Flax couldn’t take her eyes off the dragon. This was the same terrifying creature who had towed the Floating Forest across the sky.

He had red-gold scales, and spikes all the way down his back to his tail. His eyes were scarlet and black. His teeth were as long as Flax was tall.

He was dreadfully thin.

She half expected him to eat her on the spot. Instead, he raised his head and growled, ‘I CANNOT FACE THE WITCH YET; I AM NOT STRONG ENOUGH. DELAY HER, AND I WILL COME AS SOON AS I CAN.’

He hunched his shoulders and spread his wings. His claws scraped against the rock. He launched himself into the air and flew down the mountain.

Leaving Flax, Rose and the pup staring after him.

‘I THOUGHT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO SAVE US,’ said Rose.

‘How can we delay a witch?’ said Flax.

‘Impossible,’ muttered the key (which was a sword again). ‘We’d need an army.’

‘Well we haven’t got an army,’ snapped Flax. ‘So we’re going to have to think of something else—’

She broke off. She looked at the sword. She began to trot in a very small circle.

‘What is it?’ asked the pup.

Flax stopped, halfway around the circle. ‘Rose, can you fly like your uncle? Could you fly us up to the Floating Forest?’

‘I DON’T KNOW. I CAN TRY.’

Rose spread her wings cautiously. She flapped them twice. She left the ground— And fell back again.

‘OW.’

She tried a second time, flapping harder. This time, she flew a little way before she fell in a heap.

The third time, she launched herself off the side of the mountain.

‘Rose, no!’ cried Flax.

‘I can’t watch,’ said the pup. ‘Tell me when it’s over.’

Rose fell and fell. Her wings flapped wildly. She tumbled head over heels towards the rocks below …

And then, somehow, she righted herself. The wind caught her wings and she raised her head.

She flew!

Up and up and up she soared. Her scales glittered in the morning sun. Her tail was like a bolt of lightning across the sky.

Then she swooped down so fast that Flax and the pup dived behind the nearest rock.

They heard a clatter and a crash.

‘WHOOPS,’ said Rose. ‘I MIGHT HAVE TO PRACTISE LANDING.’

Flax peeped around the side of the rock.

‘DID YOU SEE ME FLY?’ boomed Rose, looming above her. ‘IT WAS AMAZING, FLAX. IT WAS EVEN BETTER THAN GREEN JELLYBABIES.’

‘Um,’ squeaked Flax. ‘Could you not show so many teeth?’

‘I WAS SMILING,’ said Rose.

‘I don’t think dragons are supposed to smile,’ squeaked Flax. ‘Not unless they want to scare their friends.’

Rose’s sharp teeth disappeared. ‘SO WHOT HOPPENS NOO?’

‘Now,’ said Flax, ‘you fly us up to the Floating Forest.’