The Lazy Dragon and Bumblespells Wizard by Kath Boyd Marsh Page A

you?”
    â€œNo problem. My sister should be the one he’s hunting, if he wants a real mean dr’gon to slay. Come to think of it, I don’t know why me and not my sister. Good question. Unless ….” But he didn’t continue. He sat down next to her.
    â€œThere must be something special about you.” Moire Ain straightened her too-short robe so that it pulled as far over her outstretched legs as possible. It didn’t reach her ankles as a proper robe would but made it halfway down her shins.
    Cl’rnce stared at her again like she’d said something she shouldn’t have, or maybe it was just that he disapproved of her. She blushed to think what he was seeing. Besides being raggedy, she was only a five-foot-tall human with reddish curly hair that was always falling across her round face. She wasn’t pretty, although she thought her green eyes were okay. And of course she had freckles, which Hedge-Witch said were the sign of low-class people who didn’t know enough to wear a hat in the sun. Not that she had a hat.
    She was stunned when Cl’rnce finally spoke. “I like your freckles.”
    Moire Ain’s heart swelled at hearing a compliment.There she sat in a robe so faded its color could have been anything to start out with, from brown to blue. With the holes here and there, she thought it looked more like it was made of dust than cloth. And the shoes she’d fashioned out of leaves tied with vines were already falling apart. He had to be seeing the poorest of peasants, and yet he said something nice about her freckles.
    â€œYou said you can read?” Cl’rnce asked.
    Moire Ain nodded proudly but didn’t get a chance to tell about Goodwife Greenfield and the lessons. He went on, “Hazel claims human peasants cannot. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a peasant. You’re different since you can read, and you’re teaching yourself magick!” He laughed like the next part was a joke. One that stung Moire Ain. “Hazel even said peasants need a team of wizards to teach them to come in from the rain. She says wizards may look human, but they aren’t.” Cl’rnce stopped and blinked at Moire Ain. His voice took on an apologetic note. “I think she’s wrong. Look at you. Wizards had to come from someplace before there were wizard families. Which means the first wizard learned magick all on his own, like you.” He smiled like he’d paid her a huge compliment.
    Moire Ain shook off the sting under his words and asked, “You know who the first wizard was? I do.”
    Cl’rnce pulled a piece of straw from the haystack and ran it through his fangs like he was cleaning histeeth. “Really?”
    â€œDid you know that the first wizard was a dr’gon?” Moire Ain held up her book, pointing to a picture of a dr’gon who had clearly just made a banquet table of food appear.
    â€œCan’t be,” he said. Drool gathered in the corners of his muzzle. “I ran out of food the first day out. I need food.” He held out his paws for the book.
    But Moire Ain couldn’t let go of her treasure. She was afraid he’d eat the book. He was licking his lips like he would. She pulled it to her.
    â€œIf dr’gons were the first wizards, why would I need a partner? I would be able to do it all myself. I can’t.” Cl’rnce snorted.
    â€œYep. Things have changed, and you said you need a Wizard Partner.” Moire Ain jumped to her feet. “I need a teacher, and since dr’gons were the first ….”
    â€œDon’t say wizards. It’s just not so. I don’t think you can trust your book.”
    â€œOf course I can. It’s a
very
good book!” But Moire Ain dropped it into her pouch. She needed the dr’gon. She was sure. And he needed her. Even if he denied it, a proper dr’gon should fly. If he didn’t want to be her friend, at