8 Olaf

CHAPTER 8

Olaf The ship sailed past the island of Crestwood. Dragons played on the hillsides and soared overhead. Some snoozed in caves and some under the trees of the Great Pine Forest. A volcano puffed steam from the center of the island. Soon the ship docked at Hobsgrove. A thick cloud of fog hung over the island. Even when it was sunny everywhere else, Hobsgrove was always gray.

Ivy creeped up the dark walls and spires of the castle, where André and Grom, the two brothers who ruled Hobsgrove, lived. André was known to be very kind and friendly, but Grom was not. He liked to keep to himself and spent most of his time in the dreary castle basement, mixing potions. Many of the wizards on the island of Hobsgrove worked by the hearths of their thatched-roof homes. Their cauldrons bubbled with magical healing potions made for the kingdom of Wrenly. A young wizard brought Lucas and Clara to Olaf's dark, smoky house. Olaf stood over his cauldron as it foamed and frothed. Lucas asked the black-bearded

wizard if he had the missing emerald. The wizard shook his head glumly. "No," he said. "That dreadful witch from Bogburp cursed me with clumsiness years ago." "What does that have to do with the missing emerald?" asked Clara. The wizard looked at them with sad brown eyes. "The emerald fell from my hand after I returned home

from Burth. It tumbled over Hob's Cliff and into the sea." "Oh no!" Lucas cried. "That emerald belonged to my mother, Queen Tasha." "That's most unfortunate," said the wizard. "Do tell her I'm sorry."

Lucas kicked a stone on the path as he and Clara headed back to the dock. "What are we going to do now?" he asked. "Go diving for it?" "I have a better idea," said Clara. "Let's go to Mermaid's Cove." "What for?"