8 A Strange Boy

CHAPTER 8 A STRANGE BOY Rori stepped closer to the boy. "Why should we follow you?" she asked. "We don't even know you!" "Trust me," the boy said, just as the robbers' voices grew louder. "I am surprised to see that you have dragons. But I know how to keep them safe. Come on!" "We must hurry!" Ana said.

They had no choice. The boy waved for them to follow him. He touched the pyramid. One of the big stones pushed in, revealing an opening. A secret door! Drake thought. "Inside, quick!" the boy said. "Dragons first." He stepped aside to let them in. Kepri was weak, but Worm nudged her gently with his nose. She stepped through the door. As Drake walked past the boy, he saw a cord around the boy's neck. Something green and sparkling was dangling from the cord. A Dragon Stone!

The boy slipped in behind Drake and the secret door closed. They were inside a dark tunnel. Flaming torches lined the walls. Drake turned to the boy. "Who are you? Are you a Dragon Master, too?" He pointed to the green stone around the boy's neck. Ana, Rori, and Bo gasped when they saw it. The boy smiled. "My name is Heru," he said. "I do not know what a Dragon Master is. My father gave me this stone."

"King Roland calls us Dragon Masters," Drake explained. "We were chosen by the Dragon Stone to work with dragons." "I have not heard of King Roland. Are you from far away?" Heru asked. Bo nodded. "Very far." Heru frowned. "How strange. Can you tell me why Wati brought me here tonight?" Ana was stroking Kepri's neck. The dragon's eyes seemed brighter now that she was inside the pyramid. "Who's Wati?" Drake asked. Heru grinned. "He is my dragon."

By now they had left the tunnel. They were inside a dark room. Drake looked up. The ceiling was so far above that he couldn't see it. Then something appeared out of the darkness. A huge, black dragon flew down from the ceiling. His eyes glowed bright yellow. "Aaaiieeeee!" With a loud cry, the dragon flew down, charging right at them!