Once Upon a Winter by Megan Atwood

Author:Megan Atwood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin

CHAPTER 10

The Dragon

As they rode to the mountain—which seemed to be getting closer way too fast—the words Mariel had said kept echoing in Peter’s ears: “You’ll know what to do.”

Peter wasn’t so sure. He rarely knew what to do. Didn’t Olive always speak for him? Didn’t everyone talk over him? Didn’t his dads think he couldn’t do anything?

He looked at Kai, who was now in front of him. Lithliel was in front of Kai, leading the group to the place where the dragon lived. If Peter could just be more like Kai . . . Kai didn’t seem to be unsure of anything. He seemed to know exactly what to say and what to do. He hadn’t hesitated once during this whole adventure.

And Kai was counting on Peter to be a good sidekick. Somewhere, deep inside Peter, something squirmed at the word “sidekick.” Still, he would be lucky enough to do that right.

As if he sensed Peter looking, Kai turned around and said, “I don’t know what the witch was talking about. But I think she isn’t thinking right. We have to kill the dragon. She’s going to eat everyone—it’s the sensible thing to do.”

Peter swallowed but didn’t say anything. He leaned over and petted Samson to buy some time. Somehow, he couldn’t disagree with Kai. He didn’t want to lose Kai as a friend. And he didn’t want to lose the feeling that he belonged.

He changed the subject, and as soon as the first question came out, he realized he had a million more behind it. “Kai, do you live in that cottage I found you in?” he asked. “Are your parents there too? Do you live in this land as much as you live in our world? Where did the mirror come from? When you said you were waiting for me, how did you know I’d come? How are we going to get back—”

Kai laughed loudly and said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. One thing at a time. But the most important thing first: we may have to go back suddenly. We don’t know how much time we have here. Or . . .” Kai looked toward the mountain. His voice got sadder. “Or you might stay here forever. There are some things we don’t have control over.”

Peter said, “Wait, what? Stay here forever? What do you mean, we might have to go back suddenly?”

Kai said, “Let’s worry about that later.” Then he nudged his horse and went farther up the road, past Lithliel. All three horses started trotting—not Peter’s favorite thing.

The rhythm of the trot made Peter stop talking. Every step was jarring, and he suddenly felt out of sorts. There were too many unanswered questions. Some pretty big questions he realized he should have asked much earlier.

Another roar shook the ground, but this time it felt much closer. Peter had to put his hands over his ears. When it was over, Lithliel looked back grimly at Peter and Kai. “We’re close. Be prepared,” she said, and then faced front again.

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