Vipero the Snake Man Read Free Page B

Aduro!”
    “You’re
not
going to win!” Elenna yelled defiantly.
    “Keep thinking that.” Malvel sneered.
    The vision of the Dark Wizard’s face broke up as the sand shifted and swirled, and they lost sight of the helpless Aduro. For a moment despair swept over him again, but Tom resolutely fought it back. He couldn’t doubt himself! Not now, when so much depended on him and the success of his Quest.
    He slid his sword back into its scabbard as the sand whipped around him, stinging his eyes. Soon he realized that the sky was completely blotted out and he couldn’t see Elenna or their animal friends, even though he knew they were standing close by.
    “Tom!” Elenna’s voice rose over the whistling of the wind.
    Blindly Tom stretched out a hand, and wasrelieved to feel Elenna’s fingers close around it. They clung together for a moment, buffeted by the wind. Then a powerful gust knocked them off their feet and they sprawled in the sand. Somewhere, Silver was howling.
    Tom could feel sand piling on top of them. He tried to push it away, but it kept pouring over him, streaming into his eyes and his mouth until he couldn’t breathe. His heart pounded and fear froze his limbs. He and Elenna were completely buried!
    Is this how my Quest will end?
he thought.
    Then Tom remembered that his golden breastplate gave him special strength. Perhaps he would be able to free himself and Elenna! Flexing his muscles, Tom heaved at the sand. At first, nothing moved; it was like pushing against rock. But Tom didn’t give up; he kept on pushing against the crushing weight of sand.
    Suddenly, he felt it give way. He forced himself upward, sand cascading all around him. Hemanaged to stand, then kicked his way out of the mountain of sand that had piled on top of him and Elenna.
    His friend was struggling to get up. Tom reached down, grabbed her by the arms, and helped her to her feet. Elenna stood beside him, coughing and spitting out sand, and trying to wipe it from her eyes.
    Tom blinked and looked around. Although the storm was dying down, the air was still full of drifting grains of sand, but the magical helmet helped him to see clearly. Storm was standing a short way off and came cantering up as soon as Tom called to him. Tom patted his neck, thankful that the stallion was safe.
    But where was Silver? Tom couldn’t see any sign of the wolf.
    He shook Elenna by the shoulder. “Silver’s missing!” he said.

C HAPTER S IX

T HE T RACK OF THE B EAST
    A NEW DUNE HAD FORMED. TOM AND ELENNA clambered up the side of it, their feet sinking into the sand at every step. From the top, with the help of the golden helmet, Tom could see a long way across the desert. But in that entire vast expanse, there was not one sign of Silver.
    “Silver, where are you?” Elenna called out, panic in her voice. “Silver!”
    A drawn-out whinny from Storm made them turn and look down at the stallion. Storm flicked his head three times in the same direction, then whinnied again. Tom stared at him, puzzled.
    “He knows!” Elenna shouted. “Tom, Storm knows where Silver’s buried!”
    Together they skidded down the dune and fell to their knees, digging frantically. Tom plunged his hands into the sand, but could feel nothing except for burning heat.
    Then his scrabbling fingers touched something soft. “He’s here!” he gasped.
    He and Elenna dug in the same spot. At last they uncovered the top of Silver’s head, his gray-white fur matted with sand.
    “Yes!” Elenna punched the air in excitement.
    She and Tom scooped away more of the sand until they could drag the wolf out into the open.
    His body was limp. Fear stabbed at Tom’s heart.
    Elenna bent over her friend, using her scarf to wipe sand from his eyes and around his jaws. Suddenly, Silver let out a huge sneeze. He blinked,and his tail began to wag slowly, beating on the sand.
    “He’s alive!” Elenna exclaimed, tears in her eyes. “He’s going to be all right.”
    The wolf staggered