1 Hide-and-Seek

Adventures in Flatfrost

CHAPTER 1

Hide-and-Seek Whoosh! Flames swirled from Ruskin's mouth and torched a giant block of ice. It hissed and melted into a puddle. Prince Lucas and his best friend, Clara, scurried behind another stack of ice and crouched. The friends had been playing hide-and-seek in the larder all afternoon. Stacks and stacks of enormous ice blocks filled the room, which was located beneath the kitchen in the castle cellar. The ice kept the royal food cold. The larder was also the perfect place to play a chilly round of hide-and-seek. This had become their favorite game. Lucas and Clara poked their heads above a stack of ice blocks and waggled their tongues at Ruskin. The dragon scampered toward them. Whoosh! He blasted

another fireball at a huge wall of ice blocks. The wall melted, but there was no sign of Lucas or Clara. They had already found a new hiding spot. Ruskin splashed across the cellar floor in search of his friends. Clang! Clang! Clang! The royal cook stood on the cellar stairs, banging together pans. Ruskin yelped and hid behind a stone column. Lucas and Clara stayed out of sight behind the last tower of ice.

"Stop the madness!" shouted the cook. "You'll spoil my food!" Lucas and Clara peeked at the royal cook from their hiding place. The cook had ruddy cheeks, bushy black eyebrows, and a round middle. He wore a starched white hat with many pleats. Each pleat stood for an outstanding recipe and was awarded by the king and queen of Wrenly. The cook's real name was Berwick, but everyone called him Cook.

Lucas had never heard Cook sound so angry. "Maybe if we stay hidden, he'll go away," whispered Lucas.