Rust Kicker by Daniel Quilter

Author:Daniel Quilter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dragon;rust;kicker;fire department;clan;fires;mysterious;mystery;investigation;danger;suspense;rust-kicker;young;preteen;middle grade;dragons
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2021-05-12T16:51:29+00:00

ChapteR 13

Surprise!

Dagney

Dagney had to land TruthSteel much farther from the fire station than she’d anticipated. A huge crowd thronged the building from every direction. People of every clan pushed up against each other, each one chattering like a new drakeling as they shoved to get a closer look.

“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Dagney dismounted TruthSteel and made her way to the edge of the crowd.

Dagney found the nearest person, a woman in a green dress accented with Storm-Chaser dragon scales. “What’s going on?”

“A Rust-Kicker dragon,” she said. “They’re saying some boy bonded one, and he asked the fire chief to let him join the fire brigade. Can you imagine? It has to be a hoax, right?”

Was that even possible? Dagney thought the woman must be misinformed, but as she listened to the chatter of the crowd, the woman’s words were confirmed. Everybody in this crowd was here because they wanted to see the Rust-Kicker dragon.

Dagney thrilled with the idea of telling Albie about this. Who would be more excited by the discovery of a real Rust-Kicker dragon than Albie?

But her heart sank as she realized that she wouldn’t be sharing this with Albie. He’d made it clear that Dagney needed to have her own life without him in it, and that’s what she would do. She needed to get through this crowd and deliver her letter.

Dagney tried her best to move into the crowd, but she didn’t get far. The crowd was made up mostly of adults, and Dagney was small for her age. Her size combined with her foot made pushing through the crowd impossible.

Dagney made her way back out of the crowd and returned to TruthSteel. “Ready to push some people around?” She climbed onto her dragon’s back. TruthSteel replied with a sense of excitement. “Let’s go.”

TruthSteel stalked to the edge of the crowd and began using his head to nudge people to the side.

“What’s wrong with you?” a man yelled as TruthSteel shoved him to the side. Dagney ignored the protests of the crowd members, letting TruthSteel’s revelry in the situation wash over her instead. TruthSteel continued shoving his way through until he and Dagney arrived at the center of the crowd where Fire Chief Jorgen stood, begging the crowd to stop yelling.

“Fire Chief Jorgen of the Rock-Roller Clan! I come with urgent news!” Dagney yelled to be heard over the sound of the curious crowd. Was that too official? Dagney wasn’t sure what the proper protocol was for discussing business with the Fire Chief.

“I’m busy right now,” Jorgen yelled back. “Come back when the crowd dies down.”

“This is urgent.” Dagney slid from TruthSteel’s back, holding the letter out for Jorgen to see. “Lady Kassandra requests that you investigate the fire at Lady Radmilla’s manor. We believe the fire may not have been an accident.”

Jorgen snatched the letter and tore it open. “Look, I respect Lady ­Kassandra, but I can’t play favorites. Tell her that I work for the whole council, not just her. I’ll investigate the fire when I get an official order.

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