn’t sound too happy about it, but then again, June was dating Lysa’s brother, Erling.
    “I’ll leave a message.” Anna looked at her watch. “We should go – the bell’s about to ring.”
    She turned to walk toward the main building, but pulled up short when she felt something touch her, as if the wind had grown hands. She backed up, but still felt it. Her palm tingled. “What…?”
    June was staring across the schoolyard towards the entrance but snapped back to look at Anna. “You felt that?”
    The feeling disappeared. “What was it?”
    June didn’t answer. She was leaning against the wall, just as she had been before. Except that she was staring at the gate as if she expected someone to walk in. A little later two students Anna didn’t recognize walked into the schoolyard. They were lithe and graceful, even with their biker boots. They reminded her of black panthers. One male, one female.
    Anna watched as they walked nonchalantly towards the main building and disappeared inside. She tried to put her finger on what made them look different. “They didn’t look cold,” she said, suddenly realizing that they hadn’t been wearing hats or gloves. Although the girl had a red scarf.
    June laughed and hooked her arm through Anna’s. “No, I’m sure they weren’t.” They walked into the school and merged with the crowd. “See you later,” June said as they were about to separate on the second floor landing. “Oh, wait. I forgot to give you your Christmas present. It’s a Chinese good luck charm. Sorry I didn’t wrap it.” June dropped a small jade medallion in Anna’s hands and ran up to the third floor where the third year students had class.
    Anna stopped to look at the delicate green medallion as the stairwell emptied. It was beautiful, and so detailed that the dragon looked like it should come alive. It looked a little like a serpent, except that it had four feet – each with five claws. Anna smiled, the emerald dragon’s ferocious face made it look like a protective guardian. She wrapped her hand around it. It felt alive, just like her stone used to feel. She sat on the stair and put it on her necklace with the golden heart that her father had given her when she was little. He had said it would keep her safe. And she had always wished she had given it to him when he had gone on his expedition. He had needed it more than she did.
    “Oh, Anna – are you alright?” Mrs. Johansen, the school’s librarian-like secretary, came up the stairs followed by the two new kids. “You’re going to be late for class.”
    Anna tucked her necklace back under her turtleneck and scrambled to her feet. “I’m on my way.” But she just stood there, watching.
    The secretary turned to the dark-haired girl. “Dawa, this is Anna Strom. She’s also in the second year, but in the other homeroom. She plays on the Tromso handball team.”
    Anna smiled and held out her hand, but Dawa averted her eyes.
    “Anna, this is Dawa’s brother, Pemba Ngari,” continued Mrs. Johansen. “He’ll be in the third year.”
    When Anna met Pemba’s gaze, she felt a tingle around her. As if invisible hands were trying to touch her. She looked around wondering where it was coming from and then focused back on Pemba. There was something familiar about him, but she was certain she had