The Dragon of Trelian Read Online Free PDF Page B

to
keep
it secret, to have to be afraid and alone and pretend that everything was perfectly fine . . .
    No,
she thought, her inner voice a tiny whisper deep inside. The
very
worst thing was that despite how frightened she was about what was happening and how it made her feel, how strange and different and wrong and scared, sometimes . . . sometimes she liked it.
    Sometimes she
loved
it.
    Meg strode a little more quickly through the hall. That didn’t bear thinking about — not now. There wasn’t anything she could do about that. Not without figuring some things out, and she thought she had figured out everything she was going to on her own. She needed help. So she would tell Calen.
    She smiled suddenly at the memory of his expression when he’d realized who she was. Maybe that was why she’d spontaneously decided to trust him. He seemed completely without guile, his face unable to disguise anything.
Probably not the best person to tell a secret to, in that case,
she pointed out to herself. She knew it was ridiculous to simply decide that she could trust him. But somehow it didn’t feel ridiculous. It felt . . . right.
    Squaring her shoulders, Meg started up the south staircase.
    “And as I have decreed, so let it be accomplished,” she said aloud, repeating the words she’d heard her parents say countless times at hearings and petitioner days.
    “Let what be accomplished?”
    Maurel bounced up beside her on the stairs. Meg reached over and yanked on the end of one of her sister’s slightly uncoiled braids. “My royal decree that all little sisters should wear bells around their necks so people can always hear them coming.”
    “
You’re
the one who’s always disappearing,” said Maurel. “I think you should wear the bell. Where were you?”
    “Oh, you know, the usual . . . having tea with fairies in the garden, shrinking down to mouse size and riding about among the flowers.”
    “You never tell me.” Pouting, Maurel stomped several steps in silence before relenting. She could never stay angry for more than a few seconds. Meg envied her that sometimes. “Besides, fairies are stupid. If you’re going to make up stories, it should be pirates and sea monsters or something else good.”
    “I’ll remember that for next time. And where were
you,
dear sister? You realize we’re both late, don’t you?”
    “I’m not late,” said Maurel. “I was on an assignment. Nan Vera sent me to look for Mattie’s bear. You’re the only one who’s late. Everyone’s waiting for you.”
    Meg grimaced. “Wonderful.” She climbed a little faster. “Did you find the bear?”
    “Yes,” Maurel answered proudly, holding the poor tattered thing aloft. “And also the sock she lost last week
and
Maerlie’s missing hair ribbon. Cook’s cat had the ribbon. It’s a little chewed.”
    Meg solemnly examined the ribbon as Maurel displayed it for her. It seemed a
lot
chewed, in her opinion, but she kept that to herself. “I’m sure Maerlie will still be glad to have it back,” she said. “You’re pretty good at finding things, all right.”
    “Yes, I am. And now I’ve found you, too!”
    Meg laughed. “Yes, you have. Now let’s hurry so you can get the praise you deserve and so I don’t make Mother and Father any angrier than they already are.”
    They ran the rest of the way, Meg only having to pull in her stride a little to let Maurel keep up. Breathless and laughing, they arrived at the sitting room of the royal suites. Father had been speaking, but he stopped as they staggered in. Everyone turned to look.
    “Welcome, Meg,” said Father sardonically. “So nice of you to finally join us.”
    “I found her,” Maurel announced. “Also I found Mattie’s bear and her sock. And your hair ribbon, Maerlie!” She bounded over to distribute the assortment of items. Grateful for the distraction, Meg slipped onto a couch beside Morgan, who gave her a neutral nod. Maerlie, meanwhile, flashed her a half-hidden smirk