It wasn't hard for her to locate Clayton's trail. Just as Chester had done before her, she followed the crushed grasses, broken limbs, and bare patches in the ground where Clayton had dragged the basket along behind him. And just like Chester before her, it didn't take too long for Hope to figure out where Clayton was heading.

"The villain!" she muttered under her breath. "He's heading for the honeycomb. I'll wager he's responsible for my poor cow's disappearance! How could I have been so stupid! He must have followed me when I went to see how she was faring."

Her anger grew, but so did her caution. Reaching down she picked up a hefty branch with which to defend herself. Confident now that she knew where Clayton had gone, she stopped following the trail and hurried on to the only clearing in that area large and flat enough to hold the balloon.

She approached carefully, wanting to make certain that she saw Clayton before he saw her. As it turned out, the first thing that Hope spied was a red dragon. But unlike Whittle's dragon, this one was lifeless and posed no threat.

She stood for awhile gazing at the half filled balloon. Even though she knew it wasn't real, it gave her the shivers to see how much the dragon on the side of the balloon resembled Garreth's son. It had the same crimson color, the same muscular shoulders, thick thighs and powerful jaws. The painted eyes were yellow rimmed with red, but kinder somehow, though just as wild and untamed in their depth. The claws were short, but sharp and visibly displayed. Looking at them Hope was made aware of the real dragon's claws, and the slits he had administered to the balloon upon its arrival.

What of the holes, she wondered. Had Tid-Bit been right? Was the air from Dagu's lamp mending them? After looking about to make sure Clayton wasn't in the vicinity, Hope advanced toward the balloon. It must have been difficult for Clayton to get the two poles into the sides of the balloon all by himself, she thought, with a begrudging respect for the man's resourcefulness.

What should she do? If she went back to get the others Clayton might take off before they returned, and then they would be trapped on the island forever. Could she stop Clayton on her own? Not likely, considering the man's size and strength. Where was Clayton? More importantly, where was Chester? Had Clayton done something sinister to him? For the first time Hope began to fear for her own safety. Perhaps she had been foolish to have followed the men on her own. She should have waited for the others. But how much help could they give? Tid-Bit was just a small fairy, and Julian and Alanna were close to children.

"What would Whittle do?" she asked herself. "I'm certain he wouldn't let that scalawag fly away and leave the others behind. Yet, how can I be certain that is what Clayton has in mind? Perhaps he is just filling the balloon in this remote spot so the dragon can't see it. After it is working properly, perhaps he will come and get us.

"And perhaps Alexander is really a sweet lad who will make me a fine husband," she scorned.

She had half made up her mind to go back and tell the others what she had discovered when Clayton stepped out from the shadows. His clothes were torn, his hair disheveled, and there was blood on his face and hands, though whether that blood was his own or anothers, Hope couldn't tell.

"Where's Chester?" Hope asked sternly. "What have you done with him?"

"I'm glad you're here, your highness!" There was genuine eagerness in his voice. "There's nasty trouble brewing. Chester swiped the lamp and took the balloon out of its hiding place. I guess he got tired of waiting for the lamp to do its job, for he was starting to build a fire to fill the balloon with hot air when I found him. We fought, and I guess the dragon heard, for it come and carried him off. I just barely escaped myself by hiding in one of the caves. Been waiting to make sure the dragon wasn't still lurking about. I was going to go back and tell the others what happened and that the balloon was near ready, but now I know there ain't time. Once he's done eating Chester the dragons bound to come back and destroy the balloon."

"Hush!" Hope cried, blanching at the thought of Chester being consumed by a dragon. "You're lying to me. What have you done with Chester?"

"I tell you the dragon took him!" Clayton insisted. "And unless we get moving, he'll have us as well."

"Your story has more holes than the balloon," Hope said severely. "Why are you wearing Whittle's cape? Because you didn't want to be seen sneaking around, I'll wager. I see no sign of any firewood. If Chester tried to build a fire, as you say, where is the wood?"

"I had wanted to do this the easy way," Clayton's pleasant voice and attitude grew disagreeable. "But it seems you're too smart for your own good." He moved over to the balloon and picked up the staff that lay propped against the basket. Why hadn't she noticed Todd's walking stick before, Hope wondered, feeling suddenly apprehensive. If what the man claimed were true, he had once been apprentice to a wizard, and as an apprentice, he would know some spells.

"You neednt look so fearful, your highness," he sneered. "I ain't going to hurt you. You're worth a lot to me alive and well. Your daddy the king should pay a generous reward to the man who returns his daughter to him."

"The only reward you'll receive is to be thrown into the dungeon with the other liars and thieves," Hope said, wondering how she was going to get out of her present difficulty.

"Not after King Ryan hears how brave and daring I was; slaying the dragon and bringing his daughter back in an airship that I got off of a friend, who just happens to be one of the greatest wizards ever lived."

"My father doesn't believe in wizards," Hope said, wishing Chester would appear and rescue her.

"He will after I show him what I can do with me staff." Clayton waved the old stick around over his head and a rainbow of lights flickered and then went out. "It shouldn't take much to impress people who never had any dealings with wizards before. You'll come to respect me too, once I get your mind cleared of all them nasty memories you got of your stay on this island."

"You can't do that!" Hope gasped, "You can't make me forget."

"Maybe I can't quite remember the right words just yet," the man admitted. "It be a bit of 'dark magic' as Cedric would say, and not something I was suppose to study. But that didn't stop me. The spell will come back to me in time. In the meanwhile, I'll just cast a little sleeping spellover your highness. While you're sleeping we'll travel over the great water, and along the way to your palace I'll fill your mind with new thoughts. Thoughts that will make me a hero in your pa's eyes. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make me his head wizard and greatest advisor."

As Clayton lifted his staff over his head Hope flung the stick she held at him and ran and hid behind the basket.

"Don't make no never mind if I can't see you," Clayton informed her. "All I need do is say the spell and anything within distance of my voice will go to sleep."

As Chester started to recite some words Hope climbed into the basket. She paid scant attention to the heap of treasures that Clayton had covered the floor with, other than note there was room for only one or two people in the basket. It was as she had suspected, Clayton had never intended the others to leave the island. Hope knew that the wizard Dagu had told Alanna to never let the light in the lamp go out, but this Dagu had no way of knowing Clayton would steal the balloon and try and carry the princess of Lark off, leaving the others behind. Clayton's spell seemed to be working, for she was beginning to feel sleepy. With grim determination Hope reached out a hand and turned the lever of the lamp. The light flickered for a moment and then died.

Dragon's Claw Book One
Price $12.95  
    by Charles M. Clark
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

FROM THE BOOK STORE

Prince Adam returns home to find his father, the King, gravely ill, some say dying. Feeling unprepared for the duties of kingship, and unhappy about a proposed marriage between himself and a rather plain princess, Adam makes a plea to the Powers that be for guidance and help. Adam then falls into a deep sleep and awakes in an unfamiliar land full of sinister foes and wild men. Yet it is one of these wild men that takes Adam under his wing and teaches the young prince what it takes to be a real leader. Charles M. Clark has written this book for older children and teens, but older folks enjoy it as well. All Antelope Publishing's fantasy books are browser readable and come on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM contains TWO books. One book with music and special electronic enhancements, and one book without, for times when a quieter read is desired. For more information about browser readable e-books CLICK HERE

The Making of a King
Price $9.95  
    by Charles M. Clark
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

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