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"Why not try it, instead of just blathering on?" said Guinevere "Those really are very peculiar ravens Twigleg could be right"

Firedrake looked thoughtfully at the girl, then at the ravens

"Yes, let’s try it," he said, putting his head over Sorrel’s shoulder and blowing a shower of blue sparks very gently over the little stones in her paws

Sorrel watched, frowning, as the sparks went out, leaving only a pale blue shion-fire," she murmured "Okay, let’s see what happens" She spat on each stone, rubbing in the saliva well

The ravens had cooes A present froon’s head, put her arm back, aimed, and threw First one stone, then the other

Both hit theirThe ravens shook the stones out of their feathers with a cry of fury and dive-bo in safety behind the stone dragon "Oh, by death cap and yellow stainer, I’ll get you for this, Twigleg!"

Firedrake bared his teeth and moved in front of the huh the air above the tean to tu out fro shape! Look at that!"

They all saw it

The birds’ hooked beaks were shrinking Black wings turned into pincers, snapping frantically in the air A sled inside each arravity pulled thehts of cru steps, rolled down therowth at the foot of the hill

"By slippery jack and yellow oyster!" whispered Sorrel "The holed to her feet

"They turned into crabs!" Ben looked incredulously at the professor

Barnabas Greenbloo," he said "Before so, really ree, Vita?"

"Yes, indeed," replied his wife, standing up with a sigh

"What shall we do with the to the top of the steps dohich the enchanted ravens had tumbled "Shall I catch them?"

"No need for that," said Zubeida "All ic spell was broken They’ve becos out the true nature of any creature, isn’t that so, Firedrake?"

Firedrake had raised his head and was looking up at the blue sky "Yes," he replied "Yes, that’s right My parents told o, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen it happen There are not so ’s hands were tre so much that he hid theon-fire fell on hi quickly turned away But Firedrake hadn’t noticed how frightened the ht

"If those ravens were Nettlebrand’s spies," Firedrake said, "he on who can turn a water creature into a bird of the air!" he ist twisted one of her rings thoughtfully "I know of no story that speaks of a dragon with such powers," she replied "This is really very, very strange"

"Nettlebrand is a very strange being, anyway," said Professor Greenblooainst a column "I’ve only told Vita and Zubeida this, but when he caypt he crawled up out of a well Out of water Odd for a creature associated with fire, don’t you think? Where does he really come from?"