The first island, Joe could see, had sheer cliffs. It was topped with a rocky hill of loose scree and slate, with a 152fringe of green trees, shrubs and tangled vines. ‘Where’s the silverblue?’ he asked. He needed to stay focused, and fight the tiredness. They had one job: get the silverblue, then they could get some sleep, and get home to the eggs.

‘There!’ Thom pointed, his arm stretching over Joe’s shoulder.

They swooped down suddenly. Joe’s stomach lurched and he bit his lip, tasting blood. He gripped Ruby as hard as he could with his legs, clutching backwards at Thom with both hands, and praying they didn’t all slip off and get smashed on the rocks.

Thom laughed, but it wasn’t unkind.

When Ruby levelled out, they were flying alongside the cliffs, the sea foaming below. The cliff face was dark grey, but it had veins of glittering blue-white threaded through it. Silverblue!

‘How do we get it out?’ Joe yelled into the wind.

‘You’ll see.’

The dragons circled the island, till Thom decided it was safe to land.

It wasn’t any easier the second time, and Joe went flying over Ruby’s head again to land in a heap at his cousin’s feet, his bag a few strides beyond him.

Winter helped him up, as the dragons greeted each other and set to preening while the sun was still warm.

Milla was frowning and looking behind them. They stood on a narrow strip of grass on the clifftop, obviously cropped short by rabbits or goats. ‘I don’t like it, Thom,’ she said.

‘Why?’ 153

‘There’s the forest at our backs. There’s the sea in front. Not an ideal camping spot. Nowhere to run.’

‘We don’t need to run. We can fly,’ Thom said. ‘The dragons are right here. We don’t need long. I’ve done this before, remember? Just enough time to tie a good knot and lower myself down and chip away some of the blue stuff.’

‘You’re going down?’ Joe asked. He should have guessed someone would have to.

‘Just watch me,’ Thom said, unbuckling his backpack and taking out a coil of rope.

‘What do we do?’ Winter asked Milla.

‘Stay alert,’ Milla said. ‘Iggie’s usually the first to scent trouble, from people or predators, so we should be fine, but we need to post a lookout …’

But before she could finish, Thom started walking towards the first trees, the rope slung over one shoulder. He bent to tie it round the trunk of a sturdy evergreen. He tugged it hard to check the knot, and shouted, ‘Let’s go!’

It all happened so fast then, Joe could hardly believe it afterwards.

A bulky shadow rushed out from the shade of the trees. Ruby bellowed, but she was too late. The creature leaped at Thom and he was on the floor, being pawed and mauled by – what was it? A boar? A rhino? It was moving so fast Joe couldn’t tell.

Milla shrieked and sped towards Thom, drawing a dagger from her boot, and sprinting fast.