The Dragons of Noor Read Free Page A

Wind-taken children. But she couldn’t take Tymm down there. A rook flew past, its wings beating the air. She followed its flight and caught sight of a long golden spear shooting through the sky—the terrow dragon. Hanna’s neck tingled as the slender tail slipped into the clouds again.
    “Tymm?” she breathed, her voice thick with wonder.
    “Aye?” Tymm’s eyes were still on the grass rope. She would have told him about the dragon sighting if she hadn’t heard a wind rustling through the bushes.
    What was she thinking, standing here on the trail with Tymm fully exposed?
    “Let’s go.” Hanna tugged him down the path. This time she would tell Mother to
lock
the door, no matter how much Tymm complained.
    A haunting sound drifted up the hill behind her. Soft at first, it slowly grew from one voice to two and three. The voices mingled with the dove cooing in the evergreens, the croaking frogs in the water below, but the deya song was deeper and richer than these.
    Come, Dreamwalker
,
Come, Hannalyn
,
Before our roots are broken
.
    The deyas in the Waytrees were calling again, and she wanted to go, had to go.
    I’ll come back
, she silently promised.
    “Hear that?” asked Tymm.
    “Hurry,” she answered, though she was surprised Tymm could hear the deyas’ call. He had never been attuned to magic the way she and Miles were.
    “Frogs in the lake,” Tymm shouted happily. “Dozensof them. I’ll catch some.” He suddenly broke free. Spinning round, he dropped the grass rope and started running down the steep hill toward Garth Lake below.
    “Stop, Tymm! You can’t go down there!”
    Hanna retrieved the rope and ran after him. A cold gust slapped her face as she raced downhill.
    “Come back now! It’s too dangerous! The wind is rising!”
    He’d nearly reached the bushes.
    “I’ll just get me a frog!” he called back. “I won’t be long.” He raced straight into the sill thornbushes, their thick red branches hiding him from her view.
    “Get out of there, now! The wind is picking up!” She threw herself into the swaying thicket.
    “Tymm? I’m just up the hill. Walk toward my voice.”
    “I can’t. I’m stuck!”
    She heard the panic in his call. “Hang on. I’ll get you out!” Hanna tied the grass rope about her middle. She’d need it once she reached him. Breaking off a branch, she swung it left and right, thrashing the tangled bushes. A sharp wind gusted through, rattling the sill thorns.
    “Anteebwey!” she swore. Miles should be here to help her! He was learning magic on Othlore, but what goodwere books and study when a fierce magic had come here to Enness Isle to steal the younger children?
    She had to reach Tymm, get him safely down to the Waytrees. Once there, the deyas might be able to use their magic to protect him against the rising wind.
    “Help us,” Hanna screamed.
    Help us
, the deyas echoed back from across the lake, desperation in their voices. Something must be happening to them, but she couldn’t see their island through the thick bushes.
    From the sky above the terrow suddenly spewed a line of bright orange flame. The bushes along the shore caught fire. Wind whistled through the thorns. The whistle rose to a scream, whipping the branches.
    “Tymm! Drop to the ground if you can! Hurry!”
    The sudden gale uprooted burning thornbushes and sucked them swirling into the sky.
    Tymm called, “Tesha yoven!”
    “What? What are you saying? Tymm?”
    No answer.
    “Help me!” shouted Hanna.
    Another heavy gust swept down the hill. It blew Hanna into the air and slammed her down again. Sillthorns slashed her as she fell and hit the hard ground. She groped her way to her knees and shook herself. A loud cracking filled the air, followed by thunderous sounds. Was the wind blowing down the Waytrees?
    “Tymm! Get down. Hold on to the ground! Don’t let go!”
    Hanna managed to pull herself upright, but the next gust tore her farther away from Tymm. This time she landed full force