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Firedrake looked at hilance

"You’d like to come, too, wouldn’t you?" asked Firedrake

Ben bit his lip "Of course," heher head, Sorrel pricked up her ears uneasily "What?" she said "Co on about?"

Firedrake took no notice of her but just looked at the boy "It will be a dangerous journey," he said "Very long and very dangerous You may never come back Wouldn’t anyone here miss you?"

Ben shook his head "I’m on my own I always have been" His heart beat faster Hardly daring to believe it, he looked at the dragon "Would you … would you really let me come, too?"

"If you like," replied Firedrake "But think about it carefully Sorrel often gets very bad-tempered, you know"

Ben felt weak at the knees "Oh, I do know!" he said, grinning He was feeling quite dizzy with delight

"Hey, hang on half a sec!" Sorrel pushed her way in between theot into you, Firedrake? He can’t possibly come"

"Why not?" Firedrake playfully nuzzled her furry stomach "He’s been very helpful We can use all the help we can get, don’t you think?"

"Helpful?" Sorrel was so indignant she al! Only pint-sized, but still a hu And it’s the humans’ fault we’re not at home in our nice warm cave It’s their fault we’re off on this crazy quest! And now you want to take one of the?"

"Yes, I do" Firedrake rose, shook hiirl had to look him in the eye "He’s helped us, Sorrel He’s a friend So I don’t , a brownie, or a rat What’sthere hardly daring to breathe, "what’s more, he doesn’t have a home now any ly at the boy

"I never did have a ho at Sorrel

The brownie bit her lip and dug the claws of her toes into the ruffly at last "I’ll say no more But he sits behind ed her so firrass "He sits behind you," Firedrake agreed "But he’s co Off Course

When the moon had risen above the city rooftops, and a few lone stars began to appear in the sky, Firedrake cae Sorrel was up on his back in an instant, but Ben didn’t find it quite so easy Sorrel watched with a scornful grin as he laboriously claon’s back he looked as proud as if he had clihest mountain on earth Sorrel took his backpack, buckled it to her own, and hung the onto the spines of his crest," she told Ben "And tie yourself to theust of ill blow you off"

Ben nodded Firedrake craned his neck around to look at the two of theo Fly south!"

"South?" asked Firedrake

"Yes, first south, then after a while turn east When I tell you"

The dragon spread his shiht to the spines of Firedrake’s crest The dragon rose higher and higher They left the noise of the city behind Night enfolded them in darkness and silence, and soon the huhts far below