The Opal Quest Read Free Page A

I’ll come back as soon as I know more.’ She waved goodbye and went back to Halla’s sledge. She worked fast and collected a big pile of branches. She knew how to tie strong knots and soon had the wood fastened down. She pushed the ball of leather strips into her pocket and sat on the edge of the sledge to have a rest before she started hauling it back to Halla.
    A voice squawking above her head nearly made her jump out of her skin. ‘Run! Run as fast as you can!’
    A jackdaw perched on a branch above her head, flapping his wings furiously to get her attention. It was the bird who’d helped her defeat the High Witch Malindra and steal the emerald.
    â€˜Loki! You’ve come back!’
    â€˜Never mind that – run! A bear is coming!’
    At that moment Tia heard a great crashing sound, and the ground juddered as though something huge was tramping swiftly through the trees towards her. She leapt up and ran as fast as she could, jumping over fallen logs, scudding down paths, and all the time she could hear the dreadful thundering stepsbehind her getting closer and closer. Something caught at her jacket and jerked her off her feet. She landed on her back with all the breath knocked out of her. She was too terrified to do anything but lie still with her eyes tightly shut.
    â€˜What have we here?’ said a harsh, deep voice. ‘A little Trader girl. I wonder what she’d taste like.’
    Quaking with fear Tia opened her eyes. Rearing over her on its hind legs was a huge brown bear. It dropped onto all fours, poked its head close to Tia’s face and sniffed.
    As it reached forward Tia saw a collar around its neck, almost hidden by fur, and in the middle shone a milky-white opal glittering with shifting flecks of every colour.
    This was Yordis, High Witch of Kulafoss! She’d used the power of the opal to turn herself into a monstrous bear.
    Although Tia was terribly afraid of the gigantic animal looming over her, a plan quickly formed in her mind. Because the bear was really Yordis, it would be able to understand human speech, but it wouldn’t know that Tia understood animal language. So, as it drooled on her jacket, Tia said, ‘If I’m going to be eaten I’m glad it’s by the most magnificent bear on Tulay.’

    The bear blinked and cocked its head to one side. Tia tried to sound mesmerized with wonder as she said, ‘My people have told me stories of the great Skrimsli Bear but no one said how majestic and… and… beautiful you are.’
    She didn’t really think the bear was beautiful: its breath smelt terrible, its teeth were dirty and its fur was mangy.
    It sat down with an undignified thump and mused, ‘This morsel of Trader child amuses me – I may spare it.’
    Tia risked standing up. ‘Not so fast,’ the bear said, planting a massive paw on her shoulder and forcing her down.
    Tia dropped to her knees and muttered, ‘I hope I haven’t offended the great Skrimsli Bear somehow, as Prince Kaspar did in the old story.’
    The bear scratched its rump. ‘I like stories.’
    That gave Tia a lead. She said sadly, ‘I wish I could do what Prince Kaspar did and tell tales to this wonderful creature. It would be such an honour. What a pity she can’t understand me.’
    â€˜I want to hear these tales,’ the bear snuffled. She stood up and waved a paw. ‘Oh, get up – you grovel like a grooming maid.’
    Tia pretended to be astonished. ‘I think the Skrimsli Bear wants me to stand in her presence!’ She got to her feet and bowed. ‘O great and mighty one, it is an honour even to be in your shadow.’
    The bear grunted, turned and lumbered off, the thud of its huge flat feet echoing through the trees. When the sound had died away Tia’s legs folded and she slid to the ground.
    Loki flew down.
    â€˜I’m not sure what you just did, but it was very clever,’