Jack Staples and the Ring of Time Read Online Free PDF Page B

enormous. It had a mammoth head and fierce yellow eyes.
    From somewhere high up in the trees, a small shape dropped from branch to branch, spinning around one only to jump to the next. What looked like crimson wings floated and swirled as it dropped toward the ground.
    As it landed directly between Arthur and the beast, Arthur realized it was not a bird but a girl in a crimson cloak. The girl shot Arthur an angry look before turning to face the beast. She had raven-black hair and emerald eyes, and looked to be two or three years older than he and Jack.
    Without ever taking her eyes off the beast, the girl called out, “You both need to get out of here! I can’t keep him away forever!”
    Arthur looked up to see Jack by his side. His best friend’s eyes were glued to the girl. “I know her,” Jack said.
    Arthur didn’t care who she was; all he cared about was getting safely away from the beast. He grabbed Jack’s hand and stood. Very slowly, both boys began walking backward. Arthur feared what might happen if they turned their backs on the beast.
    “Go!” the girl yelled.
    Before Arthur could make himself run, the beast let out a thunderous roar and leaped from the shadows. The red-cloaked girl dropped and rolled out of its way, screaming, “Run!”
    Arthur gasped. The beast was a black-maned lion! As he turned to run, Arthur saw Jack sit down. “What are you doing?” Arthur screamed. “We need to go!” But Jack didn’t move. He didn’t even blink. He just sat there, shifting his gaze between the girl and the lion.
    “It’s you!” Jack gasped at the girl.

Chapter 6
    A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER
    Eight years earlier

     
    Alexia Dreager had been a tomboy from the day she was born. When she was only six months old, she would scrunch up her face and cry whenever her parents dressed her in anything even slightly pretty.
    As she grew older, her parents tried to teach her to act like a “proper lady,” but every chance she got, she would be off climbing something or playing in the mud. Alexia preferred play-fighting to dolls, and only once in her life did she willingly wear a dress.
    On the morning of her birthday, Alexia woke up well before the sun and was thrilled to finally be turning five! Sprinting into her parents’ bedroom, she leaped onto their bed and landed on her father’s chest.
    “It’s my birthday!” she shouted. Alexia had spent the whole night dreaming of sword fights, slings, and a new climbing rope. She couldn’t wait to open her presents.
    “Slow down there, Ally Goat,” her father said, laughing. “Look how big you grew last night; you must have turned five while I wasn’t looking.”
    Alexia smiled excitedly. She loved it when he called her Ally Goat. He’d come up with the nickname when he saw her climbing a large and very high boulder. After watching for a moment, he ran over, scooped her up, and told her that her new name was Ally Goat because she climbed better than any goat he’d ever seen.
    “I’m guessing you’ll be wanting your presents, then?” her father asked with a grin.
    “I can’t wait!” Alexia jumped up and down on the bed.
    Her mother smiled ruefully. “This year, my sweet Alexia, we have something very special to give you.”
    “I know you wanted a sling,” her father said, “but what you are about to open will make you look like a princess.”
    Alexia wrinkled her nose. Sometimes her parents made her play with the girl who lived down the road, Sarah Cryst, who was the same age. Sarah loved to play dress-up. Alexia didn’t understand the game. All you did was try on different clothes over and over again. Sarah would try on outfit after outfit and then dance around and talk about being a “princess,” or she’d want to play “wedding.”
    Her mother saw her scrunched-up face and burst into laughter. “You are our greatest gift, my girl. You are my moon and my stars, and I made this present for you myself.”
    Alexia took the present. It was small and