9 The Wrong Dragon Master

CHAPTER 9 THE WRONG DRAGON MASTER The next morning, Petra knocked on Drake and Bo's door before breakfast. "Come in," said Drake with a yawn. "Could you take me to see the hydra?" Petra asked. Her green eyes shone eagerly. "I want to start connecting with my dragon right away!"

Drake's stomach grumbled. "Before we eat breakfast?" "I grabbed these from the kitchen." Petra held up some bread and cheese. "Let's go!" Bo opened his eyes long enough to see Drake go off with Petra. The two hurried down the stairs to the Training Room. As they got near Griffith's Workshop, they heard voices. Drake and Petra stopped to listen. "Please, Griffith, there must be some way to help him," a woman's voice said.

"That sounds like Queen Rose," Drake whispered to Petra. "The hydra is the key to healing the king," said Griffith. "But we won't know how until her Dragon Master connects with her. Petra simply is not ready." "But she must be ready!" said Queen Rose. "Can't another Dragon Master make the connection?" "It doesn't work that way," Griffith explained. "The Dragon Stone has chosen Petra."

"Then the Dragon Stone should choose someone else!" the queen said. "The king's life is at stake." They heard Griffith sigh. "Let me check the Dragon Stone again," he said. Drake peeked into the workshop. Griffith was leaning over the Dragon Stone. The stone sat in a wooden box carved with pictures of dragons. The Dragon Masters' stones had come from this Dragon Stone.

Griffith gazed into the shining green gem. He frowned. "I am sorry, Your Majesty," he said. "The Dragon Stone is cloudy. It has been acting strangely lately. Sometimes clouds appear. Other times it glows brightly and fades." Drake heard a rumbling sound outside the castle. "This Dragon Stone must not be working as it should," said Queen Rose. "It must have chosen the wrong Dragon Master!" Drake looked at Petra. She was biting her lower lip.

"Petra, I'm sure that—" Drake began, but he stopped. The rumbling sound was clearer. It was the villagers, chanting. "Send the dragons away!" they yelled.