Dragon Seeker Read Free Page A

tray piled high with cakes and sandwiches. Vassili watched as he set the table and then made haste to serve his master.
    Forgetting the Book of Spells, Lord Jezail drew his chair closer to the table. “It’s ridiculous, really, when you think of it,” he groused, his eyes falling on the little box of dragon pills. “Here am I, one of the greatest Dragon Seekers of all time, and
look
at me! Reduced to this! Waiting — waiting, like a servant, for the Khan to arrive! If he doesn’t come, I’ve a good mind to go out and kill a dragon myself!”
    “Well, it would be exciting to say the least, Milord, but I can’t say I recommend it,” the count’s eyes twinkled as he lifted a plate of sandwiches from the table. “You were a lot younger in those days, for a start,” he pointed out, “
and
a lot fitter. But your deeds, you know, aren’t forgotten. Everyone remembers the great beasts that you slew.”
    “Hmmph!” Lord Jezail sounded disgruntled but Vassili’s rare words of praise pleased him, nevertheless. He straightened in his chair, smiling slightly as he reached for a sandwich. “Those were the days, Vassili!” he said dreamily. “Stalking dragons, trailing them through the forests and over the mountains, losing them sometimes when they flew off to that dratted valley …”
    The count sighed. He knew what was coming next. He’d heard it all
so
many times before. Yet, if all the old tales his father had told him were true, then Lord Jezail had, indeed, been a great Dragon Seeker in days of old. So much so that the remaining dragons in the area had eventually taken refuge in a deep, desolate valley, which they had guarded fiercely ever since.
    “It’s monstrous!” his master muttered. “That valley’s
full
of dragons and yet
I
have to rely on the Khan for my pills!” He leant forward to choose another sandwich. “
And
pay a fortunefor them!” he added, sourly.
    Vassili shrugged. “Well, there’s not a lot we can do about it, Milord,” he said, a trifle ruefully as he poured his master’s tea,” unless, of course,” he added teasingly,” you’re really serious about visiting the Valley of the Dragons!”
    Jezail looked suddenly grim. “If I weren’t so weak, I’d go tomorrow!” he snapped.
    Vassili looked at him sharply, startled at the sudden strength of his tone.
    “When I said that the Khan charged a fortune for his dragon pills, I meant it,” his master said bitterly. “Every time he comes, he charges me double. Says they’ve become scarce! And I do
need
the pills, Vassili! My will might be strong but my body, these days, is old and weak. The dragon pills give me strength! And,” his voice became fretful, “what will happen when his supplies run out? Tell me that, Vassili? If you rule out the Valley of the Dragons, then tell me: where is he going to find more dragons in this day and age?”
    The count looked at his master thoughtfully; for Lord Jezail certainly had a point. “I don’t know,” he was forced to admit. “Times have changed, haven’t they? I mean …”
    “They used to be ten a penny in the old days,” Lord Jezail said tiredly. “Well, maybe not quite,” he was forced to admit, “but there were a lot of them around.”
    Vassili nodded, remembering stories of one particularly ferocious dragon that had roamed the countryside round his father’s castle at Trollsberg. “It couldn’t have been much fun having them prowling round the place,” he said, “but as for killing one … well,” he looked at his master in grudging admiration , “I wouldn’t like to face up to a dragon myself!”
    “Having a good sword helped,” the magician answered. “It had to be sharp, of course!”
    “May I ask how many dragons you killed?” Vassili asked, genuinely interested.
    “Twenty-three,” Lord Jezail said proudly, his good humour restored. “You wouldn’t think so, looking at me now, but I was reckoned one of the best Dragon Seekers of my day! Of course,