The Wyverns' Treasure by R. L. LaFevers

Author:R. L. LaFevers
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

The ground was rough and Nate stumbled over rocks and debris half a dozen times. Once, he tripped over a bone of some kind and nearly landed on his face.

At the next bend in the tunnel, Nate’s light fell on something long and fluttering. A ghost? He jumped back. “What’s that?” he asked.

“It’s only dragon skin. As they grow, they shed their skins. Here, come have a closer look.”

Nate followed her over to the dragon skin. Up close, it shimmered faintly in the beams of light. There was a rainbow sheen to it.

“Touch it, Nate,” Aunt Phil said.

He did. It was soft and feathery against his fingers.

“You can take a bit for your collection if you’d like.”

Nate looked at her in surprise. He didn’t realize she’d noticed the few specimens he’d collected. “Thanks,” he said.

The skin was surprisingly tough. He couldn’t tear it with his hands, so Aunt Phil handed him a small pocketknife. “Try this.”

The small sharp blade sliced cleanly through the dragon skin. When he went to hand it back to her, she shook her head. “No, you keep it. I have others and you might need one down here.”

“Really? I’m allowed to have my own knife?” he asked, not quite believing her.

“You’re a beastologist-in-training now. Of course you need the proper tools.”

Nate started to smile, then stopped. “But will a pocketknife be of any use against wyverns?” he asked.

“Goodness, no!” Aunt Phil said. “It’s not to use on them. It’s in case you get stuck or have to cut something loose. You’re never to use it on a wyvern.”

“Oh.” Nate stuffed the piece of dragon skin into one of the outside pockets of his rucksack. He held on to the knife as they continued on their way. He liked the solid feel of it in his hand.

Two twists and turns later, Nate’s light fell on a dozen small, slithering shapes. He leaped back against the cavern wall. “Are those the babies?”

“They’re much too small, Nate. They’re salamanders.”

“Salamanders?” he repeated.

“Yes, elemental creatures of fire. They’re attracted to the wyverns’ flames. If you see them, you know the wyverns are very near.”

Nate gulped and knelt down so he could see them better. “They’re kind of cute.”

Sensing his body’s warmth, they clustered around his hand. Their tiny feet tickled. One brave salamander had just crawled all the way onto the back of Nate’s wrist when a deep roar boomed through the tunnel. The salamanders scattered.

“I believe we’ve found the wyverns,” Aunt Phil announced.

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