Home Read Online Free PDF Page A

I said the new dazzler spell.
    As the spell effected, Pip burst from the blankets, its eyes wide and whirling; a gout of white-bright sparks flashed from its mouth and slammed into my eyes. Then the dragon scrambled with sharp claws up my front and onto my hair, spitting out more sparks as it crouched there.
    Squinting through the sparks, I saw its tail lashing before my eyes. Whoops. More proof that the magics were unsettled. Poor Pip!
    The little dragon hopped down from my head and crouched in the blankets, still lashing its tail. “Sorry,” I said. It gave me a glary glance and curled itself up to go back to sleep.
    As tricksy as the magics were, I still thought the spell would work to blind an attacker for a few moments. After a while, the sparks faded and I could see again. I rubbed my good eye and read some more, figuring out a spell that would prick somebody all over with needles if he tried hitting me. No need to try that one out—I didn’t want to prickle myself, or Pip.
    There. I felt safer already. But I really did need to go out into the city to get a better feel for what was going on with the magics.
    See? I wanted to tell Rowan. I don’t have time for meetings and ducal magistering. I have more important things to do.
    Trying to be careful of my bruised ribs, I put on my black sweater and my coat. I picked up sleeping Pip and put it on my shoulder.
    As I slunk down the stairs past Nevery’s study, I met Benet coming up.
    â€œHere, you,” he said. “Where’re you off to?”
    I shrugged and tried to edge past him. Important wizard business. No fuss, if you please.
    â€œNo you don’t,” Benet growled, and grabbed me by the arm; he opened the door to Nevery’s study and dragged me inside.
    Nevery was sitting in his usual chair; standing around the table were Magister Brumbee, looking plump-rumpled and worried, and Magister Nimble, the bat-faced wizard who didn’t like me. What were they doing here?
    Benet let me go. “Caught him sneaking out, sir,” he said.
    â€œI wasn’t sneaking,” I said. Not really. Only a little.
    Nevery gave me a narrow-eyed look. “Going out? Where?”
    I shrugged. If I told him what I was up to, he’d worry, and I didn’t want that.
    â€œ And he hasn’t had his breakfast yet,” Benet said from beside me, and folded his arms.
    Oops. Very suspicious, me sneaking out before breakfast. “I won’t be gone for very long.” I glanced at Benet, then at Nevery, and they were both scowling. Brumbee looked even more fretful; Nimble just looked smug, as if he knew something I didn’t. “What’s the matter?” I asked.
    â€œHmm,” Nevery growled. “Brumbee and Nimble have just brought the news. Another locus stone has been stolen.”
    What? “Whose?” I asked.
    â€œMine!” Magister Nimble said in his whiny voice. “And I know who stole it!”
    Oh, no. I knew what he was going to say. “It wasn’t me,” I said quickly.
    â€œConnwaer.” Nevery was giving me his most keenly-gleaming look. “What has your dragon been up to?”
    I glanced aside at Pip, asleep on my shoulder. “Nothing, Nevery.”
    â€œOh, dear,” Brumbee said.
    â€œAre you certain, boy?” Nevery asked.
    â€œSure as sure, Nevery,” I said. “Pip’s been with me all night. It wasn’t out stealing Nimble’s locus stone. We had nothing to do with it.” I held my breath. He had to believe me.
    Nevery nodded. “Well then,” he said, turning to Brumbee and Nimble. “You will have to look elsewhere for your thief. It wasn’t Conn.”
    â€œHe’s lying!” Nimble shrieked.
    Nevery got loomingly to his feet, gray and threatening as a stormcloud. He glared thunder and lightning at Nimble. “Conn does not lie.”
    Nimble gulped and went wide-eyed and silent; Brumbee wrung his hands and