Jonah and the Last Great Dragon Read Free Page B

couldn’t hang about for the food to arrive.’ Sam sighed. ‘The beasts are getting fed up with waiting. In fact, a fight broke out a little while ago. Absolutely terrifying. The Regiment doesn’t usually scatter and run for it! Luckily for us, the Great Dragon roared at the other dragons and threw his weight about a bit, and they quietened down. I just hope the meat comes soon.’
    ‘I should go down to speak to them,’ said Jonah. ‘Sort them out.’
    ‘Jonah, no,’ said Bryn. ‘Not if they are angry. That’s dangerous.’
    ‘It won’t be! You don’t understand, Bryn,’ Jonah snapped. He could feel the pressure mounting. It was bad enough to feel that he had to deal with all the dragons, even if he didn’t want to, without Bryn and Claire constantly pointing out to everyone that he was still only a kid. He looked mutinously at his new uncle, feeling scared and grouchy, and not really believing his own words. ‘Saint Michael says I can make
any
dragon obey me, not just Ffyrnig. It will be like it was with him.’
    Bryn looked embarrassed. ‘Yes, of course it will,’ he said. ‘Sorry, Jonah.’
    Claire had jumped out of the Land Rover and came hurrying round to where they were standing. ‘Jonah, you really don’t know that.’
    ‘Oh, yeah, you know far more about dragons than Saint Michael the Dragonslayer, of course!’ Jonah spoke witheringly.
    Claire’s face reddened. She took a deep breath and forced herself to stay calm. ‘No, but
you
are no angel.’ She gave a small laugh. ‘So you’re not to go while they’re fighting. I absolutely forbid it! Okay?’
    Jonah erupted. ‘You can’t say that! You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not my mother!’
    Claire’s eyes widened in shock, and then she was fuming. ‘Don’t talk to me like that. Don’t be so rude! If your father were here—’
    ‘Well, he’s not, is he? That’s the point. That’s the whole bloody point! Can’t you see that?’ Jonah was raging. All his fear of letting everyone down came pouring out. ‘If he
was
here, it would probably be him going to the dragons instead of me. But he’s
not
here, so I have to go. I’m the only one who can.’ He glared at her and added scornfully,‘Unless you’d rather go yourself!’
    There was a stunned silence.
    ‘No,’ Jonah said viciously, ‘I thought not.’
    Claire looked as if he had slapped her and the three men stared at him in amazement. He saw Captain Hereford look away in embarrassment. Feeling wretched and mutinous, he turned sharply on his heel and walked towards the hubbub. He plunged his hands in his pockets, so that nobody could see them shaking. His cheeks burned with anger and shame, and his heart felt as if it would swell into his throat with misery. He hated himself, loathed the way he had spoken to Claire.
    There was an uncomfortable silence as the Parrys gazed after him and then Sam spoke quietly.
    ‘Mrs Parry, I really do need Jonah to come and talk to the dragons.’ He gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘I can’t tell you how much I hate to admit this, but the Regiment has no idea how to control them. I am not underestimating the danger of letting him go near them but – well – he is the only person who has any chance of managing them and getting us all to London.’
    Claire nodded unhappily. ‘Then I suppose I mustn’t oppose it. Do you mind if we come down there with you?’
    ‘Of course not.’ Sam took out his mobile phone and asked for an armoured car to bring the adults safely down to the ground where the dragons were. Then he strode off to catch up with Jonah and they walked quickly down the broad tarmac drive through the barracks, while Claire, Bryn and Rhodri waited for the vehicle in an embarrassed silence. Jonah was walking with his eyes on the ground and his insides burning with misery. Suddenly, his steps faltered. He stopped walking and stared at the road. Then he turned to Sam.
    ‘Captain Hereford?’
    Sam raised an eyebrow, which