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

least they could trade helping each other.
    Cl’rnce’s head jerked up. “Did you say
trade
?”
    Moire Ain was startled. She hadn’t said ‘trade’ out loud. How did he know? It didn’t matter; she was goingto make this partnership work. He seemed to waver one way and the other. She’d do a little of what his sister did and push him to be her partner.
    She put her hands on her hips. “Do you need a wizard or not?” She tried to make her eyes slitty and demanding, like she thought his bossy sister would.
    Cl’rnce sighed. “I suppose. As fast as I can run, I only have three days to get to the mountain, and Nasty Sir George is a real nuisance. Truth is that I’m a little turned around on the directions to Ghost Mountain. I guess I need help.”
    â€œMaybe with your flying?” Moire Ain said. “I was just thinking if I could help with that, you could avoid Sir George and get to your mountain fast.”
    He looked a little irritated, but he said, “Maybe. Do you know Ghost Mountain?”
    She shook her head.
    â€œWell, they say one side looks like a scary face. But I think the only way you can see that face is if you’re up in the air. And we have to find the entrance to the inside of the mountain where the Dr’gon Council Chamber, the Uamha, is.”
    The list of what she’d need to learn and do was getting long. And according to Cl’rnce, they didn’t have much time.
    â€œIt’s inescapable. I need to fly, and I need magick to fly.” Cl’rnce sighed and looked at her again as if he wantedto get her book and eat it, or something.
    Moire Ain hoped he wasn’t convincing himself she was too raw and new at magick and he’d be better off just stealing her book.
    â€œYeah. I need a partner,” he said. But Cl’rnce looked away from her.
    She knew a lie when she heard one. Something about what he’d said was not true. The way he’d stared at her book made her believe he thought he could find something to help himself if he had the book. She wondered why he didn’t just take it from her. Hedge-Witch would have. But he wasn’t Hedge-Witch. Moire Ain didn’t want to believe he was anything like the old crone.
    â€œSay the magick word?” Moire Ain gave him her biggest smile.
    â€œHuh? I thought you were the wizard with the magick.”
    â€œHonestly, you’re rude.” She couldn’t help frowning at him, even though she was trying to get him in a better mood.
    â€œThat’s what Hazel says.”
    â€œReally? I’d like to meet her.”
    â€œNo, you wouldn’t. Trust me.” He eyed her pouch, and she quickly tightened the string closing it.
    â€œThe magick word is ….” She waited for him to say it. She wanted him to be that special dr’gon she needed.
    Cl’rnce laughed. “Abracadabra!” He smiled.
    It wasn’t what she hoped for, but his smile made her feel better. “No. It’s
please
.”
    Raspberries flew overhead cawing. She craned her head around the haystack. “Rotten frog farts!” she said as she scrambled to her feet. “Run!” And she took off in the direction of the village ahead.

C HAPTER 8
    For once Cl’rnce didn’t argue. He got up and ran after the already speeding Great and Mighty. In five paces he’d caught up with her, grabbed her by the back of the raggedy robe, and tucked her under one arm. Then he sped up to what he liked to call Ultimate Speed but his sister called Layabout-Brother-Sniffed-Out-Food-and-Is-Headed-for-It-Speed. Hazel wasn’t completely wrong. He could locate and get to food very efficiently and quickly. Admittedly this journey was the first time he’d used his running ability for anything but food gathering or escaping school or avoiding sister punishment.
    â€œIs Nasty Sir George close behind us?” Cl’rnce huffed.
    â€œHe’s coming