8 Ch8-The Past

CHAPTER 8 THE PAST Drake's thoughts were spinning. "What do you mean, you sent us back in time?" he asked the imp. "Actually, the Time Dragon sent us traveling through time," Beezel replied. "I just changed the clock and used a magical blast to get your friends and dragons off the clock— so only you and I would end up lost in time somewhere."

Beezel held up Drake's Dragon Stone, dangling from its chain. "Oh, and I stole this from you," she added. "So you can't ask your dragon for any help!" "Give that back!" Drake said, lunging for the imp. Beezel jumped up onto a tree branch, out of Drake's reach.

"You can't catch me!" she taunted him. "I don't understand," Drake said. "Why did you do this to me? And how do you know magic?" "I am an imp, from the Isle of Imps," Beezel replied. "We have magical powers. Not as strong as a wizard's powers, though. Definitely not as strong as Maldred's!" Drake's eyes got wide. "How do you know Maldred?" "He took me from my family when I was just a baby imp, and I grew up in his hideout," Beezel replied. "I was happy with Maldred. But then one day he left and never came back. I'm all alone, and now I know it's your fault!"

"What do you mean, it's my fault?" Drake asked. "I heard you and your redheaded friend talking in the hideout today," Beezel said. "You trapped Maldred in a bottle. I'll never see him again." "Maldred wanted to destroy the world," Drake shot back. "We had to stop him!" "He was my friend!" the imp cried, stomping her foot. "You made me mad. That's why I turned invisible and hitched a ride on your back and traveled with you to the Time Dragon. Then I messed with the clock so you would be stuck all alone without any friends, just like I am."

Drake gasped. "That's why I felt those itches on my neck!" Beezel grinned. "Yup! Pretty cool, right? I love turning invisible. Wait, I'll show you." She squeezed her eyes shut, grunting. Then her eyes fluttered open. "Rats! It's not working! That big blast drained my magic." Drake gazed around him. "So now we're in the past," he said. "That's right!" Beezel said with a grin. "I wasn't sure where we would end up, but I like how it turned out. You haven't met your dragon yet. Or any of your friends. You're not Drake the Dragon Master. You're just a regular boy!"

Drake thought quickly. "I can still go to the castle. I'll talk to Worm. He will understand, even if he doesn't recognize me. I can fix this!" "Ha!" Beezel snorted. "You can't talk to Worm without your Dragon Stone, remember?" She dangled it again. Drake thought quickly. "I guess you win," he said. He turned his back to her. "Hee hee!" Beezel cried. "That was easy!" Drake spun around. He shook the tree branch.