“Here comes one now!” Mallobarb shouted.
Jake had Briar and Sabrina help him to his feet. He reached into his jacket and removed a small black coin. He rubbed his hand over it for a moment and it began to spin. The spinning increased until a ferocious wind surrounded them. Luckily, the spell didn’t seem to affect them or Sabrina knew she would be swept right off the flying carpet. Uncle Jake clenched the coin tight and when the first of the dragons, the green one, got close enough he tossed it into its open mouth. Bolts of lightning poked out from inside its jaws, then erupted out of its fat belly. The dragon fell out of the sky, but before it hit the ground an enormous hole opened in its torso and the creature exploded.
“Gross,” Daphne said. “Next time warn a person you’re going to blow a dragon up in front of her. I’m going to have bad dreams until I’m a hundred years old.”
“Sorry,” Uncle Jake said. “Now for the other two.”
“Shouldn’t we just try to outrun them?” Sabrina asked.
“You can’t outrun a dragon, ’Brina,” her uncle said. “I’ve tried.”
The purple dragon circled above them then dove like a kamikaze pilot. The carpet easily dodged its attack but the monster was not discouraged. It swooped back to try an attack from below. Once again, Daphne proved her skill at steering the carpet.
“Land this thing,” Uncle Jake said.
“Is that a good idea?” Briar Rose said.
“No, but we won’t last long in the air,” he replied. “Daphne, take us down.”
Daphne did as she was told, landing in a clearing surrounded by heavy trees. Once they were on the ground, Uncle Jake shooed everyone from the rug and told Mallobarb to take them all to shelter.
“Use whatever protection spell you have in your wand,” he said.
Mallobarb looked surprised by Uncle Jake’s commanding tone. A frown came to her face but Briar tugged on her arm. “Don’t argue. Just this once—don’t argue.”
Mallobarb forced a phony smile onto her face and did as she was told.
Just as the group reached the safety of the trees, the purple dragon slammed into the ground right in front of Uncle Jake. He didn’t even flinch. In fact, he smiled.
“You are either brave or stupid,” the dragon croaked.
“Maybe a little bit of both,” Uncle Jake replied.
“You know I’m about to roast your bones and you don’t run?”
“No need,” he said as he began digging into his pockets. “I’ve got the Amulet of Roona. It will turn your bad breath into a cool summer breeze.”
“You lie,” the dragon said.
“No. It’s right here. I mean, it’s in one of these pockets,” he said, fumbling nervously.
Sabrina noticed the handful of rings and necklaces in Daphne’s hand. “Could one of those be the Amulet of Roona?”
Daphne cringed. “Uh, Uncle Jake, what does the Amulet of Roona look like?”
“It’s a black necklace with a silver crescent moon. The moon has a carving in it that looks like a puff of wind.”
Daphne sorted through the items she had taken from Jake’s pockets. She held up a necklace that looked exactly like the one her uncle had just described. “Uh-oh.”
“Uncle Jake? You might want to go with plan B. We have the Amulet of Roona,” Sabrina cried.
“Fudge,” Uncle Jake said as he shoved his hand into another pocket. It was the only word he could get out before the dragon blasted him with flame. Sabrina shrieked as she watched the fire engulf her uncle.
“NO!” Briar Rose cried. She raced to his side but there was nothing she could do. Jake’s body looked like a piece of charcoal—his features reduced to that of a volcanic rock.
Tears squirted out of Sabrina’s eyes and sobs filled her ears. Her sister was trembling and in hysterics. Briar collapsed. Mallobarb attended to her but she was just as shaken, her face cracked and confused.
And then the fire was gone. The forest was full of smoke and cinders burned Sabrina’s eyes.
“We should go,” Mallobarb said.
“GO?” Briar Rose cried. “I can’t go.”
“Princess, he is gone. If we stay we will all join him,” Mallobarb said.
Sabrina shook her head. If they wanted her to leave then they would have to carry her away. She turned back to the spot where her uncle had stood. She was prepared to fight the dragon with her bare hands, but Briar was already there, kicking and punching at its huge feet. The dragon looked down and laughed, then swatted her away like she were an insect. She slammed into a tree. There was a sickly cracking sound and then she collapsed to the ground like a rag doll.
“Briar!” Mallobarb cried and rushed to her side.