Chapter Twenty

It was a beautiful summer. It seemed that every day was filled with sunshine and bright blue skies.

Harri and Ryan spent the long, hot days wandering the hills above St Gertrude’s. When the the coast was clear and there was no one about, Harri would open his backpack and let Tân out to fly along with them.

When Tân wasn’t chasing rabbits, Harri was teaching him to follow commands and come back when he was called.

If they saw other walkers, Tân knew to drop down immediately, into the heather or a thick, prickly gorse bush, until they were out of sight.

‘How’s your dad?’ Harri asked.

They were sitting on a rock, eating their crisps and sandwiches. The town below them was like a toy model. It was market day and they could see people going about their business, bustling in the streets. In the distance, the sea sparkled and behind them, the mountains rose up to meet the scudding, pillowy clouds.

‘He’s okay,’ Ryan nodded. ‘But he’s changed since his illness. He’s quieter — he’s gone moody. He’s stopped doing stuff for me all the time, which is great. But sometimes, it’s like he can’t wait for me to come round to see you — like he wants to get me out of the house. Mam says he’ll be back to his old self soon.’

Harri pulled a bit of ham from his sandwich and offered it to Tân. Tân stood on top of the rock, his head held high, his wings half open, standing proud like … well, yes … just like the red dragon on the flag of Wales!

Sometimes, Tân would stare towards the mountains, almost in a trance. Harri would follow the little dragon’s gaze and wonder what it was that drew its attention.

Dinas Emrys was in that direction, the place where the mythical dragons of the Mabinogion were buried deep underground.

Was that it? Was Dinas Emrys calling him? It was calling Harri. Every day, Harri thought about the trip he and Mum had taken there last autumn. He felt he belonged there. He didn’t know how to put the feeling into words, so he kept quiet about it. But he knew it was important. Somehow his destiny was tied up with that place and the story of Merlin and the red and white dragons that were buried there.

There was only one dark cloud on the horizon: the Battle of St Gertrude’s.

All summer long, Harri’s promise to Mr Davies had weighed heavily upon him.

‘He’s going to notice that Tân has grown!’ Harri said for the umpteenth time.

‘We need to make a new box and we’ll have to make it look just like the old one,’ said Ryan. ‘Tân hardly fits in it anymore.’

‘It’s hard, keeping a dragon,’ Harri sighed. ‘Someone’s going to find out about Tân one day, then I don’t know what will happen.’

Ryan nodded, but he said nothing. His dad had found out. Why had he never mentioned it again? There must be a reason. He must be up to something!